Cape Girardeau City Council gives preliminary OK to drop pet licensing

By a 6-1 vote, with Fifth Ward Councilwoman Shannon Truxel dissenting, the Cape Girardeau City Council took the first step Tuesday to eliminate the municipal dog and cat license program.

During the council’s study session, Anna Kangas — the city’s interim building and code enforcement manager — told Mayor Bob Fox and the six council members the city was effectively “double charging” pet owners and earning “very little revenue” for city coffers — an estimated $4,000 per year.

One issue, Kangas said, is the considerable time needed to process licenses principally to put IDs on canines and felines.

“We order tags, we sort them and we have to drive them to seven different veterinary clinics,” Kangas said.

Fourth Ward Councilman Robbie Guard noted the difficulty in enforcing a license requirement.

“It’s insane to have something we can’t enforce,” Guard said, suggesting the city’s ordinance requiring pet vaccinations and limiting the number of pets in a home is enough.

Deputy city manager Molly Mehner agreed the city could outsource licensing to a third-party vendor but warned such a move would increase fees for pet owners.

“Vaccinations are the important thing for public health and those remain mandatory,” Mehner said.

Nuisance officers will continue to be empowered to deal with irresponsible pet owners, she added.

Truxel, the lone negative vote on the ordinance’s first reading, said the pet licenses are “easy money” for the city, adding “I don’t see the point of getting rid of it.”

The ordinance moves to final readings at the council’s next meeting Sept. 21.

Praise for policing

Cape Girardeau resident Geneva Allen Patterson praised city police chief Wes Blair and the police department for the apprehension of Danny Lee Warren III, arrested Friday for his alleged connection to a string of recent break-ins and burglaries at St. James AME Church, 516 North St.

TIF Redevelopment promoted

Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce president and CEO John Mehner spoke in favor of a measure to designate 811 Broadway, the site of the former Pitter’s Lounge, for tax increment financing redevelopment. Mehner said the TIF will allow developers to put a coffee shop and other retail space on the first floor and six luxury apartments on the second floor. The TIF plan now moves to final readings in two weeks.

Retirements noted

Fox noted the retirements Friday of five city employees, including three who have served the municipality for at least a quarter of a century: Belinda Jones, 34 years; Jerry Houchins, 33 years; and Dianna Barnes, 26 years.