Marathon City Councilman Dick Ramsay wants to reconsider a law the board approved Dec. 11 that allows domestic pigs as pets.
He said Friday that he believed the law is innocuous — until he began receiving public input after it passed.
"It was everything from they're a little concerned with some of the issues that [Councilman] Chris Bull brought up, which includes piglets and how often they have them, to outside pigs in pens close to adjoining property lines," he said.
Ramsay said he plans to request that the City Council reopen the ordinance for amendments at its Tuesday meeting.
"I think no one on the council would deny a rehearing. Worst-case scenario, it'll be included in the next meeting," he said.
Bull raised what he called "major concerns" at the December meeting that obviously caught fellow council members off guard. The law was approved unanimously at first reading on Nov. 27.
"When it was first given to me, it was my first month back [on the council] and I was told it was just an administrational thing to allow pigs as pets. I didn't get any calls and it seemed to be a non-issue," Bull said.
He said it wasn't until after the law passed first reading that he discovered issues with it.
"Between first and second reading, I went through the ordinance with a fine-toothed comb and found out it has nothing to do with what it says in the agenda statement," he said. "It doesn't address living facilities. The way I read it was wide open so people could have a pig-raising business and you could have 500-pound pigs."
Bull's main contention in December was that the law does not address piglets. He said pigs could have between eight to 12 piglets at a time at least twice a year.
"I'm trying to marry the intent with good legislation that will do what it's intended to without any consequences and pig farms all over town that suddenly become legal," Bull said.
Ramsay said he received numerous complaints after the final vote in December. He said he agrees with Bull on tightening up the law.
"Many of them felt the whole ordinance was ridiculous and we shouldn't be allowing pigs within the city limits," he said. "I'm going to take some blame and I don't mind doing that. I don't think I read up on it carefully enough to make some of the decisions I did make. I'm happy to bring it up so we can have some more conversation on it."
At the December meeting, Bull suggested tightening the law, but Mayor Mike Cinque called a vote on the issue after a motion and a second were made to approve it. Bull never got a chance to formally request changes.
As it's now written, the law provides for annual licensure of domestic pigs ($55 annually). Their vaccinations must be verified every year. The law also requires pig owners to maintain certain maintenance standards and establishes minimum setbacks for outdoor pigpens.
Tuesday's council meeting is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. at the Marathon Government Center.
