Commissioners to consider strengthening animal control
By Steve Herring
Published in News on September 3, 2018 5:50 AM
Revisions to the county's animal control ordinance, including the addition of criminal charges, will be on Wayne County commissioners' consent agenda when they meet on Tuesday.
The meeting will get underway with an 8 a.m. agenda briefing followed by the formal session at 9 a.m. Both will be held in the commissioners' meeting room on the fourth floor of the Wayne County Courthouse Annex.
Commissioners reviewed the proposed changes during their Aug. 21 session, saying they wanted the ordinance to have more teeth.
Currently, the only enforcement in the ordinance is through civil penalties, which people tend to ignore and which are too costly for the county to pursue, said Wayne County Office of Emergency Services Director Mel Powers.
Under the proposed changes, animal control officers will be empowered to issue civil and criminal summons.
It provides that the county may list the names of non-paying individuals who have been cited in newspapers and electronically.
Civil fees will be $100 for the first offense, $200 for the second and $500 for the third or subsequent offense.
If the penalty is not paid within 14 days, it will be increased by $50.
Following a third or subsequent civil violation the county will pursue criminal charges. Anyone convicted of such a violation will be guilty of a misdemeanor and fined not more than $500.
Each day's violation will be considered a separate offense.
It also adds definitions including adequate shelter and food that are to be provided for domestic pets under its cruelty to animals section.
In other business Tuesday the board will:
• Consider a motion to approve a Senior Center Month proclamation and have a presentation of special events by Services on Aging Director Paula Edwards.
• Have a presentation by WithersRavenel on the Goldsboro Industrial Park campus.
• Have a presentation on the launch of the county's marketing campaign.
• Consider a motion to approve changes to the county's mobile device policy, as recommended by Special Projects Manager and Information Technology Director Ryan Preble.
• Have a presentation by Cherry Hospital CEO Dale Armstrong.
Commissioners are expected to approve resolutions to award service weapons and retirement plaques to retired Wayne County Sheriff's Office Sgt. Richard Farfour, Sgt. Larry Mitchell, Sgt. Randy King and Det. Lt. Ron Baker.
Consent agenda items include:
• Applications for Elderly or Disabled Exclusion, for Disabled Veteran Exclusion and for Present Use Value.
• Budget amendments.
• Motion to approve mobile home park addition at Herring's Mobile Village on Weaver Road as recommended by Planning Director Berry Gray.
• Motion to approve Dobbs County Estates section 12 preliminary plat as recommended by Planning Director Berry Gray.
• Motion to approve Home and Community Care Block Grant for Older Adults.
• Motion to approve engineering services of W.K. Dickson for Wayne Executive Jetport corporate area expansion project.
Public comments will start at 9:05 a.m. Speakers will have four minutes to comment on their topic of choice.