The folks at Chickens in the Yard may be getting through to the Salem City Council. A public hearing was set sooner then expected, May 26th. According to a staff report, enforcement cost to have an estimated thirty chicken cases would be $8000. That may not seem like much, but the city, like many governments, is already strapped for cash. In that same report the city staff also found that Marion County Dog Control would not enforce any chicken regulations in Salem but would step in if a dog harmed any chickens.
If anything, this has been a good civic lesson to see how the Salem City Council operates. The question on my mind, while watching this issue from a distance is, does this lengthy process discourage public invovement in civic activities? Is this why there is so much apathy toward the governmental process? Can anything be done to change this?
maybe what is needed is a team of chicken mediators? they could be called in as a first step, before the city needed to step in?
ReplyDeleteOn the contrary, the Community Development Director said at the city council meeting last night that this would "not require a great deal of money for enforcement." We have provided evidence from city officials in towns where chickens are permitted stating it has NOT been a code enforcement problem or a financial burden on the city.
ReplyDeleteOur success in getting city council to schedule a public hearing is proof that ordinary citizens can indeed fight city hall and make a difference!
here's the link to the staff report.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.cityofsalem.net/MeetingAgendas/Document%20Library/20090511/4.3b.pdf
So does the public hearing mean they will finally vote?
ReplyDeleteIf people want chickens move out of salem! I don't want to listen to them in addition to all the other shit around here.
ReplyDelete