In response to concerns raised by residents of Mabel, Camp Companion Director Michelle Quandt visited the March 15 Mabel City Council meeting to discuss options. Camp Companion utilizes a Trap, Neuter, Release program to cut down on feral cat populations. “We’re trying to promote the program a little bit more in small communities that don’t have animal control,” Quandt said.
The program costs to spay and neuter the feral cats would be 50% covered by Camp Companion, with the city picking up the other 50%. Before being released, the left ear of each cat would be clipped to indicate which ones had been fixed. The operations would be performed by a veterinarian who frequently works with Camp Companion at a day clinic in Mabel.
Quandt encouraged the council not to turn to an eradication plan to rid the town of feral cats, noting that she had worked with another community that employed that approach and then ended up with a large rat population.
“We don’t have any money in the budget for this right now,” Mayor James Westby explained. “We’re running a tight budget. We would have to sit down and figure out if it’s viable.”
Quandt mentioned that some communities that Camp Companion has worked with have held fundraisers to cover their share of the program costs.
“I think the best thing to do would be to educate some of our people to care for their own animals,” Mayor Westby commented. He thanked Quandt for addressing the council, adding that they would discuss it further at a later time.
The council approved the 2017 ambulance subsidy contract. The contract provides an annual $4,500 payment to help cover expenses for the ambulance service.
Governor Dayton signed a bill allowing liquor sales on Sundays that will go into effect in July 2017. City Administrator Karen Larson asked the city’s attorney if the City of Mabel would need to do anything to prepare for that and was assured that it did not. The sale hours allowed in the bill are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., which the council has the option to restrict if they wish as long as they don’t ban sales completely. The council agreed to leave the hours as is.
After reviewing the pay rates for the Summer Rec program’s director and helpers, the council approved a motion to raise the director’s pay from $350 a week for the six-week program to $400 a week. The helpers’ pay will be increased from $8.00 an hour to $8.25. Kati Bergey was hired as the Summer Rec director.
The council approved a motion to raise each of the activity fees by $5 with the family rates increasing to $85 and $110. Mayor Westby asked if any assistance is available for families who can’t afford the rates and was assured that no one would be turned away for an inability to pay. More information can be obtained by speaking with City Administrator Karen Larson or Kati Bergey.
Larson asked if the council was interested in continuing the swim bus service that the city has run for the last several years. “It was well used last year,” Larson noted. The costs for the city are fairly low and the kids pay for their own admission into the swimming pool. The council approved the swim bus.
A Mabel resident has brought forth concerns over how fast vehicles drive through the Steam Engine grounds. Last fall, a dog was hit and killed by a car driving through the park. “With the potential for the daycare center there and the kids walking to the park, it’s definitely a concern,” Larson said.
Suggestions to resolve the issue included putting a “no thru traffic” or speed signs up or erecting a fence to block one of the park entrances. The council tabled the matter until the next meeting.
A potential business in town has inquired about putting in solar energy panels. Currently, the city zoning doesn’t address solar energy. Larson suggested that the council update the zoning to include it. The rest of the council concurred that it needed to be done. Larson will discuss the matter further with the attorney, and the council will revisit it at the April meeting.
A letter was received from FEMA informing the city that the window for appeals has opened for the 2011 flood maps. Appeals to the map can be submitted with substantial evidence.
City Works Director Bob Miereau has been discussing the drainage ditch issue along Highway 44 with Davy Engineering. They recommended installing a culvert under the road with approval from MnDot. Miereau received the council’s permission to apply for a permit with the state.
Miereau reported that during the most recent snowfall, the plowing did not go as well as he hoped. “We were pretty disgusted,” he said about the number of cars that were not moved in accordance with the city’s snow
parking ordinance. Mayor Westby will speak with the Fillmore County Sheriff’s Department about enforcing the ordinance.
After a long interview process, the hiring committee consisting of Mayor Westby, Larson, councilman Terry Torkelson, and Mireau recommended that
the council approve the hiring of Mr. Ryan for the water/wastewater/street maintenance operation position. “It was a tough process,” Mayor Westby commented. “We had some really good applications.” The council approved the hire.
The next Mabel City Council meeting will be held on April 12 at 7 p.m.
Marian Brown says
ROUND UP AND EUTHANIZE FERAL CATS
The fastest and most cost-effective control of feral cats is removal with either euthanasia or, if socialized, re-homing to an indoor or “catio”-provided forever home.
It costs $2 to $5 to euthanize a feral cat, which also prevents further predation and reproduction by that cat.
Neuter-release programs actually result in little or no impact, sometimes increasing feral cat numbers as people dump more cats in the area, or the intact cats that are trap-smart eat the food offered and continue to reproduce.
As to rat issues, use professional pest control to locate the source of food for the rats and isolate it, such as usingrat proof garbage cans with lids. In sequestered spaces such as the attic or basement, rat proof, set up an array of Victor professional rat traps baited with peanut butter, and for long term invest in repeating self reloading rat traps such as Good Nature A24. Cats are inadequate rodent control, just dispersing the rats to the neighbors.
Marian Brown