Parks committee recommends County Commission adopt leash ordinance for all county parks

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — The Cole County Parks Committee on Dec. 2 voted to recommend that the County Commission adopt a leash ordinance for all county parks, saying the change would address safety concerns raised by residents.

The recommendation came after staff reported the county’s existing leash language is outdated. Eric Landwehr told the committee he had spoken with Andrea Putnam in the Sheriff’s Department animal-control division, and that Putnam said the old county leash requirement is likely unenforceable but that she would support a leash rule specific to county-maintained parks.

Resident Susan Cook described safety concerns for an elderly family member who walks in County Park and encounters off-leash dogs. Committee member Todd Miller said he strongly recommended a leash requirement and moved that the committee recommend the County Commission adopt an ordinance; Hal Dulle seconded the motion and the committee carried it. The committee also recommended installing new signage at county parks to explain the requirement.

Landwehr said enforcement would most likely be complaint-driven and handled by the Sheriff’s Department rather than by routine proactive patrols. The committee’s recommendation now goes to the Cole County Commission for consideration; the committee did not record a vote tally in the meeting minutes.

The committee discussed whether adding a dog park to the capital-priority list would be appropriate once a leash rule is in place; Eric Landwehr said staff would consider restoring that item to the list.