A request to have two to four hens (female chickens) within city limits as part of a 4-H project was debated for more than a half hour during Tuesday's meeting of the Wayne City Council.
Jenna Vilkas who lives on Angel Avenue, brought forth the request after having done research on the history of allowing chickens within city limits. She outlined her plan to raise two to four hens as a 4-H project from January 2020 until after the Wayne County Fair in July of 2020.
Vilkas told the council she had met with the neighbors, including council member Jennifer Sievers, to obtain their thoughts on the plan. She said she would have the hens in an enclosed pen with a tarp on the top to prevent the hens from flying out.
Sievers told the council that while she feels "chickens should not be in town, as a home-schooled student, this is a good educational opportunity for Jenna. I would not mind having the chickens in my neighborhood for a short period of time."
Sievers also said that if this type of request came before the council again, it should be handled on a case-by-case basis.
Council member Jill Brodersen commended Vilkas for coming to the council with her request.
"This is exactly what we want people to do," Brodersen said.
Council members Jason Karsky and Dwaine Spieker said that approving this request would be precedent setting and were not in favor of the request.
Council member Matt Eischeid commended Vilkas for her energy and said "I wish we had more young people like you."
He opposed the request, however, stating that if this request were granted, what was there to stop someone from asking to have a calf, a horse or a pig in city limits as a 4-H project.
"We would have to say 'yes' to all these requests also. These animals would bring rodents into town. We need to keep farm animals on the farm," Eischeid said.
Following debate, the request was denied on a 4-3 vote with council members Sievers, Brodersen and Chris Woehler voting in favor of allowing the chickens in town and council members Eischeid, Karsky, Spieker and Terri Buck voting against allowing them in Wayne.
In other action, council members approved the memberships of Matt Gross and Tanner Hopkins to the Wayne Volunteer Fire Department.
Gross, a Wayne State College student, told the council his father and grandfather had both been on the fire department and he felt this was a way he could give back.
Hopkins served on the Belden Volunteer Fire Department for two years and said he "enjoys helping people."
Fire Chief Phil Monahan said the addition of these two firefighters brings the department to 38 members and several other applications have been received.
Resolution 2019-55 was approved, appointing Leo A. Daley as the special engineer on the 2019 Trail Repair Project at a cost of $55,000.
This involves the repair work that will need to be done on the walking trail near the Logan Creek Bridge. The trail was damaged as a result of this spring's flooding.
Council members waived the third reading on Ordinance 2019-14 which amends the city code in regard to land surrounding the Wayne Municipal Airport.
City Administrator Wes Blecke explained the changes being recommended since the first reading of the ordinance. He also discussed the regulations necessary to be followed because of the airport. A map of the specific areas involved was also shown.
The third reading of Ordinance 2019-11 was waived and the ordinance finally passed. It approves the vacation of an alley between Lots 9 and 10 in Block 9 of the original town of Wayne. This property is located in the 200 Block of Douglas Street.
Change Order No 3 and Payment No 4 for $61,512.24 for the Wayne 2018 Pedestrian Curb Ramps Project were approved.
The council will next meet in regular session on Tuesday, Oct. 1 at 5:30 p.m. in council chambers.
