MAGDIE

http://www.modbee.com/local/story/9705750p-10587920c.html

Officials scratch pet fees


By JOEL HOOD
BEE STAFF WRITER


Last Updated: January 5, 2005, 06:49:19 AM PST


[Modesto CA] Stanislaus County's two new supervisors made an impact on their first day
of work Tuesday, torpedoing a controversial pet ordinance the previous
board had approved last month.

Within minutes of being sworn in, Supervisors Bill O'Brien and Jim
DeMartini voiced their opposition to the cat-licensing portion of the
ordinance aimed at reducing pet overpopulation in the county.

Supervisors had approved a proposal, by a 4-1 vote, Dec. 14 to require
breeding licenses and raise licensing fees on unaltered dogs. The plan,
which was to go in effect in March, also would have required cat owners to
license their pets.

The ordinance had not been scheduled for public comment Tuesday. The board
was scheduled only to vote on its final wording.

But DeMartini requested that it be pulled from the board's consent
calender, which is how supervisors handle noncontroversial business. He
called cat licensing "unenforceable" and "unnecessary."

"I agree that something needs to be done to cut down on animals, but I
can't support this ordinance," said DeMartini, who defeated Paul Caruso's
re-election bid in March.

When the vote was tallied, DeMartini, O'Brien and new board Chairman Jeff
Grover voted against the ordinance, sending it back to the committee that
drafted it for more tweaking. Grover had voted against the initial proposal
last month.

O'Brien, who ousted incumbent Pat Paul in March, said he opposed the
ordinance because the concept had not been approved by the cities.

"This is a first step, but it's too big," O'Brien said.

After the meeting, DeMartini and O'Brien said they do support the breeding
license proposal.

Stanislaus County Animal Services Director Michael Rodriguez, who helped
push for the proposal, was sitting in the audience and later said he was
"very surprised" at the outcome.

"I don't know what they want us to do, honestly," said Rodri- guez, who did
not address the board. "I imagine we'll (the committee) meet again and
we'll go from there."

Afterward, Supervisor Ray Simon downplayed the idea that the new board
would be more divided than those in years past.

"Since (DeMartini and O'Brien) haven't had a chance to speak publicly on
the issue, I think it's fine that we take more time with it," Simon said.
"(The previous board) even had some reservations when we passed it. But we
were ready to give it a one-year trial."

Also Tuesday, supervisors unanimously appointed Gordon Ford as the county's
treasurer-tax collector. Ford, the chief deputy treasurer for San Joaquin
County since 1994, takes over for Tom Watson, who resigned last month.

Ford will serve the remaining two years of Watson's term, and he told
supervisors he plans to then seek election to a full four-year term.

Bee staff writer Joel Hood can be reached at 209/238-4574 or jhood @
modbee.com.
 

The reason why so little is done, is generally because so little is attempted.

                                                                                        ~ Samuel Smiles