Letting the Cat Out of the Bag!

[XLFD]

Ludington Citizens as Cat's Paws

I have recently been investigating the 'cat problem' that City Hall has made a pressing problem since early July.  If we are to believe the caterwauling of citizen's John Cade and Dave Kozicki, the cat problem around the area of James and Filer is at crisis level, a sentiment that the City Council seems to believe as they try to prohibit at first the feeding of any animal you didn't own anywhere in Ludington and then 'clarified' it into prohibiting the feeding of cats or birds that are not your own, with a couple of minor exceptions.

I go through that area a lot, day and night, and I had yet to see, smell or hear a problem, so I have went there since, and my unscientific sensory observations from the sidewalks and alleys give it a clean bill of health.  But this is just my anecdotal findings, I don't live there and have them allegedly going through my windows and spraying my car, and causing all sorts of mayhem during the winter.  But there's more than one way to skin a cat, so since I didn't hear anything about this problem until City Hall decided to propose a ridiculous law about feeding animals/cats, I decided to look at what precipitated the making of such a far-reaching law, and brought John and Dave to the CC meetings.

Look at What the Cat Dragged In

We sent a FOIA Request to Ludington's Top Cat, City Manager/FOIA Coordinator John Shay.  Here's what it asked for: 

All public record's in possession of the City Of Ludington dated this year and prior to July 11, 2011 that are written complaints or notices (letters, E-mails, et. al.) from Ludington citizens to any agency of the City concerning problems with cats or with birds.   Please include any photos or other evidence of such problems with cats or birds submitted as well (either provided or gathered by the City).

 

I figured to see a deluge of reports from all the heinous actions attributed to the cats (as an aside, I don't know why City Hall is also going after those who feed birds as well-- I suppose many are upset with having bird poop on their car, but how will not feeding birds stop that?).  Anyway, I was deluged with absolutely nothing in the way of complaints or notices from citizens to Ludington agencies concerning problems with cats or birds.  No evidence of any problem, unless it was verbal hearsay like John and Dave's City Council rants, and no indication of any investigation by the City of the nonexistent 'problem'.

I didn't totally strike out, however, there were two police reports on the catastrophic cat problem of Ludington.  On March 26, two cats were found in a box at Copeyon Park, and were given over to Animal Control.  Cats LPD 3-26   On May 22, a house cat went wild on its owner and Animal Control was called in  Cat LPD 5-22.

 

Cat Got Your Tongue, City Hall?

So was there no animal problem before this law was considered?  Nothing documented, that's for sure.  But why create such an ordinance for public health and safety, if there really is no problem?  And why create a bunch of new laws for the beach and city parks earlier this year, when there were no reason to?  And why make laws that allow the City of Ludington to enter your home if they suspect you may not be hooked up with the City's water system or cross-connected without any sort of cause?  Why, City Hallers?

Could it be that we have a Manistee law firm (and Susan Sniegowski) as our City Attorney and no accountability for the laws that are written up?  Could it be that John Shay is just power mad and is trying to leave his mark before he moves on to another city?  Don't know; but we here in Ludington should all be as nervous as a cat in a room full of rocking chairs.

 

[AQUAMAN]

Since a "catastrophic" condition is at hand perhaps the Top Cat Shay needs to be quarantined.....lol.

[Willy]

XLFD

Another great job on reporting City Hall's foolishness.

[XLFD]

Thanks, Willie and Aquaman.  The whole scenario is laughable, and is again scheduled to be reviewed at this Monday's City Council meeting-- but alas, I cannot be there to point out the dog and pony show without the risk of my detainment by the Ludington City Hall Security Officers (LPD) for that letter of trespass they still have out on me.  Still the question about the basis behind this law should be asked, and I will give out a "Thumb's up" gift to anyone who does.

Let us not forget, that this ordinance in any form, is unncecessary and is not a sanction against cats or birds.  They won't receive the CI ticket-- you will if you feed a french fry to a seagull, or if you have any food lying around that our non-existent plague of stray cats decide to chow down on.

[XLFD]

Found this bit from the Ludington Daily News for July 23, 2011:  Note John Shay makes a note on the increased complaints about cats.  Yet from the records, no one has yet made a formal complaint about cats this year, just anecdotal complaints voiced at City Council meetings after City Hall stated it was making an anti-feeding ordinance.  Getting the facts out of this man is sometimes as difficult as herding cats!

