Peacock plan in limbo

There are about 60 peacocks in the Village and no direction on how to cull the flock to a dozen birds.

Longbeach Village Association President Michael Drake informed Commissioner Gene Jaleski that he has no place to trap the birds because a vacant house in the Village is now occupied.

While Drake and Jaleski suggested the town should do something to get rid of the birds, Town Manager Bruce St. Denis said the town isn’t responsible for the birds’ removal.

In May, The Longboat Key Town Commission gave the association $2,400 to reduce a bird population that had risen to more than 60 birds.

The commission made the decision after hearing that 1978 commission minutes reflect that the town agreed to help keep the peacock population to a limit of 12 birds.

Said St. Denis in an e-mail to Jaleski dated Jan. 27: “The existing policy is to reimburse the Village after they have made arrangements to have the birds removed. The town did not decide to be in the removal business.”

The Village is in the process of trying to find another peacock trapper to take care of the birds.

Contact Kurt Schultheis at [email protected].