By Taelor RyeDodge County Commissioner Karen Cheek spoke to her fellow commissioners and to the audience concerning the Faithful Hearts Animal Shelter at the July 5 meeting of the Dodge County Board of Commissioners. After having visited the shelter about a month ago, Cheek has conducted further research.
The mission of the shelter is “to provide safe and humane shelter; to relieve pain and suffering for any unwanted, stray, or abused animal; and to facilitate the placement of these animals in desirable homes,” Cheek shared.
The facility is almost complete and “will be an asset to our community when completed,” she said.
The need for the shelter has been proven for years now, as Cheek noted that, since 2014, 865 total dogs have been rescued – with 212 dogs in 2016 alone.
Cheek continued, stating, “It is our responsibility as part of as a governing body to help them out budget-wise.” Cheek’s proposition was to include them in the 2017 budget at a rate of $1,000.00 a month.
In response, council member Terry Niblett agreed that they should be included as an actual line item in the budget but expressed reluctance at deciding the amount now, well before completing the total budget.
Sharon Cobb Flanagan of the Dodge County Farmer’s Market visited the county commissioners, noting that nearly 450 patrons visited the farmer’s market on Saturday, July 2, which she noted as particularly high attendance, especially given the heat of the day and the lack of special entertainment.
“I was surprised!” she stated. She then accredited the high attendance to a more efficient tracking method. Still, no EBT transactions took place that day.
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