GREENVILLE — Greenville City Council’s Finance Committee will recommend the city provide additional funding for the Darke County Humane Society’s Trap, Neuter, and Return (TNR) program, which seeks to reduce the feral cat population in Greenville.
Darke County Humane Society Board Member Denise Prestopic had requested an additional $2,000 in matching money at council’s September 5 meeting, telling council the original $2,000 grant had been expended as of August.
Considering the proposal, Councilman and Committee Chair Tracy Tryon asked City Auditor Roxanne Willman that if the city agreed to the funding, if it would need to come out of general funds, and if the city had the money to spare.
“I’m sure there is enough money to fund $2,000 if that’s what you want to do,” she said, affirming the money would need to be pulled from the General Fund. The previous $2,000 expenditure had been appropriated from the city’s Community Funds.
From April to August, the Humane Society reported it had used the money to trap, neuter (or spay) and return approximately 70 feral cats within city limits. This figure does not include cats the Humane Society has treated in other areas of the county.
The $2,000 expenditure, if approved by council at its September 19 meeting, will continue the partnership between the city and the Humane Society through the end of 2017.
“I think we should fund it,” said Councilman John Hensley. “I think they need to understand that we are bound by available funds, that whatever they ask for at the first of the year, they should consider the whole year.”
“The nice thing is, [the Humane Society] is matching half of it, and that’s usually from private donations,” said Tryon.
“If you’re talking about this going on for three to five years, that possibly it should be move to the General Fund as opposed to Community Funds, as the same area as noxious weed mowing and things of that nature — services provided to the community, and maybe we should look at it for the 2018 budget,” advised Willman.
Funding for the TNR program in 2018, as well as whether or not it will be approved, or paid for through Community Funds or the General Fund, will be discussed as part of upcoming budget discussions for next year, according to Tryon.
