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Published: Jun 05, 2008 - 01:58:08 pm CDT
Vardaman moves toward dog, property ordinances n Catholic Charities renovates space. By Mack Spencer Monitor-Herald VARDAMAN - Discussions by the aldermen Tuesday moved the town closer to ordinances governing loose and vicious dogs and cleanliness of property. On the issue of dogs, “I’m all for doing something, but I don’t know what we’ll do if we pick up loose dogs,” alderman Jeff Hamilton said. The board examined ordinances from Houston, Chickasaw County, Oxford and other places to compose a statute of its own. Though the discussion initially concentrated on vicious dogs, the focus soon widened to loose, or “nuisance,” dogs. Tickets could be issued to the owners of loose dogs. Stray dogs without owners would still be a problem, but some strays could be “attached” to people who feed them; those people could then be ticketed. Town officials may ask Houston or the Oxford-Lafayette Humane Society if one of those might take dogs picked up in Vardaman. An owner going to the pound to claim a pet would have to pay the fees expended and charged for the animals’ care while in custody; the town would have to bear the cost for other animals. Vardaman’s dog ordinance will probably be much like Chickasaw County’s law. The property upkeep ordinance will look like Calhoun City’s. “I like the content of” Calhoun City’s ordinance, alderman Jeff Clements said. The rest of the board generally agreed, and most of the discussion on the property ordinance revolved around how to revise Calhoun City’s ordinance for Vardaman’s use. Warnings and citations for violations of the property ordinance will be issued by police at the board’s direction, once the ordinance is adopted and goes into effect. For violations at rental properties, tickets could be issued to both renters and landlords. Both ordinances will be drafted and presented for adoption at another meeting. In other business: n Sister Terry Rodela, area director for Catholic Charities, promoted the services offered by her center in town. The center’s programs are open to all people, regardless of race, and service seekers do not have to be Catholic to benefit. The space occupied by the center - which is town property - is being renovated, and the town is planning to improve the facades. n A fourth baseball field, 165 feet from home to straight-away center field, has been completed at the James B. Parker Sportsplex. Aldermen voted to name it Tater Babies Field. n A new fire truck is due to be delivered June 23.
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