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County accepts donation of Spay Today facilities, vows veterinary hire after public calls for more animal-services resources
Summary
After a resident urged the board to bolster animal services, the county manager said the donation agreement from Spay Today has been received and the board approved moving forward; the county also authorized a lease permitting Spay Today to maintain a presence at a technology center and budgeted for hiring a veterinarian.
A Pitt County resident asked the Board of Commissioners on June 16 to increase resources for animal services; later in the meeting the county manager said the county has received the donation agreement from Spay Today and the board approved steps to accept the buildings and equipment.
Angela Cooper, a Pitt County resident, told commissioners the county’s animal-services office is underresourced since the departure of its previous manager, Chad Singleton. "The new person that you hired to take Chad Singleton's place, she's doing a wonderful job with the resources that she has, but she needs some help," Cooper said during the public-address portion.
County Manager Lauren Gallagher updated the board that Spay Today — which had previously arranged to donate two manufactured buildings and equipment to the county when it closed — has provided a donation agreement for the county’s signature. Gallagher said state inspectors advised against allowing an outside entity to occupy space in the donated facility because of sterility and traffic concerns; instead, with the board’s permission she will bring back a no-cost lease allowing Spay Today to use a small office in the county’s Technology Enterprise Center so the organization can maintain a local presence.
Gallagher also reminded the board the adopted budget authorized hiring a veterinarian to provide services in the donated facility. That budget authorization addresses one of the needs Cooper raised during public comment; Gallagher said the county looks forward to completing the donation transfer and beginning operations in the donated buildings.
The board voted to accept the manager’s recommendation to move forward with the donation agreement and directed staff to return a formal lease for board approval. No new county spending beyond the previously authorized veterinarian position was approved during the meeting.
The public comment also included a neighborhood safety concern: Cooper described a daytime shooting in Crystal Acres and asked the board to follow up with the sheriff’s office. Gallagher and sheriff-office representatives are expected to handle that request through the sheriff’s regular communications channels.
The board’s action formalizes acceptance of the Spay Today donation agreement and the county’s plan to integrate the donated facilities into animal-services operations.
