Committee Recommends Building Animal Shelter

Forsyth County took a major step toward obtaining a new animal shelter Tuesday evening.

The Forsyth County Animal Control and Shelter Advisory Committee voted unanimously to recommend the county fund the construction and management of a new animal shelter. The recommendation has been placed on the agenda and is expected to be voted on at Thursday's Board of Commissioners meeting.

The committee moved with lightning speed in making its recommendation. Appointed in January, the committee was given 90 days to come back with a recommendation. But the decision was reached in just two weeks.

"I can't compliment my colleagues on this committee enough for the passion and the absolute commitment they brought to this issue," said Commissioner Todd Levent, the only commissioner to serve on the committee." I think we may have surprised my fellow commissioners with just how well everyone worked together and how quickly they arrived at a unanimous decision."

If the Board of Commissioners approves the recommendation, the committee, which is chaired by veterinarian Dr. John McGruder, will meet again in two weeks to consider potential locations and funding sources.

Officials have estimated the facility could cost more than $2 million to build. Two potential funding sources are the county's already depleted reserves and the next SPLOST.

Commissioners are reluctant to consider taking the money from the county's reserves because county policy recommends maintaining about 25 percent of the General Fund budget in reserves and the county is already far below that figure.

If commissioners decide to ask for an extension of the current SPLOST, that question could be put before the voters in November, but the money would not be collected until 2013.

Levent challenged animal rights activists who forcefully advocated for the new shelter to step up to the plate and do their part to aid in the operation of the shelter if approved by the commissioners.

"I think it's admirable that they fought so hard for something they believe in," Levent said. "Now they need to invest their time and their passion where it will really do some good. Because of the shape our economy is in, the county is going to lean heavily on the Humane Society and other animal rights advocates to provide a strong volunteer force to maintain the shelter to help relieve some of the tax burden on our citizens." 

Assistant County Manager Tim Merritt presented the committee with a list of 10 county-owned sites that could be used to construct the shelter.