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Public criticism and staff update put Clermont County shelter under renewed scrutiny
Summary
Shelter staff described facility upgrades and staffing gains since the county takeover in 2021, but residents pressed commissioners over delays, restricted donations, and care standards; commissioners agreed to explore contracting options while noting legal and maintenance responsibilities would have to be clarified.
Commissioners heard a detailed operational update on the county-run animal shelter and faced extended public criticism over its management.
Angie Livesay, who has overseen the shelter since the county assumed operations in 2021, and Wade Groblasky, director of facilities management, told the board the county has completed HVAC replacements, concrete and asphalt repairs, outdoor kennel work and a number of ongoing interior fixes. Livesay said the county has signed architectural contracts for the outdoor kennels and for replacement washer/dryer/dishwasher units and is moving forward with bid and engineering work.
"We have maintained our no to kill shelter status," Livesay said, and reported about $103,000 in veterinary bills to date. She told commissioners that a $60,000 donation given for kennel upgrades remains in a restricted account "for the item specified in the letter that we received," and said she was eager to see the related projects proceed: "I can't wait to spend it."
Public commenters sharply criticized the board's stewardship of the shelter. Chris Hicks told commissioners, "This has become an embarrassment to our county," and urged officials to return control to a humane-society operator. Stephanie Freeborn alleged that commissioners were committing "criminal nonfeasance" by failing to meet duties described in the Ohio County Commissioner's Handbook and said she intends to meet with the sheriff to open a criminal investigation.
Residents and volunteers asked for clearer timelines and project tracking for items such as the washer/dryer work and the use of earlier donations; one speaker detailed that the county received $20,000 from Purina on Feb. 7, 2022, and raised concerns that promised uses were not completed. Livesay and other staff described a large intake over a recent weekend—"we took on 38 canines, 2 cats, and they also had to remove 5 donkeys" from a hoarding case—and said volunteers and trustees have been critical to operations.
Board members responded by saying they would explore options. One commissioner urged staff to check whether a contract could transfer full operational responsibility—including building lease and maintenance obligations—to a private humane-society operator. The board asked the administrator and prosecutor's office to review what responsibilities could legally be transferred and how a future contract would be scoped.
No formal policy change or contract award was made at the meeting. Commissioners authorized staff to examine options and report back; they emphasized that whether the county continues to run the shelter or contracts it out, the board remains legally responsible for contracted services unless a different leasing arrangement is negotiated.
