WASHINGTON COUNTY (KFSM) — At their Tuesday (August 11) meeting, the Washington County Quorum Court voted against putting $20,000 in funding toward the Lester C. Howick Animal Shelter of Washington County.
On the first and second reading of the proposal, the measure needs a 2/3 majority in order to pass. That means 10 Justices of the Peace needed to vote in favor of the funding. Two justices were absent from the meeting and one of the seats is vacant, according to George Butler, the chief of staff for County Judge Marilyn Edwards.
The $20,000 would be coming from the Circuit Clerk from a commissioners fee fund, which has been sitting untouched for the last two years, Butler said. The Quorum Court will hold another vote on the funding at their regular meeting August 20. If the funding request goes to a third reading it will only need a simple majority to pass, which means eight Justices of the Peace will have to vote in favor of it.
In July, the Quorum Court voted to approve an additional $10,500 to fund the shelter after the facility used up most of its $615,000 budget.
