Dear Editor: How many times do we need to say NO?

Dear Editor,

I am glad we have people in Jefferson County that are willing to spend their time and effort working with stray and unwanted animals. Many people donate funds to” not for profits” that do this work and I hope they continue.

Based on what was reported in the Boulder Monitor on February 2, 2022, our County Commission is planning to place on the ballot a levy to fund a” not for profit” to the tune of $265,365 per year for the services the County is currently getting for almost no cost. This levy will pay $6634 dollars for each of the 40 animals the Animal Shelter and Care Committee currently handles each year. These animals are currently handled at a cost of $125 each when they are transferred to Lewis and Clark County. It is impossible to reasonably spend $6634 per year caring for a stray dog or cat. We have people in Jefferson County living on less than that and we are asking these folks to pay for these animals by having their taxes increased. I think people are more important than pets no one wants.

Our County Commissioners need to take a breath and then figure out, in detail, exactly what shelter and care services we need for Jefferson County. Having done that, they need to write an RFP for these services, get bids, (which you cannot limit to "not for profits” any more than you can limit bids to black women). The contract, when funded, needs to go to the lowest competent bidder. There is no reason to believe this would require a mill increase.

I am sure that many people in Jefferson County would gladly take in a stray for $6000 per year. I think I would take in several.

The other question that needs to be answered is how this got back on the ballot. We voters turned it down 2 years ago. How many times do we have to say, NO? I am sure that by having it on the ballot over and over again the folks pushing it will get lucky with low turnout in some elections and it will slide through. Makes one question the relationship between the County Commissioners and The Animal Shelter and Care Committee not only for it being back on the ballot but also how it is written.

I have lots of other questions, like who owns the proposed building we taxpayers paid for and who decides how the animals are treated? I will leave that for another time.

Bob Sims

Boulder, Montana