After three votes on an ordinance that would have allowed urban chickens in the city limits of Warsaw, the Common Council aptly cracked all hopes of those who wanted to raise their own hens.

For the third time, the matter was presented to the council and it was at-large councilwoman Cindy Dobbins who was the deciding factor. In the first vote on April 7, lacking a quorum, Dobbins and her at-large councilmate Elaine Call and District 6 councilwoman Diane Quance were opposed to the ordinance. Mike Klondaris and Jerry Frush were in favor, but with Jeff Grose and Charlie Smith absent, the matter was pushed to another hearing.

In that meeting, held on May 5, with the full council present and several amendments added, Grose weighed in with a favorable response to allowing the chickens while councilman Smith adamantly opposed it. The only sway vote came from Dobbins, who said she was hearing about 50/50 pros and cons. (See related)

In tonight’s meeting, however, Dobbins told the public in attendance that, “Really in the last three or four days people have really started coming out of the woodwork … about 2-1 against it.” She said she struggled with her vote at the May 5 meeting, but with the many phone calls she has received, she said she had to vote what the majority wanted and this time voted against allowing urban chickens in the city limits.

Smith remained set against the concept pointing out a petition presented to him bearing the names of more than 80 people who were opposed to the allowing of chickens. He also said, “There’s less than 15 households that are in favor of this and nearly 14,000 in the city … I’m also opposed to our tax money being used to enforce this.” Smith also pointed out research noting 19 different diseases that chickens can carry and how just one of those could adversely affect the large commercial operations in the county.

In the final vote, Grose, Klondaris and Frush were in favor of allowing the chickens, but it was the majority rule of Call, Dobbins, Smith and Quance that silenced the request for good.