August 8, 2025 • 57 mins
A crisis is unfolding at the Bell County Animal Shelter. With over 621 animals euthanized since January and the live release rate plummeting from 80% to just 46%, Rescue groups are sounding the alarm and pushing for meaningful reform.
At the heart of this issue lies a fundamental mission conflict. The Sheriff's Department, which currently oversees the animal shelter, is primarily focused on animal control for public safety—managing rabies concerns, handling loose livestock, and investigating animal cruelty cases. However, this mission doesn't necessarily prioritize animal adoption or welfare. As County Judge Blackburn noted during budget discussions, the current facility "was never intended to operate like what I would consider a shelter."
The stark numbers tell a troubling story. In June alone, 60 dogs were euthanized while 67 were adopted. For cats, the situation was even more dire: 126 euthanized compared to just 43 adopted. According to animal advocates, this dramatic increase in euthanasia stems from a new policy requiring a certain number of kennels to remain empty at all times—creating a devastating choice between adoption or euthanasia when space runs short.
Commissioner Minor has gathered input from rescue organizations, shelter volunteers, and concerned citizens to develop solutions. The most promising immediate step is the creation of an Outreach Coordinator position—someone dedicated to working with rescue groups, developing foster programs, and increasing adoption rates. This position would report directly to the Commissioner's Court rather than the Sheriff's Department, allowing for focused attention on adoption outcomes.
Longer-term discussions include potentially separating shelter operations from animal control entirely, a model that has proven successful in other counties. However, facility limitations present immediate challenges, as the current building wasn't designed with proper separation for sick and healthy animals.
Your voice matters in this crucial debate. The next Commissioner's Court meeting on August 11th at 9am will address budget allocations, including funding for this vital position. Whether you attend in person at the Bell County Historic Courthouse or register to participate virtually, your support can help transform Bell County into a community that values and protects its most vulnerable animals.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
welcome.
You're listening to the louisminor show.
I'm your host, bell county,commissioner, louis minor.
Today is august 8th 2005 and wehave a lot of stuff to cover.
There's a lot of things goingon and the county.
So let's get to it.
(00:24):
Let's get to the agenda forMonday, august 11th, at nine in
the morning at the Bell CountyHistoric Courthouse in downtown
Belton, as always, we have theinvocation.
As always, we have theinvocation pledge of allegiance,
(00:56):
and then we have considereddates for public hearings and
for the approval of the budgetand tax rate.
Item A is first tax rate publichearing, august 20th 2025 at 6
pm.
B budget public hearing, august25th 2025 at 9 am.
Second, tax rate public hearing, august 25th 2005 at 9 am and
(01:20):
then adoption of the 2026 budgetand tax rate, august 25th 2025
at 9 am.
So those are items that we'llconsider.
Next item is presentation ofthe proposed FY 2026 budget.
County judge will give hislittle budget presentation.
(01:45):
Then, item five discuss andconsider elected official
salaries for FY 2026.
Item six discuss and considerfunding outreach coordinator for
Bell County Animal Shelter FY2026.
Reach Coordinator for BellCounty Animal Shelter FY2026.
Item 7, discuss and ConsiderFunding Additional Clerk
(02:10):
Position for JP2 and JP3, place2, and FY2026.
Then we have Item 8, discussand Consider Funding Increase
for Rodenbridge, rodenbridgedirector salary and FY 2026.
Then, finally, we have considerapproval of the proposed tax
(02:45):
rate for notice of publichearing purposes for the FY 2026
budget tax rate.
So that one is key because oncewe send out that public notice
we cannot go above.
Whatever that public notice is,we can always go lower but we
cannot go above.
So just FYI for that part, andthat's it for Monday's meeting
(03:10):
that we'll be discussing.
So what's going on in Texas?
State Democrats, the Democraticcaucus, house caucus has fled
the state has broke quorumbecause the Republicans are
(03:33):
trying to redistrict ourcongressional seats because
President Trump has directedthem to.
So I was at a rallyredistricting hearing down at
the Capitol.
You know people are not happy,people are upset and I don't
blame them.
You know, mid redistrictingit's been done once before, it's
(04:02):
been done once before.
But they're trying to get fiveseats out of Texas.
So for them to do that, theproposed map has some crazy
lines and it's really a shamewhat they're doing.
They did say you know, supremeCourt ruled a couple years ago
(04:36):
that you can gerrymander forpolitical purposes but you
cannot gerrymander for race andthose are, you know, pretty hand
in hand.
As far as you know, majorityminority districts typically
vote Democratic, and so they'regoing to pack those, crack those
, and it's going to be allowed.
So it's a real shame whatthey're doing, this power grab,
(04:59):
but it's not going unanswered.
Not going unanswered.
Illinois, new York andCalifornia, all are threatening
to do the same thing.
So yeah, so I text, I haveRepresentative John Busey's cell
phone number he's a longtimefriend of mine Representative
(05:23):
Gina Hinojosa, vicki Goodwin,josie Garcia I text them all
encouragement and support andthanking them for standing up
for Texans and that we're notgoing to allow this to happen.
But locally, one of the thingsthat I talked about that's going
(05:46):
to be on Monday is funding aposition called the Outreach
Coordinator.
So let me kind of bring to youwhy all this is coming up.
So I'll play a little clip.
Speaker 2 (06:02):
Advocates met with a Bell County Commissioner about
the conditions and practices ofthe Bell County Animal Shelter.
They are raising concerns aboutthe limited space, leadership
and, most of all, spike ineuthanizations.
6 News reporter Sydney Walkeris live in studio to share more
about the push to make theshelter no-kill Sydney.
Speaker 3 (06:20):
Over 400 animals have been euthanized by the Bell
County Animal Shelter sinceJanuary.
Commissioner Louie Minor, withthe help of locals, wants to put
an end to that.
Speaker 1 (06:31):
So y'all can understand the processes for
Bell County and then how we canhelp.
How y'all can help me.
Speaker 3 (06:40):
Animal lovers in Bell County have been vocal about
concerns with the county animalshelter.
Speaker 1 (06:46):
A volunteer emailed all the commissioners and wanted
to bring to our attention theincreased euthanasia rate.
Speaker 3 (06:53):
Bell County Commissioner Louie Miner
listened.
Speaker 1 (06:56):
Since the new sheriff took over, I guess there was a
change in policy and that led toincreased euthanization of
animals.
Speaker 3 (07:05):
He was shocked at what he found.
Speaker 1 (07:07):
The numbers that we got, it was over 621, and to me
that's unacceptable.
Speaker 3 (07:12):
In numbers obtained by 6 News, in June, 67 dogs were
adopted, but 60 were euthanized.
Cats have a larger gap, withonly 43 adopted and 126
euthanized.
Speaker 1 (07:24):
Half the animals that you've probably seen at the
animal shelter probably won't behere in a week.
Speaker 3 (07:29):
He said.
Volunteers told him that thelive release rate has dropped
from 80 percent to 46.
Many blame the sheriff's office.
The group in charge of theshelter Minor believes they
should no longer be in charge.
Speaker 1 (07:40):
They should not be in the animal shelter business.
Speaker 3 (07:43):
In discussion with local advocates, budgeting was a
main topic.
Speaker 1 (07:46):
Authority is over the budget and with that budget
we're able to move things around.
Speaker 3 (07:52):
But the main goal making the shelter no-kill.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
We get a no-kill shelter here in Bell County.
That's what my goal is.
That's what everyone's heregoal is.
Speaker 3 (08:03):
Locals had many ideas , from establishing a foster
program, emphasizing spay andneuter programs and even
creating an outreach coordinatorposition, all to help Bell
County's furry friends.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
I'm no expert in that .
I'm going to rely on theexperts here to tell us what we
need to accomplish that, but Ithink it's something that can be
accomplished because otherplaces are doing it.
Discussions continue Monday atthe next Bell County
commissioners meeting Locals areencouraged to attend All righty
.
Thank you, sydney.
So you heard that, that, thatthat is the problem, that our
(08:37):
new sheriff, sheriff Bill Cook,changed policies and you know
there's a lot of stuff going onin the county and we don't hear
what's going on unless someonebrings it to our attention.
Person that volunteers at theanimal shelter was complaining
(08:59):
about the euthanasia rateincreasing and that a bunch of
animals they estimated hundredshave been unnecessarily
(09:21):
euthanized.
So I started looking into it.
I'm not on the Animal AdvisoryBoard.
Commissioner Whitson is on theAnimal Advisory Board and
supposed to have a vet.
There's some people from theSheriff's Office that are there.
A member of the public, ms AnkaNgu from Precinct 4, is on it.
(09:43):
So I started getting all thesetroubling reports of things
going on over there and fromwhat I was told is that there's
a new policy that tin kennelsare supposed to be free either
(10:04):
at the beginning of the day orthe end of the day because they
want to keep room in casesomething comes in.
So there's only one way, atleast right now, to free up
kennels Either they get adoptedor they get euthanized and
(10:25):
that's it.
So I mean you know I startedgetting information from the
animal advocates, the rescues.
There's a bunch of them in BellCounty.
You know this was not somethingthat I was well informed on, so
(10:46):
my guide is the law, thestatutes and then best practices
of what's going on with othershelters in the area.
This meeting that I had, I hadover 50 people show up to voice
(11:07):
their concerns and wanting ano-kill animal shelter, among
other things.
We were trying to findsolutions.
At the end of the day, we needto get the rate down and get
more animals moved into adoptionor another home, their forever
(11:30):
home.
So what does no kill mean?
No kill generally means thatyou have a 90% live animal
placement rate.
90% live animal placement rate,so 90% of the animals that come
into the shelter have to gosomewhere alive and that's not
(11:55):
happening From my understanding.
What people told us?
That we were at 80%, 85%,something like that.
Pretty good, pretty good, notquite no kill, but you know it
was a pretty good rate.
But after the new sheriffimplemented this policy, that
(12:18):
got us down to 46% and that'sunacceptable.
621 animals dogs and cats havebeen euthanized in Bell County
and that's not acceptable to meand it wasn't acceptable to all
the people.
So I heard them, I startedlistening to them, I called
meetings and I think we're goingto try and get some stuff done,
(12:41):
at least, at a minimum, hire anoutreach coordinator.
So after my meeting that whatthis news clip that I just
played from Channel 6 covered wehad a meeting of the
commissioner's court to talkabout increasing the budget,
(13:02):
talking about, maybe, staffmoving the animal shelter, and
we're talking about this nowbecause we're trying to figure
out the budget for next year.
So this is about a 30-minuteclip, a little bit more than 30
minutes, but I want you to hearwhat the commissioners are
(13:23):
saying.
I want you to hear what thecommissioners are saying.
I want you to hear what thejudge is saying.
No one from the shelter or thesheriff's department really
spoke during this part.
Some of the animal advocateswere at the beginning of the
meeting and spoke in favor ofhiring an outreach coordinator,
moving it from the sheriff'sdepartment.
(13:44):
There's probably about six orseven people, but they left
after the beginning of themeeting and then, probably two
hours later, we had a chance torevisit the animal shelter.
So let me play this for you andyou'll be able to hear what we
(14:08):
are talking about.
So let me pull up this clip.
Speaker 5 (14:14):
Okay.
Speaker 6 (14:17):
We'll get with that, all right.
