Two main issues dominated the Clinton County Commissioners meeting Tuesday morning — the overall situation at the Clinton County Humane Society and an additional funding request for the transportation program at the Paul Phillippe Resource Center.
The Commissioners heard from former Humane Society board member Carin Moskovitz about why she left the board. She said no audits had been done for two years, the building was not in good shape and the entire board needed to be disbanded.
After the meeting, Commissioners President Josh Uitts said funding will continue. However, the Humane Society will need to do something to keep funding coming.
“We’re going to continue funding the Humane Society because they do provide animal control and they do a good job of that,” said Uitts. “What we’d like to see is for them to have an independent audit from outside of their board or their normal way they have been doing audits to see exactly where they’re at funding wise, what they’ve been using it for and get the opinion of an independent audit.”
On the situation of the building, Uitts said “he would take responsibility for not holding their feet to the fire and that the building was taken care of.” He added the Commissioners have a lease with the Humane Society and the lease requires that the building be maintained.
Uitts talked about another reason to fund the Humane Society.
“If we don’t provide them funding, I don’t know what we’ll do for animal control,” he said. “I know I wouldn’t like what that would look like if the county took that back over. It certainly wouldn’t be as humane and it would be more expensive.”
The Humane Society currently receives $95,000 in funding from the county and have requested an additional $5,000 for next year.
Commissioner Scott Shoemaker queried the assembled crowd and asked why hasn’t there been more of a public outcry over the situation at the Humane Society until after the dismissal of Jim Tate as executive director. He also said the euthanasia rate would be 100 percent if the county took over animal control for the county.
Now the question becomes who will be around to help with the 100 cats and 60 dogs currently at the Humane Society.
“There’s plenty of blame to go around on all parties for this situation that we’re in,” said Uitts. “We need to move forward and do what’s best for animal control in Clinton County and what’s best for our furry friends at the Humane Society.”
On the matter regarding Paul Phillippe, board members and the director of the Resource Center talked with the Commissioners about the need for more funds.
Paul Phillippe is seeking an additional $12,000 in funds above the normal $15,000 they are budgeted annually.
“We had concerns about giving them more monies,” said Uitts. “We’re going to get together between now and the next County Council meeting for the budget process next week to try and come to some sort of a mutual agreement with some stipulations as to how it is used.”