From the Styx by Peggy Tibbetts

Ha! Say that ten times fast.

Several significant things happened at Monday night’s – January 22 – Board of Trustees meeting.

Several park users showed up. Thank you Karen, Kim, Andrea and John! Our presence does have an impact.

Town Manager Rick Aluise explained what apparently happened in 2002 with River Park, the parks ordinance, and dogs off leash.

To re-hash: Rick, Chief Taylor, Tod, and 3 past Trustees remember that during their 2002 discussion on the ordinance to ban dogs from all parks in Silt, they discussed allowing dogs off-leash at River Park.

On Monday night Rick explained that when Trustees are discussing specific amendments to ordinances, they must enter a motion, followed by a second and a vote, in order for their intentions to be recorded.

That means that when the Trustees were discussing the “Dogs in town parks” ordinance, no one made a specific motion to designate River Park as a rest area where dogs may be walked off leash. Therefore the current ordinance is too vague.

Here is the current ordinance:

6.04.270 Dogs in town parks.

No owner, possessor, custodian, or supervisory controller shall allow a dog upon any property designated by the town of Silt as a public town park, unless the dog is on the prescribed ten-foot leash and walking along one of the pedestrian or bicycle paths within the park. Areas designated by the town as rest areas may be used to walk or exercise dogs. (Ord. 19-02 § 2 (part))

The wording of the River Park Petition is designed to amend the above ordinance as follows:

SUMMARY OF ORDINANCE: Initiative to amend Ordinance No. 19, Series of 2002
An initiative ordinance adding a new section 6.04.275 to the Town Code for clarification.
Add this new section:
6.04.275 – Rest Area Designation:
Areas designated by the town as rest areas may be used to walk or exercise dogs off-leash.  River Park is designated as a rest area.

Mayor Moore announced that he had read all the letters and the people overwhelming support River Park as an off-leash “doggie park”.

The Trustees discussed and agreed by consensus that until River Park is annexed, the Garfield County law applies to the park in the meantime. Garfield County does not have a leash law.

Trustee Morgan asked the town staff to draw up a some sort of wording for a motion regarding the issue of the dogs off-leash at the park. I raised my hand and announced that there is a citizens’ petition circulating to designate River Park as a rest area where dogs may be walked off-leash, in keeping with the 2002 discussion.

Mayor Moore told me to get the petition to the Board as soon as possible once the annexation is complete. I said, “I have six months to get signatures.” The town staff nodded their heads.

The Trustees then unanimously passed a Resolution of Substantial Compliance, which means that River Park meets the statutory requirements in order for annexation to proceed. The next step is a resolution for the finding of fact. I’m not sure when River Park annexation will be on the agenda again. I will post it here when I find out. There will probably be 3 more meetings just on the annexation issue.

The River Park Petition has been out for 2 weeks. Chief Taylor signed it last night. I’ll take that as the official endorsement of the Silt Police Department. Yay!

So far I have 25 signatures. My goal is 80 signatures. At least a dozen people have contacted me to sign it. We just need to arrange times to get together. The word is spreading so I’m very optimistic. I have to admit the cold weather hasn’t inspired me to go out knocking on doors. Now that we’re warming up again, I’ll have more opportunities to get out. It’s Girl Scout cookie time so maybe I’ll just latch onto a Girl Scout and follow her around town.

If you are a registered voter in the Town of Silt, please email me at: peggyt@siltnet.net
Or call me – I’m in the book under Tod Tibbetts.
I will bring the petition to you to be signed.

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