The Salem City Council Monday night will have more discussion on options to control the growing deer population in the city.
Animal Control Officer Dave Lusch has learned the USDA would charge $5,000 per week plus the cost to harvest the meat for food banks to thin the population in the Nature Trail area.
City Manager Rex Barbee says since the last meeting a large number of residents have expressed opposition to that type of action. He notes the available space on city-owned ground is nominal and neighboring property owners want to retain control on who enters their property. He says it is felt that the impact of trying to have a controlled hunt at this time would not be effective enough to reduce the deer population within the city limits.
Barbee adds it has been pointed out to him that the property owners impacted by the deer have low-cost options to spray repellents and erect barriers to their flowering plants. He’s recommending no action be taken at this time.
The city council will consider a request from the Elks Lodge to install a memorial for fallen first responders East of the Eagle in East Lawn Cemetery. The memorial would stand 4 feet six inches above the ground, be 24 inches wide and six inches thick. The memorial is made of Southern Gray Granite.
The council will review bids for a gas forced air system to replace the city’s current boiler system for heating city hall. The boiler has had issues the past few years and needs to be replaced.
The meeting will begin at six. It will be conducted on the Zoom meeting platform due to Covid-19 restrictions.
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This story has been corrected to indicate the hunting service would be provided by the USDA and not IDNR.
