MULGRAVE: An issue that has persisted in the town for years will finally be given its day.
During the town’s regular council meeting on June 7, councillors passed a motion to hold a plebiscite on a proposed poultry and farm animal bylaw, which will occur on Aug. 21.
Ron Chisholm, the town’s mayor, advised the concern of keeping backyard farm animals as pets has been an issue throughout the community for years, and hasn’t been sorted out.
“We have started to get multiple complaints about the smell and animals running onto and around other people’s property,” Chisholm said. “You need to have some respect when it comes to your neighbours.”
He suggested, while council has spent the past few years trying to come to a conclusion, it’s about time residents decide for themselves and resolve this ongoing issue.
“This is something we’ve been dealing with for the last number of years, and it hasn’t gone anywhere,” Chisholm said. “Now we can let the residents make the final decision, and we can be over with it.”
As for how much hosting a plebiscite will cost the town, the mayor indicated they will first need to figure out how they will conduct it.
“It’s difficult to plan without knowing what public health restrictions may be in place at the time,” Chisholm said. “But we will make sure it’s done safely and following provincial guidelines.”