By Linda Dean Cooper
Rod Hastings, according to the April 16 agenda, is the manager of animal control but is not recognized as such on the county organizational chart. One would never know of Hastings’s existence if one did not receive the agenda, attend BoCC meetings, or go to the county animal shelter.
Hasting was on the agenda to request an additional animal control officer for his department.
He told the commissioners his department handled 63 court cases last year. We had eight last month and had seven before that. Animal control continually muat go back out on complaints and forces the department to practically babysit some of these individuals. We must go back two or three times for the same call.
He said there is a tremendous need for this additional officer. He wanted to be upfront in his request. This officer will work from Tuesdays through Saturdays and be available to help the veterinarian with surgeries. The officer will also help with walking and shaving animals before surgery. This additional animal control officer will work Tuesday-Saturday and open the kennels for adoption on Saturdays from 8:00-1:00.
“I think there’s a great opportunity we had coming across the scales here at the landfill. There are anywhere from 600 to 800 customers on Saturdays. It would be a great time for them to be able to come in and see the animals. I think it’s a fair thing to do. There’s going to be some, some stipulations. I’m not going to do any kind of drop-offs or investigations calls,” said Hastings.
He went on to say he was excited to get the volunteers and had the four-page volunteer application if anyone was interested. He said the shelter needs volunteer assistance on Saturdays as well.
The volunteer application is four pages long but is necessary because volunteers have the same liability regulations as regular employees. The high number of people going to the landfill on Saturdays, 600-800 people, makes it prime time for the adoption of animals and a great opportunity for those people who work during the week to look at the animals available for adoption.
Hastings said there are many programs and options he is exploring to help get the animals adopted but it is one step at a time.
BoCC- Where Are Quarterly Reports from Dept. Heads?
Hastings provided a lot of information about his vision, over-time costs, volunteers, and future programs but the BoCC did not provide any backup information in their agenda. County Coordinator Wilbur Dean ignores the public’s appetite for information. I can’t remember the last time a quarterly report for any of the departments was presented in a BoCC meeting except for Public Safety Director Mitch Harrel when he requested the BoCC to write off an average of $250, 000 per quarter of bad debt which is required by law to remove that debt from the books.
Scott Osteen, an employee of Nature Coast Business Development Council is one of those little-known pockets of Levy County government that few people outside of government know much about. Our county commission contributes $66,000 annually to pay Osteen and he has not presented any formal quarterly reports to the BoCC.
The BoCC approved Osteen to take over Dave Pieklik’s duties, who moved south to Citrus County to be closer to home. Pieklik was a whirlwind of energy. He got as much done as one person could do and presented like clockwork an incredibly detailed quarterly report every quarter. Osteen has failed to formally report anything in a BoCC meeting. I could not tell you what he has done to earn his salary or bring new business to Levy County.
BoCC, do your job and inform the public of what is going on in our county and where the money is spent! Dean as county coordinator should have those reports in his office from every department head by no longer than thirty days after a quarter ends. Maybe he does but most likely not. Quarterly reports would be beneficial during budget time.
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Posted May 2, 2024
