Akron officials are calling for more resources to address the city’s growing stray dog problem.
Summit County Animal Control and city shelters are full, according to Councilmember Donnie Kammer. Akron Police have been turning to citizen-run nonprofits like Rubber City Rescue.
The director of the group, Laura Lawson, was recently attacked and severely injured by a dog she was rescuing, Kammer said during Monday’s city council meeting.
“Why are these dogs taken to Laura’s house instead of a city or county-owned facility that the taxpayers are paying for?” Kammer said.
The city needs to tackle the problem – not volunteers, he added.
He’s calling for the city to hire more dog wardens.
He also wants Akron Police to stop taking dogs to nonprofits, “until we can come up with some safety protocols and protections to put in place for these nonprofits that go out there and do this on our behalf,” Kammer said.
Kammer plans to bring forth a resolution in the coming weeks about the issue, he added.
City officials are aware of the problem, said Nanette Pitt, Mayor Shammas Malik’s chief of strategy.
“We know that this is a pressing issue. It is, of course, one that tugs at our heartstrings from many different directions, and one that we know is very complex and will be difficult to deal with,” Pitt said.
Officials hope to have conversations soon with everyone involved about possible solutions, Pitt added.
Concerns over fire department move
Also in the meeting, councilmembers heard from Kevin Gostkowski, president of IAFF Local 330, Akron's firefighter union.
The union is raising concerns over plans to move a ladder truck to a new station on the west side.
The city is moving Ladder truck 9 from the fire department’s Highland Square station to its Wallhaven station, Gostkowski said.
“We’re basically putting the busiest ladder truck we have on the outskirts of town,” Gostkowski said during council’s public comment period.
The move is going to increase response times for fires in the middle of the city, he said.
“[For] 15 high-rise facilities plus, Ladder 9 is first due at. It’s going to take them longer to get there,” Gostkowski said. “I’m not exaggerating – the [geographic information system] studies have been done by the city, and by us.”
Gostkowski is asking public safety officials in the city administration to reconsider the plan.
A city spokesperson has not yet responded to Ideastream Public Media’s request for comment about the plan.
Next step for CitiCenter redevelopment
City council also unanimously approved the sale of the CitiCenter building to Welty Building Company for $1 million.
Council Vice President Jeff Fusco says the company will use historic tax credits to develop 117 market-rate apartments in the vacant 11-story building.
“We’re excited about this, hope everything falls into place. I understand the tax credits are all in place, and we're in a good position to see something positive happen here for this building,” Fusco said.
The project will preserve the historic building while also helping to meet demand for housing Downtown, according to city officials.
