JAMESTOWN – The Jamestown City Council voted Monday night to table a resolution that would allow the state DEC to grant hunting permits to control the growing urban deer population.
The resolution was originally introduced by Councilman Tom Nelson (Ward VI), who says that several residents have expressed concerns to him of deer causing property damage and vehicle accidents throughout the City of Jamestown.
Several councilmembers, including Councilwoman At-Large Kim Ecklund, say they are concerned with various unanswered questions, including potentially liability for the City if an accident was to occur as permitted residents attempted to reduce the deer population.
“While I agree, it’s concerning, there’s days I have 15-20 deer in my property that border’s the Sixth Ward, I’m not sure why people are so adamant about just coming into the City and dispensing a firearm, and a bow-and-arrow is a firearm,” Ecklund said. “… The big thing for me is the City liability.”
Councilman Brent Sheldon (Ward I) says the Council could revisit and pass a similar resolution in plenty of time for the 2021 deer season.
The Jamestown City Council also discussed a resolution that Jamestown Mayor Eddie Sundquist says is the next step to installing speed cameras in city school zones.
State lawmakers previously passed legislation allowing local governments to install speed cameras in school zones in an effort to ramp up pedestrian safety.
Local leaders are considering cameras that would target drivers who go 10 m.p.h. over the posted limit.
Fines would be $50, and the city could receive 64%, $32, of revenue split with the camera’s management group Sensys Gatso.
Liability, indeed. And a big one. Archery leaves many animals wounded, which I guess makes them a “flight risk”! Imagine wounded deer impaled with arrows running around the city, across streets and through people’s yards. That scenario could be a lot worse than losing a few tulips.