[Sweater Cows!]

Seriously, someones CAT attacked and bit them and wouldn't let them out of their own apartment? What an odd story, I am surprised it wasn't newsworthy enough to be in the paper as I find it sort of cute and strange all at the same time, I mean a cat really, a cat!!!

 

And two strays animals left in a box by someone at O park?

 

Those are the ONLY reports in the whole of the city's and the LPD's records. Not ONE was about stray cats or feral ones?

Did you also request records from animals control? I guess it would have been forwarded to the city from AC so it would be in there records as well.

 

A person would think that if cats are  a problem,  and if it is people who are feeding them that are creating the problem that there would be at least ONE report about the actual stray/feral cats that are the problem or a report on the people who are feeding them, yet, there are no reports, not one. So how does it manage to become an issue on the city agenda if there are not any reports of it?

 

Did someone bring this up in the part of a council meeting where the public speaks(is it somewhere in these threads, I don't feel like looking) or did the city not make records of the complaints?

 

I don't get how this became such an issue to be a ordinance thing, It would seem like the people who are having problems with the cats would get some traps from animal control and catch them and take them to animal control and the city could focus more on other issues.

 

I mean if the people who are complaining had one ounce of concern for those cats they wouldn't be asking the city to tell people what to do like any nanny state/big brother gov't. They would get off there butt and go catch them and take them to the AC so they could get homes.

 

Instead the complainers are so selfish in their human desires that they are creating more gov't intrusion into people of the entire city's lives rather than stepping up and doing something about a issue concentrated into what appears to be a small neighborhood(taking care of business in their own neighborhood). (if it really exists which the original post above seems to negate by lack of documentation of a problem).

If the people complaining actually cared about the cats then they would help AC trap them, but they are more concerned with their own needs than that of the cats. If the cats are coming into their businesses or property it would seem to be a rather simple solution to trap them and take them to AC

Even if animal control were to euthanize them they would be better off than breeding more cats out in the alley's.

 

People now days sure don't manage to handle things anymore, they just want someone else to do it for them so they go cry to the city to infringe on everysones lives. 1984, here we are getting one step closer.

[XLFD]

Very perceptive observations Lando.  I didn't state it explicitly, but even if the people supposedly having problems with the cats were having their problems handled by the County, the City shows through its FOIA response that there were no written correspondence between these agencies identifying any problem. 

When there is not a problem, no solution is needed.  Leave my rights alone.

 

[XLFD]

From the 8-8-2011 Ludington City Council meeting:

"Under the Public Safety Committee, Councilor Castonia explained that they did meet and City Manager John Shay did do a lot of follow up work and was unable to find any city or community that had a Trap, Neuter and Release (TNR) Program."

 

Unable to find any city or community that had a TNR program after a lot of follow-up work (at $60+ per hour)?
A quick Google check of 'cities with trap neuter release programs' uncovers a lot of cities and communities with these programs   Googled it!

The City intelligentsia take up more time on this issue tomorrow.

[AQUAMAN]

Usually, when government is involved, it means a whole lotta complaints and instances of a true problem, with plenty of time for waiting, before they act in any legal fashion to formulate an ordinance or law. In this case, the evidence that leads one to believe there is a true crisis, just falls flatly baseless. The "catastrophic" situation is invisible, and as well, governments actions should follow suit. "Categorically" speaking, Shay thinks otherwise.

[XLFD]

Government involvement in Ludington has become aggressively pro-active. 

Stray cats are not a problem-- they'll make it so they never do.

Glass containers leading to broken glass on the beach has not been a problem, let's prohibit the same so they never do.

Surplusses in the budget are not high enough, let's raise tax rates with Truth in Taxation hearings each year.

Local Watchblog Creator does not respond in the way the City thinks he should to their acts of intimidation, create a policy that intimidates him even more.

[Willy]

I agree with "no glass containers" on the beach. Myself and family members have been cut by broken glass when visiting beaches both here in Michigan and out of state.

[AQUAMAN]

Try wetsocks with soles, cool and cheap for beachgoers. Clogs work too.

[Lisa O'Brien]

I agree with you - in this day and age you can find just about anything is a plastic container. The danger of being cut isn't limited to feet. Adults and children alike run around and play on the beach.I wouldn't want someones family day at the beach ruined because they had to get stitches in there hands or face.