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Iroquois County discusses animal control staffing, budget and veterinarian options
Summary
County committees reviewed animal-control caseloads, a $180,000 animal control budget, a $42,000 budgeted animal-control administrator salary, and options to contract veterinary services or enter intergovernmental agreements with neighboring counties.
County officials reviewed animal-control operations, staffing and budgets during committee meetings Jan. 6–7 and again at the full board session on Jan. 14, reporting open cases and exploring options for veterinary services and administrator staffing.
Finance manager Bill Johnson told the committee the animal-control budget is $180,000 and the current proposed salary for an animal-control administrator is $42,000; the county previously paid a private veterinarian $12,000 per year plus $1,500 per month for rent and services. Committees discussed advertising for a veterinary technician or entering an intergovernmental agreement with a neighboring county to provide veterinary services rather than hiring an on‑site veterinarian.
Committee materials showed eight animal cases open — six cats and two dogs — and staff reported animal-control officers closed 48 cases in December. The committee reviewed a copy of the state’s animal control act and animal-control job descriptions from Shelby, Champaign, Lee and Iroquois counties as reference material.
County board chairman Paul Ducat recommended temporarily disabling comments on the animal-control Facebook page after members reported posts attacking the animal-control administrator. Committee members asked to revisit the documents provided and to discuss veterinarian options at the next committee meeting. No formal change to staffing or contracts was approved at the Jan. 14 meeting; the matter was marked for further review.
