Post by RealPitBull on Feb 9, 2008 16:59:23 GMT -5
Pit bull ordinance a topic at board meeting
By Donna Hilton
Published: Friday, February 8, 2008 1:58 PM CST
www.siftingsherald.com/articles/2008/02/08/news/news2.txt
Only one resident has registered a pit bull dog since the law requiring registration went into effect Feb. 1, city Manager Jimmy Bolt said Thursday evening during the regular Arkadelphia Board of Directors meeting.
Nine people have been cited to court for having 21 unregistered pit bulls in the city, Bolt said. The offense calls for a mandatory court appearance and can result in a fine of up to $500 per offense.
Some of those nine pit bull owners have paid the city's $50 reclamation fee and retrieved their dogs after signing an affidavit promising to move the dogs outside the city limits, Bolt said.
During the routine business portion of the meeting, Director Joe Phelps told the board that his daughter was the only pit bull owner who had registered her dog. He told the board that his daughter had "wasted" the money she spent to comply with the ordinance, which was passed in October despite Phelps' vote against it. "It only penalizes those who follow the law," Phelps said, calling the law "ridiculous."
In other business, the board approved a bid from Truck Centers of Arkansas in North Little Rock for a truck chassis for a flat bed truck. The Freightliner truck has an Allison transmission, which are "well-known in the truck industry," said Kenny Myers, city street superintendent.
Myers said he has needed the truck for several years and was finally able to budget the funds for the purchase this year. The department budgeted $50,000 for the truck. The lowest bid received was for $51,194.
The board also approved Mayor Chuck Hollingshead's appointment of Rick Mays to the Arkansas Public Education Facility Board, a liaison board between the city and Ouachita Baptist University.
An appointment was approved in January, but the appointee did not reside in the city limits of Arkadelphia and was not eligible for appointment.
Bolt also gave directors copies of the city's Finance and Administrative Activity Report for 2007. He asked directors to read over the document and let him know if any discrepancies were found between the budget approved by the board and what actually transpired.
He asked directors to advise him during budget planning time, if any funds should have been spent differently.
Bolt also announced that the Clark County 4-H groups are collecting items to be sent to tornado victims in Arkansas. Items such as bottled water and non-perishable food, flashlights, batteries, and other things are needed. Items can be dropped off at the Clark County Cooperative Extension Office at 640 South 6th St.
I look forward to learning much here