Out of state beavers…

Princeton (im)Propriety

heidi08 Beavers October 18, 2011

My goodness, it looks like the gripping trial to consider possibly slightly inconveniencing Animal Control Officer Mark Johnson is delayed yet again. You will remember that Mark found time after his busy day of dog-catching to shoot two unlucky beavers in a public park after making a special effort to let a passing damsel know his intention. The case was originally transferred because no one wanted to try him in the town where he worked, and it was then moved to nearby Ewing where it was subsequently cancelled because of a ‘conflict’ with the judge before being moved to Lawrence where it has just been cancelled because of a ‘conflict’ with the prosecutor.

Remember in legalese ‘conflict’ means ‘I’m reluctant to find you guilty because you’re my friend or I might need you one day and I don’t want to have to admit it’.

Since he can’t possibly be related to all these people Mr. Johnson is either a magnetically congenial man who hypnotically endears himself without effort to everyone on the bench OR he is relied upon for a steady stream of mysterious favors that no one in New Jersey wants to interrupt. Don’t forget that all of this dramatic shuffling is for an offense considered so minor that even if found guilty and prosecuted to the full extent of the law will still only set him back about 300 dollars.

A new venue has not yet been named in this macabre justice roulette, and maybe that’s really the safest decision. If he doesn’t know where his trial is going to be he won’t have a clue of who to make ‘friends’ with. I say announce the venue the day before and quarantine everyone in the courtroom so he can’t buy anyone dinner.

Who knew a beaver-shooting dog-catcher could be so charming?

Here Come Da’ Judge…

heidi08 Beavers elsewhere, City Reports, Creative Solutions, Who's Killing Beavers Now? September 27, 2011

The case against Princeton Animal Control Officer Mark Johnson is scheduled to be heard in Lawrence Township Municipal Court on Oct. 12 at 10 a.m.

You’ll remember that New Jersey Animal Control Officer Mark Johnson took it upon himself to shoot some pesky beavers near the open air theater of Peteranello Gardens, after first pointedly stopping to tell the nice woman who came to watch them of his murderous intent. You will also recall that after the story broke there was scrambling at all levels to say that the shooting was neither authorized nor ordered at the higher levels. You may also recall that the maximum fine Mark could pay for his castorcide was 300 dollars, but that the local judge couldn’t hear the case because they were bridge partners or some such thing. It has now been nearly four months since the beavers were killed and the paper reports the case is finally going to trial.

New Jersey has waited a DAM long time for its 300 dollars of justice.

Mr. Johnson is accused of illegally shooting two beavers in Pettoranello Gardens in Community Park North in May. Officials have said the beavers were deemed a “nuisance.”

The incident has raised concern because there was no permit issued for the trapping of the beavers or any beaver activity with the state Division of Fish and Wildlife. A permit is needed for the trapping of a beaver. It is illegal to shoot beavers, which are a protected species in New Jersey, according to the game code of the state. Beavers cannot be relocated either.

The case will not be heard at Princeton Township due to a conflict with the judge, said Corinne Sliker-Monda, Princeton Township court administrator. It was also transferred from Ewing Township due to a conflict.

Well good luck Mark, I’m not really worried about you because if for some remarkable reason they DID decide to fine you, you could easily afford it with the four months of uninterrupted salary the city has been paying you. I suppose its vaguely humiliating which is a kind of consequence, so I’m grateful for the kabuki wrist-slap. I’d love to see 20 children with beaver tails waiting outside the courtroom so that some news cameras can add to the burn. Maybe next time you’ll think about using a flow device or calling our friends at the Unexpected Wildlife Refuge.

Oh and good news about Central Frontenac, the story I reported on a couple days ago. The mayor herself wrote me back, committed to using a flow device and getting it right, and she was very happy to learn that her name was passed along to the CBC producer who is in her neck of the woods and looking for a local story to follow. They’re supposed to talk this week. So look for Central Frontenac to be a star in next year’s “Beaver Whisperer” project!

Another Preschool…

heidi08 Beavers, Beavers elsewhere, Who's Killing Beavers Now? May 25, 2011

This one is in Lafayette. The traveling beaver show will be on the road this morning teaching and making tails. The particular classroom helped the students make life-sized lodges last week so I can’t wait to see them.They had originally wanted a field trip to see the dams, but since our beaver dams are mosquito sized we decided this would work better.

There will be light posting this morning as duty calls, but you might enjoy two particularly compelling justifications for Mark Johnson, the animal control officer who took it upon himself to shoot beavers in Princeton New Jersey. The first is a comment, (I assume by his mother), who callers herself ‘Robotti”.

” I’ve always found Mark Johnson to be professional and competent in all my dealings with him, and I frankly can’t understand all the outrage by people when no one has heard his side of the story yet. He’s been doing a great job for us for 18 years, and deserves the benefit of the doubt. All of you anonymous commenters – how about posting some names so we can evaluate your comments in context? It’s easy to bash somebody on the Internet when you don’t have to be held accountable for your words. Anne Robotti, Princeton resident “

Yes it is sneaky how people can post under an assumed name, Robotti. (Does irony mean nothing to these people?) Don’t worry. My letter to the editor was set with my very own name. HEIDI PERRYMAN. Look me up and we can talk.

