STARKVILLE — In the latest draft of Oktibbeha County’s vicious-dog ordinance, violators will face up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $500.
The new draft was reviewed during Monday’s Board of Supervisors meeting, with the board voting to set the second public hearing for the ordinance at its meeting on Nov. 21.
Board President Marvell Howard said a copy of the revised ordinance will be posted on the county’s website — www.oktibbehacountyms.org — by the end of the week.
Aside from minor changes in language, the document’s most significant revision or addition is the fines and penalty structure, which wasn’t in the draft that was given to citizens during the first public hearing in September.
The six-month jail term and $500 fine is the penalty cap for a misdemeanor conviction not already outlined by state law.
For the first offense, a person will be fined $25, no less than $50 for the second offense and no less than $100 for all subsequent offenses.
Oktibbeha County Justice Court may also require up to 100 hours of community service. Additionally, the Justice Court reserves the right to apply penalties provided by state law for an offense that exceeds penalties listed in the ordinance.
“Our goal all along was to put some penalties in there that would add some teeth to it to discourage people from violating it,” Howard said. “I think it’s a pretty good set that’s been put in place.”
The first public hearing was set after two children, ages 4 and 10, were attacked by five pit bulls on Self Creek Road on Aug. 13. Both boys were sent to the hospital; the 10-year-old required additional medical treatment in Jackson.
No one spoke against the ordinance at the September hearing, though some citizens questioned the effectiveness of a vicious-dog ordinance without instituting a leash law or a nuisance section to give the county greater preventative measures.
Neither a leash law nor nuisance ordinance is included in the latest draft, mainly because of logistics and lack of manpower, Howard said.
“We felt like we needed to get a document in place to address our most pressing need,” Howard said. “But I think it’s flexible enough that if we need to revisit it, we can add parts later.”
In addition to fines and jail time, violators would be ordered to pay for any fees related to picking up a dog and storing it, including vaccination. Oktibbeha County Prosecutor Roy E. Carpenter, who made recommendations for the fines and penalties section, said ordering violators to pay for handling and retrieval fees was necessary because the county likely will use the Starkville Police Department’s animal control officers when needed.
Oktibbeha County sheriff’s deputies will respond to calls about vicious animals, but with an ordinance, it’s unclear how much the SPD’s services will be needed. A financial agreement with the SPD on reimbursing the department for the costs of equipment, fuel and any other expenses hasn’t been reached.
With the 2011-12 budget already set, Howard is unsure of how the county would fund payments to the SPD.
“Right now, we’re leaning toward a case-by-case basis and fees associated with what actions are taken on each case,” Howard said. “We’ll have to sit down with (county comptroller) Emily Garrett and our county administrator (Don Posey) to see where we might be able to extract funds from.”
Oh, Christmas tree
In other matters, the board approved the Starkville Convention and Visitors Bureau’s request to erect a 20-foot-tall, 12-foot-wide Christmas tree in front of the county courthouse on Main Street.
The CVB is paying for the tree, along with $18,000 worth of lights and wreaths that will line the tops of buildings on two blocks of Main Street.
The artificial tree will feature LED lights and will be erected during a lighting ceremony on Nov. 6. Jennifer Gregory, CVB vice president of tourism development, said the the other Main Street decorations will debut along with the tree.
“We think it’ll really make a statement,” Gregory said.
The Starkville Electric Department will donate electricity.
Gregory also announced the Starkville Christmas Parade date of Nov. 28.
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