Animal Control Committee Offers Help
In a nearly hour-long presentation, Nancy Baeder, chairman of the Animal Control Committee, offered the Jasper County Commissioners several inexpensive fixes for problems at the Animal Shelter, and called into serious question the judgment of the current animal control director.
Ms. Baeder presented a PowerPoint that highlighted the work done by the committee. She told commissioners the group had developed a mission statement—Jasper County Animal Control’s mission is protecting the health and safety of animals and citizens, enforcing laws and ordinances, providing temporary shelter and care, and promoting successful adoptions and humane treatment through education and assistance.
She also presented commissioners with a set of “StandardOperating Procedures” developed by the group.
In addition to the SOP in the book dealing with medical protocols and other issues, there was a section to guide volunteers so they can actually be helpful.
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Some of the quick fixes suggested included automatic waterers which would assure the animals of clean, fresh water, and save shelter personnel from having to take time to do that chore; fencing individual runs for the dogs, and sealing the concrete floor. The group also recommended at least a month of phone logs, time sheets and vehicle and field call logs. The group felt like more could be done with maintenance by the development of some checklists.
Ms. Baeder said that she was troubled by what she learned about the director, Kelley Bowen. Shes said that several rescue groups have expressed a reluctance to work with Ms. Bowen. In addition, she said that she did a Google search and found a court case prohibiting Ms. Bowen from running an animal rescue. She also said the shelter people were reluctant to talk to committee members, apparently for fear of retaliation.
Ms. Baeder asked the commissioners to approve the SOP, and keep the committee in place to help implement it. She asked that a non-profit be established, and said she wanted an animal shelter the county could be proud of. She also reminded commissioners they adopted SOP in 2007, but never followed up, and she asked that they commission follow up on whatever decision it made. She closed her remarks by telling a sad dog story.
Ms. Baeder’s remarks came during a work session before Monday’s regular meeting. At the opening of the regular meeting, the commissioners went into an hour-plus closed session to discuss personnel, after commissioner Mary Patrick had suggested in open meeting to put Ms. Bowen on administrative leave.
Upon returning from the closed session, commissioners voted unanimously to meet next Tuesday, Aug. 14, at 5 p.m. after the allegations had been reviewed. They instructed Assistant County Manger Lorri Smith to speak with the employees at animal control, and try to be prepared to make a recommendation. (County manager Greg Wood was absent Monday.) At the suggestion of Commissioner Charles Hill, the commissioners agreed they would also evaluate the county manager’s work performance at that time.
During public comments, Elaine Freeman, one member of the animal control committee, said that the committee never discussed doing a personal attack on a shelter employee. She said the medicine practiced at the shelter is different from regular medicine. She said she had kept logs for the last three weeks, and pointed out that the Department of Agriculture found nothing wrong in its last visit to the shelter.
They also heard from Lee Simmons that the commissioners should not receive insurance as they are part-time employees, and he suggested that $30,000+ per year could be better used elsewhere.
Julia Haar praised the efforts of the youth of New Rocky Creek Baptist Church, as their summer service job was to help the residents in Alcovy Shores and Rollingwood Cove to clean up their neighborhoods.
After so much time was spent on animal control, the commissioners delayed action on several agenda items.
One item on that agenda was to choose a consultant for Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) negotiations. Commissioner Carl Pennamon asked why was the county moving forward with that before the whole Board of Commissioners sat down with the Monticello City Council and tried to reach an agreement. They agreed they would try to hold such a meeting, and in the meantime, Ms. Smith is to get back with the consultants to review their proposals.
Commissioner Patrick made a motion that the county cannot enter any agreement concerning the Bear Creek Reservoir without a referendum. She said that Newton County is going to move forward on the reservoir, at an estimated cost of $62 million. She says it will cost $330 million; the recently built Hard Labor Creek reservoir cost $360 million.
Commissioners then approved a motion that the Jasper County Water and Sewer Authority not be given any funding from the county’s general fund, including a per parcel tax.
Lastly, the commissioners voted to fund the $2,500 for the Baxter International groundbreaking from the Development Authority of Jasper County’s budget.