Speaker 4 (14:17):
Animal shelters.
So the animal shelters budgetis $620,596.
Speaker 6 (14:26):
Yeah, hang on.
Pause there for a second,because I saw that in the
handout they did, but when Ilooked at the budget.
I didn't get that, or maybe I'mlooking at the wrong sheet.
This is what Tina gave me.
Speaker 7 (14:38):
Are you looking in the budget folder?
No, no, I'm talking to you.
Speaker 6 (14:43):
No, you're talking to me.
I may be looking in the wrongplace.
Let me find it.
What I got was $526,486.
That's last year's yes, so the$610 is what's proposed no no no
, it says the county spends$625.96.
What I see in the budgetworksheets is $526.486 is what
(15:08):
the amended budget is for FY25.
Speaker 1 (15:11):
That might be for employees.
Speaker 6 (15:12):
That's this current year.
Speaker 7 (15:14):
Yes, what you asked for is what was in the budget
for.
Fy26.
Speaker 5 (15:21):
What is that?
Speaker 7 (15:22):
That's not what we spent this year.
Speaker 6 (15:25):
What's in the budget for FY26, next year?
$620,591.
The sheet says the countyspends it's $52626 486.
That's this year's current, butthat's the current budget for
this year.
What is it?
Okay, I just want to make sure.
I want to make sure I got theright numbers.
(15:46):
What do we got?
What do we have budgeted forthis?
What we're talking about is thebudget for next year, correct?
Yes, what have we budgeted forthat?
Six hundred twenty thousandfive thousand six.
Okay, all right, okay, okay,got it.
I just want to make sure.
What number?
Okay, so of that 625.96.
Speaker 1 (16:06):
527 736 is employee salaries.
Uh animal control officers uh.
The remaining 92 860 isoperational for for the shelter
and if you subtract mealslodging uh schools, take all
(16:30):
that out of it.
Speaker 6 (16:30):
That's employee related at least 56 900.
That I guess is going to yes,correct Stuff like that vaccines
, vet services, all that stuff.
So we heard our residentswanting increases to that.
I think Rescue Magazine onFriday they came and spoke.
Speaker 1 (16:56):
Ron said that he donated 80,000 pounds of food to
the shelter last year.
Speaker 6 (17:04):
I don't know if we keep tabs of donations.
We do.
Speaker 7 (17:09):
There's a separate revenue and cost center for that
.
Speaker 4 (17:14):
So we track all donations to the shelter.
Speaker 6 (17:17):
How much is that?
Ten thousand ish and twelvethousand haven't been fed, not
no, I mean, that was my question.
And when we get to this was Iwant to add money for food?
Are are the animals feelinghungry?
That this was.
You want to add money for food?
(17:38):
Are the animals feeling hungry?
No, not that I'm aware of.
Not that I'm aware of either.
But, you know what's yourproposal.
I was going to bump it up to$7,000.
What the food cost?
So it's $15,000 right now.
First off, we're not runningthe shelter.
That's under the sheriff andthe sheriff didn't request that.
That's another running theshelter.
That's under the sheriff andthe sheriff didn't request that.
That's another.
(17:58):
We're assuming when you saidthat we don't have enough money
for food, one would think, justlike the judge said, dogs aren't
getting fed.
I think they're getting fedproperly.
Well, and they haven't spentthe $15,000 that they had
budgeted this year.
That's what I'm looking at too.
They haven't spent the $15,000that they had budgeted this year
.
That's what I'm looking at too.
They haven't spent the moneythey.
So just because there's aplaceholder there does not
(18:21):
that's based on historicalnumbers to say we know we
probably need about $15,000 offood.
If that were to decrease, or if, for some reason, food costs
dealt with, let's say, this year, then we can fix that and add
we would fix it.
Speaker 5 (18:35):
We would fix it and add $7,000.
Speaker 6 (18:37):
There will be $30,000 .
They're not going to get fed.
I think the misperception is weonly budget $15,000 and we need
$21,000.
So you guys are short andyou're not feeding your dogs.
I don't think that happens.
They got to look and see whatwe pay we're feeding everybody
and see what we've spent versuswhat we've done.
(18:58):
I just don't think there's ashortfall.
There's not a shortfall.
Speaker 7 (19:01):
Because none of that takes into consideration
donations of food.
Speaker 6 (19:06):
But historically that's what I was going to ask,
it's okay.
Speaker 7 (19:11):
We track monetary donations that come in.
We don't track dog food thatcomes in.
We don't track physical itemsthat come in.
We don't track dog food thatcomes in.
We don't track physical itemsthat come in, we only track
monetary.
And then we have an expensedepartment or expense cost
center for them to spend those.
Speaker 4 (19:28):
So we're still sending donations.
It's not in there If someonecomes in and writes a check for
$500, that goes into adesignated fund that's in there,
but if somebody brings in twobags of dog food, that's not.
Speaker 6 (19:42):
It's not a trick, that, but we have actually been
inundated with dog food where wehad to we have to give it away
to some other way where we canstore it for them.
We'll tell you that too much,but the animal facility control
facilities around the county, inTemple there used to be.
What's the that food?
Dums, dums, dums, dums, dums,dums, dums, dums, dums, dums,
(20:04):
dums, dums, dums, dums, dums,dums, dums.
Dums, dums.
Speaker 7 (20:12):
Dums, dums I thought there was an agreement with,
like PetSmart or Petco, one ofthose two where they get certain
.
Speaker 6 (20:20):
PetSmart sends a truckload.
I'm just saying it might be,it's not an area of need.
Well, I mean, I wanted tocomment on this because you've
got to.
Also, you can't just see what'sbudgeted and say we're going to
spend that and I calculate wefeed the dogs so they're not
getting fed.
You've got to look and seewhat's spent and what's not
spent and what's needed, and ifit's needed we're going to spend
(20:42):
it, absolutely, except it wasvaccines.
Speaker 5 (20:45):
We don't want to over-money it.
Speaker 7 (20:47):
I mean that's the thing, Because they do have
those donations.
Speaker 6 (20:53):
And I think that we didn't cut anything with the
animal control.
What they requested is whatthey thought they needed because
they're running it.
We actually gave them a couplemore people, I think, over the
last couple years.
Speaker 1 (21:07):
The animal service contract that does not include
vaccines or does includevaccines.
Speaker 7 (21:14):
It includes whatever we pay coming out of the
operating budget to the vets.
Speaker 6 (21:21):
Whatever they see fit .
But we buy vaccines at theshelter and not rabies, because
the vet has to do that but thepuppy vaccine, kitten vaccines
and the what do you call it?
We buy that and we administrateit.
Well, that's what wassurprising to me when she said
that there were some that wenthome without vaccines.
I'm like, well, how do you knowthat?
(21:42):
Because even if you have a dogthat comes in on a 70-hour hold
and we vaccinate it, it canstill get parvo a day later
Because that, particularlydepending on the age, you've got
to have three to four boostersbefore that really holds and
boosters before that reallyholds, and a dog that's
malnourished doesn't have a goodefficacy of the vaccine.
Anyway, you can give it fivevaccines and it'll go home and
get parvo the next day if ithits somebody with parvo.
(22:04):
So just because a dog got parvowhen it got home does not mean
it wasn't vaccinated.
That I would depend more onChuck and the crew there to let
me know if they were vaccinatedor not, because I think we keep
records of that and we shouldknow if we didn't vaccinate one,
and there may be reasons not tovaccinate one.
I mean, I know veterinariansthat had a dog that come in that
(22:24):
was not healthy and said don'tgive it the vaccine because the
vaccine, if it's not an entirelykilled virus, could cause more
problems than good and won'tvaccinate them until they're
healthy and then vaccinate them.
So, typically, when we raisethose that you're talking about
raising right now as we wentthrough their budget hearings,
we're looking at every one ofthose, yeah, and when you see
that we either are right atspending everything we still
(22:49):
have a half a year to go and weprobably need to bump that up or
, if we're not spending, but aquarter of it and you'll see
what you spent the year beforethe year before.
There's no sense in doubling itif you're not going to spend it
.
Speaker 7 (23:03):
And I'm looking at their donations cost center.
It looks like they spend someof that on those vaccines.
Speaker 6 (23:09):
I think most of that's spent on vaccines, if I
recall.
I appreciate the spend out.
Yeah, this is handy.
They did the PublicAccountability for Animal
Welfare Association, I guess,but I think they did some really
good work putting this together.
One thing I wanted to ask islike in Lampasas County, if it's
(23:32):
42, are there any cities thathave animal patrol or animal
shelters, Like in Bell County?
Yeah, we have three.
We have three others than thatas far as number of kennels, and
I have no clue how much Templeor Killeen or whoever else has
Heights, Heights.
So if you're going to compareand again I'm not sure if any of
(23:56):
these other counties havecities Like the city of Lampas
yeah, the city of Lampas, Idon't know.
I was going to ask thatquestion, that was my issue.
But my question on both thefood and vaccines for phase one
suggestion is I think thoseneeds are being met right now.
(24:16):
I don't know that there needsto be an infusion of additional
dollars or resources there.
I don't think.
Sorry, we keep interrupting.
Speaker 4 (24:25):
No, no, no I enjoy the discussion.
Speaker 1 (24:28):
The MOU agreements that we have with the other
cities, I guess.
Speaker 6 (24:33):
I've never seen any of those for animal control
services, I think we have a copyof them upstairs.
I'm just curious when the lasttime those were updated?
Do we have any requirementsonto the city as far as vaccines
or any of these things that wehave to do?
I know Salado's is a flat$5,000 fee a year and that was
(24:57):
based on how many animals theywere generally taking in.
And we did that one two yearsago, maybe three.
It was very long ago because Ihelped facilitate that Belton.
They were being billedindividually and it was coming
up to about $3,500 a year andSalado said look, we don't want
to, we'll just make it $5,000.
And they just paid that.
(25:18):
Um, I don't know what button'sagreement is, but part of
belton's agreement does includean animal control officer,
because they do all their ownanimal control.
Just use our facility, right,and their animal control officer
helps in our facility too whenhe's not picking up animals.
Um, so those are used.
I mean, I don't remember seeingthem come across our desk.
Speaker 7 (25:38):
I don't know.
Speaker 6 (25:38):
Any time recently.
Speaker 7 (25:40):
As far as I can recall, they're evergreen.
Speaker 6 (25:41):
They've been there a long time.
Speaker 7 (25:42):
So later.
Speaker 6 (25:44):
Are you updating them ?
Yeah, but to me that begs kindof a bigger, broader question,
kind of all of this.
And again, I appreciate whatthey laid out in their handout
there.
They laid out in their handoutthere Conceptually, depending
upon what the court wants to dowith what I would call the
(26:04):
mission of animal control,because I think what's being
proposed is a different missionthan what we have right now.
I think animal control, theanimal control facility that we
have, really was never intendedto operate like what I would
consider a shelter to the outershelter.
That's not what it is.
It's a facility and it'sprimarily aimed at meeting
public safety needs.
(26:25):
I think that's the primedirective and I think that's the
mission that the Sheriff'sDepartment and Animal Control
has been given.
I think what we've heard thepast couple of meetings is
comments from some that theywant to see a different mission
adopted, and I think what we do,especially when you get down to
(26:49):
everything past the food andthe vaccines, depends on what
the mission is.
