The Colony Leader (The Colony, Tex.), Vol. 9, No. 37, Ed. 1 Wednesday, August 8, 1990 Page: 4 of 41
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4A The Colony Leader, Wednesday, August 8, 1990
Department
control officers, the shelter is not manned associated with animal control was shifted Animal control was part of the police de-
during the day “due to lack of personnel.” from the police department to public works partment inCarrollton until 1975.
An additional officer is proposed under the due to the use of the city land fill by bothI think it is better to have it under the
new city budget. An additional officer was agencies.health (department) and then ork
reauested under the past two budgets and It was not successful, because public closely with a police or sheriff’s depart-
not anoroved by council. works is not an enforcement agency, Hall ment,” said Jean Neei, head animal control
Hail said he has been discussing the prob- said. officer for Dallas County.
lems and possible solutions with police de- Creating a health department and putting City Operations Manger Mike Russell
nartment personnel. The principle plan animal control under it would create prob- said he had not thought about shifting re-
being discussed is to turn the operation lems with space limitations and a dispatch sponsibility for animal control.
over to a private contractor. point, neither of which is insurmountable, "But, we’re talking about a new animal
OvaMte the concept, is basically to said Hall. shelter - it might be an ideal time," said
take animal control and contract it out to an State certification of animal control offic- Russell. (Shifting responsibility) could re-
individual. The contractor would be primari- ers is done by the Texas Department of suit in a more coordinated response. Just at
ly a businessman — would need to be able Health. . the organizational level it would probably be
run the business at a profit,” said Hall. Officers for animal control in Carrollton, smoother. . u
• This concent would have no increased Lewisville and Dallas County are adminis- Judy Talbot, healthinspector and David
financial burden on the city, Hall said, tered under the health department. Rolbecki, buildings official, are now both
Two other options that have been discus- “I truly feel it is more of a health problem registered sanitarians, said Russell.
se'd include moving the functions to Public —(it) needs to be under the health depart- It might be an ideal time to create a
Works or creating a health department to ment. Our prime concern is disease con- health department, RusseU said.
administer animal control. trol,” said Sara McKenzie, supervisor of In much of neighboring Collin County
“Hall said in a city he was previously animal control in Carrollton. animal control is handled by a cooperative
animal service between 11 participating
municipalities and the Collin County
Humane Society.
“When we put our co-op program
together most of the cities involved had it
under the police department. They didn’t
want it. They wanted to do police work,”
said Jennifer Golden, director
The problem with animal control run by
municipalities is that it is a low priority and
they cannot direct funding and good will,
said Golden.
“Anytime you talk animal control you
have a bad feeling. If you have a humane
society it is a much different attitude —
even if it is the same thing,” Golden said.
The Collin County Humane Society was
formed in 1976. It had no shelter and no
budget. In 1986, a six-run shelter was built.
“We were going to conquer the world,”
said Golden.
The center projected handling about
4,000 animals based on a population base of
From 1A :
72,000. :
“(We) did over 8,000 the first year — :
really put a strap on the budget as well as :
space,” said Golden. I
Now the society has a six-figure budget, :
a shelter in McKinney, another in Frisco :
that is being renovated and the original :
which is used for “adopt-a-pets.”
Before the society took responsibility for :
the shelter McKinney had two animal con- :
trol officers, one on duty at a time, working ;
10-hour shifts. The shelter was unmanned ;
most of the time.
There are several advantages to a shelter
run by a good group, said Golden. The
advantages she cited include a better im- -
age, cleaner shelter, open more hours —
with a higher earning capacity and more
adoptions of pets.
“You (The Colony) are at a turning point
right now. Hope you make the best of it. :
is a lot easier when you’re starting from'
scratch than going back,” said Golden.
Shelter
animal activ-
ists.
Under the new guidelines, the city
established an animal shelter advis-
ory committee. The committee in-
cluded Dr. Fred Holt, a licensed
practicing veterinarian, who per-
formed the first inspection on the
animal shelter on June 22.
Holt cited the shelter as being
"too small to adequately confine and
house the volume of animals that the
city is presented with.” The report
also cited inadequate drainage,
structural strength problems and
need for repair of indoor dog runs.
