Minot residents concerned about unfriendly dogs in the city shouldn’t have to wait much longer to see an initial draft of a dangerous animal ordinance.

City staff are working on an ordinance as recommended by an ad hoc committee late last fall. City council member Shannon Straight, who chaired the committee, said a draft could be before council committee by the end of the month.

He said he regrets the delay but there has been much to consider in writing the language. Although the ordinance is being patterned after an ordinance in Fargo, Straight noted Fargo’s ordinance has undergone amendments, and it also contains a number of fees and fines that he and the police chief have been working to streamline for Minot’s ordinance.

“It’s really important to residents to try to get something done,” Straight said. However, he added, “My concern is putting another ordinance on the books that isn’t taken seriously. We need to try to be thoughtful.”

Straight said there will be opportunities for public input once an ordinance is drafted.

The ordinance will deal with dangerous animals in more detail than the existing vicious animal provisions. The council has indicated a dangerous animal ordinance needs to be on the books before it can consider concerns of residents who turned out at ad hoc committee meetings to advocate for lifting the ban on pitbull dogs. The dangerous animal ordinance would not remove the ban, and Straight said the current community sentiment appears to favor keeping the ban.

The Minot City Council at its meeting Monday took questions from the public about the status of the ordinance and about the lighting policy at the cemetery, Rosehill Memorial Park.

Jeff Brose of Minot, funeral director in Mohall, asked the council to review the unilateral decision of the sexton to disallow solar lights due to a foot injury to a youth who stepped on a light. He said grave lighting has existed at Rosehill since 2002. He suggested the city take public input and come up with a compromise, such as allowing lighting of certain types in certain locations.

“There’s a beauty in driving through that cemetery at night and seeing all the lights,” he said.

Council member Shaun Sipma said lights attached to head stones that don’t interfere with mowing or pedestrians could be considered. City staff will investigate the matter.