Resident appeals to city about keeping her emotional support companion

Chanute city commissioners heard a tearful plea Monday evening over the city’s dog ordinances.

Dog owner Sherry Jones addressed the commission during Monday’s public forum about restrictions on pit bulls. Her dog, a female Labrador-boxer mix, was involved in an incident Friday, City Manager Todd Newman said.

Jones asked that the ordinance be repealed or changed.

“It’s not the dogs,” she said. “The breeders are the ones that make these dogs mean.”

Jones became emotional as she discussed the dog, which is an emotional support companion documented by her therapist. She said the dog was trained by her son, who lives two hours away.

“They want to take my dog,” Jones said. “She’s the only thing I have. My dog’s there for me.”

Her dog was leashed and had been attacked by a neighbor’s unleashed dog, she said. Newman said the complaint Friday came from a man.

Under the city ordinance, the animal control officer can take a dog that shows similar characteristics to a pit bull, Newman said. Jones said her dog has a similarly-shaped skull and build because she is well fed and exercised.

Jones’ son currently has the dog for DNA and blood testing to determine its actual breed.

“All dogs can be vicious,” Jones said.

Commissioner Phil Chaney said he would rather deal with this issue as an individual case rather than change the ordinance. Commissioner Tim Fairchild later requested a copy of the ordinance, and Newman said the city cannot adopt an ordinance that is less restrictive than the state.

In other business Monday evening, the commission approved the next step in a redevelopment plan for the Osa Martin Heights subdivision.

The commission met with Brad Waller of Benesch before approving the plan as the third step in declaring a Rural Housing Incentive District. The Chanute Regional Development Authority completed a Housing Needs Analysis in July 2020 and the commission adopted a Housing Development and RHID policy in September.

The redevelopment plan still needs electrical and gas utility engineering, but CRDA Director Matt Godinez said it is sufficient for approval. The remaining work will take 30 to 60 days before the plan will go to the Secretary of Commerce for approval.

Officials hope to have the development completed by the spring of 2024. The plan includes 13 new lots on the south section in Osa Martin and four additional lots for Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center’s Green Living Foundation, which already has two existing lots.

Commissioners finalized their previous action on cemetery fees and approved a cereal malt beverage license for AKAS No. 1, also known as the Conoco gas station across from Sonic, at 1702 S. Santa Fe. 

Commissioners approved temporarily blocking the parking lot next to the downtown Main Street Pavilion on April 8 for the Christian Motorcyclist Association to hold a bike blessing event. The following day is Easter, and ceremonies will be held for pedal-powered bicycles in the morning with motorized vehicles in the afternoon.

The commission gifted a vacant lot at 9 S. Santa Fe to the CRDA, which Outsiders Bar and Grill plans to use for outdoor dining space. The space south of the CRDA building became available after construction of a downtown restroom building was moved further south due to ground conditions. The CRDA can deed the whole lot, but the city will retain utility easement along an alley west of Santa Fe between Main and 1st streets. The dining area will have wrought-iron fencing, chairs and tables.

A Neighborhood Revitalization Program application from Jordan and Kelli Richards received approval. They plan to build a $255,000 new house at 1602 W. 11th in the Osa Martin Heights subdivision.

Commissioners voted to find properties at 311 N. Malcolm, owned by George and Wanda Headley; 1420 S. Evergreen, owned by Pearl Felts and Lloyd Coble; 229 W. 4th, owned by Joshua Lawrence; 711 S. Santa Fe, owned by Michael Powell; 524 S. Evergreen, owned by Norma Ruth Robinette; 1202 S. Highland, owned by Home Team Properties LLC-Travis and Amy West; and 1430 S. Central, owned by Joseph B. Wilson, in violation of city code. A property at 1205 S. Highland was removed from the agenda.

In his report, Newman said street crews have dug out the spillway at Santa Fe Park and officials have found substantial savings on installation of traffic signals at the Plummer and 21st intersection. He warned that delivery of the lights is 16 to 28 weeks out. The project is scheduled for 17 weeks.

 Commissioner Sam Budreau asked during the report whether city crews have antidote kits for accidental exposure to the drug fentanyl. Crews are supplied, Newman said, and police have already had a couple of incidents. Accidental overdoses were also a consideration in the purchase of new trash trucks, he said.

In his comments, Chaney pointed out that city sales tax revenues are running $150,000 to $160,000 ahead of last year. Chaney, who is the commission liaison to the Revolving Loan Fund, asked about the status of the program and steps to recover the loans.

The city turned operation of the program back to the state, but it is still responsible for collections. Businesses that received loans don’t have incentive to repay.

“They’re all severely delinquent,” Fairchild said.

One loan is current, but another business, Threadworks, has closed and the bank has foreclosed on it, yet the city cannot write off the bad debt. The city has a lien on the Tioga building and had one on Playmakers, which was repaid.

Finance Director Cory Kepley updated commissioners on proposed email billing.

“It’s a slow process, but we’re in the final stages,” he said.

Newman reported that the city’s fiber optic broadband installation will easily hit expectations and will surpass what officials thought it would do.

Installation is not yet 50 percent completed with three neighborhoods left to do. The goal was to have 1,000 customers, but the service now has a total of 825, including around 600 residential households. Next year, the department may need to hire additional employees, Newman said.

Fairchild raised the issue of railroad trains blocking street crossings. An instance on 14th Street blocked traffic for as much as 20 minutes, he said.

Newman said that is a hot topic in many communities, and Budreau recalled an instance when a police officer ticketed a train engineer.

State regulations require that trains block crossings for no longer than 10 minutes, but City Attorney David Brake said the railroads fall under federal jurisdictions, since the routes were granted by Congress.