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Marion County council approves emergency purchase of air conditioning for animal shelter after public complaint
Summary
Council approved an emergency procurement to install air conditioning at the Marion County animal shelter after a public commenter reported kennel temperatures reaching about 94°F and raised concerns about staffing and donated funds.
Marion County Council approved an emergency procurement to obtain air conditioning units for the county animal shelter after a public commenter described dangerously high temperatures inside kennel buildings.
In public comment, Deborah Buck, a local animal advocate, said she visited the shelter and recorded indoor temperatures of about 94 degrees Fahrenheit in the kennel buildings, which she described as metal structures without air conditioning. "This is not just a comfort issue. It is a health and safety crisis for the animals," Buck said. She told council the county had previously approved roughly $1.5 million for shelter improvements and called for urgency, transparency and a protected account for donations.
The council moved and approved an emergency procurement to secure a local vendor to install new AC units for the L and U kennel buildings. The motion was made during the regular meeting and passed by voice vote; a roll-call tally with individual names was not recorded in the transcript. Council members noted the funds for shelter improvements were approved in a prior budget.
County staff responding at the meeting clarified that a local nonprofit identified as SOS is a 501(c)(3) with its own bank account and that donated funds are not commingled with the county general fund. A staff member then asked the council to approve emergency purchasing citing employee safety and animal welfare; the council approved the request by voice vote.
Buck also urged the council to convert two part-time shelter workers to full time to improve care and to provide clearer accounting so donated funds go to the shelter rather than the general fund. County staff told the council they would address the concerns raised.
The action directs county staff to begin an emergency procurement process to secure AC units for the shelter; the transcript does not specify a vendor, contract amount, or implementation timeline. The council noted the money for shelter improvements had been included in a previous budget appropriation but did not provide further budget detail at the meeting.
Members of the public and shelter staff were present for the discussion. The council’s vote was by voice; individual yes/no votes were not captured in the transcript.
