Dayton Council Hears of Barking Dog Complaints

DAYTON--An issue with barking dogs within the city limits was brought up by Public Works Director Jim Costello at last week’s Dayton City Council meeting.

“People don’t like listening to other people’s dogs barking,” said Costello.

In the past two weeks, Costello said he has received five or six complaints about barking dogs, and he wants people to know about a city ordinance governing the issue, and that there are penalties in place for noncompliance.

Costello said he will personally investigate complaints about barking dogs, and if he hears habitual barking, howling, yelping, or whining, and if it lasts for a period of ten minutes or more, or intermittently for a period of 30 minutes or more, he will speak with the owner of the dog, per Section F of City Ordinance No. 1690, regarding animal nuisances.

While Costello prefers resolving the situation by first talking to the dog owner, he can issue a $513 citation, he said.

Complaints about barking dogs can be made during the day by calling the Dayton City Hall at: 382-2361, or after hours by calling the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office at: 382-2518.

Other action was taken during the meeting, including:

An agreement was approved with Blue Mountain Counseling for a flat fee of $820 for the use of the Dayton City Pool by the Summer Recreation Program.

Ordinance No. 1913, amending Ordinance No. 1908, was approved, setting the 2017 salary schedule for the City of Dayton, to provide changes to the wage schedules of the code enforcement officer and the administrative assistant positions.

Resolution No. 1307 was approved, for an inter-fund loan from the cemetery endowment fund to the capital improvement fund, in the amount of $107,479 for street and road capital improvements scheduled for construction in 2017.

A transportation improvement board fuel tax grant agreement was approved for the 2017 emergency pavement repair project, at various locations.

Resolution No. 1309 was approved, establishing code enforcement officer and administrative assistant positions as employee full-time, non-exempt positions.

Mayor Craig George said work on the South First St. reconstruction project and the Oak Street to South Second St. water main replacement project will both begin on June 5.