Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – Two constituents’ attempts to get a family of raccoons out of their neighborhood gave Ald. Roy Williams the latest opportunity to rant about the status of animal control services in the city.

Springfield has contracted with Sangamon County for years, but the sides are working under the terms of a contract which expired Feb. 28. “We’re not being serious about animal control,” he said. “We still don’t have where we voted on and they now have a contract with us, but they still come for their money – ‘Alderman, this is past due, they already did the work, you need to vote on it so they can get paid.'”

Williams said his constituents trapped the raccoons, but animal control refused to send anyone out, advising instead to just open the traps and let the animals go — and hope the mother takes the babies with her.

Williams said wildlife pose a problem, and someone must take control.

“Right now, there’s raccoons, there’s possums, there’s groundhogs – big, big things just running all around,” Williams said. “I’m serious! Huge. They’re huge, and I’m, like, what are they eating???“