Flagler County government is estimating that if it were to run its own animal control operation, separate from the Flagler Humane Society, it would cost taxpayers $420,000 in the first year and an average of $333,000 a year, or close to the $304,000 budgeted for that this year. Currently, Flagler County government contracts with the non-profit Flagler Humane Society for the service. The cost was $237,000 in 2021, increasing 28 percent since.
County Commissioner Kim Carney says the numbers are not believable and are designed to set up for failure the proposal to break away from the Humane Society. Commissioner Leann Pennington, who is also interested in breaking away, is displeased with the slow pace of moving that way, despite the commission’s direction to its administration to have a plan fleshed out before the next one-year contract with the society runs out.
The issue, discussed at the end of a commission workshop on Wednesday (with Pennington chairing in place of Andy Dance, who had left by then: he has been recovering from surgery), underscored tensions on two fronts: between some commissioners and the county administration, and between county government and the Humane Society.
The county and Palm Coast have been disenchanted with the Humane Society over transparency, overcrowding and a drumbeat of public criticism of the non-profit. Palm Coast has its own animal control division but works in partnership with the Humane Society since it doesn’t have its own shelter. The county would have to do likewise.
The society’s is the only shelter in the county. It wants to expand but doesn’t have the money to do it. The county has had some discussions about having its own shelter or even contracting with the sheriff to run one. None of the discussions have gone past conceptual generalities. Shelters are very expensive to build and not inexpensive to run. That idea appears to have no realistic way forward. The only other option is for the county to have its own animal control operation.
County commissioners asked the administration to draft numbers outlining costs of animal services as a division of county government, doing so at the very time when commissioners have been pressuring County Administrator Heidi Petito to cut costs and shut down services where possible (as was the case Wednesday, when Commissioner Kim carney suggested the county’s elderly day care operation should be ended.)
The numbers Petito presented at Wednesday included capital costs recurring every five years and annual costs increasing at 5 percent a year, considerably less than the contract with the Humane Society has been increasing since 2020. Capital costs would include vehicles.
“At this point, because we don’t have all of the pieces, I don’t know that we can really move forward with it,” Petito said. She wanted to include Palm Coast’s animal control costs in the equation as the county studies the possibility of contracting with the city.
The report did not impress Commissioner Kim Carney, who said it was “designed for failure.”
“I just can’t believe it’s a half a million dollars to get started in the animal control business,” she said, questioning numbers such as the cost of two sets of uniforms, put at $3,000 (taht would be over five years), cellphones and radio fees for two employees put at $9,600, and so on. “It just makes me have more questions,” she said. “Two vehicles so that two people can drive around. Where are these people sitting all day until they get their phone call that they got to go pick up a dog? What are they doing all day?”
That prompted frustration from Petito as Carney’s questions often do. It was toward the end of what had been a tense workshop for much of the time. The commission had asked Petito to prepare the numbers, and now that she had–with the caveat that they were incomplete–Petito was being criticized for them.
Petito tone suggested that what she wanted to say was what do you want from me? What she actually said was: “Like I said, we’re not currently in the animal control business. It’s very hard to create a budget not knowing the scope and the magnitude of what they actually do, because I did not get a response to some of the questions and some of the concerns. As I stated, it’s a shot in the dark.”
County Attorney Al Hadeed, always attuned to the tensions in the room, attempted a rescue as he described to Carney the breadth of duties expected of animal control officers that go far beyond picking up dogs. Carney argued with him, too, over the cost of a $67,000 technician. “I’m not trying to argue for or against this. I’m just trying to explain the function,” he said.
Petito did get very general numbers from Palm Coast, based on 500 animals picked up in unincorporated Flagler County last year. She flashed those up on a screen after Carney’s criticism. The cost Palm Coast quoted would be closer to $400,000 a year, but the figures are not final. Carney wasn’t satisfied.
“500 dogs. I know we don’t run this service seven days a week,” Carney said. “It’s less than two dogs a day, or two to three dogs a day. This is not even fathomable. This isn’t believable. Doesn’t make sense.”
To Commissioner Leann Pennington, if the county were to have its own operation, it would make more sense to start with one officer, not two. Commissioner Greg Hansen cautioned that the county can’t have a three-dogs-a-day quota. “It’s not that easy,” he said. “They are on call. They don’t have a crystal ball. They’re ready to go if they get a call. So just be careful. Be careful.” Hansen thinks animal control should be a county service, like ambulance service, operating in the county and the cities.
That wasn’t Carney’s point. She said the idea is to combine operations with Palm Coast and share resources for better efficiencies. “The way they’re presenting this, it’s like they’re building a whole new department for Flagler County Animal Control,” Carney said. “I don’t think we need a whole new department. I’d like to see some sharing or integrating. This is not integrating.”
Palm Coast isn’t interested in bringing on new staff if the arrangement with the county were to be for just one year, Petito said. (Some commissioners had spoken of trying the experiment for a year.)
“It’s becoming more evident to me that it’s not going to be something that’s solved this year because of the delays,” Pennington said, even though the county has signed a one-year contract with the Humane Society. “But I think we need to bring it back to the board and make a decision one way or the other in August.”
That’s not likely. The city and county administrations are meeting in August to talk about the joint operations. The County Commission and the City Council are not meeting jointly on the issue before Aug. 27, Petito said.