On July 26, The Colony police cap-
tain, Mike Carroll, received a letter
from Keith McCloud, state veterina-
rian with the Department of Health
ordering the city to close the
shelter.
“We did what we could as soon as
we were aware,” Hall said. “A group
of us were at the shelter Monday
morning (July 31) to address the
problems."
Carroll contacted Hall Sunday
night. Early Monday morning, Hall,
Holt, City Operations Manager
Mike Russell, Public Works Super-
visor Ken Leverich, Animal Control
officer William Dewey and TCPD Lt.
Mike Crowder gathered at the shel-
ter to discuss what the city needed
to do, said Hall.
ROn Monday morning there were
eight dogs and eleven cats in the
shelter. The shelter, which handled
1161 dogs and 746 cats last year,
has six dog runs and 13 cat cages.
“Temporary homes were found for
only a few of the animals and others
were put to sleep according to city
ordinance, which allows animals to
stay in the shelter for a period of 72
hours. All but three dogs either
found homes or were put to sleep by
Monday.
- "This was not an arbitrary way to
' increase space (in the shelter), Hall
said. “Euthanasia is a method of op-
eration.",
=No animal control calls were taken
on Monday or Tuesday and by
Wednesday afternoon public works
had reinforced some of the inside
Bank
From 1A
dog runs in order to accept any
dangerous or vicious animals.
• “We were responding to any and
aU vicious animal calls,” Hall said. “I
do not think it (the closing) posed
any problems.”
Animal shelter improvements
have been a budgeted line item the
last two years, but shelter improve-
ments were cut last year from the
budget.
The city is faced with very few
options to the animal shelter crisis
according to Holt.
“The city is going to continue to
grow,” Holt said. “This temporary
solution is something to get them by
until they can construct a new
shelter.”
According to Withers, who is also
the city’s representative on the
animal shelter committee, the city
can look at adding to the existing
facility, building a new facility or con-
tracting housing of animals with
another city or private animal hos-
pital.
“There is no real easy answer,”
Withers said. “We cannot add any
additions to the existing space. You
have to provide air conditioning and
heating for the dog runs, it is a state
regulation. There is not enough in-
terior spaces available.
“The state reccommends one
shelter for every thousand resi-
dents. We should have about 20 ken-
nels and space adequate for cats.
Hall presented the City Council
with a planned facility at a special
council session last week. The prop-
osal called for a shelter similar to the
one located in Lewisville at a cost of
between $175,000 and $200,000.
The city council will look at finding a
solution to the problem during the
current budget work sessions.
“What we have done does not
alleviate the unsatisfactory condi-
tions,” Hall said. “The current re-
pairs only allowed us to reopen. The
Health Department understands we
cannot build a facility overnight. Be-
fore we should we get into a size
problem again we will have ample
time to find a satellite facility.”
Ristagno
From 1A
Vern Steinman/Leader photo
After the City Council had met behind closed addressed the council offering their opinions
doors for over four hours a number of citizens, on the firing.
including former councilman Dick Weaver,
and asked to be
addressed.”
According to City Secretary
Patti Hicks, the annual salary for
Ristagno is $49,070 with a $540
annual clothing allowance for a tot-
al of $49,610.
Total personnel of The Colony
Police Department is 34.
Hall and Ristagno could not be
reached for comment following
the council session.
A number of citizens addressed
the council during the citizen
input.
In a heated exchange before the
council adjourned into closed ses-
sion Roosevelt Johnson asked €
citizen input would be permitted
before the decision was made by
the council.
Amick threatened to have him
removed.
Later after the council had met
behind closed doors for over four
hours Johnson addressed the
council again.
“We live in a representative
society. I have a problem with
procedure when any man or men
gets too big to follow the proce-
dure (in the city charter),” said
Johnson.
“I think if the council supports,
the city manager a clear message
has been sent to me in how to vote
in the next election,” said Gerry
- Grimshaw, a local resident.
Former mayor Larry' Sample
and former councilman Dick
Weaver both spoke in behalf of
Ristagno.
Diane Wilson, a. resident, said
she supported the action by Hall.
Following a half-hour of citizen
input the council returned to a
closed door session for delibera-
tion. They returned in 16 mi-
nutes. Amick asked for a motion
which was passed by a roll call
vote with no discussion.
