LONGVIEW/GREGG COUNTY (KYTX) - Citing increases in operational costs, the Humane Society of Northeast Texas is asking the City of Longview to raise annual funding for animal sheltering services by 23 percent this upcoming year.
Longview, as well as Gregg County, Upshur County and several cities across the area send stray animals to the Humane Society of Northeast Texas, either by animal control officers or residents. Those entities pay the Humane Society a prorated fee for those contracted services.
Longview City Council members will consider the increase when they meet at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at City Hall, 300 W. Cotton Street. If approved, the new $203,125 annual cost would remain in effect both in the 2013 and 2014 fiscal years, ending Sept. 30 of each year.
The new funding schedule for animal sheltering services does not directly effect a newly created municipal task force charged with finding solutions for Longview's animal sheltering and overpopulation issues. To learn more about that, click here.
Council members will also consider an amendment to City Manager David Willard's contract, according to city spokesman Shawn Hara. The amendment would delay A pay raise Willard was to receive Oct. 1 instead to April 1, a date that coincides with 3 percent cost-of-living raises to all municipal non-contracted employees in Longview. The council raised Willard's contract from $159,214 to $165,582 in December, but the raise was not to take effect until this fall.
