After enforcement concerns rise, Harvey City Council sends animal ordinance to legislative committee

Harvey City Council sent a bill reducing the number of animals someone can have in their home to the legislative committee for further review after it received some pushback from council members regarding enforcement.

There can be no more than seven dogs, cats, or a combination on a single property, according to the city’s municipal code.

The proposed change at the July 30 special City Council meeting, introduced by Ald. Colby Chapman (2nd), would change the number of pets from seven to three in an effort to address unsafe animal living conditions and a stray dog crisis. Owners would be required to acquire a pet license for four or more pets.

Last summer, dogs nearly mauled a woman to death. Historically, there’s only one officer at Harvey Police Department who typically handles dog catching. “If we’re talking about what a legislative committee could have done this a time ago,” Chapman said, “but as legislators, we have the individual opportunity to set forth legislation.”

But legislative committee chair Ald. Dominique Randle-El (5th) questioned how the city could implement the policy. “If we actually are saying pets in combination thereof, since my three girls have two birds, two cats, one dog? So again, how are we going to enforce this? We don’t even know who the dogs belong to,” said Randle-El.

The Council voted to send the ordinance to the legislative committee, with Chapman voting against the move. The legislative committee will determine a meeting date to discuss the ordinance, Randle-El said.

Public and aldermanic comment contention

Ald. Telanee Smith (3rd) found herself on the receiving end of criticism over her council behavior. Resident Amanda Askew, who has announced a run for 5th Ward alderman, expressed frustration with a lack of meetings for the economic development committee, chaired by Smith. “I’m going to say it every time until it’s done because economic development is a vital point for the city, and so we need to have some type of meeting,” said Amanda Askew. 

And during the meeting and on July 13, Ald. Telanee Smith (3rd) allegedly flashed her middle finger at Ald. Chapman’s interns, who typically sit in the front row. Smith has maintained an antagonist relationship with Chapman, who was a vocal critic of deceased mayor Chris Clark. He appointed Smith to her seat in 2022 after a resignation, and she won her bid for the seat in 2023. Smith is expected to run for re-election in 2027.

Drewenski expressed discontent with the public, namely decrying criticism from residents. “Now, what we could do is make it by law of sitting here only talking about agenda items and not put anything on the agenda. But that’s not what we’re about,” said Drewenski.

She went as far as to echo her predecessor saying, “If you want to come up and have your voice heard, run for office…If you think it’s so easy to sit up here and be an alderman to represent and be belittled up here time after time, you are so wrong.” Last year, Harvey’s mayor’s office announced multiple advisory boards. It’s unclear whether the city has actually convened them.

Municipal budget

Harvey’s annual budget appropriation was due on July 31, and the city failed to turn in on that date. However, Chapman during her aldermanic comment, the council put a “band-aid,” in place, she said.

On July 13, Harvey issued a natural disaster proclamation after storms hit the area over the July 4 weekend. In Illinois, if a disaster is declared within 60 days proceeding the end of the first quarter of a municipality’s fiscal year, the municipality will receive an extra 60 days, according to state law. That delays Harvey’s budget season through mid-September. This will be the second budget since Harvey declared financial distress last summer, and the first since the city’s request for state assistance was denied earlier this year.

Zoning appointments

Drewenski appointed seven residents to the planning and zoning commission. The reappointments include Antonia McBride as chair, Livia Dean, Aline McDowell, Juanita Phillips, Mark Golden, and Mary Johnson. McBride, Dean, and McDowell were reappointed, having previously served on the commission during the Clark administration. The committee is overseen by economic development director and former 2nd Ward alderman Marshun Tolbert, who fielded the interest letters and make appointment recommendations. Rhonda Powell, a relative of Tolbert’s, is also on the board.