Left to right, Calvert Animal Control Unit Supervisor Craig Dichter and Charles County Animal Control Services Chief C. Edward Tucker.
Prince Frederick, MD – After over a half-century of existence, the Tri-County Animal Shelter in Hughesville could be in line for a major makeover.
“We are at a crossroads,” Charles County Commissioner Ken Robinson [D – District 1] declared.
In an unprecedented action, the commissioners of Calvert, Charles and St. Mary’s counties met jointly Tuesday, Jan. 12 to discuss strategy for dealing with the inadequacies of the 50-year-old facility. The joint session was held at Calvert County Courthouse Square in Prince Frederick.
“Today is not a decision day,” said Calvert County Commissioners’ President Evan K. Slaughenhoupt Jr. [R – District 3], who chaired the meeting. “It’s the start of a conversation.”
During the lengthy conversation, Slaughenhoupt admitted that many Calvert residents have expressed their preference for the county building its own animal shelter. In fact, last month Calvert County’s members of the Tri-County Animal Shelter Advisory Board made a presentation to the commissioners with a recommendation to build a separate facility.
“We don’t have an alternate location to have our own shelter,” said St. Mary’s County Commissioner Thomas H. Jarboe [R – District 1]. St. Mary’s Commissioners’ President Randy Guy [R] estimated it would take three to five years to design and build a new stand-alone shelter in that jurisdiction and said improving the existing location would provide a short-term solution. “Renovate the current facility, bring it up to date,” said Guy.
The meeting began with a presentation by Calvert County Animal Control Unit Supervisor Craig Dichter, who gave the panels and others in the audience an overview of the current shelter’s history, employee composition and statistics. He noted Calvert is responsible for 25 percent of the cost of operating and maintaining the shelter while Charles and St. Mary’s each are responsible for 37.5 percent. An average of 160 dogs and cats occupy the 12,000 square foot facility on an average day. The current staff includes a shelter supervisor, four kennel attendants and three shelter technicians. An increase of eight staff members—including an assistant shelter supervisor, four more kennel assistants and two more technicians— has been requested in Charles County’s fiscal year (FY) 2017 budget. The increase would cost an estimated $420,000 with Charles and St. Mary’s both paying $157,500 and Calvert $105,000.
Dichter identified the most pressing need to be the correction of the facility’s air conditioning system. The counties would use the same funding formula to provide $12,000 for an HVAC study. St. Mary’s Commissioner Michael L. Hewitt [R – District 2] questioned the need to spend taxpayer money for such a study.
Charles County Animal Control Services Chief C. Edward Tucker explained the shelter’s kennel area, which is an indoor/outdoor area, has no air conditioning. An HVAC engineer would be needed to design a system that could work in the complex area of the building.
Several commissioners expressed a desire to get the HVAC project started quickly so that the shelter is equipped to handle this summer’s heat. “Let’s concentrate on what we can do now,” said Robinson.
St. Mary’s Commissioner Todd Morgan [R – District 4] suggested the board’s use contingency funds for the HVAC improvements rather than wait for the next fiscal year to try to identify funds.
At the urging of Charles County Commissioner Amanda Stewart [D – District 3], the three boards agreed to a decision-making timeline. The consensus of the commissioners present was to make a decision on the HVAC fix within a month and to put a shelter renovation project in the respective capital improvement plans and consideration of staff requests in late April. The counties would proportionately fund the $1.389.6 million needed for the recommendations.
Other concerns expressed by commissioners included the lack of a veterinarian on the shelter staff and the ongoing controversy of euthanizing healthy dogs and cats that are temporarily sheltered but not adopted.
Regarding the veterinarian, Dichter explained that dogs and cats picked up by the Animal Control Unit are taken to a vet before coming to the shelter. Charles Commissioner Debra Davis [D – District 2] asked who paid for the veterinarian. Dichter stated the pet owner is billed, but if the owner can’t be identified, then taxpayers foot the bill.
“A ‘no kill’ shelter has got to be a priority,” said Calvert Commissioner Mike Hart [R – District 1], who indicated he was vehemently opposed to putting down a healthy animal.
Dichter noted during his presentation that the shelter expansion would include a separate euthanasia room as required by industry standards. That component would cost an estimated $50,000.
“I can’t spend taxpayer money to pick up an animal to put it down,” said Hart.
In imploring the three boards to do something to improve conditions and operations at the Tri-County Animal Shelter, Dichter admitted, “no-kill, I don’t know if it can happen or not.” That prompted Hart to challenge all of his colleagues to make the ‘no-kill’ shelter a reality.
“It should be a state-of-the-art facility started from scratch,” said Robinson after the meeting. The commissioner conceded the long-range plan might call for a “bi-county animal shelter,” with Charles and St. Mary’s continuing the partnership and Calvert building its own facility.
“I’m excited about the possibilities,” said former county commissioner and animal shelter advisory board member Linda Kelley of Owings. During the December presentation to the Calvert Commissioners Kelley and other members of the advisory board said the county should have its own, centrally located shelter on a parcel large enough to include an animal care facility, a barn and an outside animal exercise area. The facility would be “rebranded” as the “Calvert Animal Care and Adoption Center” and be run by county government.
Suggestions and requests from the commissioners going forward included one from Charles Commissioner President Peter Murphy [D] for a more detailed summary regarding the existing staff and requested additions. Robinson added he would like an estimate on how much it would cost to staff the facility with a veterinarian. Hewitt suggested officials consider forging a public/private partnership between government and the business community for identifying renovation project funding.
“In a perfect world, it would be great,” said Hart of Hewitt’s suggestion. “It’s an opportunity if you’ve got the corporations.”
Before ending the meeting, Slaughenhoupt asked members of the public present to continue to provide their county’s commissioners with input on the future of the animal shelter.
For more information on the shelter visit https://www.charlescountymd.gov/es/animalshelter/tri-county-animal-shelter
Contact Marty Madden at marty.madden@thebaynet.com