City of Trenton Repeals Breed-Specific Dog Ordinance

The Trenton City Council voted 6-2 to repeal it’s breed-specific animal ordinance at Monday night’s meeting.
The vote came after months of discussion and research by council members and with the urging of several community members and those involved with the Green Hills Animal Shelter. The same arguments that had been raised in past meetings for the repeal (it’s bad owners not the breed that causes the problem, it’s unenforcable, etc.) were made as were the same arguments used in the past to continue the ban on certain breeds (by the time you learn that a dog is vicious it’s too late, they cause extreme damage when they do bite). When all was said and done, those voting to repeal the ban were First Ward Councilmen Lance Otto and Kevin Klinginsmith; Second Ward Councilman Danny Brewer; Third Ward Councilman Robert Romesburg; and Fourth Ward Councilmen Duane Urich and John Dolan. Second Ward Councilman Marvin Humphreys and Third Ward Councilman David Mlika voted no.
At that point, Mayor Linda Crooks vetoed the ordinance to repeal the ban and the motion was made to override that veto. The motion to override passed 6-2 with the same councilmen voting yes and no as did on the ordinance itself.
“We’ll see what happens here,” said Mayor Crooks, who had joined the meeting by Zoom. “Because it’s not going to be on me.”
The council plans to appoint an Animal Welfare Committee which would serve in an advisory role and focus on ways to educate the public concerning such areas as treating, training and sheltering animals in ways that will lead to the least amount of aggression regardless of the breed.
In other business Monday evening, the council:
• voted to not take a stand for or against the effort of Grundy County Prosecuting Attorney Kelly Puckett to have a question placed on the November ballot that would make the prosecutor’s office a full-time position.
• approved, on a 7-1 vote with Humphreys voting no, a contract with Insituform Technologies USA, LLC for the sanitary sewer rehabilitation project.
• heard a request from Matt Roberts, who lives at 419 W. 11th St., to have the two-block area near his house paved. The street in that area is brick and the city had approved a request years ago from a former resident of the block to not pave over the bricks. Roberts said the pavement is terrible for traveling and noted it “is rougher than a cob.” City Administrator Ron Urton agreed, telling the council it is also difficult to remove snow from that portion of roadway.
• briefly discussed problems with parking on the west side of 17th Street as parents are picking students up from the back lot of Trenton Middle School.
• approved the re-appointment of Gary Schuett to the Police Personnel Board.
• discussed a complaint with air brakes as semis come into town. There is an ordinance in place prohibiting the use of the “jake brakes” and Urton said the Missouri Department of Transportation will make signs indicating there is such an ordinance. Police Chief Rex Ross said his officers have made a point of checking on the situation and have not found it to be a problem at any of the city limits.
The next regular meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 28.