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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes MINUTES Urban Wildlife Advisory Committee Meeting November 26, 2012 CALL TO ORDER AND ROLLCALL The meeting was called to order at 4:46 P.M. Present: Michael Beeth, Doris Dehn, Loren Dieck, Michael Nigl, Steve Voss Absent: LorRae Crubaugh, Steve Cummings, Cecil Streeter Staff: Chad Dallman, Parks Operations Manager; Trish Marks, Recording Secretary APPROVAL OF MINUTES Motion by Dieck for approval of the September 24, 2012 minutes, as distributed. Seconded by Beeth. Motion carried 5-0. CITIZEN’S STATEMENTS (Items on Agenda) There were no citizen statements. BUSINESS 1)Review monthly car accident reports from Police Department There was no discussion on this item. 2)Discussion on public education opportunities on wildlife management Mr. Streeter was not present for the meeting, so this item will be put on the next regularly scheduled meeting agenda for discussion. In the interim, Ms. Dehn will be contacting Mr. Streeter to determine if she could assist him on the project. 3) Discussion and approval of items to be submitted for City’s website (i.e. informational website links) After a brief discussion of the previously submitted article relative to Frequently Asked Questions about Crows (http://www.birds.cornell.edu/crows/crowfaq.htm), it was the consensus of the Committee to have the informational link posted on the City’s website. Future items/articles that the Committee would like to have placed on the City’s website will be forwarded to the Parks Department for distribution to the Committee members for approval. URBAN WILDLIFE ADVISORY BOARD COMMITTEE MINUTES PAGE TWO NOVEMBER 26, 2012 4)Discussion on turkeys/wood chucks/nuisance crows in neighborhoods Discussion ensued as to past citizens who attended the Committee meetings and alerted the Committee as to nuisance animals. Mr. Dieck stated that we invite those types of animals/birds in the neighborhoods simply by the natural landscaping. 5) Discussion on bow hunting options and funding Mr. Dallman stated that he is working with officials on the next aerial and culling as well as researching funding for same. He stated he is working on the abatement grant, but has not had an opportunity to converse with the City Manager and/or City Finance Director to determine where the City’s portion of the matching grant would come from. He noted that the culling permit is good until December 31, 2012 and he would need to check with the DNR to see if it could be extended or if a new one had to be applied for (dependent upon aerial results). Mr. Dallman stated that the funds from the 2012 grant are depleted. He stated that the representatives of the Wildlife Management have a good working relationship with the Vulcan Quarry owners and he would like to keep using the Management company with respect to future cullings as things moved professionally and smoothly. Chairman Voss inquired as to how many shooters the Wildlife Management used. Mr. Dallman stated they had two (2) shooters and noted that they had indicated they would like to have additional blinds in the future. He stated he does not know how many people Wildlife Management has available, but they are allowed two (2) stands at this time. If the Vulcan Quarry allows them more stands in the future, maybe they can have more people available. Mr. Nigl stated he had walked around the National Guard area and inquired if that area was conducive to shooting. Mr. Dallman stated he believes that there had been a culling in that area in the past. Chairman Voss stated he was pretty sure that the shooters in that area had hunted from elevated stands. He stated there is a separate piece of property between the Armory property and the residential area and that they would only allow shooting “into” the wooded area. Mr. Beeth added that the Oshkosh Police Department had been involved in that particular culling. Mr. Dallman stated a permit is required as well as Council approval for any shooting in City limits. Ms. Dehn inquired if it was the goal to eliminate all of the deer. Mr. Dallman stated that complete eradication is impossible, but a reduction would be the appropriate term. Ms. Dehn stated that Ms. Crubaugh requested that she inform the Committee that Ms. Crubaugh had communication with Stephanie Boyles Griffin of the Humane Society of the United States relative to PZP. Ms. Crubaugh would like to put discussion of that topic on the next regularly scheduled agenda. Ms. Dehn also presented Ms. Marks with a copy of Humane Wildlife Solutions –the Role of Immunocontraception from the Humane Society Press (said copy on file at the City Parks office and made a part of these minutes) to make and mail out to the Committee members. After further discussion it was the consensus of the Committee that they were all still on board (approved) another culling, if necessary. URBAN WILDLIFE ADVISORY BOARD COMMITTEE MINUTES PAGE THREE NOVEMBER 26, 2012 Chairman Voss inquired if an aerial survey would be done if there was no snow. Mr. Dallman stated he would check with the Wildlife Management representative for their expertise on that – if they think that an aerial would be feasible, then staff would proceed with one. Mr. Nigl inquired if a culling could be done without an aerial survey. Mr. Dallman stated yes, but it would be nice to know the numbers. Ms. Dehn stated the Committee has and continues to have a lot of conversation about cullings, but not about contraception. She would like to see an education along with discussion about other things, i.e. cullings. She stated that she would like to see a more educational aspect being done and offered to work with Mr. Streeter on his educational project. Mr. Dieck stated that is what the website is being used for – educational purposes – to give the public the tools to know what to do. Mr. Beeth concurred with Mr. Dieck and stated he feels the Committee has and is continuing to do their due diligence. With respect to the bow-hunting, Mr. Dieck stated he thinks the Committee is beating a dead horse. Mr. Dallman stated he could not see a private person going in the Vulcan Quarry property/Armory property and bow- hunting. Chairman Voss concurred and stated the idea of bow-hunting was a backup plan in case funding ran out and suggested that the idea be set aside for the present time. 6)Topics for next meeting Mr. Dieck requested that the Jackson Street area be put on the next agenda with respect to the “dump deer”. He suggested that County Executive Mark Harris be made aware of the Committee and activities so that he was in the loop. He stated that the Jackson Street dump area will always be owned by the County and it is up in the air as to what they are going to do with it. The area is a growing problem and there is no control being done at present with the dump deer. Mr. Dallman stated that with respect to the Osborn/Quarry area, it seems like some of that activity has evolved. This Committee is not pro-active, but more re-active to handling citizens’ complaints, although some of the educational efforts are pro-active. Ms. Dehn offered to surf the web for websites and present them to the Committee for approval to place on the City’s website. Mr. Beeth suggested a topic “What is the individual’s responsibility with respect to nuisance animals and what do they need to come to the City for?” Mr. Dieck stated that some of the public need to come to terms that their neighbors don’t agree with the habitat. As an example, he stated that his neighbor feeds the squirrels and he doesn’t. Mr. Nigl stated another topic/issue is “What is the legal right of the rabbit – do we have the right to let people know how to trap it?” URBAN WILDLIFE ADVISORY BOARD COMMITTEE MINUTES PAGE FOUR NOVEMBER 26, 2012 Mr. Dallman stated there is a City Ordinance on nuisance animals. Ms. Marks stated she will provide the Committee with copies of that section of the Ordinance. Update on educational purposes and schools worksheets a.Updated car and deer accident reports b.Proposed items for submittal for the City’s website (informational website links) c.Jackson Street – landfill site relative to “dump deer” d.Discussion on contraceptions CITIZENS STATEMENTS (Items not on agenda) There were no citizen statements. OTHER BUSINES & ADJOURNMENT There being no other business, Motion by Beeth for adjournment; seconded by Voss. Motion carried 5-0. The meeting adjourned at 6 PM. Respectfully submitted, Trish Marks Trish Marks Recording Secretary