An audience of six watched five Centralia aldermen go through the motions of a three-part meeting the evening of August 1 in Centralia City Hall.
Part 1 was the General Government and Public Service Committee; Bill Stephenson was there to express concern about cats running loose.
He suggested the city was not going to do anything. City Administrator Heather Russell said that was not the case, but at the moment, per Stephenson’s request, they were researching other towns’ cat-related laws. Stephenson and Sandy Sanders seemed mainly concerned with cats defecating on their yard. They said Sandy Buck city code enforcement officer had trapped some and took them away.
Mayor Chris Cox and CPD Chief Harlan Hatton said those cats who were tagged, would result in the CPD discussing the situation with the neighbors.
Hatton suggested he could trap them. “So, I got to buy a trap now,” Stephenson said. “No” Hatton said,” but you can if you want. We will Have Sandy come back.”
Stephenson said a neighbor on 112 South Columbia Street had too many dogs and cats and that was the problem. He said the feces aroma aggravated his asthma. He asked why the city was not making the owners license the cats. “Why do I have to license my dogs and they don’t have to license their cats?”
Stephenson estimated the neighbors had perhaps six cats. “The plus side, is we will never have a mouse, and sometimes they come out of the woods with snakes.”
For the complete article, see this week’s edition of the Centralia Fireside Guard.
