Borough to consider part-time ordinance officer

The borough assembly was set to consider hiring a part-time ordinance enforcement officer after a Facebook conversation.

Discussion about the matter came up briefly during the April 8 assembly meeting. Assembly member Daniel Blake told the assembly he’d been involved in a Facebook conversation with as many as 40 people about a large amount of dog feces and loose animals downtown.

The conversation originally focused around the possibility of an animal control officer for the borough, Blake said. However, in researching the history of animal control officers in Wrangell, Blake said past hiring practices have followed a distinct cycle.

“We’ve had an animal

control officer in the past,” he said. “What happens is, the problem gets under control, and that person doesn’t have as much to do, people complain, so we get rid of the position. Not too long after we get rid of the position, the problem goes back up again.”

Instead of having a dedicated animal control person, the assembly should consider a part-time officer dedicated to enforcing ordinances, Blake said. If the scope of the position went beyond simple canine policing, the position might not face such intense financial scrutiny. Blake mentioned parking as one possible additional duty.

“What we’re looking at is what other communities in this area our size have done,” he said. “We got some suggestions from Valdez, Craig, Cordova, Haines and Petersburg.”

Borough officials are

considering applying for grants through the Humane Society of America, and also re-examining the city kennels. Those

kennels are typically used to house dogs whose owners are known until they can be contacted to retrieve their dog, city officials said.

The borough assembly will examine two or three different budgeting options relating to a possible officer position, said borough Manager Jeff Jabusch.

The item was set to appear on the agenda for the regular borough assembly meeting April 22.