City ponders reviving goose roundup

CELINA - City officials are exploring nonlethal tactics to handle ongoing problems with unruly geese, such as aggression, attacks on people and defecation in prominent public spaces.

Mayor Jeff Hazel this morning told the newspaper that city and Ohio Department of Natural Resources officials are discussing reviving the goose roundup program to relocate perhaps several hundred geese. They're also looking into using dogs to scare away the waterbirds.

"Frankly, I don't want to kill geese," Hazel said, adding the geese problems were initially brought to city administrators' attention by council members, who relayed complaints from residents.

At last week's regular city council meeting, officials discussed obtaining a permit from ODNR to legally kill about 50 geese. Police chief Tom Wale had said his department had filed a complaint with ODNR - the first step toward obtaining a lethal permit - due to instances of aggression, property damage, nesting locations and traffic hazards related to the geese at the parks and residential areas in which they reside.

They also noted the persistent issues of large amounts of bird feces in eating and playground areas and children being chased by the birds, he said. Hazel added that adult geese leave behind 2.2 pounds of feces each day.

Moreover, city officials are spending $500 a week to clean up areas defiled by the intrepid waterbirds that won't be scared away by noise, light or other non-lethal methods.

"There have been numerous efforts to move these geese along," Hazel said last week, pointing to "screamers," sounds, flashing lights and other efforts by park officials that have all failed to do the trick.

If the permit is approved by the state, it would still require city council action, Wale had noted. A permit would allow the city to destroy nests, conduct a goose roundup or shoot geese, ODNR's website states.

However, Hazel explained this morning that officials continue to look at nonlethal means to deal with the geese.

A social media post last week stating officials were considering lethal means to address the goose problem provoked an intense backlash with some people vehemently objecting to the idea of killing the birds.

Hazel acknowledged the outcry but said it didn't have much of an impact on officials' decision to explore other avenues. He said the last thing administrators want to do is destroy animals, yet they must find a way for the public to coexist peacefully with the geese.

Hazel last week noted the ODNR had stopped conducting geese roundups in 2012 or 2013. Wildlife officials and a host of local volunteers in previous years used a helicopter, boats and vehicles to round up and band hundreds of Canada geese at numerous locations around the lake in Auglaize and Mercer counties.

An ODNR spokesman had said he wasn't sure why or when ODNR had halted the roundups.

Hazel this morning said only geese with feathers would be rounded up if officials decide to go that route.

Discussion likely will resume at council's next regular meeting at 7 p.m. Monday in council chambers on the second floor of the city administration building.