In Oglesby, if two commissioners can’t get a dog park right away, another commissioner and the mayor can’t update ordinances about fences, electrical generators, and sewer backups. In the showdown tonight, James Cullinan and Tom Argubright were on one side; Jason Curran and Mayor Dominic Rivara were on the other.
Curran and Rivara would like a park board meeting about where to put a dog park. Cullinan and Argubright think there’s been enough talk and it’s time to act.
Since a plan to pay $15,000 to fence off an area of 3rd St. near the water tower for a dog park didn’t pass, Argubright and Cullinan refused to second Curran’s motions. They would have updated a fence ordinance, required inspections to make sure electrical generators aren’t installed dangerously, and started a program to help pay for sewer backup prevention valves.
The bottom line is, until something breaks the stalemate, Oglesby won’t get a dog park, residents who’ve had sewer backups will have to pay the full cost for installing backup prevention valves, and electrical line workers could be at risk of getting lethal jolts from improperly installed generators powering homes during blackouts. Other ordinances not acted on tonight would update a fence ordinance and pay for line painting on streets.
Curran’s proposals weren’t even discussed. Argubright and Cullinan didn’t second them. Under city rules, the mayor cannot. Commissioner Terry Eutis was absent. Without a second, the motions died.
Rivara says he would have seconded the motions if the rules allowed. Even so, had the face-off produced a two-two tie, the ordinances would not be passed.
Cullinan says he’s spoken with residents in the area of 3rd St. near the water tower where he’d like the dog park to go and they support it. He says the park board talked about it but couldn’t settle on a location. Cullinan would like to have had the project done by election day. He and Curran are two of the three candidates running for mayor. Rivara is leaving the job.