What's the mission we want toadopt, so to speak, for animal
services, and there's all kindsof questions afloat on that.
But I mean, you know, like theoutreach coordinator, for
example, I am fully supportiveof that.
(27:12):
I think having some sort ofperson dedicated to work with
those outside agencies and tobetter coordinate efforts is
needed, especially if we'regoing to adopt a different
mission.
The challenge I have with it iscan we make that work without
(27:38):
we've got some governance issues?
I mean, if that position werefunded, would it work for the
sheriff and to me, I kind of seethe sheriff's position and the
animal control division positionas not geared toward again
(27:58):
sheltering missions.
That's not what their aim is.
And so where do you set that up?
How do you set that up?
And then the facility.
I don't think the facility wasdesigned or is being operated in
a manner that facilitates a newmission.
(28:20):
I don't think it does.
But I mean, I think there'sjust a whole lot of collateral
issues that just kind of flowfrom do we want to adopt a new
mission for animal services?
That is more than just fundinga position, which, again, I
think there does need to be aposition like that, and I think
(28:44):
that position can facilitate achange in mission if we're going
to change that mission, becauseright now the sheriff's job is
animal control and they do thatvery well.
Now there's some people whodon't like the way that's going
on because we euthanize a lot ofanimals because of that, but
(29:05):
understand most of those animalsthat come in that we euthanize,
I mean they're very unhealthy,they're rabid, they're they're
not adoptable because most ofwhat we picked up is not a
little fluffy off the street.
So the ones that we do pick upthat are fluffy, and then we've
got too much space, we don'thave enough space and they're
considering euthanizing themsimply for space.
(29:25):
That adoption coordinator couldmove those quicker quicker
through having goodrelationships with all the
rescues that work very wellaround here and move those
quicker and get those out ofthere until we can have another
facility, potentially shelter,if we decide to go there.
I know you mentioned thisbuilding here in Belton, but
(29:46):
that would require purchasingand it looked like it needs to
be cleaned up.
Yeah, it needs some TLC.
I mean we still have thatbuilding that we're about to get
from CCS and Temple, yeah, butthat's going to need a lot of
work to make it Kenwood, kenwoodyou're going to have to start
foundation, strokes, a lot of it, draining and washing out and
all that kind of stuff.
I guess that I was a little bitdisappointed in that.
(30:08):
I think everyone that spoke theimpression and even I guess
that's what the news was here topick up is that we're
underfunding the Animal ControlCenter, of which we're not.
We're not underfunding food,we're not underfunding
vaccinations and all that stuff,because no one looked at the
amount of what we're spending.
They just looked at what wehave budgeted and then they're
(30:31):
making their own assumptions andcalculations that we don't have
enough money in there to feedthese animals.
That's what's disappointing andthat's not the message here.
Two years ago we spent justunder $400,000 on that facility
and two years ago we all sat uphere and the sheriff said we
need more help, we need morestuff, we need more space then
(30:53):
and we bumped that up to$526,000 last year, which I
don't think we quite spent allof it.
It was budgeted but we werepretty close to it and then
$610,000 this year.
We added another $92,000 thisyear to facilitate that for
health and everything.
So we have been makingimprovements to that.
As a matter of fact, we have awhole new regime that now has
focused on that even more.
(31:13):
And the only animal controlboard meeting we had this year
was in March, which we weresupposed to have in quarterly.
I went to one other meeting theyear before because they never
the folks that were running itat that time only scheduled one,
so we didn't get to talk allabout them.
But this year we've had the onein March, we had another one
scheduled this last month whichwe had, and all these same
(31:35):
people do, and they want toaddress the court.
So they came and addressed thecourt.
That's all fine, but I thinkall these things they're wanting
to do.
As a matter of fact, at thatanimal control meeting we had
and they were talking about it,we said we are doing these
things, we're looking at theseoptions right now and even
having conversations about a CIP, if we need to expand the
facility that we have or buyanother facility as a shelter.
(31:57):
To expand the facility that wehave or buy another facility as
a shelter, that's a regime, youknow, that's a culture change
for us.
But, um, we are in the processof those.
I I don't disagree with any ofthat, but I don't.
I I thought we had put enoughmoney in the budget this year,
with me looking at it, knowingwhat we're talking about the
animal patrol, that we werefacilitating the things that the
new animal patrol staff wantedto facilitate, and I think a lot
(32:20):
of this came about becausewe've got a couple of
individuals that disagree overhow that place is being run,
which we're always going to havethat, and so because of that we
had some more discussions,which are great, but I I think a
big, which I don't believe wefix in this budget cycle at all
big discussion is do we want tohave the sheriff just be animal
(32:42):
control and maybe us or somebodyelse handle a shelter facility
and change what we're doing now,or do we want to remain animal
control?
And I think, even if we justremain animal control, I think
that person that we're talkingabout, some outreach type
coordinator, could work at thatanimal control office and much
(33:02):
better at full time.
Just keep anything that comesas adoptable after it's 72 hours
it's going to a rescuesomewhere and and that we could
do without having to buysomething even if we're going to
(33:25):
buy, he runs the door.
Speaker 8 (33:29):
You know your boots on the ground and you have us
with boots on the ground, youknow the county.
Speaker 4 (33:35):
He wants to know about JP's of days past.
Which one, mads Turner?
Yeah, you know, floyd CampbellI did yes, precinct One came to
county jail every day, sevendays a week.
Speaker 5 (33:47):
Four days a week.
Speaker 4 (33:49):
Back in the days when you came to work in the county
to serve the people.
Bigger picture than just animalcontrol facility.
Animal control for theSheriff's Department.
Several things To enforce theordinance that this court
adopted in 2011.
Okay, that's rabies control.
Second mission loose livestockFalls under agricultural code.
(34:15):
If a cow is running down MainStreet in Killeen Texas, it's
the sheriff's responsibility,it's not KPD's.
It's all one picture.
That's why, when we wereputting together a transition
last fall, that came up.
(34:35):
We need one person to manageall things livestock related,
animal related.
So that's kind of where we'reat.
I think it's great.
I've got some ideas that Ithink I'd like to workshop with
the court in a few weeks.
We're still putting themtogether.
But let me describe the animalshelter that we found when we
(34:58):
got here.
Two words dumpster fire.
I had a visit on a Saturdaymorning with another member of
the board of the shelter boardthat told me that it started
spiraling about two and a halfyears ago.
You were here, I wasn't.
(35:18):
I was happily retired.
I was only here a year ago onthe animal board.
Anyway, that's true.
The last time I sat on thatboard it the animal board.
Anyway, that's true.
The last time I sat on thatboard it was Commissioner Driver
, driver, yeah, so there's awhole lot of issues to be
addressed.
My custodian of record I'veasked her to come in case
(35:40):
there's any mentioning aboutrecords, because she has been
inundated with open recordsrequests from these people to
the point where we can't getanything else done.
She also has to worry aboutsubpoenas and discovery for
court expunctions and thingsalong that nature.
So we're trying to get them outas much as we can and we're not
trying to hide anything fromanybody.
But when you go to the dumpsterthat's on fire, it's hard to
(36:01):
find these records.
Once you do find them, you findclumps of stuff that's been
stapled together.
You've got to take time to Ithink 16 hours.
You worked on one last week.
One request 16 hours later.
So we got a plan putting ittogether.
We hope to bring it back to youin a few weeks in the workshop.
(36:23):
Let you know which way we'reheading.
Your own point about havingsomeone be that coordinator and
if we did have a separatefacility as an adoption facility
, that person could manage thataspect.
If not, have that one personworking with our animal shelter
folks so that, once that animalcan leave the shelter coordinate
(36:47):
with these different adoptiongroups.
Some of them, I think, arebreed specific and those okay.
So if you don't have anyDachshunds today or any German
Shepherd, then they got to gosomewhere else and some of the
confusion in the last couple ofweeks one person was upset
because somebody else got a dogthat they were supposed to get
(37:10):
or something like that, and thensome some words were said about
having vaccination papers.
That's not what the ordinancesays, that's just what people
came up with.
So we got to get protocols inplace.
We've got to get planned andmove forward, but you're not
going to get away from an animalshelter as long as you want the
sheriff to enforce your rabiesordinance.
(37:33):
Do I have any questions?
Speaker 6 (37:38):
How do you think the sheriff would react to an
outreach coordinator that didnot work for him?
Speaker 4 (37:42):
I think that would be great.
I think he would accept that asa wonderful thing.
I've kind of tossed that aroundthis weekend Having that person
that's not associated, not apart of a group, a non-profit
group, not a part of thesheriff's office, it's an
independent person.
Speaker 6 (37:57):
Because again, as you said, as we've said again, the
mission for Animal ControlDivision is not necessarily
focused on adoptions and fosterhomes and all those things.
Not at all.
It's just not focused.
And I'm not throwing a rock atthat.
As you've outlined, you've gotother duties that that facility
has to do.
(38:19):
But that said, if the mission isgoing to change or expand and I
didn't take you know, russell,I didn't necessarily take the
comments to be that we weren'tspending enough on food or
vaccines, that kind of stuff Itook the comments to mean we
want to see euthanasia ratesdrop, we want to see foster
(38:41):
opportunities for the animals toincrease, we want to see those
kinds of things.
I saw that too.
But when they speakspecifically on the dollar
amount for dog food,specifically on vaccine, we
don't have enough money in thereto raise it, I think those are
the ones that are misinformed onnot having enough.
(39:04):
I promise you, everyone'sthinking they're thinking that
we don't have enough money tofeed these dogs.
No, I 100% agree with that.
I think and I hopefully woulddispel a little bit of that
today that there is those arenot, those are funded.
I'm just saying I think theirpush was let's increase, let's
expand our services in thoseareas so that we can reach some
(39:26):
objectives in terms of gettingdogs adopted and cats and
animals and all that kind ofstuff.
And to me the partnership thatwe have to have with these
private agencies and entitiesaround the county is critical.
I mean, whether we have anotherfacility or whether we utilize
the capacity that might be outthere with those existing
(39:46):
private shelters that are in theplace or other public shelters
that might be in place.
Have that what I would call aliaison position, not under the
sheriff, so that they canliaison with those private
agencies, but would need fullsupport, full access, all that
(40:13):
kind of stuff to animal servicesfor that One of the things
we're approaching as far as thatrecords management.
Speaker 4 (40:20):
We have a steering committee that meets first
Tuesday of every month with Adam.
Steering committee that meetsfirst Tuesday of every month
with Adam and it's specificallyto go over software and
development things that theSheriff's office is using.
What are using is antiquated.
Where do we need to go forward?
This covers everything frombody camera footage to uh uh,
jail surveillance.
First, one thing.
Another Tomorrow is our Augustmeeting and on our agenda is for
(40:43):
Adam's crew to develop asoftware program that's usable
for us within the shelter that'snot antiquated like they
currently have.
That way we will be able toproduce record information much
faster At our fingertips.
So Adam's already gave thethumbs up.
(41:03):
We're moving forward with that,so we hope to have her software
that be accessible.
Speaker 8 (41:10):
It's nothing in our statutes that are directed to us
by the state that we need tohave an animal shelter, but we
do have to take care ofsituations where they are
breaking the law or creatingproblems.
We have to take care of theanimal control as part of our
program.
