Beaver killing suspended after News 4 ask questions
SPARKS, Nev. (MyNews4.com & KRNV) — Just a few weeks ago, the City of Sparks was trapping and killing beavers along the North Truckee Drain that runs along Sparks Blvd. But the City suspended that plan after News 4’s Terri Hendry began asking questions. Now, the City is hoping a group or person comes forward to offer advice and expertise on managing beavers without having to kill them. CLICK HERE if you have expertise to send an email.
Yesterday I was sent news of this ‘change of heart’ by Brock Dolman of the OAEC, John Hadidian of the Humane Society, and Sherry Guzzi of the Sierra Wildlife Coalition. who had already been in contact with Ron Korman the public works manager of Sparks.
The sad part is of course they had ALREADY KILLED FIVE beavers, before deciding to appear like they actually would use alternatives if someone just gosh-darned just told them what to do. Now everyone is straining themselves to take credit for this finger crossed pledge to do it right if ONLY they knew how.
For the record, I wrote them with resources, suggestions, and my phone number minutes after this story broke a week ago. And you can count on no hands the number of times my phone has rung since then. One funny thing is that when I sent information to the mayor of Sparks he wrote back and said that the city attorney was handling the case now. Ahh memories of Martinez! City attorneys are notorious. I guess you send a rodent to catch a rodent?
Sherry and Ted Guzzi are less than an hour away and have already installed flow devices in the area. They’ve exchanged emails and phone calls, but the city is committed to pretending like they want to do this better but just don’t know how? Can someone please help? Preferably someone without any skills or knowledge?
This ain’t my first rodeo. I know politicians, city attorneys and public works lie lie lie. It makes me want to pull their receding hair out in chunks. But the truth is, it’s at least BETTER for us when they lie right – wanting to appear to do the right thing, than when they lie wrong not giving a damn about the truth.
Maybe I’ve become cynical in my very old age, but I really believe all we can truly expect of our leaders is that they understand what the public wants enough to tell the right kind of lies. They would never tell the truth, of course, assuming they even know it. But when they tell the right set of lies sometimes they accidentally behave correctly. Or slowly come to the unpleasant realization that it is in their own best interest to behave as if they were telling the truth. This is doubly true for beavers. Let them act like they’re open to installing flow devices or wrapping trees next time.
Because there will be a next time. And then we can use their own glorious self-interest, (our only truly renewable resource), to get what we want.
