A sustained public-comment period at the Clermont County Board of Commissioners’ Oct. 30 meeting centered on the county animal shelter, where residents and volunteers accused county staff and prosecutors of mishandling cases and mistreating animals. Residents called for transparency, urged an RFP for a shelter operator, and asked that filming of the shelter be permitted.

Wayne Carlisle, who said he lives on Elm Ridge Court, told the board he had applied for the shelter job and argued an outside contractor alone would not fix problems. “Personally, I think if you hire somebody outside, I don’t think anything’s going to change,” Carlisle said, and added he has experience fundraising and managing people.

Deanna Smith urged the board to allow filming at the shelter. “It’s our property, and he should be able to film there,” Smith said, arguing that restrictions give an appearance the county is hiding something. Several speakers also raised the recent encounter that led to charges against a volunteer; one speaker said the charges were excessive and asked the board to seek their dismissal.

Nikki Potts described her long history rescuing and caring for animals and said county procedures had made it harder for volunteers to help shelter animals. “All I want is for the animals to have a better shot,” Potts said, recounting attempts to secure medical care and rehabilitate animals.

Chris Hicks, an organizer of local volunteer activists, criticized the board’s pace in issuing a new RFP for a shelter operator and handed out informational cards about an upcoming Nov. 1 roundtable at the Miami Township Library. “Why would you do that? It just tells you the mediocrity of the political class,” Hicks said, pressing for a county representative to attend the roundtable to explain the RFP process.

The board did not answer questions during public comment, as it had announced at the start of the period, but later in the meeting took formal personnel actions affecting kennel staff. Human Resources presented three actions brought to the board by request of county administration.

The commissioners approved ending the administrative leave for Chief Dog Warden Timothy Pappas effective Nov. 4, 2024. The board then approved a disciplinary suspension without pay for Pappas for 24 hours (recorded as a 24‑hour suspension) effective Nov. 4–6, 2024. Finally, the board approved ending a temporary job change for Deputy Dog Warden Anthony Woolery, who had been serving as interim chief; that change ends Nov. 7, 2024. Each action was moved, seconded, and recorded by roll call with all three commissioners voting yes.

The public comment exchange and the subsequent personnel votes underscore persistent community concern about shelter operations and the county’s handling of volunteers and alleged animal-care problems. Commissioners did not take additional public questions at the meeting about the specific allegations raised during public comment; several residents said they would continue advocacy work and attend the Nov. 1 forum.

The board’s formal actions on kennel personnel were recorded during the personnel-actions portion of the agenda; no further disciplinary steps or investigatory findings were announced at the meeting.