Attorney asks to speak to commission
By Andrew Bell
Published in News on September 18, 2006 1:54 PM
A local attorney who represents a group of people who want to contribute to a new county animal shelter will make a presentation to the Wayne County Board of Commissioners Tuesday.
Former Wayne County commissioner Tommy Jarrett has asked to speak to the commission during the board's 9 a.m. meeting.
Over the past year, county officials have discussed the costs, design and location of a new animal shelter. County Manager Lee Smith has said he would like to see construction begin in January, but the details on what type of shelter would be built have not been determined.
The county Animal Control Advisory Committee has suggested the shelter be built on county-owned land near U.S. 70 and Clingman Street west of the Southern Foods Market grocery store on Wayne Memorial Drive because it provides a central location.
The current animal shelter, built in 1957, is located on Brick Street off U.S. 117 South. Concerned citizens and animal rescue volunteers have said the shelter is outdated and rundown.
The Clingman Street location would have to be rezoned by Goldsboro City Council before construction could begin.
The chief obstacle to the construction of a new shelter is money.
Commissioners allocated $750,000 in the 2006-07 budget for the project, but the advisory committee has said that will not be enough to build a proper facility. The committee presented a plan for a new shelter last December, which called for a $1.2 million, 10,000-square-foot building. Commissioners have said they would like to solicit private donations to make up the difference.
As of late July, county residents had donated about $16,500 for a new shelter -- a long way from the amount necessary to offset the shortfall.
Many residents involved with Concerned Citizens of Wayne County and the local Humane Society chapter have said they will contribute to the new shelter fund, if the county commissioners promise in writing that a new shelter will operate with new rules and more humane practices than the current facility.
Among the groups' concerns are improving the animal shelter's method of euthanizing unwanted dogs and cats. The current shelter uses a carbon monoxide chamber and both groups have said they would like to see the new animal shelter use sodium pentobarbital injections, which are considered more humane.
Also, the groups have asked that spay, neuter and rabies programs be adopted to limit the number of stray animals roaming the streets and highways in the county.
People who are interested in contributing to the project can send a check to Wayne County at P.O. Box 227, Goldsboro, N.C., 27533. On the subject line, specify that the donation, which is tax-deductible, is for the shelter fund.
Checks can also be sent to the local Humane Society chapter at P.O. Box 821, Goldsboro, N.C., 27533.