The Manchester City Council spent a good portion of its regular meeting on May 8 discussing a proposed pit bull ordinance.

The ordinance was submitted to the Council following an incident where one dog was attacked by a pit bull in the city limits, after the dog had gotten lose. The ordinance is based on a similar ordinance in effect in the City of Denver, and prohibits pit bulls within the city.

The proposed ordinance stated: It shall be unlawful for any person to own, possess, keep, exercise control over, maintain, harbor, transport, or sell within the city any pit bull.

The ordinance goes on to define as a pit bull any dog that is included within the following:
American Pit Bull Terrier; American Staffordshire Terrier; Staffordshire Terrier; or any dog displaying the appearance and characteristics of being predominately of the breeds of one or more of the above breeds.

The council was hesitant to single out a particular breed of dog, but there was discussion concerning how the pit bull breed has been bred to fight over the years. Other aggressive breeds were mentioned and it was agreed that ownership and training plays a part in the animal’s disposition.

City Attorney Jim Peters warned that such an ordinance would be tough to enforce, and that it does not address other vicious animals.

The Council did not act on the proposed ordinance. Manchester has a vicious dog ordinance that states it is unlawful for any person to harbor or keep a vicious dog within the city. A dog is deemed to be vicious when it has attacked or bitten any person without provocation, or when a propensity to attack or bite persons exists and is known or ought reasonably be known to the owner.

The Council also approved an engineering agreement with TeKippe Engineering for the 2007 Street Improvement Project. The work to be done in the north central area of the community is expected to cost $1 million with $160,000 for engineering.

The question was raised if Manchester should look at other engineering firms following the mistake on the Bailey/Brewer Walkway, which was put out to bid with incorrect figures. It was decided that bids should go out for engineering before the following year’s project, but that getting bids for 2007 would cause delays in the project.

The engineering agreement was approved with council member Jeff Ogden casting a dissenting vote.

“You’re battling the bull,” said Harms. “You get your job done and leave it up to the judges.”

Jerry Downs, the producer of the event, said the bull riding will be a family event and there are free pony rides and other activities going on for the kids.

“It’s a star-studded list of bull riders,” said Downs. “I’m pretty impressed.”

Downs, who lives in Delhi, has been in the business for 30 years, riding bulls for 24, and now judges for the riders.

“We’ll have the top riders and the bulls to match them,” said Downs. “Without the sponsors this thing wouldn’t happen. It’s good for the area.”

The RFD television station will be taping the event and Howard Sheers, a professional rodeo photographer, will also be there.

But Harms and Marbach aren’t nervous.

“I found something that’s fun,” said Harms. “I try and make myself better and better and I don’t think I’ve hit the point that I’m done.”

Marbach said his family is supportive too.

“(Bull riding) is something I always wanted to do.”

Since Marbach was only 17 when he started, he said he bugged his mom until she finally signed the voucher. And ever since then they’ve supported him.

“It means a lot to me,” he said.

After bull riding for three years, Marbach has only gotten a few broken ribs.