Belleville Council OKs hiring Geese Chasers for Horizon Park

People who come to the free concerts at Horizon Park each summer can’t bring blankets to sit on because the ground is so full of goose droppings. The audience has to bring portable chairs.
At Monday’s regular meeting of the Belleville City Council, assistant city manager Steve Jones, who has been a part of the Music Lakeside concerts for the past 15 years, explained the situation.
He said over that time, the city tried to address the issue and used grape seed oil, to no avail.
He recommended using Geese Chasers of SE Michigan, which Van Buren Township uses for French Landing Park and Eastern Michigan University uses for its golf course.
He said the company uses a couple of dogs and trains geese not to be comfortable in the park. He said the dogs push the geese out of the park and off the dock into the water. They are licensed and equipped to take care of the nest and eggs. He said the cost will be shared between the city and the Downtown Development Authority. He said the DDA meets on Wednesday.
Mayor Pro Tem Kelly Bates, who was presiding at the meeting in the absence of Mayor Ken Voigt, said there are a large number of geese in Village Park and the company should be used there, as well.
Assistant city manager Jones said he wants to use them at Horizon Park first for a five-month trial to see if it works.
DPW Director Rick Rutherford said the audience can’t walk without stepping into goose droppings. He said there is one person stationed at the concerts to shoo the geese away.
Councilwoman Kissel said when she walks on the sidewalk in front of Belleville High School, the geese stand on the walk and “go at me.”
John Juriga said from the audience that 34th District Court Judge Brian Oakley used to send defendants sentenced to work before each concert to rake it over the side of the hill, but the judge said he had to stop because it was too hard on the workers.
“Geese are everywhere,” Juriga said. Someone noted Juriga lived on the lake and asked if he had geese and he said he didn’t. He said it’s amazing that when you throw a firecracker they don’t come back.
A city resident who rescues birds asked what they will do when they rid themselves of the water fowl? Will they spend more when the hawks and eagles come? She said the city can’t cope with animals.
“We live on the water,” she said. “That’s their nature,” she said of water fowl.
Brian McClintock said in two to three weeks the goslings will be hatching unless the DNR gets out there and takes care of the eggs.
They can be trained to stay away, said Fire Chief Brian Loranger. He said every private dock on the lake has kites or owls on the dock or dogs to keep the ducks and geese away.
Jones recommended the Geese Chasers’ 5-month option for $870 a month. He said if more time is needed, the city will find out.
“The geese will land somewhere else,” Jones said.
The motion was passed to hire Geese Chasers for five months at a cost of $870 a month, shared by the DDA and city at $435 each.
The proposal from Geese Chasers said, “Egg and nest destruction is included at no additional cost…”
The proposal also describes “egg addling” where “rather than removing the nest and eggs in a single visit, we follow the protocol prescribed by the Humane Society of the United States wherein we test the eggs for viability, coat the eggs with oil to prevent embryo development and monitor the nest regularly until the geese abandon the nest.”
In other business at Monday’s meeting, the city council:
• Held a moment of silence in memory of the late Peggy Voigt;
• Approved the VFW/Polish Legion of American Veterans’ Poppy Sale on May 2, 3, and 4 at Five Points to earn money for worthy causes in the community;
• Held public hearings on the Animals Ordinance amendment and the Five-Year Parks Plan, with no public speaking on either subject. City Manager Jason Smith said there have been no changes in the Parks Plan since it was approved in February, so now he can send it on to the DNR to open another pool of funding;
• Held the first reading of the Animals ordinance amendment, with the second reading and final adoption planned for the May 6 meeting. City Manager Smith said the number of dogs or cats allowed has been removed, cutouts added for rescue organizations or foster homes, and approval of Goat Day at Horizon Park. Also, compliance now is three months instead of 12 months;
•Approved the second reading and adoption of the Mobile Food Vendor ordinance;
• Approved the second reading and final adoption of the Utilities ordinance amendment;
• Unanimously selected The Kelly Firm as city attorney. There had been interviews of five firms at the last meeting;
• Approved outsourcing to KCI of Grand Rapids to send out city tax bills, at a cost of $1,399.10 each for the summer and winter taxes, including postage. A similar proposal for utility bills was not considered at this time;
• Approved accounts payable of $193,615.92 and departmental expenditures over $500: to Elite Cleaning $1,850 for removal of water-damaged cabinets in the public works building after the roof leaked; and to Barnett Roof and Siding, $16,765 to fix the roof. It will be done within two weeks’ time, Rutherford said, explaining there has been a delay in getting the roofing material;
• Heard City Manager Smith report that there is a water data problem and they can’t open the file. He said he sent a “not-so-nice letter” to the company indicating the city may no longer do business with them. He said right now they are working on meters for a request for proposals. He said they may have to estimate bills for a while and the city could allow people to call in their readings or send in pictures of their readings;
• Heard Mayor Pro Tem Bates say she would like to add recycling at the DPW yard for the trash collection contract coming up. Smith said he could add that to the request for proposals;
• Heard Juriga say there is a Yield sign at Five Points that people don’t see and it needs to be lit up. Fire Chief/Dr. Loranger said so many of his employees have commented on that since his office is at that location. Police Chief Kris Faull said Poco put up a giant reflector sticker on the pole after it almost got t-boned. If that doesn’t work, she said the city will ask Wayne County to put a blinking light on the sign; and
• Heard, at the end of the meeting, Smith read a comment sent by Christina Davis who was attending by Zoom. Her comments were that she was against the Animals ordinance amendment. Also, a member of the audience asked about the grandfathering of the Animals ordinance and Bates said there is no grandfathering.