March vote set for county animal control decision

The Putnam County Commissioners are set to vote on an ordinance to create an animal control officer for the county at their Monday, March 3 meeting.

Animal control was again the main topic of discussion at the Monday commissioners meeting, with some disagreement among commissioners over how soon to act on the issue.

An ordinance must be advertised at least 10 days in advance of any vote meaning a decision whether or not to advertise had to be made in order for the vote to be ready for the Feb. 17 meeting.

In the end, the commissioners chose to take a couple more days to review the current draft of the ordinance before individually giving County Attorney Jim Ensley the go-ahead to publicize the ordinance.

As such, the ordinance is likely to be up for a vote at the first March meeting.

The main purpose of the new law is to establish a Putnam County Animal Control Officer under the command of the Putnam County Sheriff.

Funding for animal control personnel as well as a reopened humane shelter remains a question even as the county moves forward. Putnam County will again be enforcing the annual $5 County Option Dog Tax, which is already on the books but has not been enforced for several years.

The commissioners have chosen at this time to forego an additional county dog licensing fee that would go further in funding animal control in the county.

At this time, the commissioners are chipping in an additional $50,000 from the Economic Development Income Tax fund, besides contributions from communities and from the Humane Society of Putnam County (HSPC).

Also on the March 3 agenda will be the draft of an agreement with the HSPC, which will be partnering with the county in re-establishing animal control.

Ensley told the commissioners the agreement is something that can be revisited after its one-year term, as there will be problems to work out as they go.

"We can address all those things through the advisory board and make changes," Ensley said.

The proposed animal control advisory board, also outlined in the ordinance, will be appointed by the commissioners and composed of nominees from Greencastle, Cloverdale, Bainbridge, Roachdale, Fillmore and Russellville; the Heritage Lake Homeowners Association; HSPC; and the Putnam County sheriff.

The original plan for a seven-member board was expanded to nine on Monday, with the commissioners also set to select two at-large members from the county.

Commissioner David Berry praised Ensley for the work he has done in drafting the various documents associated with this program.

"Good job getting all that together because this is where we've been heading for months," Berry said.