Humane Society agreement tabled as county seeks upfront invoice requirement

County Attorney Anne Cowgur told the Board May 18 that the initial draft of the Humane Society Agreement did not fully address county concerns and that revisions are in progress with County Administrator Kyle Swalls. Cowgur said the revised agreement will include a requirement that the Humane Society submit invoices in advance of payment, which was identified as the root cause of a current payment gap; she also said retroactive payments would likely require an additional appropriation from the County Council.

The Board voted to table the Humane Society Agreement until the June 1, 2026 meeting to allow the attorney’s office and the administrator to finalize revisions. Commissioners did not take further action at the meeting and emphasized the need to address billing and appropriation mechanisms before authorizing payments or a final contract.