Council accepts Public Safety Board donations to expand Cottage Grove K‑9 program

The Cottage Grove City Council accepted donations from the Public Safety Board to expand the city's K‑9 program.

Director of Public Safety Pete Kerner described the K‑9 program's benefits for searches, apprehension and community engagement and noted fundraising by the Public Safety Board had covered non‑budgeted items for police, fire and EMS. The board presented a check (described in the meeting as “just over $20,000”) and asked the council to accept three donations: a dual‑purpose police dog purchased from Police Service Dogs Inc. (listed in the staff recommendation with a value of $15,667), a 7‑by‑14 concrete slab from Schultz Enterprises LLC valued at $3,000, and a 6‑by‑12 enclosed kennel purchased from Midwest Fence (the value as read in the transcript appears as “16.65 dollars,” which staff later treated as an item value; council accepted the kennel donation by motion).

Council moved and seconded acceptance of each donation in sequence; each motion carried by voice vote. Council and staff thanked the Public Safety Board and community donors and noted the new canine will be placed with handler Sydney Whelan after training and acclimation.

Clarification: the transcript contains an apparent numeric transcription error for the enclosed kennel ("16.65 dollars"). City staff earlier referenced canine procurement costs in the mid‑five figures and the recommendation sheet lists a canine purchase amount of $15,667; the kennel figure will be confirmed in staff records.