Kankakee committee recommends $35,000 animal-control contract but excludes healthy cats

Kankakee City's Building Code Safety Committee on Sept. 16 voted to recommend that the City Council approve a one-year animal-control contract for $35,000, with healthy cats excluded unless they are sick or injured. The committee's recommendation, approved by unanimous roll call, sends the proposed contract to the full council for final action.

Committee members and the mayor said faster, trained animal-control response would reduce the burden on police and code officers and improve service for residents. "I don't like to spend money. But to me, the $10,000 potentially that would cost us is a service for our residents," the mayor said during the discussion, arguing that the contract would provide specialized staff and equipment for loose or dangerous animals.

Carrie Laird, identified in the meeting as the director for animal control,…