Image courtesy of the city of Jefferson

The Jefferson City Council met Tuesday night in regular session.

The meeting started with a public hearing regarding the possibility of amending an ordinance to allow for public hunting on a property that is within city limits. A 70-acre property that is owned by Dan Pauley, includes 20-acres that are within city limits and he requested to move that portion into public hunting and to work with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources for the Iowa Habitat and Access Program. 

Seven people spoke against the proposal, with concerns including safety risks to adjacent landowners and passersbies and accidental shootings, using shotguns and rifles, including high-powered rifles for night hunting with animals like raccoons, allowing for more people to leave garbage and causing property values to drop. The landowner, Dan Pauley was the only one to speak in favor of the proposal. He would like the DNR to take care of maintaining his Conservation Reserve Program acres, the closest home to that part of his property is 450 feet away, and in similar communities that allowed this to happen, it was to reduce certain wildlife populations. The Council took no action following the input from the public.

The Council also approved a resolution to extend the current 28E agreement with Greene County to March 31st to continue providing recycling services and prolong the negotiations. They also approved a tentative agreement with the police officer’s union for a three year contract with a 3.5 percent wage increase for the first year and can negotiate further raises in years two and three. Additionally, the Council approved an engagement letter with the State Auditor’s Office to conduct testing for a former employee and the quarterly payment to Greene County Development Corporation was also approved.