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SEK Humane Society asks Pittsburg commission for emergency partnership funding
Summary
Representatives of the Southeast Kansas Humane Society told the commission the shelter is operating at a financial tipping point and asked the city to partner on funding to avoid service loss that could shift animal-control burden to the city.
At the Sept. 9 Pittsburg City Commission meeting, Jasmine Kyle, speaking for the Southeast Kansas Humane Society (SEKH), urged commissioners to consider a funding partnership after the shelter reported a large operational shortfall.
Kyle said SEKH cared for more than 250 animals in the past year and that most intakes come from Pittsburg residents and local abandonments. She said the shelter provides long-term medical care, rehabilitation and adoption services, while city animal control performs short-term pickup and ordinance enforcement. Kyle said SEKHreduces city holding and medical costs and that without a city partnership the shelter is projected to close at year-end.
Kyle gave a monthly operating figure to commissioners and described the organizationas already providing microchipping clinics, low-cost vaccine clinics, public workshops and emergency sheltering support. She requested a shared funding model rather than a city-only bailout, and said the shelter would continue to pursue grants and fundraising but needed a city contribution for sustainability.
Residents at the meeting debated whether the city should provide funds. Roger Lomcek, speaking from the audience, opposed using tax dollars for the shelter and cited nonprofit filing and ProPublica-derived numbers indicating donations and expense volatility over recent years. Other speakers thanked the shelter staff, noted its recent KDA inspection success and urged compassion for both residents and animals.
Commissioners did not take formal action during the public-comment period on Sept. 9. Staff and members of the commission thanked Kyle and others for the information and discussed following up during non-agenda time.
What was said (selected)
- "If the SEKH shelter closes at the end of this year, it's currently projected without intervention that these animals and the challenges that they bring won't disappear and will likely most fall in the City Of Pittsburgh's animal control department," Jasmine Kyle said.
- "It costs SEKH around $30,000 per month to operate," Kyle said (figure provided in materials to commissioners).
Next steps
Commissioners acknowledged the request and offered to discuss a possible partnership outside the formal hearing. No appropriation or formal referral was made at the Sept. 9 meeting.
Votes and formal actions related to this request: none taken on Sept. 9.
