Residents in the village of Coon Valley are encouraged to register their cats and dogs before they receive a notice and possible fine for failing to do so. In November, the Coon Valley Village Board discussed what steps they should take to keep residents, currently breaking a village ordinance permitting no more than two cats and two dogs per household, from further breaking the law.

The village has received several reports about village residents who are housing more animals than is allowed by village ordinance. Residents who have more than the allotted number of animals must apply for a kennel license at a cost of $35, while the cost for licensing a single dog or cat remains at $8 per animal, or $3 each if the animals are spayed or neutered.

The licensing issue was brought to the forefront in November after Coon Valley residents John and Jean Sims applied for dog licenses through the county, in order to house three dogs, which they are not using for breeding purposes, but merely as family pets. At that time the Sims were informed that the village of Coon Valley ordinance only allows two dogs per household, forcing the Sims to apply for a kennel license instead.

The problem in Coon Valley, like most municipalities, is that the majority of pet owners have never registered their pets at all, placing them in violation of village ordinance. The village will send reminders out to residents regarding registration of animals, but it is the owners responsibility to follow thru and register the dogs and cats, or face possible fines for failure to do so.

The village board barely approved trading in its Gehl 4640 skid steer loader, 4-3, with Melanie Role, Monte Nelson and Mike Raasch voting against the motion believing better rates were available and keeping the current machine was budget wise. The board also approved the trade-in and purchase of a new park mower for the 2009 mowing season at a cost of $3,700.

In other action items the board approved a small increase in the cost of village garbage collection bags with large 30-gallon bags going from $2 to $2.05 and the price of small 13-gallon bags increasing from $1.25 to $1.30.

Coon Valley village employees will once again receive a $25 holiday bonus and the village office may close on various days over the next few months, while Coon Valley Clerk Renitia Williamson uses up her vacation and floating holiday time. Residents should call 608-452-3168 before stopping by the office to ensure someone is on hand to handle their concerns.