Kruzan vetoes sharpshooting deer

Mayor Mark Kruzan vetoed the city’s deer sharpshooting ordinance, sending the resolution back to the Bloomington City Council without his signature.

The ordinance would have allowed professional sharpshooters to cull deer in Griffy Lake Nature Preserve primarily for the purpose of protecting the preserve’s environment.

His letter to the council, dated April 11, said he cannot support killing deer in Bloomington “as a matter of conscience.”

Kruzan said he respected the Council’s decision, noting that the issue was thoroughly researched, but could not accept the ordinance because he felt it would “irreversibly change the nature of the community.”

Kruzan also said he understood the sentiment that deer were too much of a detriment to the preserve’s environment. However, he felt that the sharpshooting option was an inappropriate response by the Council.

“I understand the strongly held belief of individuals and organizations that deer create a problem,” Kruzan said in his letter to the council.

“I simply see the problem created by the killing of animals as outweighing the problem being caused to plants.”

Kruzan did not offer an alternative to sharpshooting in his letter.

The council will discuss whether or not to override the veto at its next meeting Wednesday. In order to successfully override the veto, the council must pass the ordinance by a two-thirds majority.

Kate Starr