Fayette aldermen form Animal Control Committee and ask city attorney to review ordinance

The Fayette Board of Aldermen on May 26 appointed members to a new Animal Control Committee and directed the city attorney to review the municipal animal control ordinance.

Alderman Patrick Roll moved and Alderwoman Michelle Ishmael seconded the motion to appoint Kelly Beeler and Shelley Day as co-chairs and nine additional members including Marshal Timothy Wells, Alderman Austin Ivy and Mayor Greg Stidham; the motion passed unanimously. The committee’s charge, as described during the meeting, is to review enforcement and community impacts and to recommend ordinance changes where appropriate.

During discussion, Alderman JB Waggoner said the council has received multiple complaints about residents keeping multiple animals on small parcels, raising concerns about noise and odor for neighboring properties. Waggoner suggested that both the Police Department and the Building Inspector be involved in enforcing any ordinance changes. Attorney Erin Wiseman cautioned the board to consider Missouri’s constitutional "Right to Farm" amendment when drafting regulatory changes, saying such provisions could limit the city’s ability to enforce certain restrictions and that proposed amendments should be reviewed carefully for enforceability under state law.

The board approved the committee appointments and asked Attorney Wiseman to review the existing ordinance and report back with guidance on what changes would withstand state constitutional and statutory constraints. The committee is expected to meet and provide recommendations to the board at a future meeting.