Also acts on police chief salary, storm sewer study
Volunteer Don Orris delivered the same information about a proposed new animal shelter to the Jefferson city council Tuesday as he had a week earlier to the county board of supervisors. The reaction of the two elected groups was noticeably different.
After a 30 minute presentation to the supervisors, Orris received positive comments and was asked to proceed on the next step, which for Orris is an agreement between the city of Jefferson and the county about ownership and operation of the shelter once it is built.
Orris told both groups he will not proceed with fundraising for construction of the shelter until that agreement is forged. He does not have an estimate for construction, but provided both groups an estimated annual operating cost of $200,000 or more. “I want you to realize what it will mean if we raise all this money and give you this building. I want you to understand what the costs are to the city,” Orris told the council.
Supervisor Dawn Rudolph has been a member of the steering committee for a new shelter since it formed more than two years ago.
Over the course of a 50 minute presentation Tuesday evening, Orris asked three times for a council person to assist him and Rudolph in drafting an agreement for ownership and operation of he shelter.
Council member Lisa Jaskey attended early steering committee meetings. “Just when all the really great fun starts, I have to leave,” she said. She and her husband have sold their home and are leaving Jefferson, although she has not yet resigned her council seat.
“I think there’s a huge amount of support in the county for this project. I think it’s a great project and I hope all of you will get behind it and get this done,” Jaskey said.
Finally, council member Dave Sloan said, “I think it’s something we should explore. There’s stuff to get ironed out. I don’t think we can commit to anything, but we can at least get started. We’re going to have to do something. Our animal shelter is inadequate.”
Mayor Craig Berry then drafted Sloan to work with Orris and Rudolph. Sloan agreed only after verifying that city administrator Mike Palmer would also be part of the effort, saying that he would rely on him for budget information.
Orris intends to begin fundraising as soon as the agreement is in place.
In other business, the council made Mark Clouse’s appointment as police chief permanent and increased his annual salary to $62,000. He was appointed chief for a six-month probationary period in January at an annual salary of $56,280.
The council also approved a proposal from city engineers at Bolton & Menk for a storm sewer study that will go into future planning for development of the west and east business parks, Wild Rose Casino and adjacent lands. At the recommendation of the council’s street/water/sewer committee, the study area was expanded to cover much of the area between Grimmell Road and Mulberry Street and as far south as Russell St and Westwood Drive.
Cost of the study is $12,500. It will be completed in 60 days.
