TCC approves $25k budget increase for TSCHS

The Toccoa City Commission has agreed to increase the Toccoa-Stephens County Humane Shelter’s funding for Fiscal Year 2023. The decision was made on Monday, during the city commission’s regular scheduled meeting.

Toccoa Mayor Jeanette Jamieson, who also serves as the Chair of the Humane Shelter Board, spoke about the shelter’s dire need for additional funding.

She says, when the shelter was built there was an agreement that during the first three years, the county and city would fund the shelter 50/50.

She said after the first three years, the county would contribute 1/3, the city would contribute 1/3, and the shelter would raise 1/3 of its budget; but, that hasn’t always been what the county and city has done.

Jamieson said that last year, the city and county each funded $160,000; whereas the shelter was responsible for $199,000. She says because of COVID relief funds the shelter was able to get by without the city and county funding their full third of the budget. This year though, she says the shelter is in dire need for additional funding.

She says if the shelter does not get the funding they requested, then the shelter will be forced to limit its intake to just 150 animals.

Jamieson says they are fortunate to have staff members who love animals because they could flip hamburgers for a higher wage.

“We are fortunate that we have staff members out there that love animals; because you do not hire help now for $9 an hour. You don’t do it…We don’t know how long we’ll be able to maintain staff. You know, when you can flip a hamburger for $15 an hour you’re not going to feed a puppy for $9,” she said.

Commissioner Terry Carter said he spoke with Toccoa-Stephens County Humane Shelter’s Executive Director Jeff Roberts last week about the shelter’s needs.

Carter said that the majority of the funds they were requesting were planned to be used for payroll and salary adjustments.

“I understand that of the $100,000 request being made, split between the county and city, half of it is going to salary adjustments or pay adjustments, I think $41,000 is what it comes to, and that’s mainly to bring up the contract help, which is the kennel techs, and some part time kennel techs that you have to bring up their salary. Which in turn, you’d need to bring up the others that are more skilled employees. And then I understand that $25,000 is medical,” he said.

Carter said that the city is looking at getting a prison crew to come out to alleviate some of the shelter’s need for staffing.

A motion to add $25,000 to the Humane Shelter’s budget was made by Carter with Vice Mayor David Austin seconding the motion.

The motion was approved 3-0 with Jamieson and Commissioner Evan Hellenga recusing themselves because they serve on the Humane Shelter Board.