Admitting it was long overdue, Dade County Executive Don Townsend gaveled in a rare, joint work session between the Trenton City Commission and Dade County’s Board of Commissioners Tuesday night.
The meeting squarely focused on a longstanding singular topic; animal control.
Officials from both the city and county have long voiced a mutual desire to build a dedicated animal facility to serve the community’s collective needs, but critics say the problem has garnered little more than lip service from previous administrations, with unwanted stray dogs and cats paying the ultimate price.
But as the hour-long plus session evolved between the round table, more questions went unanswered as specific concerns such as staffing, operations and cost controls mounted.
Trenton Mayor Alex Case says the County already owns the location for a proposed animal facility, but contends the city would need significant financial help from the county to construct the proposed facility. Mayor Case says Trenton has already budgeted for enhanced animal control enforcement and foresees the use of SPLOST funds to complement the shared building costs.
Dade County Commissioner Bob Woods suggested a deliberate approach to the problem, saying he wants standard operating procedures and a specific mission for the proposed facility. “We’re opening an entire Pandora’s Box of issues with this,” said Woods, who was selected along with Commissioner Melissa Bradford and Executive Don Townsend as the county’s representatives for the new joint animal control committee.
Mayor Case, Commissioners Monda Wooten and Terry Powell were tabbed as Trenton’s representatives to the newly formed task force.
Wooten stressed she hoped for a quick decision with a soon to be groundbreaking for the facility, suggesting a spay and neuter program could be a revenue stream for the shelter by utilizing the medical area.
Commissioner Bradford voiced the need to decide whether the proposed building would be an animal shelter or animal facility, noting the distinction.
Bradford also noted the area’s agricultural community and the need for larger animals such as horses which are sometimes encountered.
In a rather terse exchange over facility construction and operation with Commissioner Wooten, Dade County Commissioner Philip Hartline said he’d be willing to offer the county’s currently allotted $375,000 for the facility’s build out and another $100,000 annually for operation if the city would handle the animal control problem, “But you know what, you’re gonna come back and say that’s not enough. I’m not going to pull the trigger and then aim the gun.” Wooten replied to Hartline’s critique that “she wouldn’t be discouraged.”
Two things were agreed upon before the meeting adjourned were acceptance of the Trenton facility site and the newly formed committee.
Both agencies say they plan to update their respective animal code ordinances and investigate possible financial grants to fund the proposed facility.
By Vince Lennon
Watch The Full Meeting Here