Letter to the Editor

Kent County Dog Control Contral

George Jody Sweeney
Commissioner
5th Levy Court District
As a Levy Court Commissioner, I am held to a financial responsibility by the voters. If Kent County were to suggest a 70%
increase in property taxes, I would be flooded with requests for where the money is being spent; why did this come up
all of a sudden; and where is the accountability. Most of all, I would be told that in the next election, I will be voted out.
I am holding the Kent County SPCA to that same standard. Their request for a 70% increase with one year left in a three
year contract prompted me to ask the same questions. With one year left on the dog control contract, they indicated
that they would cease service on July 1 if we did not pay an additional $600,000 per year. In ensuing negotiations over
the last four months, the County Administrator was able to whittle it down to a separation a $462,000 offer from the
SPCA and a $405,000 counter-offer from the County. The next counter-offer from the SPCA was for $620,000, more
than $200,000 higher than their previous offer. This is not negotiating in good faith and extremely unprofessional. It
was served as an ultimatum, instead of a true offer.
During the negotiations, the SPCA Leadership walked out of the meeting, and have since posted messages on their
website and Facebook that are disrespectful and antagonistic toward Levy Court Commissioners. Callers to the SPCA
have been provided the cell phone numbers of Levy Court Commissioners to request assistance for feral cats, foxes, and
dogs.
The SPCA is a contractor for the County. I hold them to the same standard of Customer Service that I do for the frontline
county employees. Our employees are some of the best in the State, and the SPCA needs to be the same. Animal
Control Officers, their front line employees, volunteers, and especially their leadership should take immediate steps to
improve customer relations. If a County Director were to take some of the actions that the leadership of the SPCA has
taken, they would be disciplined and could be terminated.
I assure all of you, especially animal lovers, that Levy Court Commissioners will do the right thing, and will provide dog
control and the safe and humane care of dogs. We have been presented with a number of feasible options to continue
those services, including contracts for all services, separate services, or for some hybrid of those. Any and all parties will
have an opportunity to submit a bid for these services, including the Kent County SPCA, and I implore the Board of
Trustees to not allow the current leadership of the Shelter to cut their noses off to spite their face.