Shelter Board Meets, Discusses Budget

Officials from the Toccoa-Stephens County Humane Shelter continue to work with city and county officials on the shelter’s budget for both the rest of this fiscal year and the next.

The shelter board met on Monday at ToccoaCity Hall.

Last month, the shelter board requested that Toccoa-Stephens County Humane Shelter Director Jeff Roberts put together a revised six-month budget for the shelter following concerns from the city and county about the shelter’s budget overruns.

Shelter Board Chair Stanley London said that Roberts presented that proposed six-month budget request at Monday’s meeting.

“The six month budget has been prepared and has been handed over to the city and county,” said London.  “Actually, we have a full fiscal year budget in hand that we are evaluating.”

London said the next step is for the city and county commissions to take a look at the request.

“There are a lot of revisions that will probably have to be made,” said London.

In that request, Roberts said the shelter needs just over an additional $146,000 in all to cover costs through June 30 based on the shelter’s current monthly operating budget.

That would mean $73,000 in additional funding put forth by both the city of Toccoa and Stephens County.

They currently fund the shelter’s operations in a 50-50 split.

Already, the city and county each budgeted $142,000 for the animal shelter operation in Fiscal Year 2013 for a total of $284,000.

Also, Roberts’ initial proposed full fiscal year budget totaled more than $458,000.

That is also higher than the $284,000 total budgeted by the city and county this current fiscal year.