The construction of the new Leflore County Humane Society’s shelter could be a step closer to reality after the Greenwood City Council meets Tuesday.
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The council is scheduled to vote on a donation of $15,000 for the new building in the Greenwood-Leflore Industrial Park.
Mayor Carolyn McAdams said the approval of the donation from council members is likely, adding, “I think they will because it is our shelter.”
“That’s our only source for housing (stray) animals. It should be called the Greenwood-Leflore County Animal Shelter,” she said.
Typically, the mayor said, the city contributes between $6,500 and $7,500 annually to the shelter.
City Council President Ronnie Stevenson said he expected the council to approve the donation. “I think everybody is probably going to be for it. The animal shelter is much needed in Leflore County.”
Humane Society officials say the existing shelter, located at 601 Ione St., is outdated and suffers from some structural deficiencies.
Aubrey Whittington, president of the Leflore County Humane Society, praised the city for taking the lead on the donation and she hoped that the Leflore County Board of Supervisors would soon follow suit.
Both the county and the city have been generous supporters of the shelter in the past, she said.
The proposed shelter, Whittington said, has already been approved by the state veterinarian regarding its design, which provides for segregated holding rooms for animals suffering from communicable diseases — keeping them away from the general shelter population.
“It’s as good as it can be without it being a hospital,” she said.
Whittington is one of nine members of the all-volunteer Leflore County Humane Society Board.
The shelter has two paid staffers — Director Vivian Norris and Manager Will Jennings.
RC Construction Co. of Greenwood is the contractor on the project.
Whittington said donations of construction materials, such as cinder blocks and cement, are still needed. Construction of the 6,200-square-foot facility is expected to begin by mid-year.
“If we have to, we can scale it down,” she said.
Tax-deductible financial contributions can also be mailed to the Humane Society at 601 Ione St., Greenwood, MS 38930.
Stevenson said the proposed shelter is a win-win for both the city and the county.
“Compared to what we have now, it’s going to be night and day,” he said.
• Contact Bob Darden at 581-7239 or bdarden@gwcommonwealth.com.
