Unicoi Co. Animal Welfare Board meets weeks after firing leadership

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a day ago

ERWIN, Tenn. (WJHL)- The Unicoi County Animal Welfare Board met Tuesday to discuss future operations and proposals.
It comes nearly a month after the board voted to remove the animal shelter's directors. In a 5-2 vote on May 22, the board chose to remove shelter director Cody Walker and animal control officer and assistant director Pam Harris from their positions.
The board says conditions at the shelter that's still closed are poor, despite spending $72,000 on repairs and cleanup fees.
'We really are making an effort to make the shelter's physical building better, to make policies better, just to make the whole process better,' said board secretary Ellen Reinhardt. 'It's a big job. And there are things we've not done as well as we could have. But, we've also always made the effort to do the best we could.'
The only agenda items voted on were the recent minutes and the financial report. Several items were tabled due to one member being absent. More people have been at the last few meetings after the shelter's directors' firing.
'The public is frustrated, and there's a lot of gossip and misinformation that then gets spread around and magnified,' one citizen said during public comment. 'People don't really know what's going on at the shelter, but I've got people asking me all the time, 'Is there a shelter?' They don't know the timeline. I don't know about the work that y'all have been doing.'
Some people aired frustrations while others asked questions. A big topic was the negative publicity about the board and shelter.
'Our fundraiser this year wasn't nearly as big of a success as it was last year…. the rain killed us,' said Debbie Mann with the Erwin Moose Lodge, which held a fundraiser for the shelter last weekend. 'And I honestly think that what she was talking about was all the negative publicity on social media concerning the animal shelter hurt us, as well.'
'There is a train of thought of not feeding the fire, and there's also a train of thought that some people, you're not going to convince of anything other than what they have convinced themselves of,' Reinhardt said of the negative publicity. 'And we've got so much else to do, that's just sort of going to do what it's going to do.'
There is also public confusion being reported during meetings about multiple fundraisers, a lack of information and even wrong information.
'The shelter needs its own web page, which can have a lot of useful information on it and a contact number for things and protocols. And, like we said, frequently asked questions,' one person said during public comment.
Reinhardt said several fundraisers popped right after the flood, which was 'a very confusing, chaotic time.' But, the board assured that the money from what they described as separate fundraisers started by multiple people is going to the shelter.
Other people offered help and gave suggestions, like creating a subcommittee to focus on cats.
'A big problem here is the overpopulation, especially like the strays, ferals, [trap, neuter and release] programs,' said Louise Bailey.
The board said it is working on a temporary shelter.
'We have a line on a container. The question is somewhere to put it, which has been the problem for 8 or 9 months now,' said Reinhardt. 'It's gonna be more of a temporary holding facility until surrounding shelters can have room to take those animals.'
If someone has an issue or needs help involving an animal in Unicoi County, leaders said they should call dispatch, who will then call the animal control officer.
The Animal Control Officer Selena Baubilitz was moved from part-time to full-time. Reinhardt said the board will pay her back time.
The next meeting is set for June 27 at 10 a.m. at Erwin Town Hall.
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