UPDATE -- 2/11/10: See the Journal Star for news that the city of Peoria won't pay its fair share to the county. Be sure to read the comments.
PEORIA -- A Peoria animal shelter that only rarely kills animals moved forward after a Feb. 10 special meeting of the Peoria County Management Services Committee.
The committee heard three scenarios for when the county assumes management of the shelter -- a bare bones model, the status quo, and an enhanced model with more emphasis on low cost spay/neuter programs and perhaps some higher license fees for non-neutered pets.
Board members expressed a preference for the enhanced model. Committee chairman Mike Phelan said funds from a public safety sales tax, which has been used to pay bonds on the jail, soon will be available as the bonds are paid off in a couple of years.
He and others proposed charging the city of Peoria and other towns in the county fees for the shelter until those funds become available. Then those fees could end.
Every citizen has an interest in a well run shelter, and should pay a share of its cost, committee member Andrew Rand said. Then he added, "let's get this into a no-kill perspective. This will mean a lot to community acceptance of the county's endeavor. We should have something to brag about."
"This is going to take tax dollar support, and I'm for it," said board member Bob Baietto.
Documents handed to committee members included facts on the animal shelter. There are 37,527 animals registered, with 8,257 impounded annually. Fines collected total $1.1 million. Employees handle about 12,000 service calls annually.
About 700 animals are returned to owners, 1,571 adopted out. The rest are euthanized.
Peoria Area Voices for Animals distributed information about a Springfield low cost spay/neuter program, APL, Animal Protective League. Information on Operation SAFE, Saving Animals from Euthansia, based in Dunlap, Il. also was distributed. It also operates a low cost spay/neuter program.
Phelan said more discussion on funding should take place at the committee's full meeting on Feb. 23.
The committee informally approved job descriptions for the staff of six full time employees. Twenty-five people have applied for the position of director of the shelter.
Phelan hopes a completed plan will go to the County Board meeting on March 11.
-- Elaine Hopkins
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