“I live in the country,” Wahkon resident Diane Halcomb told the city council on July 19. “I want to have chickens.” Karrie Roeschlein, city clerk, received a letter of complaint on June 21. The letter stated that Halcomb was raising chickens in her yard.
The city currently allows farm animals within the city limits, as long as the resident has at least five acres on which to raise them. “Do you have five acres of land?” Mayor Sandi Reichel asked Halcomb. “No,” she said. “Well, you don’t have five acres, and it is the law,” Reichel said. “Can you change that?” Halcomb asked. Halcomb said she didn’t currently have any chickens. “They’re dead now,” she said. “They’re dead now?” Reichel asked. “Yeah, and I didn’t kill them because I was doing anything wrong,” Halcomb said. “I killed them because they were fat.” Reichel said the law was consistent with other cities, or more lenient. “I’m just doing it to get the bugs out of my yard and to put food on the table,” Halcomb said. No one on the council made a motion to change the existing ordinance. “There’s good reason for the five-acre minimum,” Reichel said. “I think it sucks,” Halcomb said.
State of the state State Representative Gail Kulick Jackson made an appearance at the meeting. She gave the council a brief rundown of what she’s been doing, as well as some of the more important issues she’s facing. Jackson talked about the importance of protecting and creating jobs in the local communities. She expressed her concerns over the cuts to local government aid for cities and counties. “If you’re ever dealing with a state agency and you can’t get answers, maybe I can,” Jackson said. Jackson asked the council if they had any questions for her. “What’s your position on the boundary issue?” Reichel asked. “I want it resolved so people can be good neighbors,” she said. Reichel expressed her concern that if the Band was granted reservation rights in Wahkon, their tax status would likely change. “If they said they weren’t paying taxes anymore, think of the impact that would have,” Reichel said. Jackson said the state had made its position clear on the issue, and the federal government had in effect passed on it. “I want it resolved, but I don’t have the power to do that,” she added. “In this case, I don’t want my opinion to be used as a litmus test of ‘which side are you on?’”
Bait shop a no go “Three weeks ago, my partner in the bait shop pulled out,” council member Don Ellis said. “It’s not going to happen. It’s totally dead.” Ellis said his hopes of bringing his mobile home’s tie downs and deck into compliance with the city’s building ordinance went away with the bait shop. “I’m exploring my options,” he said. Ellis said he didn’t know where he was going to get the money to bring the property into compliance, and he was considering selling it in the spring. “Well, if you keep us updated, we’d appreciate it,” Reichel said. “I’m not trying to deceive anyone,” Ellis said.
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