It took a lot of ayes before it finally came down to the ears.
After much discussion and votes on three different motions, however, the Grundy County Board on Tuesday finally approved an amended version of a Coyote Bounty Ordinance.
In short, the ordinance prescribes payment of $15 for any coyote killed within the county. The ears of the coyote must be turned in to verify the kill.
Passage of the ordinance, which is to be funded solely through contributions from outdoors organizations like Pheasants Forever, Ducks Unlimited, National Whitetails and the National Turkey Federation, came only after the original motion was amended and a separate motion to table action on the measure failed because it ended in a 7-7 tie vote.
The reason for the move to delay revolved around questions about funding the bounty and for how long the payments would be in effect.
The concern was about the fact there was no termination date included in the ordinance — aside from a statement the bounty would be “available for the duration of the available funding” — and only $350, from Ducks Unlimited, has thus far been received to fund the bounty.
“If no other money comes in, once that money’s used up, we’ll quit paying the bounty,” County Administrator Dan Duffy explained in light of the questions.
Some board members felt more-explicit language needed to be included, which led to the unanimous approval of an amendment suggested by Frank Halpin that says when the funding is used up, the county has no liability for paying further bounties until additional funding is made available.
“I mean, when the funding’s used up, it’s over,” Halpin said.
His motion was enough to quiet the fears of all but board member Jeremy Ly, who cast the lone dissenting vote on the motion to approve the amended ordinance.
Ly’s concerns were more environmental than fiduciary, although his questions for Duffy did include queries about where the funding would come from and what the county’s liability might be from the program.
Sharon Bates, the representative of the Grundy County State’s Attorney’s office present at the meeting, indicated there should be no liability to the county, as the culling of the coyote population would be subject to the same laws and regulations as any other hunting in Illinois.
Duffy noted both county game wardens and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources were notified of the ordinance when it was put on file in December.
Ly dwelt for some time in his questioning on the environmental impact of the program, asking — specifically — if an environmental impact study of the program had been done. He was told it had not, although Bates indicated a study done regarding the coyote population in and around Chicago was referenced.
“I’m concerned about messing around with the environment with no sound science behind it,” Ly said.
His concerns were met, not with science, but with anecdotes about County Board Chairman Ron Severson, who was absent Tuesday evening, having lost a cow to a coyote; several anecdotes about county residents who had lost pets; and an accounting from board member John Roth of two coyotes that were consistently seen in his neighborhood.
“Is the general consensus that we don’t want to have any coyotes in Grundy County?” asked board member Chris Balkema in response.
“It’s part of the consequence of moving farther and farther out into rural areas,” added Ly of the burgeoning coyote population.
Vice Chairman John Almer, who was leading the meeting in Severson’s absence, refuted his assertion, however.
“I think the coyotes got smarter and needed more land, so they started coming north,” said Almer, who shared a belief there are more coyotes in the area now than in decades past.
The ordinance approved Tuesday attempts to confirm coyotes for which the bounty is paid definitely come from within Grundy County.
In addition to delivering the ears of the coyote to Grundy County Animal Control in order to claim the bounty, the person delivering the ears must also sign and have notarized an affidavit stating the name, address and phone number of the owner of the property within the county where the coyote was taken.
Individuals claiming a bounty do not have to be Grundy County residents.