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MINUTES <br />City Council <br />April 22, 1981 <br />Mr. Mike Vruno, an Oakdale Councilman, appeared before the Council. <br />Mr. Vruno felt the real issue should be whether there is a health <br />hazard in the City. Vruno felt these types of regutations should be <br />left with the people who have the expertise. Vruno also stated that <br />rights should not be taken away from property owners. He also commented <br />that trespassing laws shou7d take care of the problems that property <br />owners might have uiith trappers. Mr. Vruno felt that trapping ordinances <br />shou7d only be adopted for the health and safety of the people. <br />Mrs. Scalze stated that she fe7t the City of Oakdale was a different <br />type of city than Little Canada. Little Canada is completely ringed <br />by freeways. Scalze felt the model ordinances are written for the <br />State as a whole and do not deal with the problems of Little Canada. <br />Hunting and trapping is necessary in northern Minnesota, but not in <br />Little Canada. Little Canada has very few predators, but does have <br />rabbits and mice. Scalze felt a trapping ordinance is needed in Little <br />Canada. <br />Mr. Vruno felt it was the job of the DNR to worry about the population <br />of animals. State Statute does not give cities the charge as to whether <br />or not there is wildlife in the city, and councils should not try to <br />regulate wildlife. <br />Mr. Mark Schultz, a resident of Spruce Street, asked the Council whether <br />they wanted to pass on the decision^making process to the DNR. Schultz <br />also stated that he does not want someone to tell him he doesn't know <br />how to regulate animals on his property. Schultz fe1t the State was <br />taking away more and more power from the cities. People do not want <br />State regulation, they want to regulate themselves. Schultz also <br />felt property owners should have the right of not having trappers on <br />their property. <br />Mr. Roger Johnson, the wildlife supervisor for the seven county area <br />for the DNR, appeared before the Council. Mr. Johnson stated that <br />the DNR's sample ordinance is a permit ordinance and would protect <br />landowners from unwanted trespassers. The ordinance also permits <br />people to harvast the excess animal population. Mr. Johnson stated <br />that the trapping season is set up to harvast the surplus of animals. <br />Mr, Johnson informed the Council that the population of a year is <br />considered the excess anima1 population. Johnson stated that trapping <br />will not devastate the animal po~ulation, but distruction of habitat <br />will. <br />Mrs. Scalze expressed concern that trappers are going after the animals <br />with pelts that will bring the most money. These pelts are being shipped <br />to Japan and Europe. <br />Mr. Johnson indicated that a lot of pelts are going to Canada. Johnson <br />also stated that the DNR is not noticing a decline in the State's animal <br />population. Johnson stated that when the animal population reaches a <br />certain peak, something takes over to bring it down. Trappers do not <br />decrease the population, either disease or starvation will. Johnson <br />stated that the Council should not be concerned with the quality of <br />death of the anima1 population, but the quality of life. <br />Page -5- <br />