Speaker 6 (41:26):
So we expand that.
But you have to shelter animalsfor 72 hours before you can do
anything with them to make surethey get an opportunity to pick
their animal up.
They get bored.
You've got rabies quarantine.
It's got to be there 10 daysUnderstood, Understood, all of
that.
Speaker 8 (41:39):
So my thing, is as the rent's done.
We need, we need need theshelter and the adoption and all
of that people who are involvedin that.
They're really going to careabout it and just like all these
other adoption agencies.
When I get the laugh from mycontrol auditor, is it me?
(42:01):
Is it me, not you at all?
Okay, my suggestion would bethere is a way for us to just
draw out of the same betweenanimal control and shelter, and
try to privatize that aspect,kind of like we do with
(42:22):
typically any clinic, if thatsaves us some money.
Speaker 5 (42:26):
We've got $625,000.
The general now cost us$400,000.
We take care of the $200,000.
We facilitate that privateentity.
Speaker 6 (42:39):
And then that way we've got equal managing that
are there.
But there's also an issue ofthe facility that we currently
have now is not designed to be ashelter.
It is really just an intakeunit, because if you have a
healthy dog that needs to getsent out somewhere, it's in
there with all the same air andeverything as all the sick
(43:00):
animals and you bring somebodyin to show them.
This dog down here and they gotto see all that too.
Speaker 4 (43:06):
it's hard to adopt, that's right, and and medically
they need to be segregated, Iagree, especially when they're
young final mission on that,when I said it, more than just
maintaining a shelter animalcontrol officers also
responsible for investigatingand assisting in the prosecution
(43:28):
of many criminal cases.
Last Friday, precinct 4, we gota call to an abandoned house
that had two very obviouslydeceased dogs and then one live
dog that was obviouslymalnourished and underfed and
hadn't had water in a while andobtained warrants to collect the
(43:51):
two deceased dogs and the livedog.
We fortunately got the live dog.
I think it took a while.
That night we got it to a vetand got it in good shape.
I think it's at the shelter nowbeing taken care of, but it's
actually evidence in a criminalcase now being taken care of,
but it's actually, uh, evidencein a criminal case.
So that's totally differentthan adopting.
Speaker 6 (44:10):
animals are totally different than there's going to
be those kinds of animals andothers that are not going to be
adopted, just, and maybe thatwill help.
But but I mean there may besome vicious dogs that you'll up
, there may be some dogs thatare not able to.
There's not going to leave,they're not leaving.
That's why no-kill as Iunderstand it, the definition of
(44:33):
no-kill facility is 90% out,but 10% don't make it out.
But those no-kill shelters arenot animal control facilities.
Right, no-kill shelters are notanimal control.
So we can take animal controland do everything that needs to
be done there and help theanimals come out of there and go
to a shelter and have a no-killshelter pretty easily, I think.
(44:54):
And I also think it doesn'tnecessarily need to be us doing
it because we have so many.
I mean, you've met them,they're really good at what they
do.
If we had any use of thosefolks who come down there all
the time and want to get animalsfrom us, as a matter of fact,
some of the biggest complaintswe've gotten are they won't give
us the animal.
They would take the animal ifwe would give it to them.
That's why I think the outreachcoordinator would be able to
(45:16):
better facilitate that and makesure if that animal needs to be
out of that facility go tolooking for somebody to take it
today, once it's past 72 hoursor whatever the case might be.
So are we going to find aoutreach coordinator?
I wrote that down as an itemvote on.
(45:38):
Actually, do we have asuggested salary?
Well, they suggested 37 plusbenefits and more than I think a
couple of people said theythought that was more than
adequate.
Speaker 8 (45:53):
So Steve, who did that?
That's deputy clerk one 37.
How do we kind of fix thatthere are more extractives on
markets?
Where would that person report?
You said it would be anindependent.
Speaker 6 (46:01):
The county judge.
Do you have a recommendation?
I would suggest that we getthat and get those MOUs and
understand what we're doing,because even right now, what I'm
hearing is, even if we get 10dogs tomorrow that are adoptable
, we've got a spot to put themwith 40 dogs that are sick.
(46:25):
See, my thinking was that's oneof the tasks that you get to
the outreach program, but youshould go develop the MOU,
develop a plan, bring it forward.
Okay, instead of well, thatshould, yeah, 100% be what we
change the mission so thatposition can report to the court
(46:47):
.
Then I don't think so.
I mean, who else is it going toreport to the sheriff?
The sheriff of the court?
I would not put it in thesheriff Because I think they're
two different missions.
Speaker 7 (47:04):
Yeah, so Bob's not in here.
Speaker 8 (47:16):
She just threw you right under the bus.
They've learned.
Speaker 6 (47:28):
Jeff, they don't look at all the way into that chair
back there, the only area thatwe have to potentially program
is that control center.
For now, I think we're going toget into a CIP discussion and
there's going to be suggestionsabout that.
We're going to get into a CIPdiscussion and there's going to
be suggestions about that.
But even if that's the onlyfacility we have, again, it
(47:52):
seems to me like the coordinatorcould be tasked to go out and
identify capacity that's in theprivate sector and you work with
that?
Doing a foster program.
I think we've got a list thatwe've got right now.
We got a list, the other day 50people.
Speaker 5 (48:08):
Yes, yes, that's what I'm saying.
We mobilize and help supportthe people that are going to
have interest in our community.
Speaker 6 (48:19):
And I think we should do that before we go buy or
build another facility yes, Iagree, before we go buy or build
another facility.
And then we're the person thatobviously has got to be involved
with your program A hundredpercent.
Obviously, this person is goingto have to tell your people or
you what you should andshouldn't do.
No, not tell they're gettinganimal when they've done what
(48:39):
they're meant to do.
And that's why I asked one ofmy questions was is the sheriff
receptive to somebody working inthat facility helping liaison
between the private agencies andthe sheriff's office?
And I thought the answer was yes, we're going to have to work on
the standard operation SOPsbecause they're tasked with
(49:00):
something.
And then somebody goes and says, no, we're going to take all
these over here, we're going toisolate all these kennels, we're
going to, we're going to askthat, all these chemicals, we're
going to clean them up, and youcannot put a, you all get in
there.
That's sick or wanting to getsick.
Okay, that's my point.
Yes, so there's no, there's nospace.
(49:22):
This person can go say I'mgoing to run a program?
Oh yeah, there is.
The program is outside thatfacility, at least initially.
Initially they have to comeinto the sheriff's.
They have to.
Once they get the 72 hours,they end it off.
Speaker 5 (49:41):
That's what the coordinator does is to sit dogs
during that 72 hours.
Speaker 8 (49:44):
So everybody out there at the control area.
Speaker 5 (49:46):
That's what the coordinator does is to sit dogs
during that 72 hours.
Speaker 6 (49:48):
So there's more than just a dog out there at the
control area.
You wrote off these 16 kennels.
Yeah, 72 hours looks 100%sheriff.
Speaker 1 (49:58):
That's right, they do whatever they need to do, they
won't be exposed to it and theyall get there.
Speaker 5 (50:03):
They're 72 hours that average coordinator.
Speaker 6 (50:04):
Get there, you're in 72 hours that average
coordinator is going to belacing that animal, you don't
know if it's healthy or not.
Speaker 5 (50:11):
It may not exhibit anything yet.
That's why it's going to be puton hold.
Speaker 6 (50:15):
There is no way to separate it.
There isn't until that sittingjar is over, and then you've got
to have triage, you've got tocheck them.
Speaker 5 (50:49):
You've got to vaccinate them, triage, you got
time checking them, youvaccinated them, you worked them
, and then they need to gettogether because we have a lot
of money in the current.
But how well, out of this sixhundred, what?
Ten thousand dollars a sec,fine, 620 640.
Is that budget so tight thatyou can't carve out 45 000?
Speaker 6 (50:53):
or whatever dollars.
Yeah, so people now, almostalmost entirely, I wouldn't be
able to carve it out exactlysalary savings that you get
early, mm-hmm, that's not whereI.
Speaker 4 (51:00):
That's not where I'm at.
Speaker 6 (51:05):
I did a test on which item was first, and that Same
question as the clerk.
Where would that position fallunder?
I don't know, I don't know,precinct 2.
Let me ask you this we have avet, county vet, that you're not
included by us.
She, she is the vet for animalpatrol.
Um, would it be reasonable toallow that personal report to
(51:29):
that vet, to the animal advisorycommittee or to the advisory
committee?
I wouldn't do that.
I think they need to report toa county employee or elected
official, not to.
That board is made made up ofnon-county folks.
No, but who else?
Speaker 4 (51:53):
is on the board.
Commissioner was Our vet no.
Speaker 6 (51:58):
I think the vet is on the board.
I know, but is he employed byus?
No, so we're going to put acounty employee under the
direction of a non-countyemployee.
Speaker 5 (52:10):
I wouldn't do that.
I mean they're kind of on mylist.
Speaker 6 (52:16):
I'm not saying that physician shouldn't work with
that board.
I'm not thinking at all.
If it's not the sheriff, itneeds to be commissioners.
For me, my first choice wouldbe sheriff.
I'm not thinking, sheriff.
Speaker 8 (52:27):
I'm thinking sheriff and I'm thinking commissioners
for me and I see that mentioned.
There's another thing to go to.
Speaker 6 (52:33):
We're here a while, we're here a while.
We didn't get the CIP, but Iguess we're going to talk about
that here a second.
Speaker 5 (52:40):
Well, I don't know I don't have any more.
I've got to leave.
At know I don't have any more.
Speaker 7 (52:47):
I'm good, we need to go.
Does it have to be an employeeor could it be a contribution to
one of the rescues?
That they designate a person.
Speaker 5 (52:59):
Contract no.
Speaker 6 (53:03):
That's like picking your favorite child, yeah.
I think it needs to be anemployee of the county alright,
I guess we can resolve that,assuming the position gets
identified as something we wantto designate where it's going to
(53:23):
go sounds like commissionerscourt, alright.
So before you leave identifiedas something we want to
designate where it's going to go.
Sounds like commissioner'scourt is what it's in.
All right, so before you leave,is there Tina?
Yes, cip discussion yes.
Speaker 7 (53:39):
If I recall, can we talk about that on the 11th?
Speaker 5 (53:41):
Yes, Right, yes.
Speaker 1 (53:45):
So now you heard the clip and at the end of it it
seems hopeful right that we'regoing to hire an outreach
coordinator and that we're goingto be able to place that
outreach coordinator under thecommissioner's court
Commissioner's Court with thelong-term goal of separating
(54:09):
shelter operations and animalcontrol operations, what I think
everyone wants.
So that was a good thing.
I left this positive.
I was talking to some of theanimal rights advocates and they
were happy and ecstatic aboutthat.
(54:30):
But the next day after thismeeting this meeting was on
Tuesday.
Oh no, it was on Monday.
This meeting was on Monday thisweek.
After that, that Tuesday, I gotword that the sheriff is
(54:59):
against an outreach coordinatorthat is not under his office,
that he doesn't have any controlover.
So you know that's going to bethe source of contention on
(55:24):
Monday, of engagement andadvocating and staying it.
You know, reaching out to yourelected officials, we're going
to do something, but what we dois up to you.
Remember that what we do is upto you.
So stay engaged.
