Ban stops goat plan in Colfax

A city plan to clear weeds and brush along the river channels in town was called off because of concern that the project would violate the city’s animal ban. The abandoned goat project was brought up June 24 at the city planning commission session which was called to discuss possible revisions in the animal ordinance.

City Administrator Carl Thompson said they had considered hiring goats to graze along the portions of the flood channel which extend beyond the concrete part of the channel. Goats are noted for their capacity to graze off bush of all kinds, and the idea appealed to the city because it would have been a low cost solution to an ongoing problem.

Thompson said the plan would have particularly helped in the segments along the South Palouse River and the Palouse River on the north end of town.

The city dropped the proposal after realizing it could violate city restrictions on keeping animals in the city limits, he explained. The goats were to provide the service with the owner hired for a short stint of time.