Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

City council approves animal control law

The Gurdon City Council unanimously passed an animal control ordinance on July 17 which insists on the vaccination of dogs, cats and ferrets, and protects the public against dangerous animals.

Gurdon Mayor Clayton Franklin said, "This ordinance addresses dangerous dogs, and it stipulates conditions that must be met to keep livestock in Gurdon. No hogs shall be housed in the city limits of Gurdon."

The hog issue was one of the main reasons the council composed the ordinance this spring.

In the case of a dangerous dog, the ordinance allows the animal control officer to seize a dog thats been deemed dangerous and issue the owner a citation for violating the ordinance.

If a dangerous dog is impounded, the owner or keeper shall be liable for the costs and expenses incurred by the animal control authority for keeping the dog.

A dog determined to be dangerous can be ordered destroyed under the order. If released to the owner, the dog must be confined indoors or in a secure pen from which the dog can not escape.

Copies of this ordinance in its final form are available at Gurdon City Hall.

The animal control ordinance will go into effect in 60 days.

In other business, the council discussed the Arkansas Clear Air Indoor Act.

Franklin said the rule goes into effect on Friday, July 21. I guess from now on we will be smoking outside."

Franklin then brought up an unrelated energy ordinance concerning hooded street lights.

"The legislature recently passed a law making it mandatory for cities to replace street lights that go out with more expensive hooded ones in order for those living in the city to be able to gaze at the stars," Franklin said. "But the law gives an option to smaller cities, such as Gurdon, to pass an ordinance of exemption from this rule if we can not afford the hooded replacement lights."

The ordinance, which allows Gurdon to continue to use standard bulbs, passed unanimously.

Franklin encouraged the passage of the exemption ordinance by telling the council, "Gurdon is just too small. It costs too much to buy shielded lighting fixtures."

Council members passed an emergency clause so that the ordinance become effective immediately.

Clark County Justice of the Peace Francis McGill attended the meeting and addressed the council after the evenings business concerning a sales tax proposed by the Clark County Quorum Court to improve county jail facilities and for other purposes.

Franklin said, "You could put it on the ballot and let the people decide. I recommend the tax proposal has a sunset clause so after the improvements are funded the tax goes away."