It was Pennington’s turn to be frustrated. “There’s a lot of people here that worked hard for a year to get to this point, and I apologize that we’re not at that point,” Pennington said–meaning the point where the county could plan to sever its animal control operations from the Humane Society. “I thought that was pretty clear when we went into contracts last year, that we wanted to see other options. And clearly the year got the best of everybody. But we will not let up our foot on the pedal. We will keep going forward on this.”
Even though the county signed the contract, a clause in the contract allows the county to end it with four months’ notice, even if it renews for another year.
Marty says
These commissioners are fixated on destroying the Humane Society & starting over with something new, owned, operated & controlled by the county. This is an area they know nothing about; & for what reason? The voters of Flagler County should be the deciders on this topic!
Cmon man says
More tax’s coming. Thanks palm coast
Keep Flagler Beautiful says
I hope that the welfare of the animals will come first in all considerations of this issue. I also hope that a much greater emphasis can be placed on free spay/neuter for the community. The Bob Barker Foundation and many other nonprofits provide funding specifically for such initiatives. We will always have to battle the number of animals that are dumped, abandoned or surrendered because, plainly stated, people can be incredibly heartless, but to get to the root of the matter, free spay/neuter clinics, and even a mobile spay/neuter unit, should become part of the plan going forward.
Samuel says
Have these commissioners ever witnessed the day to day operation of an animal shelter? No, they haven’t they feel they can trust those that oppose the Flagler Humane Society and the gossip they do to attack it for their own personal gain.
Not sure why it is but Pennington has the Flagler Humane Society on a hit list it is so obvious and very unprofessional.
If the Flagler County Sheriff Office is going to take over are their officers going out and set cat traps daily to catch feral cats and have them fixed or will they just euthanize them? I would bet they will euthanize them.
If there is a dog that is acting aggressive, are they capable of handling that? I doubt that very much, which means that animal could be harmed.
After 40 years in business the Flagler Humane Society has serviced this county so, why all of sudden are they not good enough anymore?
Why isn’t the county working with them and helping them financially to put an addition on when in fact that is another solution to Flagler County growing in size?
I don’t feel it is fair for taxpayers to foot the bill for the county taking over animal control when there are other ways to help the county financially.
Animals Deserve Better says
There is obviously much information the public is not aware of. Do a few public record requests for information in regard to the animal control officers who are currently working, employed by the shelter directly. The county received several emails that would highlight issues critical to this decision.
Instead of bashing the city and county for their stance regarding the sheltering of animals, you should do your due diligence and get some facts. Much of it is public record.
The shelter director lies, I recently learned that she didn’t want the truth out regarding her dogs at home attacking her during a fight. If there is nothing to hide, why are citizens being lied to? While I am sympathetic regarding the multiple surgeries she received due to this attack, I am concerned why lie and how many other issues has she lied about?
Happy pet owner says
The county has stated at a meeting they need $3,800,000 for a building only. They said will still need to find land to build. This number also does not include start up or staffing money.
They cannot come up with enough money to run the government well now. They are trying to make cuts now. Where will they get this money? Why are they not mentioning this large dollar amount ? They know the general population will oppose it and suggest they work WITH Flagler Humane Society.
Flagler Humane Society may not be perfect, but it is a thankless job taking care of what human beings don’t, not counting folks that no longer can, but want to.
Want Flagler Humane to be better ? Volunteer there. See for yourself and you will appreciate what they do.
None other than one of the city or county commissioners have gone there or volunteer there so they do not know what is happening or what they really could be doing to help.
By the way, they have not signed a new contract yet for 2026 as some folks are stating they have.
Flagler Humane Society motto “For the Animals”
Tired of it says
So what does whatever happened between the shelter director and her own dogs have to do with the future of animal control in the county? Instead of slinging mud, hoping something will stick, how about a few facts? Are the emails to the county factual or just more innuendo and mud slinging?
Palm Coast Person says
I might be confused as to why we’re going in this direction, but didn’t this start with the realization that the whole county is growing quickly and the Human Society is doing the best it can with the limited space it has?
Why are we entertaining more animal control when the issue is kennel space? Why wouldn’t we work more with the Humane Society to fix that problem? Why would we go backward to try to do this in house?
We’d still need a contract for sheltering. We wouldn’t have a $67K/year tech, but we do have to pay benefits, unemployment, etc, so costs will be closer to $70K for a $40K job. We might need annual insurance, vehicle and vehicle insurance. The costs the county provided are fairly accurate. They’ll need training, tracking and reporting software, equipment, radios, etc.
Guess. says
To Animal Deserves Better: Let us guess you are one of the red shirt army that has attacked and spread lies about the Flagler Humane Society which started this whole mess to begin with. For the red shirts ladies doing their dirty work for Caroline Johnson you are a bunch of evil nasty vindictive women. I am surprised a lawsuit hasn’t happened yet.
You don’t care about animals because if you did you would find a solution to work with all involved for the sake of all homeless animals.
Attacking the Flagler Humane Society and its Director is not helping homeless animals one bit.
Everyone has some sort of dirt in their closet and sure the red shirt ladies have plenty as with Caroline Johnson a convicted felon.
So stop bashing and start helping the homeless animals in this county that need all of us because of the increase in the population.
Flagler for Years says
No one is talking about the fact that the Commissioners want to close the Adult Day Care facility for low-income seniors with dementia and that there’s no other option for them?
Why are we reducing all these services like cutting library hours, closing health care facilities, cutting grants if we’re going to take on animal control? It’s not enough to replenish the beach, but isn’t the county growing? Why are we not expanding services, but instead we’re cutting them?
Make it make sense.