Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Mayfield council moves to draft updates to animal-control ordinance; considers citations and kennel licensing
Summary
Staff presented a draft animal-control ordinance modeled on another town; council directed staff to prepare an updated ordinance to restore an officer’s authority to issue citations, add clearer job descriptions for the pound master, and evaluate private kennel licensing and fines. The council will publish the ordinance for a public hearing prior to adoption.
Council members reviewed a draft animal‑control ordinance brought by staff and a council member who had collected a model ordinance used by a neighboring town. The draft provides more detailed duties for the town’s animal control/pound master and outlines offenses that may be subject to fines. Council discussed restoring the animal officer (Mark)’s authority to issue citations and confirmed the county prosecutes misdemeanor citations.
Council debated whether private kennel licenses should be reintroduced, including potential limits on number of adult dogs, licensing fees and exemptions. Members expressed opposing views: some favored licensing to give enforcement teeth and revenue, while others worried that licensing could be used to regulate some small, longstanding owners out of business. Council asked staff to produce a revised draft that (1) clarifies job responsibilities, (2) aligns fines with the county uniform bail schedule and the Utah shared master offense table, and (3) proposes kennel‑licensing language and fee recommendations for review at the next work meeting so the ordinance can be posted for a public hearing (10‑day publication requirement for ordinance changes was noted).
No ordinance was adopted at the work meeting; the topic will return with a staff‑refined draft and recommended enforcement procedures.
