Winamac Town Council fries chicken proposal

Although numerous hours of research and work were put into the proposed urban chicken pilot program, the Winamac Town Council opposed the idea. 
During the last several months, Maggie Czech has approached the council with a proposed urban chicken idea. She would like to have chickens in her backyard. Monday evening, Czech again defended her idea of having chickens in town. 
"I really, really want to emphasize that this is a pilot program and what a wonderful idea I think it is to have a pilot program,” she said before any votes were taken by the council. “I think that everyone is mostly worried about unfavorable situations but I honestly don’t think that is something that we are going to have to worry about. The Town of Winamac has people who are responsible.”
Councilwoman Judy Heater made a motion for the pilot program to be initiated in Winamac. Councilman Dan Vanaman seconded the motion with the stipulation that the neighbors be consulted before the chickens are allowed. 
Heater and Vanaman approved the motion, while councilmen Tom Murray and Jim Watkins opposed the motion. Council president Ken McFarland broke the tie and opposed the motion. 
McFarland again voiced several of the reasons he doesn’t believe chickens should be allowed in town including the zoning and planning ordinances and the Winamac code that states fowl and farm animals are prohibited in town. He said he doesn’t think the council is being closed-minded. 
“You also mentioned 4-H projects and that you wanted your kids to be involved in 4-H projects. I did some investigation there and there are about 200 other projects that the 4-H club offers to children that belong to 4-H,” said McFarland, who then named several nonlivestock projects. 
Vanaman said he would entertain the idea of addressing the pilot program again later in the year. 
 
See the full story in the Pulaski County Journal, available in print and e-edition.