City officials are looking for someone to oversee its animal control program after a City Council member refused to take the assignment from Mayor Connie Dubinsky.
Robert Shepherd was assigned the task by Dubinsky at the beginning of the year shortly after he was sworn in.Shepherd said he did not have to accept the mayor's assignments. He said the ordinance for animals is not enforced in Levan, and he thought there was no support for the position.
"Council members have a choice to accept or not accept the assignments. He chose not to accept," said Dubinksy.
Dubinsky said the town cannot afford a full-time certified animal control officer. "We don't have that much business," she said. Those who sign complaints against an animal owner have the complaints handled through the courts.
Nephi's animal control officer has been assisting Levan. However, the officer also works for Mona and reports not having enough time to continue with all three communities.
Federal and state laws govern animal control officers. Officers must be certified in order to dispose of animals. The city must have an approved catch pen, and it must provide animal clinics a few times each year where pets can be immunized against diseases.
Dubinsky said Juab County Sheriff Dave Carter was going to obtain information from Nephi and was also going to look into a catch pen for animals.
Carter was unable to attend the meeting.
The new assignment for animal control and for enforcing an animal control ordinance was tabled until Carter could report on his findings.