(News)

By one vote, city council on Wednesday rehired an animal-control officer whose methods attracted both pickets and petitions a few years ago.

Despite "major concerns," Councilman Michael Cherepko cast the deciding vote in a 4-3 decision to name Ferree Kennels of the city's East End to corral vicious dogs and stray animals.

But Cherepko and other councilors also put owner Ken Ferree on notice that complaints from residents won't be tolerated.

"I hope that you surely will take this to heart," Cherepko said.

. . .

The $800 per month contract awarded to Ferree was not nearly as controversial as another agenda item that touched off a lengthy and sometimes graphic debate.

The heated topic? Portable toilets at city baseball and softball fields.

Council by 3-4 vote rejected a contract extension with Shipman's Sanitary Service of Waynesburg and asked City Clerk Patricia Williams to advertise for new bids.

. . .

Voting against the one-year, $26,742 extension to Shipman's were Councilors Richard Dellapenna, Darryl Segina, A.J. Tedesco and V. Fawn Walker.

"I am thoroughly disgusted with Shipman's level of service for us," Segina said. "I think they're shortchanging us. Let's open this up to bidding and get some competition."

That jeopardizes Public Works Director Nick Shermenti's plans to get the portable toilets in place before softball and baseball games get underway. Shermenti and City Administrator Dennis Pittman said they would expedite the process of inviting other vendors to bid on the contract.

. . .

"I do agree with (Segina), and I'm not happy with the service," Mayor Jim Brewster said, "but we went out to bid last year, and no one else bid. And I have bigger problems to worry about than outhouses."

Shermenti said that vandalism of Shipman's portable toilets was partly to blame for their condition last year.

"I personally talked to the owner, and he is aware of the problem," he said.

. . .

The animal-control contract was expected to face more opposition. Instead, only three councilors --- Segina, Walker and Tedesco --- voted against awarding the job to Ferree.

Ferree Kennels was the city's animal control service for 15 years before being replaced in 2006. Residents collected 1,000 signatures on a petition to remove Ferree, complaining about what they considered the owner's brusque manner and his practice of gassing cats and dogs with the exhaust from a gasoline engine.

Cherepko said Tuesday he was leaning against reappointing Ferree, but said the police department's desire for a quicker response time helped change his mind.

. . .

"I am not at all happy with the feedback we got the last time Mr. Ferree was in charge of this," Cherepko said. "Mr. Ferree needs to act in a respectful manner when he deals with our residents, because he is representing our city."

Ferree, who attended the meeting, has promised to use a fast-acting lethal injection to euthanize animals instead of the slower-acting carbon monoxide.

"I am most grateful for this resolution passing," Ferree told council. "Not only am I a small business owner in the city, I am also a homeowner, and I am concerned about the city."

. . .

Ferree offered to donate his first month's payment toward purchase of a bulletproof vest for the police department.

He said many of the objections to his methods amounted to a "difference of opinion" with some residents.

That brought a sharp, quick rebuke from Segina. "We're not looking at 'opinions,' we're looking at the number of complaints we get," he told Ferree. "I hope you will provide your services in a respectful, mannerly way."