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Animal control asks board to fund weekday kennel staff to free officers for fieldwork
Summary
Lee County animal-control director Terry Zink asked the board to fund dedicated kennel staffing (two part‑time shifts or one FTE) so officers can spend less time cleaning and more time responding to complaints; members asked for intake and euthanasia data before deciding.
Terry Zink, the county’s animal control department head, asked the board to consider funding dedicated kennel staff for weekdays to reduce time officers spend on cleaning and feeding animals and to improve response capacity. "I would like to ask to consider funding dedicated to, the kennel staff for animal control for the week," Zink said, adding that officers are often delayed from responding to bites and other complaints when they must care for kenneled animals.
Board members pressed for details about capacity and trends. Zink said the county has 10 kennels and supplements with crates when needed, and that local shelters and rescues are full: "People are not they can't afford their animals ... and we are an open door." He described a small trap‑neuter‑release (TNR) program for cats and said longer stays at the facility have strained resources.
Members discussed options — hiring two part‑time employees, a single full‑time position, or relying on overtime — and asked staff for supporting data. The board asked Zink to provide year‑to‑year intake figures and average hold times so members could weigh the recurring cost of staff against overtime and contractual alternatives.
Zink and staff also reviewed funding sources for the department, saying most revenue comes from impound fees and rabies tags and is restricted to animal‑control uses. Board members noted that increased demand could require discussions with the city of Dixon about shared financial support.
