Open or closed?Saga continues as shelter now says it can’t open

By CHARLES W. JOHNSON News Editor for the Southern Standard

Controversy has swirled around the local animal shelter for years, particularly in the past three months. In this file photo, animal shelter manager Beth Farmer, left, talks to Fox reporter Liane Jackson about animal dumping.

Warren County residents, particularly those who have had problems with stray animals, should be well aware the Humane Society animal shelter is still closed – more than three weeks after the organization was promised $80,000 by the Warren County Commission to fund its operation.

According to Humane Society president Andy Anderson, new regulations as to how the county disburses money to non-profit organizations has left the shelter in a sort of catch-22 situation.

“The county told me,” Anderson said, “that we must pay all of our bills monthly and submit the bills to them and they would reimburse us the money for the bills.”

But that’s where the problem lies.

“It’s very difficult to pay wages and bills when you’re broke,” Anderson said.

In prior years, non-profits were issued funds quarterly and spent them as they saw fit, with very little oversight by county government once the money was delivered. But with growing concerns about the amount of money being donated to these organizations, County Executive Kenneth Rogers called for the commission to come up with a way to keep closer tabs on how this money was actually spent.

As a result, the commission made a radical change in the way the county provides funding for non-profits.

Director of Accounts Linda Hillis said that all non-profits requesting funds were informed of the changes, as set out by the Procedures and Rules Committee.

This move to oversight by one committee was made, in part, because of situations where some non-profits, after being refused by one committee, would then apply to another and be accepted.

The letter also informed recipients of how appropriations would be handled under the new regulations, according to Hillis, stating, in part:

“If county funds are appropriated to the organization, valid proof of expenditures must be submitted by the organization to the Office of the County Mayor for reimbursement to the organization.”

Hillis said the Humane Society had not been singled out and the county was not refusing funds, but the organization would have to abide by the new regulations.

“It’s not just for them,” Hillis said. “Every non-profit organization is having to do the same thing. All they have to do is bring in a receipt and we’ll issue them a check.”

Non-profits aren’t being limited to monthly amounts under the new system, and may spend more in some months if necessary, to make emergency repairs for instance, and less in others, as long as the organization doesn’t go over the yearly allotment.

Hillis also said the Humane Society could go back to July 1 of this year and turn in receipts or canceled checks to be reimbursed for expenses prior to the shelter shut-down.

“That would include payroll, utilities, any kind of expense,” she said.

But until receipts are presented, Hillis says her hands are tied.

“Right now we have to follow the guidelines set by the Procedures and Rules Committee,” she said. “And we have nothing from them that says that there are any exceptions.”

But Anderson says, since the Humane Society has no operating capital, this puts them in a difficult situation.

“We want to work with this county,” Anderson said, “and work with the people in this county. We really want to, but it’s impossible with the situation that they’re putting us in. We just cannot do it.”

Anderson said the Humane Society has asked for a meeting with the County Executive to discuss the issue, but until the problem with operating funds is resolved, the shelter will remain closed.