Commissioners pass animal control ordinance
After several years without animal control in Putnam County and several months of discussion, the Putnam County Commissioners on Monday unanimously passed a county animal control ordinance.
The new law creates an animal control officer for the county under the command of the Putnam County Sheriff.
Some of the funding for animal control personnel and a reopened humane shelter will be partially funded by the county again enforcing the annual $5 County Option Dog Tax, which is already on the books but has not been enforced for several years.
Additional funding for the program will be drawn from the Humane Society of Putnam County as well as contributions from individual communities within the county.
At this time, the commissioners are chipping in an additional $50,000 from the Economic Development Income Tax fund.
"I think this is a good thing for Putnam County and all the cities and towns in the county," Commissioner Don Walton said. "It ought to work out real good."
The exact nature of a partnership between the county and the HSPC is still being defined and will be voted on at an upcoming commissioners meeting. 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.
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.
These members will also be appointed at an upcoming meeting.
The exact timetable for getting the new officer and the shelter up and going remains up in the air. However, the county officials have indicated a target of the summer months.