About half a dozen neighbors to the proposed site of an eight stall city-owned dog kennel in northwest Newton voiced their opposition to the Newton City Council Monday night. Their complaints were about the potential noise from dogs and the possible hazardous material that may be buried on the city owned lot at 707 West 9th Street North. That site was once a landfill for the Maytag Company. Newton Mayor Evelyn George says the Department of Natural Resources had told the City the site was safe for what they were planning with some restrictions. But the citizen concerns have prompted some additional City Council action.

“The DNR did approve the site initially, and they are doing further investigation on it. We do not have that report back yet. But the Council did take all the input from the neighbors seriously and asked the staff to review other locations in the city.”

Staff had looked at 14 City owned properties before choosing the West 9th Street North location. The City of Newton is now paying higher fees for animal control services from Parkview Animal Hospital, after the Newton business ended its longtime contract with the city as of October 15th. The Police Department is still using Parkview on a non-contractual basis until the end of this year.