Increased La Salle County license fees for "intact" dogs will take effect Jan. 1.

The County Board voted 21-4 on Friday to double the fees for dogs that are not spayed or neutered.

• The fees for altered dogs will be $10 for one year and $30 for three years. For unaltered dogs the fees will be $20 for one year and $60 for three years. The county's current license fee for both altered and unaltered dogs is $10 for one year and $27 for three years.
• Senior citizens with altered dogs are eligible for a half-price tag of $5 for one year or $15 for three years. However, if their dogs are not neutered, there would be no discount.
• A flat yearly fee of $75 was set for dog breeders, providing they have a valid state kennel license. There will be no discount for show dogs.

Voting against the change were Jack Leininger, R-Marseilles; Bob Jakupcak, D-Streator; Catherine Owens, R-Sandwich and Randy Freeman, R-Lostant.

Freeman predicted the ordinance will backfire, saying more people will begin "dumping" their dogs rather than pay the additional $10 a year.

"They're going to dump them off in the county. They don't dump them in the cities, they dump them in the county. So we're going to have an increase in the amount of dogs on the loose. We're going to have more dogs that are not vaccinated. They're going to hide them."

Freeman said there needs to be "an extensive program of getting reduced fees for these neuterings on cats and dogs. A lot of people just cannot afford to take their animal in and get it spayed or neutered. And that's a fact.

"Should they have dogs or cats? I don't know. I don't want to be the judge of that."

Sandy Billard, R-Oglesby, a member of the Animal Control Committee, noted low-cost programs and education programs have been discussed that would protect both the animals and the community.

"I feel very strongly that population control should be a positive, proactive measure insuring that litters are not born that should never be born, and not a reactive measure which is a mass killing of unwanted animals."

It is for both the protection of the community and the animals, she said.

Another Animal Control Committee member, Russell Boe, R-Ottawa, pointed out a survey of seven nearby counties showed six had split fees.

"I don't know that we're imposing that much of a dollar bill figure on the general public in this case. It's an incentive for them also to get their dogs neutered."

The new fees are identical to the ones charged in Bureau, Livingston and Marshall counties.

Dr. Dell Brodd, the county animal control administrator, was called on to share his viewpoint.

"If a dog is neutered it cannot reproduce, it's as simple as that. If it's not neutered it can reproduce. Those people who are responsible for it should pay a higher price."

In other business:

• Illinois Valley Community College employee Don Pollex, who has been serving as the county's acting information technology director, was unanimously approved for an up to one-year appointment as interim director of the county's new IT department. The county will seek applicants for the post.
• The Landcomp landfill near Ottawa was authorized to be closed Saturdays from Jan. 9 until May 22. Similar temporary closings have been authorized in past years.
• The county's $78 million 2009-2010 budget was approved.
• Tom Walsh, D-Ottawa, was appointed to the Illinois Association of County Board Members' Legislative Committee. Walsh is a former state representative.
• A special use permit was approved for Albert and Caroline Hertzner of Otter Creek Township to put a double-wide mobile home on their farm.