JLAHS facing new obstacle in proposed animal shelter planning
By JIMMY GALVAN Managing Editor

Joe Lanier and the Jasper Lakes Area Humane Society have had to jump through many hoops to get an animal shelter in Jasper.

Last week, a new hoop was presented to Lanier when Jasper City Manager Alan Grindstaff said the city of Kirbyville would not have access to the shelter being proposed in Jasper.

During last week's council meeting, Lanier informed council that Grindstaff had informed him that the city of Kirbyville would not be allowed any service at the shelter.

"We will need council intervention before any shelter project can proceed," Lanier said.

Lanier said that donations in the JLAHS' trust fund for the shelter contains many donations from the Kirbyville area.

"Once a shelter is opened and a large number of animals are brought in from the city of Kirbyville, then a larger donation will be expected in the future," Lanier said.

Lanier wanted city council to rule on the matter during the Jan. 14 meeting but he was not placed on the agenda as an action item and thus council took no action.

For the past couple of months, Lanier has given council updates on the shelter issue as an information item only. Lanier said that this month he requested to be placed on the agenda as an action item and was not put on in that matter.

"What do we need to do from our viewpoint to call on you for action?" Lanier questioned Jasper Mayor David Barber during the meeting. "I thought we were on the agenda to request action."

"You requested to be on the January agenda and we assumed it was just an update report like you have always given," Barber said.

Lanier believes the city is "dragging its feet" on the issue.

"It took three months to get the inter-local agreement to the county," Lanier said.