From 1A
: comfort in dealing with “This (advisory) board’s primary- last opportunity to purchase com-
the same people year in and year function is to provide feedback from mon stock in First Colony Bank, at
gut,” said Karl. . the community regarding the bank’s least for the foreseeable future,”
2 Over 90 percent of the staff live in products and services and make re- said Karl.
the immediate area, which Karl said commendations on ways to enhance Reaching the $40 million level
contributes to “the hometown bank these services,” Karl said, should not cause any policy changes,
armosphere which is most important The bank also now has a large “While we are planning no major
% us.” number of local shareholders, fol- change in our basic operation, we
3 In addition several local residents - lowing two public offerings of bank feel that this ongoing success we are
have been added to the board of common stock in the last two years. - experiencing will allow us to expand
directors and an advisory board, “We are currently winding down our services and facilities in the fu-
composed entirely of local residents, our second public offering which will ture to keep pace with our rapidly
was recently formed. close Aug. 31 and this may be the growing community,” Karl said.
BY THE YEAR 2000, ELEPHANTS
MAY BE ONDIAMEMORY
LISD
From 1A
son chart with neighboring dis-
trict. “I just can’t see that,” he
said. “It’s too high.”
Even by enacting the smaller
hike, the district is looking at a
high rate among area districts. In
a list presented by Downing, the
LISD had the fifth highest rate in
the area and one of only a few that
exceeded $1.15.
hike is only 2.9 percent over the
effective rate. State law aUows
local governments to enact effec-
tive rates, which are adjusted to
bring in the same revenues as the
current year. The LISD’s effec-
tive rate is $1.15.
Downing also presented the
board with an option to raise taxes
7.9 percent over the effective
rate. ,
However, board members
agreed, while citing that antici-
pated tax coUections have been
100 percent the last four years,
that the lower rate would still give
them a desirable budget.
“I can live with a 2.9 percent
increase,” said board president sidies during the last year. .
Joe Irick. “(But) I’d like to have
the fund balanced by the 7.9 per- Lunch prices for elementary
cent increase.” students will go from $1.10 to
Downing said the 7.9 percent $1.25; $1.25 to $1.50 for secon-
increase would raise the debt ser- dary students; $1.50 to $2 for
vice collections and bring in a adult non-staff.
greater fund reserve. Breakfast prices for
Board member Steve AUen said .elementary and secondary stu-
he could not picture an LISD tax dents will rise from 50 cents to 60
rate of $1.24 cents in a compari- cents.__;____
Only the number has changed
625 - NEWS
Colony Park
church names
interim pastor
The board will adopt the 1990-
91 budget Aug. 20.
In other business, the board
raised meal prices at all schools.
Downing said the increase was
needed due to a $133,000 decline
in lunch and breakfast revenue
and a loss of government sub-
Dr. William Tinsley has been
announced as the interim pastor be-
ginning Aug. 12 for Colony Park
Baptist Church, intrgseds
Aslant.
Tinsley’s"
current posi-4. Lh,
tion is with the hpuer
Denton Baptist % 13
Association as
Director of “
Missions. Heh
has been pastor
of First Baptist
Church in The Dr. Tinsley -
Colony, Franklin Baptist Church,
Point Enterprise Baptist Church in
Mexia and a summer missonary for
the Home Mission Board.
A graduate from Baylor Universi-
ty and Southwest Theological Semi-
nary, Tinsley began the First Baptist
Church of The Colony with seven
members in 1976. He was pastor of
’ the church for six years and left wi;y|
The Colony Leader
a Sunday school enrollment of 900.
Tinsley also sponsored two other
churches in The Colony.
The Colony Leader
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Member: National Newspaper Association, Texas
Daily Newspaper Association.
The Colony Leader is published every Wednesday
by Harte-Hanks Community Newspapers, Inc.,
4916 Main Street, Suite '150, The Colony, TX
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Ball, Jeffrey. The Colony Leader (The Colony, Tex.), Vol. 9, No. 37, Ed. 1 Wednesday, August 8, 1990, newspaper, August 8, 1990; The Colony, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1666656/m1/4/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting The Colony Public Library.