The City of West Orange will be getting needed improvements for the city’s waste water treatment plant. The City Council met Monday and approved engaging a grant administrator and an engineer to handle the project.
Traylor and Associates will be the grant administrator and Arceneaux Wilson and Cole will serve as the engineers for the project. A special called meeting of the council will be held Tuesday, April 23, for Public Works Director Mike Stelly to review the details of the Economic Adjustment Assistance grant application with the council members.
West Orange will be looking for a new financial institution to deposit municipal funds. The City Council approved the city using a financial institution outside of the city limits if it is deemed in the best interest of West Orange. City Secretary Theresa Van Meter was authorized to publish a notice of requesting proposals for depository services.
No comments from citizens were received during a public hearing held in conjunction with the City Council meeting. The purpose of the hearing was to receive input concerning support for fair housing and address any concerns of residents related to fair housing.
The director of the West Orange Animal Shelter had some suggestions for the City Council to consider in dealing with the number of cats that are running wild through West Orange. Debbie Schlicher said the city has an abundance of feral cats. Schlicher added that the cat problem is multiplying since most of them are not spade or neutered.
Schlicher made several recommendations to the council. She is talking with veterinarians to get a low cost clinic for spading and neutering the cats that might also administer rabies vaccines. “With all these feral cats out here, we have a flea problem.” Schlicher observed.
Efforts are being made to capture as many of the feral cats as possible, but space is limited on where to keep them. Schlicher is willing to capture the cats, neuter them, and then return them to the area where they are captured because the population of the feral cats will go down as a result of the neutering.
The city ordinance Schlicher reminded limits families having no more than three pet animals, cats or dogs, on their property and needs to be enforced. Another suggestion she made was raising the adoption fee for pets in West Orange from $50 to $98 like the City of Orange which would allow her to take the pets to the veterinarian to have the animal fixed before giving it to the family making the adoption.
Her recommendations were discussed by the West Orange City Council, but the agenda item for the meeting did not call for any action to be taken at that time. It may be addressed at a future City Council meeting.
The City of West Orange will hold its Spring Clean-Up on April 12-13. Dumpsters will be provided behind the West Orange Fire Department off Austin Street. Citizens of West Orange will be allowed to bring items to be thrown away in the dumpsters.
No hazardous materials, tires, batteries, or paint will be accepted. Items containing Freon will not be accepted. Items with Freon must have the substance drained and tagged by an individual certified to do the work.
The dumpsters will be available from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM both Friday and Saturday, April 12-13. Proof of residency and photo identification will be required.
-Dan Perrine, KOGT-
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