Centralia City Manager Scott Randall answered concerns about lack of animal control at Monday night’s city council meeting by saying the city would again be providing the service.
However, Randall emphasized there would not be a fulltime animal control officer.
“We have advertised for that position, so we expect to have 2 people in Code Enforcement. Animal will be one of their functions but it is a very small function of the Code Enforcement responsibilities. I believe those applications are due this Friday so our target is to have that position by the first of March and actually on the street by the first of April.”
The question was first raised by Marion County Board Chair Debbie Smith who was concerned the county was having to provide the service.
“Animals is a serious issue. And my Animal Control Administrator does not get paid for this and I’m just telling you he is going outside his area to accommodate you until you find somebody. But you didn’t post it until January. You didn’t do anything because Bobby left in November but you waited until January to appropriate some funds.”
Smith noted because the county animal control officer Ken Ferguson lives in Iuka there is a lengthy response time and that he is only a part-time county employee. She added while the city was not paying the county for animal control services, the county has continued to pay the city $36,000 a year to house any animals picked up in the county to be housed at the Centralia animal pound.
Smith became upset with Randall’s attitude during the discussion, claiming he was smirking at her, something Randall denied. Randall also denied the city waited several months to start looking for a replacement for Bobby Patton, who handled animal control as part of his code enforcement job, before he was transferred to another city department.
Former Mayor John Stuehmeier also approached the council about the need to have animal control.
After the meeting, Centralia Community Development Director Gayla Harting clarified the new hire would receive the training to be animal control officer and not Mimi Hawkins who has transferred into the other community development position.