Remember that what we do is upto you, so stay engaged.
(55:44):
I hope you're able to come outMonday.
If not, you can go on theCommissioner's Court website.
Look at our agenda.
There's ways that you canparticipate if you're not able
to come in person.
If you want to participate fora conference link, you just have
(56:07):
to register with Shelly Koston,our county clerk, at least one
hour prior to the 9 am meetingon August 11th and you can
testify from your home or fromwork, or from your car or
wherever you're at you couldtestify.
(56:28):
So let's utilize all of ourresources that we have to stay
engaged and hopefully at ournext meeting, our next podcast,
we'll have some good news foryou.
So stay tuned, stay engaged.
(56:52):
There is a meeting tomorrowProject 2026, that the Coalition
of Black Democrats are puttingon of Bell County, so I'll be
attending that, I'll be apanelist on that, and so I'm
looking forward to all this goodstuff that's going on this
weekend and I will talk to younext week.
We'll be you next time.
welcome.
You're listening to the louisminor show.
I'm your host, bell county,commissioner, louis minor.
Today is august 8th 2005 and wehave a lot of stuff to cover.
There's a lot of things goingon and the county.
So let's get to it.
(00:24):
Let's get to the agenda forMonday, august 11th, at nine in
the morning at the Bell CountyHistoric Courthouse in downtown
Belton, as always, we have theinvocation.
As always, we have theinvocation pledge of allegiance,
(00:56):
and then we have considereddates for public hearings and
for the approval of the budgetand tax rate.
Item A is first tax rate publichearing, august 20th 2025 at 6
pm.
B budget public hearing, august25th 2025 at 9 am.
Second, tax rate public hearing, august 25th 2005 at 9 am and
(01:20):
then adoption of the 2026 budgetand tax rate, august 25th 2025
at 9 am.
So those are items that we'llconsider.
Next item is presentation ofthe proposed FY 2026 budget.
County judge will give hislittle budget presentation.
(01:45):
Then, item five discuss andconsider elected official
salaries for FY 2026.
Item six discuss and considerfunding outreach coordinator for
Bell County Animal Shelter FY2026.
Reach Coordinator for BellCounty Animal Shelter FY2026.
Item 7, discuss and ConsiderFunding Additional Clerk
(02:10):
Position for JP2 and JP3, place2, and FY2026.
Then we have Item 8, discussand Consider Funding Increase
for Rodenbridge, rodenbridgedirector salary and FY 2026.
Then, finally, we have considerapproval of the proposed tax
(02:45):
rate for notice of publichearing purposes for the FY 2026
budget tax rate.
So that one is key because oncewe send out that public notice
we cannot go above.
Whatever that public notice is,we can always go lower but we
cannot go above.
So just FYI for that part, andthat's it for Monday's meeting
(03:10):
that we'll be discussing.
So what's going on in Texas?
State Democrats, the Democraticcaucus, house caucus has fled
the state has broke quorumbecause the Republicans are
(03:33):
trying to redistrict ourcongressional seats because
President Trump has directedthem to.
So I was at a rallyredistricting hearing down at
the Capitol.
You know people are not happy,people are upset and I don't
blame them.
You know, mid redistrictingit's been done once before, it's
(04:02):
been done once before.
But they're trying to get fiveseats out of Texas.
So for them to do that, theproposed map has some crazy
lines and it's really a shamewhat they're doing.
They did say you know, supremeCourt ruled a couple years ago
(04:36):
that you can gerrymander forpolitical purposes but you
cannot gerrymander for race andthose are, you know, pretty hand
in hand.
As far as you know, majorityminority districts typically
vote Democratic, and so they'regoing to pack those, crack those
, and it's going to be allowed.
So it's a real shame whatthey're doing, this power grab,
(04:59):
but it's not going unanswered.
Not going unanswered.
Illinois, new York andCalifornia, all are threatening
to do the same thing.
So yeah, so I text, I haveRepresentative John Busey's cell
phone number he's a longtimefriend of mine Representative
(05:23):
Gina Hinojosa, vicki Goodwin,josie Garcia I text them all
encouragement and support andthanking them for standing up
for Texans and that we're notgoing to allow this to happen.
But locally, one of the thingsthat I talked about that's going
(05:46):
to be on Monday is funding aposition called the Outreach
Coordinator.
So let me kind of bring to youwhy all this is coming up.
So I'll play a little clip.
Speaker 2 (06:02):
Advocates met with a Bell County Commissioner about
the conditions and practices ofthe Bell County Animal Shelter.
They are raising concerns aboutthe limited space, leadership
and, most of all, spike ineuthanizations.
6 News reporter Sydney Walkeris live in studio to share more
about the push to make theshelter no-kill Sydney.
Speaker 3 (06:20):
Over 400 animals have been euthanized by the Bell
County Animal Shelter sinceJanuary.
Commissioner Louie Minor, withthe help of locals, wants to put
an end to that.
Speaker 1 (06:31):
So y'all can understand the processes for
Bell County and then how we canhelp.
How y'all can help me.
Speaker 3 (06:40):
Animal lovers in Bell County have been vocal about
concerns with the county animalshelter.
Speaker 1 (06:46):
A volunteer emailed all the commissioners and wanted
to bring to our attention theincreased euthanasia rate.
Speaker 3 (06:53):
Bell County Commissioner Louie Miner
listened.
Speaker 1 (06:56):
Since the new sheriff took over, I guess there was a
change in policy and that led toincreased euthanization of
animals.
Speaker 3 (07:05):
He was shocked at what he found.
Speaker 1 (07:07):
The numbers that we got, it was over 621, and to me
that's unacceptable.
Speaker 3 (07:12):
In numbers obtained by 6 News, in June, 67 dogs were
adopted, but 60 were euthanized.
Cats have a larger gap, withonly 43 adopted and 126
euthanized.
Speaker 1 (07:24):
Half the animals that you've probably seen at the
animal shelter probably won't behere in a week.
Speaker 3 (07:29):
He said.
Volunteers told him that thelive release rate has dropped
from 80 percent to 46.
Many blame the sheriff's office.
The group in charge of theshelter Minor believes they
should no longer be in charge.
Speaker 1 (07:40):
They should not be in the animal shelter business.
Speaker 3 (07:43):
In discussion with local advocates, budgeting was a
main topic.
Speaker 1 (07:46):
Authority is over the budget and with that budget
we're able to move things around.
Speaker 3 (07:52):
But the main goal making the shelter no-kill.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
We get a no-kill shelter here in Bell County.
That's what my goal is.
That's what everyone's heregoal is.
Speaker 3 (08:03):
Locals had many ideas , from establishing a foster
program, emphasizing spay andneuter programs and even
creating an outreach coordinatorposition, all to help Bell
County's furry friends.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
I'm no expert in that .
I'm going to rely on theexperts here to tell us what we
need to accomplish that, but Ithink it's something that can be
accomplished because otherplaces are doing it.
Discussions continue Monday atthe next Bell County
commissioners meeting Locals areencouraged to attend All righty
.
Thank you, sydney.
So you heard that, that, thatthat is the problem, that our
(08:37):
new sheriff, sheriff Bill Cook,changed policies and you know
there's a lot of stuff going onin the county and we don't hear
what's going on unless someonebrings it to our attention.
Person that volunteers at theanimal shelter was complaining
(08:59):
about the euthanasia rateincreasing and that a bunch of
animals they estimated hundredshave been unnecessarily
(09:21):
euthanized.
So I started looking into it.
I'm not on the Animal AdvisoryBoard.
Commissioner Whitson is on theAnimal Advisory Board and
supposed to have a vet.
There's some people from theSheriff's Office that are there.
A member of the public, ms AnkaNgu from Precinct 4, is on it.
(09:43):
So I started getting all thesetroubling reports of things
going on over there and fromwhat I was told is that there's
a new policy that tin kennelsare supposed to be free either
(10:04):
at the beginning of the day orthe end of the day because they
want to keep room in casesomething comes in.
So there's only one way, atleast right now, to free up
kennels Either they get adoptedor they get euthanized and
(10:25):
that's it.
So I mean you know I startedgetting information from the
animal advocates, the rescues.
There's a bunch of them in BellCounty.
You know this was not somethingthat I was well informed on, so
(10:46):
my guide is the law, thestatutes and then best practices
of what's going on with othershelters in the area.
This meeting that I had, I hadover 50 people show up to voice
(11:07):
their concerns and wanting ano-kill animal shelter, among
other things.
We were trying to findsolutions.
At the end of the day, we needto get the rate down and get
more animals moved into adoptionor another home, their forever
(11:30):
home.
So what does no kill mean?
No kill generally means thatyou have a 90% live animal
placement rate.
90% live animal placement rate,so 90% of the animals that come
into the shelter have to gosomewhere alive and that's not
(11:55):
happening From my understanding.
What people told us?
That we were at 80%, 85%,something like that.
Pretty good, pretty good, notquite no kill, but you know it
was a pretty good rate.
But after the new sheriffimplemented this policy, that
(12:18):
got us down to 46% and that'sunacceptable.
621 animals dogs and cats havebeen euthanized in Bell County
and that's not acceptable to meand it wasn't acceptable to all
the people.
So I heard them, I startedlistening to them, I called
meetings and I think we're goingto try and get some stuff done,
(12:41):
at least, at a minimum, hire anoutreach coordinator.
So after my meeting that whatthis news clip that I just
played from Channel 6 covered wehad a meeting of the
commissioner's court to talkabout increasing the budget,
(13:02):
talking about, maybe, staffmoving the animal shelter, and
we're talking about this nowbecause we're trying to figure
out the budget for next year.
So this is about a 30-minuteclip, a little bit more than 30
minutes, but I want you to hearwhat the commissioners are
(13:23):
saying.
I want you to hear what thecommissioners are saying.
I want you to hear what thejudge is saying.
No one from the shelter or thesheriff's department really
spoke during this part.
Some of the animal advocateswere at the beginning of the
meeting and spoke in favor ofhiring an outreach coordinator,
moving it from the sheriff'sdepartment.
(13:44):
There's probably about six orseven people, but they left
after the beginning of themeeting and then, probably two
hours later, we had a chance torevisit the animal shelter.
So let me play this for you andyou'll be able to hear what we
(14:08):
are talking about.
So let me pull up this clip.
Speaker 5 (14:14):
Okay.
Speaker 6 (14:17):
We'll get with that, all right.
Speaker 4 (14:17):
Animal shelters.
So the animal shelters budgetis $620,596.
Speaker 6 (14:26):
Yeah, hang on.
Pause there for a second,because I saw that in the
handout they did, but when Ilooked at the budget.
I didn't get that, or maybe I'mlooking at the wrong sheet.
This is what Tina gave me.
Speaker 7 (14:38):
Are you looking in the budget folder?
No, no, I'm talking to you.
Speaker 6 (14:43):
No, you're talking to me.
I may be looking in the wrongplace.
Let me find it.
What I got was $526,486.
That's last year's yes, so the$610 is what's proposed no no no
, it says the county spends$625.96.
What I see in the budgetworksheets is $526.486 is what
(15:08):
the amended budget is for FY25.
Speaker 1 (15:11):
That might be for employees.
Speaker 6 (15:12):
That's this current year.
Speaker 7 (15:14):
Yes, what you asked for is what was in the budget
for.
