Albany council adopts ordinances on dangerous dogs and shopping carts, ratifies fire union contract; multiple resolutions approved

Albany City Council approved a series of ordinances, resolutions and a labor contract at its Nov. 19 meeting.

Garbage rate adjustment and consent agenda: Council approved the consent agenda, which included a 2026 garbage-rate adjustment. One councilor objected to raising garbage rates, citing cost-of-living pressures for residents, but a motion to adopt the 2026 rate adjustment was moved and adopted by voice vote.

Dangerous-dog ordinance: Council adopted an ordinance amending Albany Municipal Code section 6.18.0.05 to create additional administrative options when an owner does not appeal a dangerous-dog designation. Staff said the amendment is intended to speed processing and provide alternatives to euthanasia while preserving the victim-owner’s ability to seek judicial review. The council read the ordinance by title and voted to adopt it.

Shopping-cart ordinance: Council adopted an ordinance to add stepped containment measures for stores whose carts repeatedly leave private property, including a final enforcement step to immobilize carts if other remedies fail. Staff said earlier this year parks crews recovered about 170 carts from Periwinkle Creek. The council read the ordinance by title and voted to adopt it.

Water and wastewater chemical contracts: Staff recommended awarding multiple contracts for treatment chemicals used at water and wastewater facilities after a competitive bid process with five bidders. Staff reported some moderate price changes and said costs are covered by operating funds; the council approved the resolution.

DLCD wetlands technical-assistance grant: Council authorized staff to apply for Department of Land Conservation and Development wetlands technical-assistance funding; staff described this as applying to a new pot of money for work already proposed and council adopted the authorization.

Ratification of fire union contract: After the meeting’s executive-session deliberations, Councilor Van Germely moved to ratify the proposed contract with the fire union; the motion was seconded and the chair announced the motion passes.

Several items required only direction: staff briefed council on sunsetting the Board of Appeals and council gave direction to bring back an ordinance to remove the codified board and reassign its functions to state and internal administrative processes.

Outcomes: All motions and ordinances presented at the Nov. 19 meeting were announced as passed by the chair on voice votes; no roll-call tallies by name are recorded in the transcript.