Lydia Crawley
Parsons Advocate
Representatives from both the Friends of the Tucker County Animal Shelter and the Tucker County Advisory Board met on Wednesday, May 3 at 2pm at the Tucker County Animal Shelter during a regular meeting of the Advisory Board to discuss recent fund raising efforts, the upcoming Golf Tournament and the overall operations of the shelter.
“Just to clarify, the Advisory Board is the group that oversees the function of the shelter as a county entity,” Bailey Falls, Shelter Director said. “The Friends of the Tucker County Animal Shelter is a separate 501C-3 that fund raises on behalf of the Animal Shelter. As a county, we cannot do any fund raising activity, but the boards can assist each other. The Friends helps us out with some shelter functions and the Advisory Board can help with fund raising functions as well.”
The main topic the Boards addressed was an upcoming fund raiser in the form of the Putts Fore Pets Golf Tournament on Saturday, May 20 at Holly Meadows Golf Course in Parsons. The event is sponsored by the Friends of Tucker County Animal Shelter.
The Animal Shelter also received a $25,000 grant from the PetcoLove Foundation. The funds are to assist in the construction of a new animal shelter.
“It was a grant that I had written quite a few months ago for the construction of the new shelter,” Falls said.
Falls said she would look into whether the county is keeping a separate fund for the shelter construction or if the county will allocate the funds to the Friends. The issue arose from the designee of the check the shelter received. Since the grant was written through the county, with county financial information, the check was made out to the County Commission.
“This was a grant that was written as the Tucker County Animal Shelter as the Tucker County Commission. So the name on the check is Tucker County Commission,” Falls said.
Board Member Robert Elkholm asked if the Commission was keeping a separate fund for the shelter construction.
“That’s what I’ve been trying to find out the past couple of days,” Falls said. “I am just waiting to hear back…that’s why I’ve still got the check here. Because the Friends account is where all of the money is going for the new shelter construction project, it makes sense for it to go there, but the commission would have to make the donation to the Friends. It is what is most possible.”
Elkholm voiced concerns over the commission donation option.
Elkholm said, “It makes it sound like they’re giving the 25,000 to us, which isn’t the case.”
There was another option to deposit the money, according the Falls, but not one she wanted to do.
“I don’t necessarily want it sitting the dog and kennel fund, which is the only other place it can go because the Commission doesn’t have a fund set up for construction of the shelter at this point, but maybe they will set that up.”
Falls said she wasn’t concerned about the money going to the construction project. According to Falls, it is just a matter of accounting.
“Either way, its money designated for the construction of the shelter,” Falls said. “So whether its a fund through the commission, whether the commission authorizing putting it in the Friends account pending building, I just have to hear back from Sheila and the Commission about that.”
According the Falls, there is a possibility of another Stanton Foundation Grant for next year. Last year, the Stanton Foundation donated $10,000 for canine medicine. Falls said she was informed that the Foundation was looking to do some capital funding again.
“There’s hopeful information that the Stanton Foundation is doing another grant,” Falls said. “We got $10,000 last year and $5,000 the year before. It was specific for canine medicine. We were able to do a lot with that. We were able to set up our medical intake area with that and really, really save a lot of money on preventative medicine which is specific for canines, but things such as microscopes and that kind of thing can be used for cats and dogs. So, that was really, really helpful.”
Falls said she was informed of the possibility when she turned in her final report to the Stanton Foundation.
“One of the board members for the Stanton Foundation told me when I turned in my final report, that they are looking to do some capital funding. So, that’s exciting. I don’t know whether it will be more than $10,000, but it will be something more, hopefully.”
In other business, the Boards heard that a part time position currently has an opening due to the advancement of a current employee to a full-time position as the Animal Control Officer. Falls said she anticipates the part time position to be filled this summer when the need will be greatest. It is a county position with the shelter being able to make recommendations.
“At this point, our animal volume is not requiring another staff member, but moving into the summer we are going to fill that position,” Falls said.
The Putts Fore Pets Golf Tournament will begin at Holly Meadows Golf Course in Parsons with a Shotgun at 9am. Food and refreshments are provided and cash prizes are awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place. There will also be Mulligans, a 50/50 Raffle, and putting contest. There is limited availability for rental carts, but participants are encouraged to bring their own. Participants can call 304-478-3406 to reserve a tee time. The cost is $40 a player and proceeds will benefit the construction of a new animal shelter.
The next meeting of the Animal Shelter Advisory Board will be Wednesday June 14 at 2pm at the Tucker County Animal Shelter at 586 Brooklyn Heights in Parsons.