Fy26.
Speaker 5 (15:21):
What is that?
Speaker 7 (15:22):
That's not what we spent this year.
Speaker 6 (15:25):
What's in the budget for FY26, next year?
$620,591.
The sheet says the countyspends it's $52626 486.
That's this year's current, butthat's the current budget for
this year.
What is it?
Okay, I just want to make sure.
I want to make sure I got theright numbers.
(15:46):
What do we got?
What do we have budgeted forthis?
What we're talking about is thebudget for next year, correct?
Yes, what have we budgeted forthat?
Six hundred twenty thousandfive thousand six.
Okay, all right, okay, okay,got it.
I just want to make sure.
What number?
Okay, so of that 625.96.
Speaker 1 (16:06):
527 736 is employee salaries.
Uh animal control officers uh.
The remaining 92 860 isoperational for for the shelter
and if you subtract mealslodging uh schools, take all
(16:30):
that out of it.
Speaker 6 (16:30):
That's employee related at least 56 900.
That I guess is going to yes,correct Stuff like that vaccines
, vet services, all that stuff.
So we heard our residentswanting increases to that.
I think Rescue Magazine onFriday they came and spoke.
Speaker 1 (16:56):
Ron said that he donated 80,000 pounds of food to
the shelter last year.
Speaker 6 (17:04):
I don't know if we keep tabs of donations.
We do.
Speaker 7 (17:09):
There's a separate revenue and cost center for that
.
Speaker 4 (17:14):
So we track all donations to the shelter.
Speaker 6 (17:17):
How much is that?
Ten thousand ish and twelvethousand haven't been fed, not
no, I mean, that was my question.
And when we get to this was Iwant to add money for food?
Are are the animals feelinghungry?
That this was.
You want to add money for food?
(17:38):
Are the animals feeling hungry?
No, not that I'm aware of.
Not that I'm aware of either.
But, you know what's yourproposal.
I was going to bump it up to$7,000.
What the food cost?
So it's $15,000 right now.
First off, we're not runningthe shelter.
That's under the sheriff andthe sheriff didn't request that.
That's another running theshelter.
That's under the sheriff andthe sheriff didn't request that.
That's another.
(17:58):
We're assuming when you saidthat we don't have enough money
for food, one would think, justlike the judge said, dogs aren't
getting fed.
I think they're getting fedproperly.
Well, and they haven't spentthe $15,000 that they had
budgeted this year.
That's what I'm looking at too.
They haven't spent the $15,000that they had budgeted this year
.
That's what I'm looking at too.
They haven't spent the moneythey.
So just because there's aplaceholder there does not
(18:21):
that's based on historicalnumbers to say we know we
probably need about $15,000 offood.
If that were to decrease, or if, for some reason, food costs
dealt with, let's say, this year, then we can fix that and add
we would fix it.
Speaker 5 (18:35):
We would fix it and add $7,000.
Speaker 6 (18:37):
There will be $30,000 .
They're not going to get fed.
I think the misperception is weonly budget $15,000 and we need
$21,000.
So you guys are short andyou're not feeding your dogs.
I don't think that happens.
They got to look and see whatwe pay we're feeding everybody
and see what we've spent versuswhat we've done.
(18:58):
I just don't think there's ashortfall.
There's not a shortfall.
Speaker 7 (19:01):
Because none of that takes into consideration
donations of food.
Speaker 6 (19:06):
But historically that's what I was going to ask,
it's okay.
Speaker 7 (19:11):
We track monetary donations that come in.
We don't track dog food thatcomes in.
We don't track physical itemsthat come in.
We don't track dog food thatcomes in.
We don't track physical itemsthat come in, we only track
monetary.
And then we have an expensedepartment or expense cost
center for them to spend those.
Speaker 4 (19:28):
So we're still sending donations.
It's not in there If someonecomes in and writes a check for
$500, that goes into adesignated fund that's in there,
but if somebody brings in twobags of dog food, that's not.
Speaker 6 (19:42):
It's not a trick, that, but we have actually been
inundated with dog food where wehad to we have to give it away
to some other way where we canstore it for them.
We'll tell you that too much,but the animal facility control
facilities around the county, inTemple there used to be.
What's the that food?
Dums, dums, dums, dums, dums,dums, dums, dums, dums, dums,
(20:04):
dums, dums, dums, dums, dums,dums, dums.
Dums, dums.
Speaker 7 (20:12):
Dums, dums I thought there was an agreement with,
like PetSmart or Petco, one ofthose two where they get certain
.
Speaker 6 (20:20):
PetSmart sends a truckload.
I'm just saying it might be,it's not an area of need.
Well, I mean, I wanted tocomment on this because you've
got to.
Also, you can't just see what'sbudgeted and say we're going to
spend that and I calculate wefeed the dogs so they're not
getting fed.
You've got to look and seewhat's spent and what's not
spent and what's needed, and ifit's needed we're going to spend
(20:42):
it, absolutely, except it wasvaccines.
Speaker 5 (20:45):
We don't want to over-money it.
Speaker 7 (20:47):
I mean that's the thing, Because they do have
those donations.
Speaker 6 (20:53):
And I think that we didn't cut anything with the
animal control.
What they requested is whatthey thought they needed because
they're running it.
We actually gave them a couplemore people, I think, over the
last couple years.
Speaker 1 (21:07):
The animal service contract that does not include
vaccines or does includevaccines.
Speaker 7 (21:14):
It includes whatever we pay coming out of the
operating budget to the vets.
Speaker 6 (21:21):
Whatever they see fit .
But we buy vaccines at theshelter and not rabies, because
the vet has to do that but thepuppy vaccine, kitten vaccines
and the what do you call it?
We buy that and we administrateit.
Well, that's what wassurprising to me when she said
that there were some that wenthome without vaccines.
I'm like, well, how do you knowthat?
(21:42):
Because even if you have a dogthat comes in on a 70-hour hold
and we vaccinate it, it canstill get parvo a day later
Because that, particularlydepending on the age, you've got
to have three to four boostersbefore that really holds and
boosters before that reallyholds, and a dog that's
malnourished doesn't have a goodefficacy of the vaccine.
Anyway, you can give it fivevaccines and it'll go home and
get parvo the next day if ithits somebody with parvo.
(22:04):
So just because a dog got parvowhen it got home does not mean
it wasn't vaccinated.
That I would depend more onChuck and the crew there to let
me know if they were vaccinatedor not, because I think we keep
records of that and we shouldknow if we didn't vaccinate one,
and there may be reasons not tovaccinate one.
I mean, I know veterinariansthat had a dog that come in that
(22:24):
was not healthy and said don'tgive it the vaccine because the
vaccine, if it's not an entirelykilled virus, could cause more
problems than good and won'tvaccinate them until they're
healthy and then vaccinate them.
So, typically, when we raisethose that you're talking about
raising right now as we wentthrough their budget hearings,
we're looking at every one ofthose, yeah, and when you see
that we either are right atspending everything we still
(22:49):
have a half a year to go and weprobably need to bump that up or
, if we're not spending, but aquarter of it and you'll see
what you spent the year beforethe year before.
There's no sense in doubling itif you're not going to spend it
.
Speaker 7 (23:03):
And I'm looking at their donations cost center.
It looks like they spend someof that on those vaccines.
Speaker 6 (23:09):
I think most of that's spent on vaccines, if I
recall.
I appreciate the spend out.
Yeah, this is handy.
They did the PublicAccountability for Animal
Welfare Association, I guess,but I think they did some really
good work putting this together.
One thing I wanted to ask islike in Lampasas County, if it's
(23:32):
42, are there any cities thathave animal patrol or animal
shelters, Like in Bell County?
Yeah, we have three.
We have three others than thatas far as number of kennels, and
I have no clue how much Templeor Killeen or whoever else has
Heights, Heights.
So if you're going to compareand again I'm not sure if any of
(23:56):
these other counties havecities Like the city of Lampas
yeah, the city of Lampas, Idon't know.
I was going to ask thatquestion, that was my issue.
But my question on both thefood and vaccines for phase one
suggestion is I think thoseneeds are being met right now.
(24:16):
I don't know that there needsto be an infusion of additional
dollars or resources there.
I don't think.
Sorry, we keep interrupting.
Speaker 4 (24:25):
No, no, no I enjoy the discussion.
Speaker 1 (24:28):
The MOU agreements that we have with the other
cities, I guess.
Speaker 6 (24:33):
I've never seen any of those for animal control
services, I think we have a copyof them upstairs.
I'm just curious when the lasttime those were updated?
Do we have any requirementsonto the city as far as vaccines
or any of these things that wehave to do?
I know Salado's is a flat$5,000 fee a year and that was
(24:57):
based on how many animals theywere generally taking in.
And we did that one two yearsago, maybe three.
It was very long ago because Ihelped facilitate that Belton.
They were being billedindividually and it was coming
up to about $3,500 a year andSalado said look, we don't want
to, we'll just make it $5,000.
And they just paid that.
(25:18):
Um, I don't know what button'sagreement is, but part of
belton's agreement does includean animal control officer,
because they do all their ownanimal control.
Just use our facility, right,and their animal control officer
helps in our facility too whenhe's not picking up animals.
Um, so those are used.
I mean, I don't remember seeingthem come across our desk.
Speaker 7 (25:38):
I don't know.
Speaker 6 (25:38):
Any time recently.
Speaker 7 (25:40):
As far as I can recall, they're evergreen.
Speaker 6 (25:41):
They've been there a long time.
Speaker 7 (25:42):
So later.
Speaker 6 (25:44):
Are you updating them ?
Yeah, but to me that begs kindof a bigger, broader question,
kind of all of this.
And again, I appreciate whatthey laid out in their handout
there.
They laid out in their handoutthere Conceptually, depending
upon what the court wants to dowith what I would call the
(26:04):
mission of animal control,because I think what's being
proposed is a different missionthan what we have right now.
I think animal control, theanimal control facility that we
have, really was never intendedto operate like what I would
consider a shelter to the outershelter.
That's not what it is.
It's a facility and it'sprimarily aimed at meeting
public safety needs.
(26:25):
I think that's the primedirective and I think that's the
mission that the Sheriff'sDepartment and Animal Control
has been given.
I think what we've heard thepast couple of meetings is
comments from some that theywant to see a different mission
adopted, and I think what we do,especially when you get down to
(26:49):
everything past the food andthe vaccines, depends on what
the mission is.
What's the mission we want toadopt, so to speak, for animal
services, and there's all kindsof questions afloat on that.
But I mean, you know, like theoutreach coordinator, for
example, I am fully supportiveof that.
(27:12):
I think having some sort ofperson dedicated to work with
those outside agencies and tobetter coordinate efforts is
needed, especially if we'regoing to adopt a different
mission.
The challenge I have with it iscan we make that work without
(27:38):
we've got some governance issues?
I mean, if that position werefunded, would it work for the
sheriff and to me, I kind of seethe sheriff's position and the
animal control division positionas not geared toward again
(27:58):
sheltering missions.
That's not what their aim is.
And so where do you set that up?
How do you set that up?
And then the facility.
I don't think the facility wasdesigned or is being operated in
a manner that facilitates a newmission.
(28:20):
I don't think it does.
But I mean, I think there'sjust a whole lot of collateral
issues that just kind of flowfrom do we want to adopt a new
mission for animal services?
