More Funding on the Way for the Toccoa-Stephens County Humane Shelter.

More funding on the way for the Toccoa-Stephens County Humane Shelter.

 

Last week, both the Toccoa City Commission and the Stephens County Commission approved a request from the shelter for an additional combined $115,280 to carry the shelter through the rest of the fiscal year, which ends June 30.

 

The shelter made the request after spending the initial $284,000 budgeted by the city and county combined for the current fiscal year.

 

Toccoa and Stephens County each contributed 50-percent of that budgeted amount, or $142,000, for operations at the humane shelter.

 

Toccoa City Commissioner Jeanette Jamieson sits on the shelter board.

 

Jamieson says the city and county have an obligation to make sure the shelter is operating.

 

“Now I realize the county has made certain remarks, but I think when all is said and done, they’ll meet their obligation. But we can’t not meet ours just because of comments that they have made.”

  

County commissioners agreed, saying they would honor the agreement to fund 50-50 with the city.

 

However, County Commissioner Dennis Bell says there are some things he wants to see change moving forward.

 

“Two things: The bickering between the volunteers and stuff, that is going to have to stop because I tell you right now, I won’t put up with it. Second thing is, I want a budget cap put on it next year. Let’s get this thing right and let’s go with it.”

 

City Commissioner David Austin also says the city and county need to communicate on shelter funding for next fiscal year.

 

“Going forward, since we’re going to be working on next year’s budget in the next month or so, we want to make sure we’re all on the same page with the county as far as whatever the budget’s going to be for next year’s funding”

 

Jamieson says the shelter is looking for ways to continue to cut the budget as it moves forward into the next fiscal year, by working to obtain prison labor from Alto Women’s Correctional Facility and looking into other cost-saving opportunities.