The DeKalb County Commission met in a workshop session on Tuesday, August 10, to try to hash out any budget issues before it comes up for a vote in a special session. For the most part the proposed budget seems to have the approval of the commission, but there were a couple of issues they may be of concern for some.
The biggest contention was about a proposed contribution to the DeKalb Animal Coalition to help fund a new position at the DeKalb Animal Shelter. The coalition came before the budget committee asking for $39,805 to help fund a position, something the committee ultimately approved.
Commissioner Jerry Adcock was a vocal opponent of the contribution. “I think everybody knows that that $39,805 is not just a donation,” he commented during the workshop. “Teacher’s aides get $13,000 a year. Teacher’s aides are cleaning kid’s butts and this person is over here cleaning a dog’s butt. Which one is more important to you, paying someone $39,000 to shovel dog crap, or somebody taking care of kids?”
Afterwards, Commissioner Susannah Cripps Daughtry commented that she believed the total figure was to fund more than just a position at the shelter. “It’s my understanding that all that money is not going to a salary. It’s going to offset other costs for operations and things like that.”
But Daughtry’s understanding of the proposed contribution is not what was presented to the budget committee. In fact, the specific amount of $39,805 presented by Assistant Director at the shelter, Emmaly Bennett, was taken as the total for a salary plus benefits, rather than just asking for a $40,000 round figure.
But, during the budget meeting, Bennett also pointed out that more animals from the county are processed at the shelter than from the City of Smithville. Bennett provided statistics that showed that from November 6, 2017, when it opened, until July 1, 2021, the shelter had taken in 1,410 animals, including 488 from the city (34.60%) and 922 (65.39%) from the county.
Bruce Malone addressed the workshop with his concerns over whether the shelter could guarantee “room at the inn” so-to-speak or if space would be guaranteed to take in animals from the county. Malone said that he was told, “no,” that the shelter couldn’t guarantee there would always be room for county animals. Currently, the animal shelter is full and unable to accept new animals.
Then, Commissioner Anita Puckett said she wanted to speak on behalf of the prior commission. “In August of 2015, we went into an agreement with the Animal Coalition as far as what our involvement for the County Commission would be. That was for $75,000 one-time donation.”
“At that time, we were promised that the Animal Coalition would be self-sufficient,” Puckett continued. “We were promised that they would apply for grants, and have all kinds of grants for free dogfood; that they were going to adopt out animals all over the United States. So many promises were made by the Animal Coalition. That’s why the last commission created this $75,000 one-time donation.”
“I do not oppose funding for the Animal Coalition. I love dogs. I love animals and have no problem assisting with the Animal Coalition, but I have the notes from the July meeting [budget meeting] and it was for an employee. I know Ms. Cripps [Daughtry] has shared that it’s for vaccines and other things, and that’s because Ms. Bennett has elaborated more in an email that was sent to us, but the motion was made for an employee.”
“I’m in agreement with Jerry about this amount of a salary,” Puckett said. “I’ve had several constituents call, people from outside my district call, teachers saying ‘I’m going to quit and work for the city. I don’t want to work for the county any longer. They get paid so much more than I do.’ When you’ve got teachers that don’t make anywhere near this, aides and people who work throughout the county that don’t make anywhere near this, they think, ‘maybe I need to clean kennels and scoop poop.’ These are legitimate concerns.”
“I’ve had EMTs come up to me and say, ‘Oh my goodness. I’ve got two years of school and I only make $29,000 a year, and that’s with overtime.’ I do support the Animal Coalition, but I think we need to think about how we’re going to allocate the money and to be sure we’re doing the right thing.”
Beth Pafford weighed in, saying it is the county’s responsibility to help the Animal Shelter. “What we did not take the time to do that evening [budget meeting]] was to talk about what you think is fair money to give to the coalition because the reality is, it’s a hard job. My daughter was a part-time worker there several years ago. They don’t just scoop poop and clean kennels, they take abandoned and abused animals, clean them up and care for them, and get them ready for adoption.”
“The reality is, the county and the city invested in a building that was a shelter, not a pound. We spent it on a place, because a group came with a vision to have a shelter where animals didn’t just go to die. They went to be cared for, rehabilitated, and made adoptable. It’s hard to work with people. It’s even harder to work with animals.”
Sabrina Farler wanted clarification on whether the donation constituted the position as a county employee or whether they would be an Animal Coalition employee. County Mayor Tim Stribling explained that the funds would be a donation to the coalition and the position would be through the coalition. The funding would also be on a year by year basis, meaning if the donation is approved this year, it doesn’t necessarily mean it would be funded next year.
Janice Fish-Stewart also indicated her support for the coalition. “We have an obligation to the Animal Shelter. The large portion of the animals at the shelter were from the county. They weren’t from the city. Nothing in life is free. If we’re going to continue to use their services guys, we’ve got to pay. They can’t operate solely on grants, and a one-time donation of $75,000 is not enough.”
While the contribution to the Animal Coalition the main contentious item in the proposed 2021-22 budget, another seemed to be funding for two new vehicles, one a new SUV for DeKalb EMS and another a new pickup truck for the Tax Assessor’s office.
Commissioner Jerry Adcock equated the purchase to a one cent tax increase, but Commissioner Puckett brought up other concerns. “It’s been brought to my attention that the service was not done on one of our ambulance rigs and the motor blew up,” Puckett said at the meeting. “The oil had not been changed like it should be.”
“As for this new vehicle, I can see the need for this new vehicle if it was going to all the calls, but to fund a $30,000 vehicle just to go to conferences, I disagree. Why are we not looking at surplus vehicles that are more cost efficient, as opposed to new vehicles?”
EMS Director Hoyt Hale then addressed the commission, answering allegations posed by Puckett. “First off, the vehicle that the motor is blown. Chevrolet recommends an oil change on the Duramax every 7,500 miles. Our maintenance guy changes them at every 5,000 miles, if not less. The motor that blew was a camshaft that broke. The oil change was 3,460 miles into the next oil change when it happened. This truck had 215,000 miles on it. It’s got engine hours that you times by 40, that comes up to be 380,000 hours. These ambulances are run to death, day and night.”
“Second off, this SUV, yes it has gone to conferences, this old car has,” Hale continued. “But this will be set up to go on calls whenever there isn’t an ambulance available, and also for a mass casualty. If we ever have a mass casualty, and we have two ambulances at night, we have to be taxed on all this. We have to call surrounding counties. I can put equipment in it, which in the car has monitors, and IV supplies, and oxygen, and stuff like that. Yes, I have responded to calls.”
“I can keep driving the 2006, and if something tears up I’ll get it fixed,” Hale summed up. “It’s up to y’all. I do not drive this car home. This car sits in the driveway at the ambulance service day and night. I drive it when I go on errands, go to meetings in Cookeville or Nashville or where ever, and yes it has been to Gatlinburg for a conference. It’s been to Cookeville for conferences. It’s also been out of state to bring back new ambulances, and we didn’t know if we were going to make it there or not.”
The budget goes up for a vote in a special called meeting on Tuesday, August 17.
