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ANIMAL PROTECTION SOCIETY OF ORANGE COUNTY <br /> aps <br /> 1 0 8 1 A I R P O R T ROAD • CHAPEL HILL. NORTH C A R O L I N A 2 7 5 1 4 <br /> TELEPHONE 919-967-7383 <br /> June 5, 1987 <br /> Orange County Commission <br /> 106 Margaret Lane <br /> Hillsborough. NC 27278 <br /> Dear Ms Marshall and Messrs Carey, Willhoit, Hartwell and <br /> Halkiotis, <br /> I just heard that Mr Thompson has recommended $109,250 for <br /> operation of the animal shelter during FY 87-88. Since it will <br /> take $180,504 to run the shelter during that period [my <br /> calculations show that] Friday evening, February 5, 1988 at <br /> 9:59 the shelter will cease operation for the remainder of the <br /> fiscal year. What do you propose to do from February 6 through <br /> June 30? <br /> Even if the Animal Protection Society were able to make a cash <br /> contribution to Orange County in the sum of $39,670, as it did <br /> last year, the shelter would still have to close its doors on <br /> the 26th of April. <br /> Mr Thompson suggested in no uncertain terms to me in the <br /> Commissioners Room in Hillsborough on May 27th that the APS was <br /> pledged (obligated?) to support shelter operations to the tune <br /> of unspecified tens of thousands of dollars annually. <br /> As I stated to Mr Thompson at that time, I find two things <br /> wrong with that proposition. One is purely practical and the <br /> other is somewhat more philosophical . <br /> 1 . As a practical matter the APS has found itself in a deficit <br /> fiscal fix because during the past year, not only has every <br /> nickel of Society income gone into shelter operations, but also <br /> the Society has had to dip into its savings account. Even Mr <br /> Thompson ought to be able to see that when the balance in the <br /> Society's bank account drops to zero, not only does it go out <br /> of existence, but also its entire enterprise, including shelter <br /> operation, goes out of existence. Only the federal government <br /> can get away with that sort of management indefinitely. You <br /> and I, the APS, and Orange County cannot. <br /> 2. My other concern has to do with the apparently persistent <br /> notion in the minds of some persons that ordinary county <br /> services, i .e. , operation of the county animal shelter, should <br /> be directly subsidized by private citizens, i.e. , the APS. Are <br /> ACO's and building inspectors volunteer workers? Does the <br /> County Health Department run fund-raisers to support its <br /> operation? <br />