Attacks could lead to leash laws at lake
Staff writer
Recent dog-related disturbances at Marion County Park could lead to passage of a leash law, Superintendent Steve Hudson said Monday.
Hudson told county commissioners there have been issues with dogs coming from the lake to the park, where he witnessed a fight, and another dog owned by a lake resident has bitten multiple people.
The dog’s owner, who commissioner Randy Dallke said had moved to the lake in recent months, has received multiple warnings.
Hudson said he did not want the situation to escalate to the point someone was seriously hurt. He was most concerned with the designated camping and fishing areas and the swimming beach.
“I know there’s pros and cons to this,” he said. “On the east side of the lake people let them (their dogs) roam and there’s no problem.”
Commissioners told Hudson to first check with other lakes about how they handle those situations, and there would be more discussions later.
Trailers
Planning and zoning director Tonya Richards said she has made contact with two of three residents that were reported living in-county in camper vehicles without notice.
One that had already applied for a building permit received a one-year extension after notifying Richards they had begun pouring concrete for basement walls.
The other applied in-person for a permit for living quarters in a shed. A letter will be sent to the third party.
Richards said singlewide manufactured homes are only approved on a temporary basis, for no longer than five years.
After hearing about another advertisement within the county for a free trailer, Richards said she had received four calls inquiring about zoning regulations.
“They weren’t happy they couldn’t move the trailer onto their property without approval,” she said.
She said no one wanting to live in a trailer would be denied without a meeting with the planning and zoning board.
In other business:
- Donald Ewert, of Durham Park Township, filed a write-in campaign in the Republican primary for the District 1 seat on the county commission. Ewert will run against Lori Lalouette-Crawford, for the right to run against Craig Dodd in the November elections. Dodd said he would turn in his petition signatures sometime this week.
- Commissioners appointed Mack Clark, Shayla Clark, and Dana Wedel to the Summit Cemetery board.
- Marion County Fair Board President Myron Regier and manager Kelli Savage gave a brief description on changes expected this year, including box turtle races, a tractor show, and celebrity goat-milking contest.
- Marion Reservoir remained under a blue-green algae warning. Commissioners asked Hudson to keep a constant update — whether good or bad — on the lake website, so visitors would not confuse the lake and reservoir.
- Commissioners approved the $7,000 sale of the Florence motel to Cynthia Schmahl of Cedar Point. Schmahl, whose brother Dan Fletcher purchased the building July 8, said she intends to keep it as a motel. She has already begun looking for advertising and plans to give each room its own theme.