JUST HOW IMPORTANT IS SPAYING/NEUTERING PETS? IN TOUGH FINANCIAL TIMES THE STARK COMMISSIONERS ARE PREPARED TO PUT UP TO $100,000 OF TAXPAYER MONEY INTO A "REHABILITATED" FACILITY

Pet overpopulation is a huge problem in Stark County as it is across the nation.

So much so that the Stark County commissioners are willing to put up to $100,000 in taxpayer money into helping a 501(c)(3) spay and neuter clinic (Animal Welfare Society of Stark County, Inc  [AWSSC] - which should have IRS approval soon) in the form of rehabilitating a building on the grounds of the Stark County Dog Pound to lease (at $1 per year) to the non-profit in furtherance of the AWSSC goal to curb animal overpopulation in Stark.

Current estimates put the total project at about $287,000 which is $87,000 over the planned budget for the clinic.  This project is a "pet project" of long standing of Commissioner Todd Bosley.  He is looking for ways to pare the building rehab cost downward to a total of $200,000 to ensure that the project is realized.

Stark Countian Nanci Miller who is a commissioner appointed member of the Stark County Dog Pound Advisory Board is spearheading the spay and neuter project from the private sector. Ms. Miller is coordinating the creation of the 501(c)(3) and fund raising of a targeted $100,000.

The Animal Welfare Society of Stark County hopes to be up and running as a clinic by this time next year (2011).

Miller appeared at the Stark County commissioners on April 21st to answer questions that commissioners had as they needed to have assurances that the private aspect of the project was on track before committing taxpayer money.

The SCPR was at the April 21st meeting and took video of the dialogue between Miller and the commissioners.

The video which follows is a compilation of the major aspects of the discussion between Ms. Miller regarding  the concerns of the commissioners in discharging their fiduciary duties on behalf of Stark County taxpayers.