The second comes from this article about the sharp shooter being back on the job. Apparently Mr. Dog Catcher is getting a bit of flack. The paper approached him for a comment and he sagely replied

”I’ve been told not to discuss it,” he said. “I would love to clear my name.” ”It is what it is,”

It is what it is. There’s a man who sees the writing on the wall and repeats its phrasing handily. Honestly have you ever heard anyone use that particular line and thought to yourself, “I have such respect for their resolve! What courage in the face of adversity” ? I find it is the mobious-strip-refuge of little minds who want to pretend they are not responsible for their actions or the consequences that they incurred, but maybe that’s just me.

Mudding the Primary Dam - Photo: Cheryl Reynolds

Annie Get Your Gun

heidi08 Beavers elsewhere, Who's Killing Beavers Now? May 21, 2011

Ahhh the exciting tales of beavers and firearms from the lawless west — Or New Jersey. Seems one out-of-control animal control officer took it upon himself to shoot a pair of beavers that were interfering with pond height at a city park. Trouble is, shooting beavers is illegal in New Jersey, and he should have used a trap. According to the region’s deeply ambivalent legislation, (which contains nearly as many contradictions as the bible itself), the law says beavers have to be humanely killed but relocation is illegal. It gets more even better. It’s unlawful to shoot them from far away but you are welcome to live trap them, leave them in a suitcase without food for 12 hours, and and press a .22 to their furry temples and pull the trigger. I’m not confused, who’s asking?

So this is the scene of the crime. Petteranello Gardens amphitheater at Princeton Community Park. The kind of place where the Thomas Sweet outdoor theatre offers free productions of ‘blithe spirit’ or ‘Twelfth Night” and families gather over egg salad sandwiches or brie and chardonnay to enjoy the culture. Seems one park visitor was asked to leave early one night when she was walking over to see the beavers.

Kathleen Hutchins, a township resident, said she learned of the killings when she ran into the officer, Mark Johnson, in the park as she was walking over to see the beavers on Friday evening with her dog. She said she was told to leave the park by the officer about 7:30 p.m. The officer said he was “going to get rid of them.”

Victoria Hurley-Schubert: centraljersey.com

Now since we’re in a community theatre frame of mind, let’s think about Mr. Johnson’s motivation. Obviously he saw Kathleen walking over to the pond so could infer she cared about the beavers. He didn’t have to tell her anything, he could have just waited and killed them later. Not really the best person to broadcast your murderous and illegal act to unless you A) secretly hate your boss so much you want them to get a lot of shit for this decision, or B) are such a cruel and sadistic misogynist that you wanted the pleasure of seeing the look on her face before you settled down to the delight of shooting the beavers.

I’m going with ‘B’.

So Mr. Johnson shot two beavers that night because they were raising the pond and eating trees. When the story hit the papers everyone got a little anxious and the Bureau Administrator started doing some talking about this not being authorized from the top down. The Deparment of Environmental Protection said it had issued no permits, and the department of animal control said that the beavers were not ill nor aggressive.

Robert Bruschi, the borough administrator, said municipal officials are looking into the issue and are sensitive to animal issues. Mr. Bruschi said the animals were shot in the park after dark and not trapped. The action was taken after the park had closed to the public, he said. As for the reason for the shootings, “He (Mr. Johnson) deemed them a nuisance,” said Mr. Bruschi. Municipal officials are working with the state to find out if Mr. Johnson had the authority to take the action he did and if he followed appropriate state procedures. He said Mr. Johnson did call Fish and Wildlife and spoke with representatives as to what to do about the beavers. It’s not clear what transpired from there and municipal officials have calls into the state for answers.

”He wrote a letter explaining what he did,” said Mr. Bruschi, and an investigation is ongoing. ”I’m treating it as a personnel matter,” said Mr. Bruschi. “If Mark did not follow the regulations from the state, there might be some discipline from that.” After the investigation is complete, the matter may then be looked at from a policy standpoint.

Mr. Johnson is on vacation this week.

Of course he is. I have some news for Mr. Johnson and Mr. Bruschi, if you’re interested. It’s May, so BEST CASE scenario you put a bullet into the father and mother beaver as they were just starting out in life, killing a number of unborn children in a grand civic abortion that your tax dollars paid for. That’s the best case.

The WORST CASE scenario is that at temperatures of 72 the kits have already been born and your decision orphaned them, leaving helpless furry creatures without parents alone in the lodge where they will slowly starve and die. How will that look in the papers?

Can this story possibly be redeemed? Can the Bureau of Princeton’s reckless ass ever be covered? Maybe. Sarah Summerville runs the Unexpected Wildlife Refuge in upstate New Jersey about 75 miles away. Have your people sit down with hers and do an inservice training on REAL beaver management. Find out why shooting or trapping are short term solutions and how the use of flow devices can protect your spillways and your good name. Find out what beavers can do for your wildlife, fish and bird population, and hope every day that when you are given a second chance you make a smarter decision.

Meanwhile send your top biologist to walk the pond today and look for where the beavers were living (and, no, it’s not in the dam) and make sure there aren’t orphans left behind. My guess is that Mr. Johnson shot yearlings (teenage beavers), meaning he got your bureau into all this hot water and he didn’t even solve your problem. You might wanna discuss that when he comes back from vacation.