ERIK SANZENBACH / L’Observateur / July 15, 2000

LAPLACE – There’s nothing dull about animal shelter funding debates.

Another one sparked Tuesday at the St. John the Baptist Parish Councilmeeting, and it too was spirited.

Melissa Faucheux asked what the status of the shelter is since the parish took it over from the St. John Humane Society in May. “Ever since the parish took control, it is like a dog chasing its tail,” Faucheux admonished the administration.

Faucheux cited several problems she has heard about. She was concernedthat the Riverlands SPCA was housing dogs for free at the parish shelter, that Kennel Master Melissa Vial was being overworked and that members of the Animal Control Advisory Board were not being allowed to help in the selection of a new animal control officer.

The SPCA and Director of Public Works and Utilities Henry DiFranco said several dogs were being housed at the shelter, but it was an emergency situation and would be only for a couple of days.

Sabina Carender of the Riverlands SPCA said the shelter had been given enough food and money for the dogs and the SPCA wants to work with the parish.

DiFranco said they are working on hiring another worker to help Vial, who not only takes care of the shelter but also goes out and gets stray dogs.

Parish President Nickie Monica said there is another parish employee helping out Vial on a part-time basis.

As for interviewing applicants, DiFranco said, “The administration has the authority to interview applicants without the board’s presence. Besides,we didn’t want 10 people asking question of one interviewee.”The council discussion then turned to building a new animal shelter.

“We have to build a real animal shelter,” said Lester Rainey. “We droppedthe ball by refusing to commit funds the last time.”The previous council turned down a $1 million shelter plan. A new plan for$700,000 was proposed, but the council never accepted or vetoed it.

Dale Wolfe said, “As far as I’m concerned we will build a new shelter, and as far as I’m concerned we will have the funds to do so.”Funding, according to Monica, is the big sticking point.

Animal control is funded by a 25 cent tax on the Mosquito Abatement Program. According to Monica, the tax has brought in $63,000. Monica saidthat by the end of the year the parish should have more than $83,000 .

However, Monica said the money is earmarked for only one purpose.

“It was directed to animal control and not an animal shelter, ” he said.

Monica has another plan to raise money for a new shelter.

“I suggested that we sell the land at the airport that was put aside for the new shelter and use the money to build a shelter at the present sight,” said Monica.

Wolfe said that isn’t feasible because people living at the site are already complaining about the shelter.

“They have a waste water treatment plant there already; we don’t need to give them another animal shelter,” said Wolfe.

Monica said getting a new shelter is not his first priority.

“I wanted to stabilize the animal control situation and then proceed with plans for a new shelter,” Monica told the council. “We have made atremendous turn-around. It isn’t perfect, but it is a lot better out there.”Carender confirmed this, saying, “It looks good out there now. It is cleanand there are major improvements.”However, members of the ACAB are not happy with the way the administration is running things.

ACAB member Barbara Falgoust said, “We are butting heads with the parish who won’t take care of their own property. This doesn’t makesense.”Falgoust cited the unsanitary conditions at the shelter and how the parish has not addressed the problems of drainage and cleanliness.

Kay Durr, chairwoman of the ACAB, thinks the administration is not being straight about the shelter finances.

“First they tell us there is no building fund,” said Durr. “Finally they tellus the money is there.”Durr is talking about the animal shelter fund that has about $5,000.

“The only reason that we have that much,” said Durr, ” is because of some fund-raising and the fact that all nine members of the board donated their pay to the fund.”Durr is frustrated because she feels the parish council and administration don’t think animal control is an important issue. She took offense atCleveland Farlough’s comment, “let’s get on to people issues.””Stray animals and animal control is a people issue,” said an angry Durr.

“This has to do with public safety.”Rainey wanted to put an end to the discussion.

“It is our responsibility as a council to do this,” he said. “We must bite thebullet and build a new shelter. Let’s stop playing games and put this behindus.”Rainey made a motion to direct the administration to come back to the council with a funding plan for the animal shelter. The motion passedunanimously.

Durr said this was a partial victory for the shelter, but there is a still a long way to go.

Rainey is sympathetic to the ACAB’s concerns.

“As much as I love the animal control board people, I don’t want to continue seeing them here at council meeting complaining.”Falgoust said, “If the parish had improved the shelter like they said they would, we wouldn’t be complaining.”

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