City Council May Vote On Deer-Related Ordinance Tonight

City Council could approve a resolution at 7 p.m. today during its meeting at City Hall that would allow the Mentor government to pursue the permits needed to get a Deer Management Plan approved by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

In other words, Council could begin a process today that would ultimately lead to a government-sactioned plan for herd control.

Specifically, the resolution allows the city government to pursue a deer damage control permit and all other permits needed for a Deer Management Plan.

The aforementioned plan does not inherently have to include deer culling. However, if the city did want to cull the white-tailed deer in Mentor, it would need a management plant that was approved by the ODNR.

Mentor City Manager Kenneth Filipiak previously mentioned such a plan to Council and said it could take months to get one approved.

The proposed ordinance says the city wants reduce the risk to public safety, minimize property damage and halt the loss biodiversity and habitat caused by deer overpopulation.

The ordinance adds that the city is reviewing its options and those options include educating the public, improving traffic safety and reducing the herd via hunting or culling.

The city will hold a work session before its meeting at 5:30 p.m. At the session, Council and the city government will discuss commission and committee appointments and procedures.