by Dennis Dalman
news@thenewsleaders.com
Her voice quaking with emotion, verging on tears, Molly Siemens asked the Sartell City Council to allow her family to keep their pets – their three backyard chickens.
Siemens spoke during the open forum portion of the Aug. 12 council meeting during which anyone can address the council for a maximum of three minutes.
At the podium, Siemens was accompanied by her husband, Ryan, and two young children – Leah, 12; and Adam, 9.
Several years ago, the Siemens’ pet dog died. At the time, they decided to get some chickens for their backyard as pets, unaware at the time the city had approved an ordinance banning backyard chickens. They now have three pet chickens.
The Siemens live on a one-acre lot. Their neighbors, Molly said, are fine with the chickens and love them as the Siemenses do.
“We have fallen in love with these sweet animals,” she said. “They are part of our family.”
The chickens are clean and well cared-for, and Molly said she and her family would be open to inspections by the city.
Daughter Leah then spoke to the council. The names of the three chickens, she said, are “Clara; A.J. and Ivy.”
They are “sweet and timid” chickens who come up to the back door so she and her brother can feed them their favorite treats: noodles, oatmeal, fruit and chicken food.
Then son Adam spoke, telling the council how much he loves to feed and play with the chickens and collect the eggs they lay.
“Please don’t take our chickens away from us,” he said.
Husband Ryan said he believes their request is reasonable and that he and his family would be willing to work with the city to come up with some kind of accommodation.
The council thanked the family for speaking but took no action and made no comments about the Siemenses’ request. That is because there is a rule that council members cannot consider action on open forum requests on that same evening. However, any council member at a future meeting can suggest the council revisit requests or comments made during previous open forums and then consider taking action.
