By Lindy J. Gwinn, Mountain Valley News staff
For several months Cedaredge Trustees have been discussing the pros and cons of placing two ballot initiatives on the November 2010 election ballot.
At the regular meeting of the Board of Trustees, they decided not to place an initiative asking the voters for an increase in the mil levy to support animal control and the animal shelter in Cedaredge.
“I have been meeting with the Friends of Cedaredge Animal Control regularly, and we are working on finding a way to fund those functions. I just don’t think the voters are going to support an increase in this economy,” said Nelson Cedarberg.
The Town of Cedaredge decided last year that they were no longer going to fund the animal shelter after December 2010 through the General Fund.
“We decided that we just could no longer fund the animal shelter past that time unless we were able to find another way to fund it. It is very costly to put an initiative on the ballot and the Friends are working hard at a plan to support the functions there,” said Cedarberg.
According to Cedarberg, the Shelter Shoppe, a thrift store that was opened by FCAC, is making about $150 a day and hope to be able to increase those sales.
“Shop there and shop often,” said Trustee Nancy Sturgill.
Because the town is not going to put the initiative on the ballot, the funding for the shelter will see a significant change in operations.
The town devised two viable options for the future of the animal shelter:
The first option splits the cost of the animal control officer 60/40 with the town paying 60 percent of the control officer’s wages. Supervision of that officer is under full control of the Chief of Police. The enforcement and collection of fees would be the full responsibility of FCAC, and will be enforced without exception.
In addition, the town would lease the facility to FCAC at no cost, but the FCAC would be responsible for all costs of daily operations.
Option two closes down the facility and the animal control officer becomes a part time or on-call position, responding to calls and issuing citiations or summons, but not picking up an animal. The only exception being for a vicious animal that has to be put down immediately.
The other initiative trustees considered putting on the ballot in November was the question to the voters concerning a ban on marijuana dispensaries.
After being advised by Chief of Police Bob Yant, trustees decided not to put the initiative on the ballot. “We are just going to extend the moratorium before it lapses in November and wait and see what happens in July when the rule making from the state is in place. We have no idea what is going to happen at the state level. At that time, the Governor has given local governments the authority to ban by vote or by local ordinance, marijuana dispensaries in their communities,” said Mayor Pat Means.
