The Marion County Board’s Community Relations Committee Chair Bill Henson reported some progress on animal control issues in a Tuesday meeting attended by representatives of most of the county’s smaller communities.
Henson says he has made arrangements with Paws Here to hold and observe dogs that need to be quarantined following dog bites. However, he notes the service is on a ‘space available’ basis. Henson is currently talking with other vets to see if they would also be willing to assist the county. The county has a contract with the City of Centralia to hold animals from unincorporated areas, but it doesn’t include the smaller communities.
Henson also reported the committee will look into the possibility of having their own animal control facility.
“Our Chairman Smith has talked with a member of the community who may donate a building to allow us the opportunity to start our own animal control,” Henson said. “Right now, I don’t know who this person is. We’re going to have another meeting to discuss this possibility, not only the building, but the acreage. Then we have to talk about personnel, fees for food, and other expenses that it takes to operate a county shelter.”
Another option is to work with other area counties facing similar animal control issues.
The committee was told just providing the current animal control is budgeted for $88,000 and is likely to go over budget. Henson repeated that Animal Control Officer Ken Ferguson will now handle calls anywhere in the county when requested instead of just the unincorporated areas.
Ferguson told the representatives from the smaller communities they could assist him.
“I’m asking police officers to step in,” Ferguson said. “The first time that dog goes loose, a verbal warning’s fine, but on that second and third time, that money is yours. You write them, that’s your funds to put back in yours… because now we can’t collect anything out of any village.”
Wamac Mayor Butch Mathis emphasized under state law animal control is a county problem.
“It doesn’t state anything in the law about charging municipalities for services rendered,” Mathus said. “It does state that the county must have animal control. It must have an administrator. It must have a dog catcher, and it must have a licensed veterinarian.”
But Mathus said Wamac would pay a fair fee if all other communities did the same.
Central City Mayor Neely Reed met with Centralia City Manager Kory Smith to discuss animal control and was told Centralia would provide the service to Central City for $3,000 a month. He said smaller communities could not afford that expense.
Other village officials said animal control was not a major issue in their community.
The Community Relations will meet again on August 27th at 5:30 pm at the courthouse to continue discussion.
