City of Sergeant Bluff, Iowa - City Council Special Meeting Minutes (08/10/26)

1. MAYOR/MAYOR PRO-TEM TO CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER:

a. Roll Call

Attendee Name Title Status

Shari Zenor Kiple Council Member

Present

Kirk Moriarty Council Member

Present

Ryan Panowicz Council Member

Present

Mark Reinders Council Member

Present

Andrea Johnson Council Member

Present

Ron Hanson Mayor Present

2. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA:

Motion by Kirk Moriarty, seconded by Shari Zenor Kiple to Approve the Agenda. Motion Carried. [Unanimous]

3. DISCUSSION/ACTION ITEMS:

3.a Hearing on Appeal of Order to Remove Vicious Dog From the City - Owner Residing at 1611 Forsling St

Steffani Kotz, Police Officer, explained that she took the report from the individual who reported that their dog was attacked on numerous occasions. Three instances which were recorded on video from October 2025 to July 2026 were played and reviewed by the City Council.

Kim Thacker discussed:

- How she came to own the dog

- That the dog is reactive but does not behave this way to other dogs.

- The wood used to repair the fence where her dog broke through into the neighbors yard was not of good quality.

- During one of the incidents the neighbor’s dog ran towards the shared fence.

- The neighbor’s dog was not injured

- She no longer lets her dog into the backyard without being held by a leash.

- The dog has not been vicious or aggressive to children

- She purchased a muzzle and a corrective collar.

Jason Larson, 1611 Forsling, explained that there had been no prior instances. They had not seen these videos previously, they didn't know what happened when the dog went to the other side of the fence. The neighbors did not go into detail about what was happening. Jason and

  Kim assumed that part of issue was because their dogs were of opposite genders. Jason said that they've had the friends of their children over and had never been worried or had a problem. They understand how bad the video looks but they don't know what happened in-between the videos or what caused the dog to react the way he did. Multiple things have been put into place to ensure this doesn't happen and to protect the community.

Kim distributed photos, vaccination records, letters from neighbors/family attesting to the good behavior of the dog, and a letter from Siouxland Mental Health Center supporting the status of the dog as an emotional support animal.

There was further discussion between Kim and the Mayor/City Council about:

- How she will keep the dog on a slip lead.

- The need to get vaccinations up-to-date.

- Concerns regarding the timeliness for correcting the problem.

- Other interactions the dog has had with other animals.

- What type of mix-breed the dog is.

- How the dog was utilized as an emotional support animal.

- The prior repairs that had been done to the fence, and the newest repairs.

- What type of training the dog has received.

Sarah Kleber, City Attorney, explained that ADA protections for companion animals only cover the property of the resident and it does not extend into the property of others. Service animals are defined as animals trained for specific tasks associated with a disability, is housebroken, and under the control of the handler at all times. The ADA definition would not apply to this particular situation.

3.bCouncil Decision to Either Affirm or Reverse the Order to Remove Vicious Dog From The City - Owner Residing at 1611 Forsling St

Motion by Kirk Moriarty, seconded by Mark Reinders to Reverse the Order to Remove Vicious Dog From the Owner Residing at 1611 Forsling Street subject to the following items to be addressed by the Owner with proof of completion provided to the City for approval within 60 days (October 10, 2026):

1. The fence should be reinforced and reviewed by the Building Inspector for sufficiency.

2. The owner should bring the dog’s vaccinations up-to-date and provide documentation (vet records) of completion.

3. The owner should initiate a training program for the dog and provide written documentation pertaining to completed or ongoing training.

4. The owner must purchase from the City a genetic testing kit, complete testing on the dog, and provide written testing results showing that the dog is 49% or less of the pit bull breed.

5. The owner should have the dog neutered and provide written documentation that the procedure

has been completed.

Roll Call Vote: Johnson- no, Panowicz- no, Reinders- yes, Moriarty- yes, Zeno Kiple- yes. Motion Carried. [3-2]

4.  ADJOURNMENT:

Motion by Kirk Moriarty, seconded by Ryan Panowicz to adjourn at 6:32pm. Motion Carried. [Unanimous]

Mayor/Mayor Pro-Tem

Attest:

Danny Christoffers, City Clerk