WINNSBORO (Feb. 16, 2017) – Much of the news from County Council Monday evening came out of the public comment period at the end of the meeting. Kathy Faulk, a board member with Hoof and Paw Benevolent Society, announced the group would be launching an aggressive fundraising campaign to assist the County in its bid to become a no-kill County. She said the group will be working closely with the County’s Animal Shelter Director Bob Innes.
“This is something Fairfield County could be so very proud of. It’s a movement that’s happening across the country,” Faulk said. “Fairfield County is capable of taking a lead in this and should not be just pulling up the rear. We need you to pass some good strong ordinances that will make a difference in Fairfield County,” Faulk told Council as she passed out photos of Fairfield County animals that have suffered neglect and abuse. Council is currently working on an animal cruelty ordinance.
“It’s shocking,” Faulk said, referring to the photos. “But it’s happening all around you here in the county. We urge you to get behind this ordinance and lead the way.”
In an effort to help the County reach its ‘no-kill’ goal, Faulk told Council members that Hoof and Paw will be working tirelessly to raise funds for the project. Following the meeting, Faulk told The Voice that Hoof and Paw, whose members she said have paid for some spay/neutering for the County’s shelter animals in the past, will now pay $650 for up to 10 spay/neuters each month until June 30, 2017 when a new budget is approved by the County that could provide more funding for spay/neutering.
“When a cat or dog has been spayed or neutered, they are much easier to adopt out,” Faulk said. “That is something we can do to help move these animals out of the shelter and into adoptive homes more quickly. And the added benefit is that they will not then reproduce. The end result of fewer animals is a reduction in the cumulative burden on the County’s animal shelter.”
Hoof and Paw board member Minge Wiseman, who spoke to the County’s oversight of neglected and abused horses, gave three shout-outs, the first to “whoever hired Bob Innes, the County’s new Animal Shelter Director,” the second to Deputy County Administrator Dais Anderson for supporting Innes and giving the go-ahead to fence in a small pasture next door to the animal shelter.
“This (pasture) allows Fairfield County, for the first time, to house neglected and abused large animals,” Wiseman said.
Her third shout-out went to Council members, encouraging them to “get behind this initiative to make the Fairfield County Animal Shelter a no-kill county and to help identify and aid neglected and abused large animals.
“We need to pass stricter ordinances with harsher consequences for people who continue to neglect and mistreat animals in this county,” Wiseman said.
Last month, Wiseman helped arranged for a large animal specialist to provide an educational session for the County’s animal control staff and law enforcement personnel on the care and recognition of large animal neglect and abuse.
As the group begins their fundraising campaign, Faulk said they would be approaching individual Council members to lead the way with donations.
“We appreciate what you’re doing, and you can stop by my store and pick up a check,” Councilman Jimmy Ray Douglas (District 2) told the group during Council Time following the public comments.
New Bleachers
During Council business, and without discussion, Council approved the purchase of new bleachers for the gym at the Recreation Center at a cost of $41,202 from Master Craft Renovation Systems. County Administrator Jason Taylor said the County received one other bid from Learning Environment, Inc. for $45,000. The new powered bleachers were budgeted and will replace the manual bleachers, Taylor said.
Board Appointments
Barbara P. Charles (District 4) was appointed to the Assessment Appeals Board, and Clerk to Council Patti Locklair announced that the County is seeking applicants to fill 23 seats that are or will soon become vacant on the County’s boards and commissions. (The vacancies are listed on The Voice’s website at blythewoodonline.com)
Executive Session
Council went into executive session to discuss a contractual matter, the “review of Fairfield Memorial Hospital and proposed information” and a legal matter, an “update on the Mega Site Litigation.” No votes were taken following executive session.
Barbara Ball contributed to this story.
