This story is part of Worthington Pulse's coverage of the September 8 City Council meeting. Start with the September 8 meeting recap.
Worthington City Council approved the contracts for a second season of its deer management program on September 8, clearing the way for targeted removal operations again this winter. The program is designed to reduce deer-vehicle collisions, property damage, and other conflicts, and it again pairs the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Wildlife Services with Ohio Penal Industries, which processes the meat (Resolution 53-2026).
Management Assistant Riley Hoover told council the first season was "safe and successful": Wildlife Services removed 100 deer over eight nights, and more than 4,200 pounds of venison were donated to the Worthington Resource Pantry, which has again agreed to accept all of the meat.
What changes this season
This year's operations are scheduled between December 1 and February 28, with the possibility of extending into March. That start is about a month earlier than last season, which Hoover said should give crews more flexibility to work when the weather cooperates. Operations will not run during Worthington Schools' winter break, roughly December 18 through January 2. Council Member Amy Lloyd noted the break was not written into the contract and asked staff to confirm it would be honored; Hoover said Wildlife Services is aware of the dates.
Operations will take place on a mix of volunteer private properties and selected public sites, all evaluated by Wildlife Services for safety, on weekday evenings between dusk and midnight. Worthington police officers accompany operations, and spotters and a drone monitor the surrounding area. The city is recruiting private property owners through September 30; interested residents and businesses can contact Wildlife Services directly. Hoover said private properties were important to last season's success, because deer were not always present on public sites.
Council Member Joy Dong asked whether the city could do more public education before the season begins, pointing to a well-attended information session Dublin held, and suggested exploring a joint effort with that city. Stewart said staff have been sharing Worthington's experience with Dublin and are open to new ideas, and that the city plans to spread information through social media, the city website, the Notify Me system, printed FAQs at city buildings, and signage posted at common entrances to participating public properties.
Residents press on notification and processing
Three residents spoke, and none opposed removing deer. Two focused on notification, arguing the city should tell people living near operations when and where sharpshooters will be active so families can make their own choices; one said this year appears to offer less notice than last season, when the city notified residents within a set distance of a site, and referenced a public-records dispute over site addresses. A third resident said he supports the culling and the food-pantry donations but objects to using Ohio Penal Industries, raising concerns about labor by people who are currently incarcerated. Council President Rachael Dorothy said the notification comments would be taken under consideration.
Staff responded directly to the processing question. Hoover said the workers are compensated, that meat processing is one of the higher-paying jobs at the facility and one that inmates opt into through a competitive program, and that the Ohio Penal Industries Meat Processing Career Center partners with Ohio State University on food-safety training so participants can earn a living in a field with a shrinking workforce after their release. Stewart added that the facility is fully USDA-certified and regulated, and that processing options within reach of central Ohio are limited.
Council then passed the resolution on a voice vote.
This is one of 3 Worthington Pulse stories from the September 8 city council meeting recap.