That is more than just fundinga position, which, again, I
think there does need to be aposition like that, and I think
(28:44):
that position can facilitate achange in mission if we're going
to change that mission, becauseright now the sheriff's job is
animal control and they do thatvery well.
Now there's some people whodon't like the way that's going
on because we euthanize a lot ofanimals because of that, but
(29:05):
understand most of those animalsthat come in that we euthanize,
I mean they're very unhealthy,they're rabid, they're they're
not adoptable because most ofwhat we picked up is not a
little fluffy off the street.
So the ones that we do pick upthat are fluffy, and then we've
got too much space, we don'thave enough space and they're
considering euthanizing themsimply for space.
(29:25):
That adoption coordinator couldmove those quicker quicker
through having goodrelationships with all the
rescues that work very wellaround here and move those
quicker and get those out ofthere until we can have another
facility, potentially shelter,if we decide to go there.
I know you mentioned thisbuilding here in Belton, but
(29:46):
that would require purchasingand it looked like it needs to
be cleaned up.
Yeah, it needs some TLC.
I mean we still have thatbuilding that we're about to get
from CCS and Temple, yeah, butthat's going to need a lot of
work to make it Kenwood, kenwoodyou're going to have to start
foundation, strokes, a lot of it, draining and washing out and
all that kind of stuff.
I guess that I was a little bitdisappointed in that.
(30:08):
I think everyone that spoke theimpression and even I guess
that's what the news was here topick up is that we're
underfunding the Animal ControlCenter, of which we're not.
We're not underfunding food,we're not underfunding
vaccinations and all that stuff,because no one looked at the
amount of what we're spending.
They just looked at what wehave budgeted and then they're
(30:31):
making their own assumptions andcalculations that we don't have
enough money in there to feedthese animals.
That's what's disappointing andthat's not the message here.
Two years ago we spent justunder $400,000 on that facility
and two years ago we all sat uphere and the sheriff said we
need more help, we need morestuff, we need more space then
(30:53):
and we bumped that up to$526,000 last year, which I
don't think we quite spent allof it.
It was budgeted but we werepretty close to it and then
$610,000 this year.
We added another $92,000 thisyear to facilitate that for
health and everything.
So we have been makingimprovements to that.
As a matter of fact, we have awhole new regime that now has
focused on that even more.
(31:13):
And the only animal controlboard meeting we had this year
was in March, which we weresupposed to have in quarterly.
I went to one other meeting theyear before because they never
the folks that were running itat that time only scheduled one,
so we didn't get to talk allabout them.
But this year we've had the onein March, we had another one
scheduled this last month whichwe had, and all these same
(31:35):
people do, and they want toaddress the court.
So they came and addressed thecourt.
That's all fine, but I thinkall these things they're wanting
to do.
As a matter of fact, at thatanimal control meeting we had
and they were talking about it,we said we are doing these
things, we're looking at theseoptions right now and even
having conversations about a CIP, if we need to expand the
facility that we have or buyanother facility as a shelter.
(31:57):
To expand the facility that wehave or buy another facility as
a shelter, that's a regime, youknow, that's a culture change
for us.
But, um, we are in the processof those.
I I don't disagree with any ofthat, but I don't.
I I thought we had put enoughmoney in the budget this year,
with me looking at it, knowingwhat we're talking about the
animal patrol, that we werefacilitating the things that the
new animal patrol staff wantedto facilitate, and I think a lot
(32:20):
of this came about becausewe've got a couple of
individuals that disagree overhow that place is being run,
which we're always going to havethat, and so because of that we
had some more discussions,which are great, but I I think a
big, which I don't believe wefix in this budget cycle at all
big discussion is do we want tohave the sheriff just be animal
(32:42):
control and maybe us or somebodyelse handle a shelter facility
and change what we're doing now,or do we want to remain animal
control?
And I think, even if we justremain animal control, I think
that person that we're talkingabout, some outreach type
coordinator, could work at thatanimal control office and much
(33:02):
better at full time.
Just keep anything that comesas adoptable after it's 72 hours
it's going to a rescuesomewhere and and that we could
do without having to buysomething even if we're going to
(33:25):
buy, he runs the door.
Speaker 8 (33:29):
You know your boots on the ground and you have us
with boots on the ground, youknow the county.
Speaker 4 (33:35):
He wants to know about JP's of days past.
Which one, mads Turner?
Yeah, you know, floyd CampbellI did yes, precinct One came to
county jail every day, sevendays a week.
Speaker 5 (33:47):
Four days a week.
Speaker 4 (33:49):
Back in the days when you came to work in the county
to serve the people.
Bigger picture than just animalcontrol facility.
Animal control for theSheriff's Department.
Several things To enforce theordinance that this court
adopted in 2011.
Okay, that's rabies control.
Second mission loose livestockFalls under agricultural code.
(34:15):
If a cow is running down MainStreet in Killeen Texas, it's
the sheriff's responsibility,it's not KPD's.
It's all one picture.
That's why, when we wereputting together a transition
last fall, that came up.
(34:35):
We need one person to manageall things livestock related,
animal related.
So that's kind of where we'reat.
I think it's great.
I've got some ideas that Ithink I'd like to workshop with
the court in a few weeks.
We're still putting themtogether.
But let me describe the animalshelter that we found when we
(34:58):
got here.
Two words dumpster fire.
I had a visit on a Saturdaymorning with another member of
the board of the shelter boardthat told me that it started
spiraling about two and a halfyears ago.
You were here, I wasn't.
(35:18):
I was happily retired.
I was only here a year ago onthe animal board.
Anyway, that's true.
The last time I sat on thatboard it the animal board.
Anyway, that's true.
The last time I sat on thatboard it was Commissioner Driver
, driver, yeah, so there's awhole lot of issues to be
addressed.
My custodian of record I'veasked her to come in case
(35:40):
there's any mentioning aboutrecords, because she has been
inundated with open recordsrequests from these people to
the point where we can't getanything else done.
She also has to worry aboutsubpoenas and discovery for
court expunctions and thingsalong that nature.
So we're trying to get them outas much as we can and we're not
trying to hide anything fromanybody.
But when you go to the dumpsterthat's on fire, it's hard to
(36:01):
find these records.
Once you do find them, you findclumps of stuff that's been
stapled together.
You've got to take time to Ithink 16 hours.
You worked on one last week.
One request 16 hours later.
So we got a plan putting ittogether.
We hope to bring it back to youin a few weeks in the workshop.
(36:23):
Let you know which way we'reheading.
Your own point about havingsomeone be that coordinator and
if we did have a separatefacility as an adoption facility
, that person could manage thataspect.
If not, have that one personworking with our animal shelter
folks so that, once that animalcan leave the shelter coordinate
(36:47):
with these different adoptiongroups.
Some of them, I think, arebreed specific and those okay.
So if you don't have anyDachshunds today or any German
Shepherd, then they got to gosomewhere else and some of the
confusion in the last couple ofweeks one person was upset
because somebody else got a dogthat they were supposed to get
(37:10):
or something like that, and thensome some words were said about
having vaccination papers.
That's not what the ordinancesays, that's just what people
came up with.
So we got to get protocols inplace.
We've got to get planned andmove forward, but you're not
going to get away from an animalshelter as long as you want the
sheriff to enforce your rabiesordinance.
(37:33):
Do I have any questions?
Speaker 6 (37:38):
How do you think the sheriff would react to an
outreach coordinator that didnot work for him?
Speaker 4 (37:42):
I think that would be great.
I think he would accept that asa wonderful thing.
I've kind of tossed that aroundthis weekend Having that person
that's not associated, not apart of a group, a non-profit
group, not a part of thesheriff's office, it's an
independent person.
Speaker 6 (37:57):
Because again, as you said, as we've said again, the
mission for Animal ControlDivision is not necessarily
focused on adoptions and fosterhomes and all those things.
Not at all.
It's just not focused.
And I'm not throwing a rock atthat.
As you've outlined, you've gotother duties that that facility
has to do.
(38:19):
But that said, if the mission isgoing to change or expand and I
didn't take you know, russell,I didn't necessarily take the
comments to be that we weren'tspending enough on food or
vaccines, that kind of stuff Itook the comments to mean we
want to see euthanasia ratesdrop, we want to see foster
(38:41):
opportunities for the animals toincrease, we want to see those
kinds of things.
I saw that too.
But when they speakspecifically on the dollar
amount for dog food,specifically on vaccine, we
don't have enough money in thereto raise it, I think those are
the ones that are misinformed onnot having enough.
(39:04):
I promise you, everyone'sthinking they're thinking that
we don't have enough money tofeed these dogs.
No, I 100% agree with that.
I think and I hopefully woulddispel a little bit of that
today that there is those arenot, those are funded.
I'm just saying I think theirpush was let's increase, let's
expand our services in thoseareas so that we can reach some
(39:26):
objectives in terms of gettingdogs adopted and cats and
animals and all that kind ofstuff.
And to me the partnership thatwe have to have with these
private agencies and entitiesaround the county is critical.
I mean, whether we have anotherfacility or whether we utilize
the capacity that might be outthere with those existing
(39:46):
private shelters that are in theplace or other public shelters
that might be in place.
Have that what I would call aliaison position, not under the
sheriff, so that they canliaison with those private
agencies, but would need fullsupport, full access, all that
(40:13):
kind of stuff to animal servicesfor that One of the things
we're approaching as far as thatrecords management.
Speaker 4 (40:20):
We have a steering committee that meets first
Tuesday of every month with Adam.
Steering committee that meetsfirst Tuesday of every month
with Adam and it's specificallyto go over software and
development things that theSheriff's office is using.
What are using is antiquated.
Where do we need to go forward?
This covers everything frombody camera footage to uh uh,
jail surveillance.
First, one thing.
Another Tomorrow is our Augustmeeting and on our agenda is for
(40:43):
Adam's crew to develop asoftware program that's usable
for us within the shelter that'snot antiquated like they
currently have.
That way we will be able toproduce record information much
faster At our fingertips.
So Adam's already gave thethumbs up.
(41:03):
We're moving forward with that,so we hope to have her software
that be accessible.
Speaker 8 (41:10):
It's nothing in our statutes that are directed to us
by the state that we need tohave an animal shelter, but we
do have to take care ofsituations where they are
breaking the law or creatingproblems.
We have to take care of theanimal control as part of our
program.
Speaker 6 (41:26):
So we expand that.
But you have to shelter animalsfor 72 hours before you can do
anything with them to make surethey get an opportunity to pick
their animal up.
They get bored.
You've got rabies quarantine.
It's got to be there 10 daysUnderstood, Understood, all of
that.
Speaker 8 (41:39):
So my thing, is as the rent's done.
We need, we need need theshelter and the adoption and all
of that people who are involvedin that.
They're really going to careabout it and just like all these
other adoption agencies.
When I get the laugh from mycontrol auditor, is it me?
(42:01):
Is it me, not you at all?
Okay, my suggestion would bethere is a way for us to just
draw out of the same betweenanimal control and shelter, and
try to privatize that aspect,kind of like we do with
(42:22):
typically any clinic, if thatsaves us some money.
Speaker 5 (42:26):
We've got $625,000.
The general now cost us$400,000.
We take care of the $200,000.
We facilitate that privateentity.
