Othello Council approves extra pet rescue funding

OTHELLO — The Othello City Council continues to hammer out the city’s proposed $22.6 million overall budget for 2019, with the city council focused on how much additional support it can provide for Adams County Pet Rescue.

At a regular meeting last Tuesday, the city council approved an additional $8,000 for ACPR in 2019, bringing the city’s support to $50,000 for the year. Othello donated $20,000 and pays ACPR $22,000 for animal control services in the city.

Adams County is also budgeting $25,000 to support pet rescue in 2019, according to the city.

The pet rescue, which is a no-kill animal shelter, is under contract with Othello to provide animal control services, including a part-time dog catcher who works for the city 10 hours per week.

“I like the fact that we have this facility,” said Mayor Shawn Logan.

However, according to the city council, the ACPR is running a deficit of $150,000 and is seeking additional support from both the city and the county to keep going, something city council members say the city cannot afford.

“We cannot make up a shortfall of $150,000,” said council member John Lallas. “I do agree it’s a necessity for a community to have this. But we can’t afford this.”

While several council members wanted more than 10 hours per week of animal control time, Police Chief Phil Schenck said if Adams County Pet Rescue closed, the costs to the city would likely be more than $150,000.

“If Pet Rescue were to fold, we’d have to look at other options,” Schenck told the council. “We’d have to house, reunite, put some (animals) down. We’d need our own pound.”

The city could send its captured stray animals out to Moses Lake or Yakima, but that would make it more difficult to reunite animals with owners or to adopt stray animals out.

“What we’re getting with Pet Rescue is a good deal,” Schenck said.

The city proposed $22.6 million over all budget includes $6 million in the general fund ($2.9 million for law enforcement), $10.8 million for water ($8.5 million for well and other water projects, much of the funding from loans and grants), $2.3 million for sewer, and $1.3 million for solid waste.

Charles H. Featherstone can be reached via email at cfeatherstone@columbiabasinherald.com