Planning Committee to review deer issue

The Western News

Libby City Council members, who have discussed the growing deer population within city limits, have asked the city’s Planning Committee to research options for dealing with the problem.

During Monday’s meeting, Mayor Doug Roll recommended the issue be sent to the City Planning Committee to further research the city’s options.

“We discussed it and agreed to send it to the Planning Committee to conduct a study,” Roll said.

Roll denied a committee has been formed to kill deer.

“If that ever happens, it’s way down the road. Years down the road,” Roll said.

Last fall, the city conducted a hearing at City Hall where the deer population was discussed with wildlife biologists.

At the time, residents were concerned not only about the city’s growing deer population but some residents expressed concern about a black bear in the Cabinet Heights neighborhood and a growing population of wild turkeys in city limits.

Among the immediate issues at hand, biologists stressed the importance of picking rotting fruit from trees, putting bird feeders out of reach of ground-roaming mammals and properly storing trash cans in buildings or sheds.

Roll said the city is just following through on its promise to residents by sending the issue to committee.