Final vote on dog ordinance set

WARREN -- City council gave second reading Wednesday to a vicious-dog control ordinance, which is scheduled for a vote on final passage at 7:30 p.m. May 24.
The ordinance, which would take effect June 1, would require containment of vicious dogs in a secure enclosure or on a secure leash and annual registration of such dogs with the city health department. Special identification collars and $100,000 liability insurance would be required for such dogs.
Owners of dogs police or animal control officers declare vicious would be able to appeal that declaration to the city health board within 10 days. A vicious dog is defined as one that has killed or injured a person or killed or maimed another dog without provocation.
Council passed an ordinance to sell about a half-acre of land on the southwest corner of West Market Street and Highland Avenue for $20,000 to Foamy Suds Auto Wash LLC of Warren, which will build an automatic car wash there.
Council passed a resolution asking Congress to maintain Community Development Block Grant funding at no less than this year's level of $4.35 billion nationwide. President Bush's budget calls for a 25 percent cut in funding for the program, which is geared toward low- and moderate-income people and neighborhoods. Warren is receiving $1,346,344 from the program this year.
Councilman James "Doc" Pugh, D-6th, remarked that more police cars are needed on the city's streets to deal with the drug and loud music problems, especially in the evenings. "It's only springtime, and it's out of hand already," he said.