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/ <br />/IrtTKltHligUr A <br />To: Mayor Grabek & Orono Council Members <br />Prom: Mark E. Bernhardson, City Administrate <br />Date: April 6, 1989 <br />Subject: Waterfowl Removal <br />ATTACHl^TS - <br />A - Burgess Letter Dated 4/6/89 <br />ISSUE - <br />Determination as to whether the City wants to in.. ^ ate the process for <br />possible removal of Canadian geese in the select neighborhoods by holding a <br />public meeting on the matter. <br />INTRODUCTION - <br />As noted in Attachment A, the neighbors in the Pheasant Lawn area have <br />become concerned about the goose population which over the last several <br />years has gone from a single pair of geese up to a couple hundred this last <br />fall. <br />It is our understanding that a public meeting on the matter, <br />"publically noticed" has to be held in advance of any removal done. The <br />University desires to have a pretty good idea by the first of May of how <br />many waterfowl removals they would be doing this summer, during a June/July <br />time frame when the geese are not able to fly. <br />DISCUSSION - <br />The requirement for a public discussion held by the City is <br />established by Federal Migratory Bird Agency and DNR prior to issuance of <br />their permit. The issues at the meeting will be as follows: <br />A) Whether the City would permit the removal of such waterfowl. <br />B) What funding if any the City would undertake to assist in the <br />removal. <br />As noted on Attachment A, the usual goose concentration reduction <br />program cost . about $1,000 a year which removes approximately 95% of the <br />geese at chat time, with a 30% return rjte in subsequent years. Normally <br />it takes them only 4 years to effectively reduce the population to one that <br />is no longer a concentration. In addition, they recommend every 2 years <br />after that an additional removal program. <br />At present there he- e only been 2 areas of notable concentration, this <br />one on Pheasant Lawn together with the one on Shadywood Road (which the <br />latter is more than just geese. It also includes substantial numbers of <br />ducks). The neighbors on Pheasant Lawn have indicated their desire to fund <br />it, but as noted in Attachment A, are soliciting assistance from the City <br />on the matter. It should be noted that several suburban cities have <br />participated in, if not totally funded, the program in their respective <br />communities.