SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – Progress on a new arrangement for animal control services in Springfield is not going fast enough for Ald. Roy Williams, who Tuesday accused the administration of placing a low priority on it. Sangamon County is providing the services under the terms of a deal which expired Feb. 28, the last day of the previous fiscal year.

At the most recent council meeting, chief of staff Billy Fleischli said the county provided relevant information about the services and statistics earlier this month. “I think this is ridiculous,” Williams responded, “and this is just another example of (how the city will) do certain things real fast, when it comes to police and fire. But for a service to the people, we’re going to drag our feet.”

Fleischli said a public meeting at Lincoln Library would allow citizens a chance to say what they want in a new animal control ordinance.

One alderman provided some comic relief with his remarks about a groundhog. “It ran me off; it was a big fella!” said Ald. Shawn Gregory, adding the groundhogs are taking over the city, “just like cats and dogs … I’m allergic to cats, but I don’t have a problem with them.”

No date has been set for the public meeting.