City Council Ponders Pigeon Problem

(Hannibal)—Tuesday evening, the Hannibal City Council discussed an issue that was literally for the birds, abatement of the pigeon overpopulation in the downtown area.

2nd ward Councilman Mike Dobson presented two options: Reliable Pest Control would utilize a poison bating system on selected rooftops at an annual cost of approximately $9600. The other option is the USDA Wildlife Service located in Springfield, Illinois, who uses alternatives to poison baits first; depending on the success of those techniques, the USDA uses a toxicant as a last resort.The cost of that option is not yet known; Dobson says USDA will not bid the job on a competitive basis.

City Manager Jeff LaGarce says a review of the City Charter is in order before waiving the bidding process. Mayor Hark suggested the City request a price quote from USDA to see if cost effective. Councilman Dobson agreed to research and update the council in the near future.