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Medina committee advances municipal deer control program and OKs USDA sharpshooting contract
Summary
The finance committee approved program rules and authorized a cooperative services agreement with the USDA that included a quoted maximum cost of $89,732.49 for targeted deer removal; council deferred final approval of specific archery locations until parcel maps and adjacent‑owner notifications are provided.
The Medina City Council finance committee on Wednesday approved a municipal deer control framework and a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to carry out targeted deer removal, while reserving approval of specific archery hunting locations until council members review parcel maps and adjacent‑property notifications.
Parks staff member Jansen explained the combined approach: an expanded archery program on designated city parks and a USDA sharpshooting contract for targeted removal on tightly defined sites. He told the committee the city harvested 114 deer last year (85 on public land, 29 on private land) and that the USDA proposal estimates removing about 130 deer by archery and 200 by targeted removal under the cooperative agreement. Jansen said the USDA quoted a maximum cost of $89,732.49 and that the final cost could fall if archery harvest increases or more residents claim processed carcasses.
Why it matters: Council members said they want transparency about where hunting and targeted removal will take place and how nearby residents will be notified. Speaker 1 and others insisted adjacent owners be notified at least once before operations begin, and several council members said they need parcel maps to judge whether proposed stands or removal sites are appropriate.
How the program would work: Jansen described rules that go beyond state requirements — including required permission from property owners, safety‑training proof, proof of homeowner’s insurance where applicable, and a photo submission requirement for harvested animals. For the USDA plan, the agency would bait, perform shooting and field‑dressing, and help coordinate distribution; the city would provide a processing location and could either match residents to carcasses or have processors prepare meat for donation to Feeding Medina County or other local partners.
Council outcome and next steps: The finance committee approved the overall policy and the USDA cooperative agreement but withheld final approval of specific archery locations until staff provides parcel maps and a plan for the first notification to adjacent property owners. The committee asked staff to return with maps and clarified notification procedures at the next meeting.
