The Noel City Council on Tuesday night voted to keep the registration fees for dogs the same, declining to raise any rates.
Officials with the I'm Your Huckleberry Animal Rescue had asked aldermen and women earlier this summer to consider increasing the rates as a way to help the issue of dogs running loose in Noel.
City council members, however, decided to keep the rates the same -- $10 to register a dog not neutered or spayed, and $5 for one that is neutered or spayed.
In remarks after the meeting, Mayor Lewis Davis said the idea behind not raising the fee is to keep the registration affordable for residents and to not deter folks from doing so.
City officials recognize that not all animals in town are registered. Raising fees might deter "those who do register them," Davis said.
In other business, streets department superintendent Christopher Craig reported that new Christmas decorations, that were budgeted this year, have been purchased. Fourteen new pole decorations will highlight Noel this year. Most of the lights are now older, with wiring that needs to be fixed and bulbs that continually break.
Craig said the city plans to budget a certain amount each year to purchase new lights. That way, new lights will replace the older ones each year.
Davis also said that a committee has volunteered to help make repairs. He believes all the lighting and decorations will be up before Thanksgiving.
Craig also expressed interest in replicating "Welcome to Noel" signs like the new "Welcome to Pineville" signs. Davis said he called Pineville officials, who told him the price tag was $20,000 for four signs.
Craig said he would still like to see new signs and, with the number of talented local artists, he believes attractive signs could be created for less than that cost.
During other reports, Marshal Paul Gardner reported staff members took in 347 calls, made 82 traffic stops and responded to seven domestic situations. He also said that local personnel received help from state troopers during the recent train fatality. "It was not a night that anyone wanted to be on call," Gardner said, "but everyone did an exemplary job."
General News on 08/16/2018