Speaker 6 (42:39):
And then that way we've got equal managing that
are there.
But there's also an issue ofthe facility that we currently
have now is not designed to be ashelter.
It is really just an intakeunit, because if you have a
healthy dog that needs to getsent out somewhere, it's in
there with all the same air andeverything as all the sick
(43:00):
animals and you bring somebodyin to show them.
This dog down here and they gotto see all that too.
Speaker 4 (43:06):
it's hard to adopt, that's right, and and medically
they need to be segregated, Iagree, especially when they're
young final mission on that,when I said it, more than just
maintaining a shelter animalcontrol officers also
responsible for investigatingand assisting in the prosecution
(43:28):
of many criminal cases.
Last Friday, precinct 4, we gota call to an abandoned house
that had two very obviouslydeceased dogs and then one live
dog that was obviouslymalnourished and underfed and
hadn't had water in a while andobtained warrants to collect the
(43:51):
two deceased dogs and the livedog.
We fortunately got the live dog.
I think it took a while.
That night we got it to a vetand got it in good shape.
I think it's at the shelter nowbeing taken care of, but it's
actually evidence in a criminalcase now being taken care of,
but it's actually, uh, evidencein a criminal case.
So that's totally differentthan adopting.
Speaker 6 (44:10):
animals are totally different than there's going to
be those kinds of animals andothers that are not going to be
adopted, just, and maybe thatwill help.
But but I mean there may besome vicious dogs that you'll up
, there may be some dogs thatare not able to.
There's not going to leave,they're not leaving.
That's why no-kill as Iunderstand it, the definition of
(44:33):
no-kill facility is 90% out,but 10% don't make it out.
But those no-kill shelters arenot animal control facilities.
Right, no-kill shelters are notanimal control.
So we can take animal controland do everything that needs to
be done there and help theanimals come out of there and go
to a shelter and have a no-killshelter pretty easily, I think.
(44:54):
And I also think it doesn'tnecessarily need to be us doing
it because we have so many.
I mean, you've met them,they're really good at what they
do.
If we had any use of thosefolks who come down there all
the time and want to get animalsfrom us, as a matter of fact,
some of the biggest complaintswe've gotten are they won't give
us the animal.
They would take the animal ifwe would give it to them.
That's why I think the outreachcoordinator would be able to
(45:16):
better facilitate that and makesure if that animal needs to be
out of that facility go tolooking for somebody to take it
today, once it's past 72 hoursor whatever the case might be.
So are we going to find aoutreach coordinator?
I wrote that down as an itemvote on.
(45:38):
Actually, do we have asuggested salary?
Well, they suggested 37 plusbenefits and more than I think a
couple of people said theythought that was more than
adequate.
Speaker 8 (45:53):
So Steve, who did that?
That's deputy clerk one 37.
How do we kind of fix thatthere are more extractives on
markets?
Where would that person report?
You said it would be anindependent.
Speaker 6 (46:01):
The county judge.
Do you have a recommendation?
I would suggest that we getthat and get those MOUs and
understand what we're doing,because even right now, what I'm
hearing is, even if we get 10dogs tomorrow that are adoptable
, we've got a spot to put themwith 40 dogs that are sick.
(46:25):
See, my thinking was that's oneof the tasks that you get to
the outreach program, but youshould go develop the MOU,
develop a plan, bring it forward.
Okay, instead of well, thatshould, yeah, 100% be what we
change the mission so thatposition can report to the court
(46:47):
.
Then I don't think so.
I mean, who else is it going toreport to the sheriff?
The sheriff of the court?
I would not put it in thesheriff Because I think they're
two different missions.
Speaker 7 (47:04):
Yeah, so Bob's not in here.
Speaker 8 (47:16):
She just threw you right under the bus.
They've learned.
Speaker 6 (47:28):
Jeff, they don't look at all the way into that chair
back there, the only area thatwe have to potentially program
is that control center.
For now, I think we're going toget into a CIP discussion and
there's going to be suggestionsabout that.
We're going to get into a CIPdiscussion and there's going to
be suggestions about that.
But even if that's the onlyfacility we have, again, it
(47:52):
seems to me like the coordinatorcould be tasked to go out and
identify capacity that's in theprivate sector and you work with
that?
Doing a foster program.
I think we've got a list thatwe've got right now.
We got a list, the other day 50people.
Speaker 5 (48:08):
Yes, yes, that's what I'm saying.
We mobilize and help supportthe people that are going to
have interest in our community.
Speaker 6 (48:19):
And I think we should do that before we go buy or
build another facility yes, Iagree, before we go buy or build
another facility.
And then we're the person thatobviously has got to be involved
with your program A hundredpercent.
Obviously, this person is goingto have to tell your people or
you what you should andshouldn't do.
No, not tell they're gettinganimal when they've done what
(48:39):
they're meant to do.
And that's why I asked one ofmy questions was is the sheriff
receptive to somebody working inthat facility helping liaison
between the private agencies andthe sheriff's office?
And I thought the answer was yes, we're going to have to work on
the standard operation SOPsbecause they're tasked with
(49:00):
something.
And then somebody goes and says, no, we're going to take all
these over here, we're going toisolate all these kennels, we're
going to, we're going to askthat, all these chemicals, we're
going to clean them up, and youcannot put a, you all get in
there.
That's sick or wanting to getsick.
Okay, that's my point.
Yes, so there's no, there's nospace.
(49:22):
This person can go say I'mgoing to run a program?
Oh yeah, there is.
The program is outside thatfacility, at least initially.
Initially they have to comeinto the sheriff's.
They have to.
Once they get the 72 hours,they end it off.
Speaker 5 (49:41):
That's what the coordinator does is to sit dogs
during that 72 hours.
Speaker 8 (49:44):
So everybody out there at the control area.
Speaker 5 (49:46):
That's what the coordinator does is to sit dogs
during that 72 hours.
Speaker 6 (49:48):
So there's more than just a dog out there at the
control area.
You wrote off these 16 kennels.
Yeah, 72 hours looks 100%sheriff.
Speaker 1 (49:58):
That's right, they do whatever they need to do, they
won't be exposed to it and theyall get there.
Speaker 5 (50:03):
They're 72 hours that average coordinator.
Speaker 6 (50:04):
Get there, you're in 72 hours that average
coordinator is going to belacing that animal, you don't
know if it's healthy or not.
Speaker 5 (50:11):
It may not exhibit anything yet.
That's why it's going to be puton hold.
Speaker 6 (50:15):
There is no way to separate it.
There isn't until that sittingjar is over, and then you've got
to have triage, you've got tocheck them.
Speaker 5 (50:49):
You've got to vaccinate them, triage, you got
time checking them, youvaccinated them, you worked them
, and then they need to gettogether because we have a lot
of money in the current.
But how well, out of this sixhundred, what?
Ten thousand dollars a sec,fine, 620 640.
Is that budget so tight thatyou can't carve out 45 000?
Speaker 6 (50:53):
or whatever dollars.
Yeah, so people now, almostalmost entirely, I wouldn't be
able to carve it out exactlysalary savings that you get
early, mm-hmm, that's not whereI.
Speaker 4 (51:00):
That's not where I'm at.
Speaker 6 (51:05):
I did a test on which item was first, and that Same
question as the clerk.
Where would that position fallunder?
I don't know, I don't know,precinct 2.
Let me ask you this we have avet, county vet, that you're not
included by us.
She, she is the vet for animalpatrol.
Um, would it be reasonable toallow that personal report to
(51:29):
that vet, to the animal advisorycommittee or to the advisory
committee?
I wouldn't do that.
I think they need to report toa county employee or elected
official, not to.
That board is made made up ofnon-county folks.
No, but who else?
Speaker 4 (51:53):
is on the board.
Commissioner was Our vet no.
Speaker 6 (51:58):
I think the vet is on the board.
I know, but is he employed byus?
No, so we're going to put acounty employee under the
direction of a non-countyemployee.
Speaker 5 (52:10):
I wouldn't do that.
I mean they're kind of on mylist.
Speaker 6 (52:16):
I'm not saying that physician shouldn't work with
that board.
I'm not thinking at all.
If it's not the sheriff, itneeds to be commissioners.
For me, my first choice wouldbe sheriff.
I'm not thinking, sheriff.
Speaker 8 (52:27):
I'm thinking sheriff and I'm thinking commissioners
for me and I see that mentioned.
There's another thing to go to.
Speaker 6 (52:33):
We're here a while, we're here a while.
We didn't get the CIP, but Iguess we're going to talk about
that here a second.
Speaker 5 (52:40):
Well, I don't know I don't have any more.
I've got to leave.
At know I don't have any more.
Speaker 7 (52:47):
I'm good, we need to go.
Does it have to be an employeeor could it be a contribution to
one of the rescues?
That they designate a person.
Speaker 5 (52:59):
Contract no.
Speaker 6 (53:03):
That's like picking your favorite child, yeah.
I think it needs to be anemployee of the county alright,
I guess we can resolve that,assuming the position gets
identified as something we wantto designate where it's going to
(53:23):
go sounds like commissionerscourt, alright.
So before you leave identifiedas something we want to
designate where it's going to go.
Sounds like commissioner'scourt is what it's in.
All right, so before you leave,is there Tina?
Yes, cip discussion yes.
Speaker 7 (53:39):
If I recall, can we talk about that on the 11th?
Speaker 5 (53:41):
Yes, Right, yes.
Speaker 1 (53:45):
So now you heard the clip and at the end of it it
seems hopeful right that we'regoing to hire an outreach
coordinator and that we're goingto be able to place that
outreach coordinator under thecommissioner's court
Commissioner's Court with thelong-term goal of separating
(54:09):
shelter operations and animalcontrol operations, what I think
everyone wants.
So that was a good thing.
I left this positive.
I was talking to some of theanimal rights advocates and they
were happy and ecstatic aboutthat.
(54:30):
But the next day after thismeeting this meeting was on
Tuesday.
Oh no, it was on Monday.
This meeting was on Monday thisweek.
After that, that Tuesday, I gotword that the sheriff is
(54:59):
against an outreach coordinatorthat is not under his office,
that he doesn't have any controlover.
So you know that's going to bethe source of contention on
(55:24):
Monday, of engagement andadvocating and staying it.
You know, reaching out to yourelected officials, we're going
to do something, but what we dois up to you.
Remember that what we do is upto you.
So stay engaged.
Remember that what we do is upto you, so stay engaged.
(55:44):
I hope you're able to come outMonday.
If not, you can go on theCommissioner's Court website.
Look at our agenda.
There's ways that you canparticipate if you're not able
to come in person.
If you want to participate fora conference link, you just have
(56:07):
to register with Shelly Koston,our county clerk, at least one
hour prior to the 9 am meetingon August 11th and you can
testify from your home or fromwork, or from your car or
wherever you're at you couldtestify.
(56:28):
So let's utilize all of ourresources that we have to stay
engaged and hopefully at ournext meeting, our next podcast,
we'll have some good news foryou.
So stay tuned, stay engaged.
(56:52):
There is a meeting tomorrowProject 2026, that the Coalition
of Black Democrats are puttingon of Bell County, so I'll be
attending that, I'll be apanelist on that, and so I'm
looking forward to all this goodstuff that's going on this
weekend and I will talk to younext week.
We'll be you next time.
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