Bradley County Commission Decides Not To Provide Animal Pickup Service

  • Tuesday, October 6, 2015
  • David Davis

Bradley County Commissioners on Monday finally put animal control to rest. It was not easy and it was not without confusion, but in the end, the county will not provide animal pickup service.

Confusion began when commissioners were asked to approve the agenda, which included two options for animal control pick up. Item “D” provided for the SPCA of Bradley County to pick up animals for $110,000 annually. Item “E” was for the Bradley County Sheriff’s Office to pick up animals for $120,000 annually with $81,000 in start up cost.

Both items were on the agenda because the Commission did not give legislative assistant Lorri Moultrie directions to remove one or the other after the work session on the previous Monday.

Fourth District Commissioner Howard Thompson made a substitute motion to remove both items.

Third District Commissioner Milan Blake said, “Let’s vote on it. All we’re doing is prolonging a vote. If we vote ‘yes’ to take it off, it’s coming back in two or maybe four weeks.”

Sixth District Commissioner Dan Rawls said if Thompson’s motion was to delay the vote the motion would be appropriate, “but if we want to vote on this to determine animal pickup ‘yes’ or animal pick up ‘no,’ then it really doesn’t do anything because all it does is make it a temporary situation.”

Mr. Thompson amended his substitute motion to table both items. Commissioners Thompson, Rawls, Blake, Charlotte Peak, Chairman Louie Alford and Vice Chairman Jeff Yarber voted to table both items. Commissioners Robert Rominger, Mark Hall, Terry Caywood, Mike Hughes, Johnny Mull and Thomas Crye voted against tabling the items. Commissioners Bill Winters and Bobby Goins were absent. The motion failed by a vote of 6-6.

Chairman Alford said they had not voted on approving the agenda, “so we’re going back to the original agenda.” Commissioners Yarber and Thompson voted “no.” The motion passed 10-2.

Item “D” came up again after commissioners worked their way through items “A,” “B” and “C.”

Commissioner Rawls said the county has at least three major projects coming up, including a major increase in the cost of the school. He questioned spending money for animal pick up.

“In eight months, I’ve had one phone call about a dog and I think we have a lot more important things to do with the funding to the advantage of the taxpayer than spending money on animal pick up when I don’t personally believe there is actually a problem,” Mr. Rawls said. “I think we were put here to make decisions that best suit the taxpayers in this county.”

He asked what is important and what is a priority? Should they vote on animal control at the expense of something else that may be more important?

“I would like for you to consider what you are voting on and where you’re going to put your money,” Commissioner Rawls said. “What is the most important thing in this county? Is it education or is it animals — and I would love to hear from any other commissioners about how many calls for stray animals you have.”

Mr. Rawls offered a substitute motion for item “D” that the county not fund animal pickup.

Commissioner Thompson said he gets plenty of calls about stray animals, yet he was the one who made the failed substitute motion to remove both items from the agenda.

“We don’t have to have animal control in Bradley County and we don’t have to have school buses in Bradley County. So which tree do you want to get hung from?” he asked.

First District Commissioner Terry Caywood, who seconded Mr. Rawls’ motion, said the county needed to provide animal shelter, but he did not think they could afford animal pick up. Commissioners Rominger, Mull, Yarber and Thompson voted against the motion, which passed by an 8-4 vote.

Mr. Rawls made the same substitute motion for item “E,” which passed by the same margin.

Mr. Thompson said after the meeting that he voted against Mr. Rawls’ substitute motions because that was the same as his motion at the beginning of the meeting.

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