Not much puppy love from Floyd County Supervisors
The ongoing saga of the Floyd Humane Society’s attempts to provide much-needed volunteer help to the county animal shelter took another byzantine turn Tuesday when the Board of Supervisors had a chance to correct a mistake from their December meeting but chose instead to create a committee to study the issue.
it didn’t matter that County Administrator Dan Campbell and the FHS have spent the past six months working on a detailed agreement that the board rejected by a 3-2 vote last month. It didn’t matter that members and supporters of the FHS appeared at the board’s January meeting Tuesday, asked detailed questions, requested answers on just why the agreement was rejected and received, instead, a stony-faced response from the five men to control the county’s future. It didn’t matter that the county is short an animal control officer.
None of this mattered. While the board, as a matter of policy, does not engage in debate with county citizens during the morning public comment period, the supervisors could have taken the time afterwards to answer the questions. They have in the past. Instead, the board created a committee composed of board member Jerry Boothe — who led the opposition to the agreement in December, Campbell, the county’s one remaining animal control officer and two members of the FHS.
In December, Boothe claimed he ran into public opposition to the agreement from residents of his district. Since December, his phone has rung off the wall from county residents who wanted to know why he voted against a plan that would provide help for the animal shelter without cost to the county. Those who appeared at the meeting Tuesday wanted to know as well but Boothe sat and said nothing. Board Chairman David Ingram, who voted for the FHS help in December, proposed the committee. Maybe he knew he didn’t have the votes to reverse the decision in December and saw the committee as the only way to salvage the deal. Let’s hope so. It’s hard to tell because the supervisors are one of the most secretive municipal governments I’ve encountered in more than 40 years of covering local, state and national governing bodies.
Lets hope the committee comes up with something that works and the board reverses its mistake at the February meeting. The Floyd Humane Society deserves better than the silent treatment it received from the board on Tuesday.
(Updated at 2:06 p.m. to correct a typo and to remove information at the request of a family member of a person named. It retrospect, it was not germaine to this discussion and the point made by the relative was valid. My apologies to the family.)
Let’s not indict anyone just yet. To my reading of Doug’s post, the issue that was voted down in December, now has been referred to committee for collaborative study. That should be viewed as hopeful progress.
Let’s all recall the Shooting Creek Brewery issue that was also covered on this blog site. In that case the interested parties – not some government or judicial body – resolved the issue to the mutual satisfaction of those same interested parties. I believe that, in the case of the Humane Society proposal, the committee established by the chairman creates the same environment for civil discussion and mutually satisfactory resolution. While none of us can divine the outcome of the committee’s work, what was dead in December now has a pulse and that should be reason enough for hope rather than condemnation.
While not directly related to the matter at hand, let me state that I think Doug looks remarkably fit for a man of 40 decades.
It’s beyond any rational understanding. I understand that the Humane Society has a petition with about 300 Floyd County resident’s signatures supporting their participation at the Pound. Do you think the BOS will even consider that? It’s so sad. Good animals are dying and the BOS doesn’t even care. Why the reason for the secrecy? Something seems fishy. If they are elected officials, wouldn’t you think that, at the very least, they should answer valid questions put to them directly by their constituency? When do we get to vote again?
If you want to make a charge about the humane society or the board of supervisors, use your name. Anonymous charges and claims about either side will not be removed. I removed a post aboutt a so-called "hidden agenda" of one side of the argument. Such claims must include the name of the person making the charge or it will be deleted.
Forty decades or 40 years? The problem is the old saying that you are only as old as you feel and if that is the case then 40 decades is more appropriate.
The Humane Society here in Floyd does a wonderful job. They put alot of time and effort in saving animals. I think the board should answer questions of “why” they voted “no”. I signed the petition and have talked to several people on the humane society and all they want to do is help.
Hopefully, this committe can come to an agreement soon. It’s such a shame animals are being put to sleep that could be found homes.