Macon County Animal Services has gotten maintenance work and is actively seeking new employees as the surrender rate dropped in January, according to an update given at the Feb. 25 Board of Health meeting.
Animal Services has been a focal point for the last several months, going back to the September Board of Health meeting where numerous volunteers and supporters spoke about how understaffed and overcrowded the shelter is. Volunteers said they are having to clean out kennels due to the lack of staffing and not giving the animals enrichment.
At the Feb. 11 Macon County Board of Commissioners meeting, Interim County Manager Warren Cabe said Macon County was hiring a shelter attendant.
On Feb. 25, Public Health Director Kathy McGaha said the part-time shelter attendant is now a full-time position, scheduled for 40 hours each week. This was done by taking a lapsed salary from a position unfilled for six months. An additional Animal Services position is contracted and is in the process of being hired. They are still recruiting for one full-time animal control position.
“We’re trying to get as much help as possible there,” McGaha said.
Later, McGaha suggested separating the contract position into two part-time positions to make sure there’s someone there early. New board member Steve Grissim, who has volunteered and spoken about Animal Services’ needs at various meetings, said he’d like someone to be there from 6-10 a.m. every day to get laundry and cleaning going so when other staff come in, they can get going. Additionally, it would make sure there are two workers there.
Grissim said there have been instances of having to call the police early when there’s only been one worker there in the morning. McGaha stressed that no employee should be alone unless the building is completely secure.
Population Health Section Administrator Jimmy Villiard talked about the various grants Animal Services has received this year, including $10,000 from the ASPCA for food and a $21,000 medical care grant.
McGaha said Animal Services has run out of medical funds for the fiscal year due to increased vaccine prices and other cost hikes. Thus, staff are trying to make the grant funds last through June 30.
In good news, Villiard said the surrender rate has dropped off. In January, there were around 70 intakes, down from the recent 150 per month rate.
McGaha said several maintenance projects have been done on the animal services facility, such as fixing the boiler system that stopped working in the winter and repairing the lighting and gate equipment, among others.
Later, McGaha and Macon County Health Department Finance Officer Melissa Setzer told board members if they have budget requests to get them in soon. McGaha said they’re going to present their proposed fiscal year 2025-26 budget to the county commissioners in May after meeting with Cabe and County Finance Director Lori Carpenter.
A draft of the Health Department’s budget will be presented to the Board of Health at its Tuesday, March 25 meeting.