KMXT 100.1 FM Public Radio in Kodiak, Alaska
During Wednesday’s joint work session the Kodiak Island Borough Assembly and Kodiak City Council briefly discussed animal control outside of city limits and what needs to be done before the service is implemented.
For many years the borough shared in the cost of the city’s animal control service, expanding it beyond city limits. But a few years ago the borough decided to defund the shared service, prompting numerous public comments from borough residents about the need for animal control. This caused the assembly to include it in the Fiscal Year 2014 budget. That budget was passed months ago, and Borough Manager Bud Cassidy said the animal control contract with the city is still in the works.
“The police chief, who the animal control officer reports to, Aimee and I have sat down, negotiated a contract, sent it off to our attorney for his review. I did receive it back and you should be seeing it at your next borough assembly meeting.”
City Manager Aimee Kniaziowksi added that when the assembly defunded that original agreement, the city didn’t rehire the officer that patrolled areas outside of city limits.
“So we’re in the process, I believe an individual has been hired and will be trained up and will be ready to go, probably in October. And we’ll be having the council authorize acceptance of that contract as well, as soon as the assembly has given it their approval.”
This year the assembly included $86,000 in the budget to put toward animal control.
