A new amenity in Jefferson is getting closer to being completed.

The dog park, which is attached to the Greene County Animal Shelter, continues to make progress and one aspect that failed to be put in place was a fee structure for people to use it. The Jefferson City Council voted 2-2 to establish a $35 fee for dog owners to use the new dog park. The motion ended up failing because of a tie vote, with Council member Pat Zmolek absent. 

The proposal came from the animal shelter committee that also stipulated that by paying the fee, that would also mean the dog is licensed with a community and if the animal lives in the rural portion of the county, they would have had to show proof of vaccinations. The dog owner would then be issued a code to access the padlock on the locked gate.

Council member and animal shelter committee member Darren Jackson shared that the veterinarian on the committee felt that if a dog is guaranteed to be vaccinated, it would lessen the opportunity for spreading disease. It would also no longer be a city liability problem if there is an issue at the dog park. Opposing viewpoints voiced at the meeting included ease of access without paying a fee and the un-enforceability of who is allowed to use the park. City Administrator Scott Peterson says because the motion failed, the proposal goes back to the committee.

“If the Council ever looks at deviating from a recommendation of the advisory committee for really anything. That there’s some strong feelings or some items that they would like some further information on. And really I think that’s where this is. They do want some additional information and exploring different ideas about fees and then how easy you could make access to the park.”  

Peterson adds if the proposal was approved by the City Council, the fees would start next year, with no fees for the rest of this year. He anticipates the dog park to be open sometime later this fall.