The Humane Society of Preble County and the animals it protects badly need attention from the public concerning the following situation. Get involved, attend meetings, and demand Commissioner Wesler live up to his campaign promises.
A good discussion on this subject can be viewed here...
www.websitetoolbox.com/tool/post/preble/vpost?id=1730767PC Humane Society shares letter
Editor:
The following letter has been submitted to the Preble County Board of Commissioners. The Humane Society feels it important the public deserves to see the information from the society's point of view.
Dear Commissioners:
We are in receipt of your letter of Feb. 12, stating that you have delivered your final version of the lease agreement and asking if the Humane Society intends to enter into a lease agreement with Preble County.
We have reviewed the last 10 years of meetings and information sessions that we have had with the various commissioners as they have passed through your chambers. We began with the commissioners who, 10 years ago, decided that the current "dog pound" at the fairgrounds was beyond repair and beyond wasting taxpayer money to bring it to a reasonable standard.
We participated in the meetings when the county hired an architect to design a building for the county, and we were also at the meeting when the commissioners decided that a new facility would cost more money than they could afford. We were the ones who suggested that the Humane Society do a fundraiser in the hope of raising enough money to build a new facility.
Of course the idea was received with open arms, as a non-profit group had just stepped forward and removed a tremendous burden from the shoulders of the commissioners. Over the next several years, we met with the commissioners to update them on the progress we were making toward a building.
We went to commission meetings several times each year, informing them of every step along our way. We informed them of the study we had commissioned and the results of that study that led to the initial design of our building, and how that design changed along the way. We told them the cost estimate, and how our first bid came in at double that estimate, but that we were determined to not give up.
When it appeared that the cost of the building would grow faster than we could raise funds John Buckley stepped forward. He gave the Human Society a quote, and advised us that steel prices were on the rise, and the sooner we start, the better the price would be. We signed a contract and called your office to get “on the agenda” so we could give you the good news.
Unfortunately, Commissioner David Wesler was quoted in the paper as saying that "the society began the project without coming in to first discuss a contract with the county."
What do you think we had been doing at all of those meetings over the past 10 years? And Commissioner Wesler, especially, had been in on several of those meetings since he is the only one of the current commissioners who had served a prior term.
The public may ask why a contract was never signed before. It would have been financially irresponsible for the Humane Society to sign a contract with the county obligating ourselves to construct a new building without having the funds on hand. We raised the entire amount before we signed any contracts making us legally and financially responsible for the money. Because the new building is a Humane Society project, it was built strictly by generous donations. We had never requested, 'nor did we receive, any taxpayer money.
The Humane Society had a dream to have a new shelter and to leave behind that mouse infested block building at the fairgrounds where we had been existing for the past 32 years, with holes in the foundation, no insulation, no ventilation, poor drainage, electrical problems since the mice have eaten the wires, and of course, minimal heat. If we had waited for the county, our "field of dreams" would be just that ... still a
We have told you that we will not sign this contract as long as it makes us liable for any lawsuit in which you are involved, whether it is a viable suit or not. That is why you have a liability insurance policy. How can you even begin to ask a non-profit group to cover your expenses to defend yourself in a lawsuit? We thought the most reasonable answer was for you to take care of your business and we would take care of ours. But that wasn't agreeable with you.
You were well aware of the fact that we wanted to build this shelter for the dogs and cats of Preble County, and you were well aware of the fact that we had said the animals meant more than the money and were the most important part of this whole project. So, you have decided to hold the pets of Preble County taxpayers hostage! You decided that the dogs picked up by the Dog Warden could not come to us for adoption.
You decided it would be in the best interest of the county if these dogs were euthanized instead. Until that point, we had established a good working arrangement with the Dog Warden. He would bring us dogs that he felt were adoptable and pick up strays from us that were deemed unadoptable.
And then you ordered the Dog Warden to not do his job! You ordered him not to pick up strays from our property! Though he will pick them up at any residence in the county, or any business, factory, or veterinarian office, he was ordered not to pick them up from us! Is this the best way to resolve the
issue?
The Humane Society has maintained an excellent working relationship with the Dog Warden over the past 32 years. The commissioners have rarely been involved at the operational level and none have ever visited the building unless forced to. This building has been built without the use of county taxes. We feel we are better equipped, more knowledgeable, and can do a better job of operating it than the county.
Yes, we built this building for the animals. Yes, we want the dogs to be brought to our building because we think they deserve a chance to find their forever home. Yes, we think the Dog Warden should be responsible for any dog that we deem to be unadoptable. But we will not sacrifice the integrity of our function and our entire purpose for existence by turning our newly constructed facility over to your control and your rules.
The Board of the Humane Society of Preble County has therefore determined it is not in our best interest to enter into the contract as presented by you, the current county commissioners.
• If you wish to lease space from us, we will again present you with a contract detailing our terms. And in closing, we must ask, "Why waste taxpayer money by duplicating services? Why allow adoptable dogs to be euthanized?"
In every communication we have had with you, we have stated that we remain optimistic, that we believe we can work this out. 'we have suggested other ideas and workable situations that would not duplicate services and would save taxpayer money and would also allow for both functions to exist under their own operations. To date, you have dismissed those ideas without discussion.
Board of Directors Humane Society of Preble County, Inc.
Leslie Renner, President
