JACKSBORO, TN (WLAF) – At first the Campbell County Commission thought that the problem with the floor and walls at the county animal shelter had been fixed, but the work carried out last December turned out to be seriously flawed.

Then the commission received an offer from another contractor to correct the problem with the porous floors and walls that has kept the shelter unable to board animals for several months.

At its regular February meeting they recessed for a week in order to give the Animal Control Committee a chance to further review the proposal and make a recommendation. Then they were forced to recess again in order to review what was possibly a better offer.

Instead, the commission decided last week to save money and have the work carried out in-house by the county maintenance department. Building and Grounds chairman Ralph Davis reported at Monday night’s workshop that the county’s workers were unable to start the job last week because of competing demands at the jail. The committee then was notified that the county employees cannot do the job because they are not certified to work with the specific epoxy needed to seal the concrete.

For months the shelter has been forced to avoid taking in animals except for strays and rescues, which are immediately farmed out to temporary foster homes or other shelters in nearby counties.

Now the commission must again back up and start at square one, and will vote next Monday on a motion to let the repair work out for bid and invite the competing companies, Stonhard and Southern Concrete Concepts, to fight it out for the job, which will cost somewhere in the range of $40,000.

“We desperately need to get open,” shelter director Patricia Siwinski told commissioners at Monday’s workshop, “We have 163 animals in our program, all farmed out to foster homes, paid boarding and other private shelters.”

Deborah Pemberton also spoke at the workshop to urge the county to get the shelter open, while several other people signed up to speak but later declined, all present to push for action on the shelter.

Other citizens addressed the commission on a range of concerns ranging from Paul Baxter addressing the still unresolved problem with the proposed rock quarry to a complaint from another speaker about ambulance service vehicles lacking portable radios.

David Prater gave the commission a short history lesson about the World War II troop train wreck south of Jellico and plans to erect a monument, on Highway 25 if the state approves the site, or in downtown Jellico.

Ralph Davis also added that the Sanitation/Solid Waste Committee voted to recommend hiring a full time certified mechanic to service sanitation vehicles, using savings from three part time employees to cover the salary.

One topic that commissioners did not discuss at the workshop was the controversial rock quarry, and nothing has been reported about further discussions with Potter Southeast or any possible legal action. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 03/11/2020-6AM