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Deer overpopulation in Warsaw may soon be reduced.
The Warsaw Deer Task Force is recommending to the Warsaw City Council at its meeting tonight to give approval to a resolution and ordinance that would allow trained archery hunters to hunt in declared nuisance zones.
The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. at city hall where residents can share their opinions about proposed deer reduction efforts before the city council will be asked to approve the resolution and ordinance.
The deer task force, co-chaired by city council member Jeff Grose, has spent the past nine months researching methods to control the deer herd near Spring Hill.
The task force has identified a deer nuisance zone within the city limits, including the entire area around Spring Hill, Kosciusko Community Hospital and U.S. 30.
The task force is recommending the city council pass a resolution that will identify the nuisance zone near Spring Hill, and pass an ordinance that would allow for trained and approved archers, under the direction of Mayor Ernie Wiggins and a nuisance management committee to hunt in the declared nuisance zone.
If the task force recommendations are approved by the city council, the task force would implement the proposal by training archery hunters in the county and then placing them in specified areas within the declared nuisance zone.
Grose said he encourages citizens to attend tonight's meeting and voice their opinions about the proposed ordinance and resolution.
"It is important for the city council and task force to hear opinions from citizens so we can make an informed decision," Grose said.
A public forum was held at the council's Oct. 16 meeting where residents and city council members who were not part of the task force had the opportunity to ask questions and provide input regarding the report and recommendations for controlling the deer herd near Spring Hill that was formulated by the deer task force.
Residents expressed both concern and support for the deer reduction efforts during the meeting.
Citizens who attended the meeting also had the opportunity to sign petitions both for and against the deer reduction efforts.
Petitions also were distributed at a meeting with Spring Hill residents Sept. 28.
"I felt good about the last city council meeting because it allowed the task force to answer questions and clarify issues from citizens," Grose said.
He said the discussion also allowed the city council to hear concerns and support from citizens before voting on the resolution and ordinance.
