County approves pursuit of animal shelter manager, to be funded temporarily from PILT

Lincoln County commissioners authorized staff on Feb. 11 to move forward with hiring an animal shelter manager and to fund the remainder of the current fiscal year cost from PILT funds while staff pursues sustainable revenue sources.

Kathy Hooper, speaking for the health department and shelter operations, said the shelter currently relies on three part-time employees with overlapping days and no backup. "The biggest concern for me is that it's really an unsafe work environment," Hooper said, noting staff must sometimes handle larger dogs alone and have experienced fights and other unsafe situations. She told commissioners the temporary cost for the remainder of the budget year would be about $19,600 including benefits, and the job description requires the position to pursue grants and revenue to make the role self-sustaining.

Hooper said surrounding shelters generate significantly more revenue — examples in the packet ranged from about $129,000 to $1.9 million — and that a dedicated manager focused on program development could increase local shelter revenue through events and contracts. She also noted operational challenges such as needing to transport animals to off-site veterinary providers when last-minute cancellations occur.

A motion to proceed with hiring the manager and to cover the remainder of the fiscal year from PILT was made, seconded and carried. Commissioners agreed to allow a year for the manager to demonstrate revenue generation and asked staff to include funding options in the next budget cycle.

The county will finalize the job description and wage grade with HR and return with a funding plan for future years as part of the regular budget process.