Changes set in animal ordinance

A revised animal ordinance is in place in Brainerd.

The Brainerd City Council on Monday by a 4-3 vote approved amending the city's animal ordinance. Voting against were council members Lucy Nesheim, Kelly Bevans and Bob Olson.

Changes include:

Dogs more than 4 months old need to be licensed and registered with the city yearly. Previously dogs needed to be licensed at 6 months.

Cats no longer need to be licensed.

There is now a household limitation of four dogs, four cats, or a combination of four cats and dogs. Anyone owning more than four cats or dogs prior to the ordinance amendment shall be able to keep those animals provided the dogs were properly licensed before the amendment. Previously the ordinance allowed three dogs or cats. No one who owns more than four cats or dogs is permitted to acquire replacements in excess of three, except as authorized by the city council.

Dogs and cats must be on a leash and accompanied by a responsible person.

The council received a request from Brainerd resident Sonya Chamberlain to allow hen chickens at residences for home egg consumption. The council directed the animal ordinance rewrite committee to meet next week to discuss the issues.

Council member Bonnie Cumberland, who served on the committee that worked on the animal ordinance rewrite, said she was pleased with the updates because it allows for better animal enforcement.

"I really think that it allows us to handle really difficult situations with more clarity," Cumberland said. "It's not an ordinance out to punish anybody or be unduly severe."

In other action, the council:

Approved a lease with Brainerd Amateur Hockey Association at a rate of $115 per hour for both arenas at the Brainerd Area Civic Center from October through March 15. Bob Joyce, BAHA president, had requested a three-year lease agreement because it allowed the organization to better plan. During the Personnel and Finance Committee meeting Monday, chairman and council member Mark O'Day said it was difficult for him to add more than one year because of the unknowns involved with the arena oversight committee's work at reducing expenses.

Adopted a resolution ordering improvements for South 11th Street.

Adopted a resolution of support for a request of $500,000 in federal funding for the $2.4 million downtown reconstruction project. The project is scheduled to begin in the spring of 2009 and will include street surface, infrastructure and streetscape reconstruction on Laurel Street from South Sixth to South Eighth street, Front Street from South Sixth to South Eighth street and South Seventh Street from Maple to Front street.

Set informational presentations from mosquito control companies at the Aug. 18 city council meeting.

Was informed that the city collected $532,803 in sales tax from April 1, 2007-Dec. 31, 2007 and $358,009 in sales tax from Jan. 1-July 3.

Accepted the resignation of Police Sgt. Terry Crocker, who is retiring after 25 years as a Brainerd Police officer. Crocker will be part of a U.S. contingent working for the United Nations training and mentoring police forces in Kosovo.

MATT ERICKSON may be reached at matt.erickson@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5857.