Vandalia tables animal control agreement

Fayette County Board members may have had the impression when they OK’d the animal control agreement last Thursday that all municipalities are on board with that pact.
If so, they apparently would be wrong.
The Vandalia City Council had that agreement on the agenda for Monday’s meeting, but it was tabled at the recommendation of Mayor Rick Gottman.
Gottman asked that the agreement be tabled because he has questions or concerns about that contract.
“I think there needs to be more discussion,” Gottman said.
“If you look at the numbers, where we stand on our monthly fee plus the facility fee, I think we need to discuss this a little further,” he said.
Alderman Andy Lester asked whether the city can “get some additional information on the building and what they are planning on doing?”
Alderman Steve Barker said he was going to ask the same question.
At that point, City Attorney Ryan Connor told aldermen that the city did not receive the agreement until either the morning of the meeting or the day after.
“It wasn’t an input process and I appreciate the mayor’s move to give us some more time and information,” Connor said.
Lester said that with all municipalities contributing to the animal control program, “Does every community have a say in expenditures and that kind of thing?”
Gottman said, “There are a lot of questions unknown at this time. That’s the reason why I want to table it.”
Aldermen Bret Brosman asked whether he was correct in thinking that each municipality’s contribution to the program is based on population.
“That’s what I’ve been told,” Gottman said, adding that he questioned some of that.
The mayor said that he, City Administrator LaTisha Paslay, Connor and Police Chief Jeff Ray have been focused on that issue in recent days.
“There’s a lot to be worked out on this yet,” Gottman said.