Whadya know, the sanitation district decided to stop hanging up the phone on reporters and issue a statement. What are the odds? Of course no one can challenge whether the statement is true or not because there are no photos or evidence but hey, at least they bothered to say something, even if its a lie.
Sanitary District explains Striebel Pond beaver removal
MICHIGAN CITY — A social media uproar started recently when someone left a sign at Striebel Pond indicating the Michigan City Sanitation Department had trapped and killed a pair of beavers who had made a habitat there.
Tuesday night, Sanitary District General Manager Michael Kuss issued a statement regarding the matter:
In early March, the district received reports from the Michigan City Police Department and concerned citizens that beavers were causing damage to Striebel Pond, which is a flood control facility whose proper operation is vital to preventing flooding in the southwest portions of Michigan City, according to the district’s release.
After an investigation, the district discovered that beavers had destroyed approximately 20 trees and built a dam, which was was affecting the proper operation of Striebel Pond. According to the district’s release, this was threatening to cause widespread flooding and damage to human health and the environment in that part of the city. The district decided it was necessary to remove the dam as well as the beavers.
The Indiana Department of Natural Resources consulted with the district and explained that beavers are considered a nuisance if they cause damage to public or private property or cause a threat to flooding. IDNR further said beavers rarely survive relocation.
On March 8, traps were set to capture the beavers, and two were captured, one on March 9 and the other on March 10. According to the district’s release, “the type of trap used to capture the beavers did not allow for live capture.”
After the beavers were captured, the dam was removed.
“The district understands that some members of our community are having difficulty accepting that beavers were removed in such a manner,” the release said. “Thus, while the IDNR and other naturalists say that it is difficult to relocate beavers, the district is willing to try and develop successful strategies for doing so in the future.”
The release went on to say that the district plans to replace the trees downed by the beavers, as they provide a canopy for the recreational area surrounding Striebel Pond. The district is asking for volunteers to help with these efforts. Anyone interested can contact the Sanitary District at 874-7799.
Now that wasn’t so hard, was it? I mean it’s not like there were any challenges or follow-up questions to your excuses, were there? Just be thankful, for example, that I don’t live in Michigan City. Or you know I would have asked to see the 20 chewed stumps and asked to see a photo of the ‘dam’ they were building, which since this is a pond not a stream, I’m SURE was a lodge and not a dam. Where they were hoping to raise a family before you changed all that.
But you are willing to do this differently next time so I only hope that someone who was upset about this did their homework and found out there were many ways to solve beaver problems besides trapping. Hopefully they will hold you to that promise and ask you to take some longer-term solutions next time.
O
ne of my favorite all time moments at the “Great beaver meeting of 2007 ” was when a woman I don’t know was questioning then city manager Don Blumbaugh about flow devices. She mentioned that she had read they existed and asked why the staff report didn’t mention them. He waived his magical hand like city officials always do and said they “wouldn’t work in THIS case” and waited for her to give up, go away, and just roll over for his expertese. The wonderful woman, whom I will always love, stepped closer to the microphone in exasperation.
“But you KNEW about them? You knew about them and you didn’t put it in the report?”
Ahhh, there are few things in life I remember more fondly than his squirming red face as he pointed to the mayor and urged anxiously “Talk to him!” hoping to get her attention away because city managers just run things, they don’t answer questions. And of course the mayor stepped in and said something deflecty and truthless. But it was THAT moment. It was THAT moment things turned in our favor. The sharks were in the water and they weren’t going home without their supper. We knew we were going to win. When he retired a few months later he cited this meeting as one of the things that pushed him over the edge.
(The following year, working the farmer’s market, I found out from the city treasurer that she had happened to see a program about Skip Lisle when this was happening and had invited the entire city council and public works over to watch it. So they all knew about flow devices. They all knew there were options. They just didn’t like them.)
Which just goes to say that “Keep it up Michigan City. This is starting to sound like success.”
