Alpena City Manager Rachel Smolinski this week presented the Alpena Municipal Council with a plan to tackle the city’s goose problem without hunting the birds next year.

The council, in a split decision, did not accept that proposal, opting instead for three days of hunts this year without settling on a plan for 2024.

The council and Smolinski need to hear from you, city residents, about which direction you want the city to take.

For years, the city has hunted the birds to control the population that can get out of hand, leading to excessive goose droppings that can be a nuisance at the least and a health risk for people and pets at the worst.

Smolinski recommended another hunt this year but an expanded egg-oiling program with no hunt for 2024, News staff writer Steve Schulwitz reported in Tuesday’s edition of The News. Coating eggs in a vegetable-based oil can prevent them from hatching and prevent the animals from renesting.

The council voted three to two — with Mayor Pro Tempore Cindy Johnson and Councilwoman Karol Walchak voting against — to execute a hunt on Sept. 7, 14, and 21, but did not accept Smolinski’s recommendation for 2024.

“I don’t want to get ahead of ourselves,” Councilman Mike Nowak said.

The city now has two different approaches to one problem, and to help officials arrive at a plan for 2024 and going forward, they need to hear from residents how they’d like their leaders to tackle the birds.

We encourage residents to reach out to the council and to Smolinski and tell them whether you think the hunts should continue or not.

And we encourage city officials to listen to those residents when they formulate a plan for 2024.

(THE ALPENA NEWS)