At Monday’s Bridgeport City Council work session, City Manager Kim Haws reported that the city’s urban deer hunt may be extended to include Sundays.

 

“Right now, our ordinance says no Sunday hunting, but state law has changed to allow it,” he said.

 

To make the change, the city ordinance would merely have to be modified, Haws said. But the modification will be at the discretion of City Council. Haws recommends it.

 

“It would certainly help in our bagging capacity because a lot of folks work six days a week, especially that time of the year. This would give us additional hunting coverage,” he said. “It is the feeling among staff, our police department and those who administer the program that adding that day would substantially help in controlling the deer population in our area.”

 

If the ordinance is amended to include Sundays, each tract owner would still have the prerogative whether to include his tract, Haws said.The urban deer hunt runs annually from mid-September through year's end. 

 

Haws also reported to Council about the ordinance would will implement a rental inspection program.

 

“We have met on a number of occasions and gone over the ordinance and we are really close to bringing a proposed ordinance to Council in terms of how we would implement a commercial property inspection,” he said. “The program would help maintain the quality of our rental and commercial properties, not allowing them to deteriorate, affecting overall property values throughout city.”

 

The program would be managed internally. Several individuals have applied for the position.

 

“We intend to hire someone on July 1 who is qualified to do it and we’re very fortunate,” Haws said.

 

Mayor Andy Lang weighed in by saying he thinks the program is positive for the city.

 

At the Council meeting to follow Monday’s work session, Haws reported that city departments are in full swing for the summer months – from city pool operations to the city’s paving project for 2018.

 

In his report, Lang offered appreciation to city staff, event organizers and community members for a trio of recent, successful events.

 

Those events include the June 2 Food Truck Summer Kickoff along Main Street.

 

“We had a really good turnout in its first year. There were lots of vendors and about 2,000 on the street,” he said.

 

June 5 was Family Day at Bridgeport City Park, with roughly the same attendance.

 

Last, but certainly not least, Lang mentioned the June 9 Fallen Stars Derek Hotsinpiller Memorial 5K which had upwards of 415 participants.

 

All events were positive community events, featuring beautiful weather and quality time for area residents, Lang said.