HEALTH, SAFETY, AND QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES

Whitetail Deer Population Control

On a personal note, I support, and treasure, a healthy Whitetail Deer population, sharing that common ground with nature lovers, hunters, and others alike. I killed my first deer half a century ago, and Mom took her last one of many - a 12-pointer - in her 80’s. We’re both typical of my family. On the other hand, I actually “name” my local deer, and I fret about them in bad weather. 

MDC says our local Whitetail Deer herd is TEN TIMES a healthy population in some areas . 

Our own Public Safety Committee (PSC) is working to understand costs, effects, and practicality of control options, calling this a top priority. I presently support that conclusion, for the following reasons and others:

• Serious deer/vehicle collisions are common, requiring emergency response. 
• Deer are major vector hosts for ticks and thus, for many serious tick-borne diseases. Local deer are miserably infested with these and other pests.
• Deer overpopulation is inhumane for many reasons.
• Deer are causing terrible damage: erosion of lawns, fields, and forests, depletion of desirable native species, and favoring of invasive non-natives. 
• Citizens can have their say in this discussion, starting with the PSC survey. 
• This is a complicated question, and I look forward to hearing from Ward 6 voters.

Erosion and Flooding  

I’m an enthusiastic member of the Wildwood Watershed Erosion Task Force (WETF). 

• Flooding and erosion in all of our local watersheds is causing property damage, topsoil loss, and danger to livestock, wildlife, and human life. 
• Some Ward 6 horses and cars made the national news in 2019, but every Ward has flooding and erosion problems. 
• Fixing the problems won’t be cheap, but inaction is likely to cost much more in the end. 
• I’m hopeful that the City and the WETF can find workable, affordable solutions.