Undersheriff Slams "Disingenuous" Animal Control Cuts

Grand Traverse Undersheriff Nate Alger Tuesday slammed a recent county decision to cut two Animal Control officers and transfer their responsibilities to the Sheriff’s Office, calling the move “disingenuous.” Alger appeared before county commissioners along with community animal advocates criticizing the cuts.

“There was no thought, creativity, ingenuity or even courtesy provided to the Sheriff before making this decision to defund Animal Control and move it to the Sheriff’s Office," Alger said. “We found out about it at a board meeting last Wednesday night….it’s really disingenuous to force the activity on the Sheriff without any discussion whatsoever.”

Animal Control officers will continue to work Monday-Friday from 8:30am-5pm until January 1, but after that date their responsibilities will be fully absorbed by the Sheriff’s Office. County Administrator Tom Menzel tells The Ticker Animal Control services have “been handled by the sheriff’s department in Wexford, Leelanau, Antrim and Benzie for years, and it’s worked very, very well.” Menzel adds that though “any change is frightening for people, it’s more uncommon to have it the way we had it…more of the counties have done it this way throughout the state. It’s not a new model.”

But Alger criticized the abrupt timing of the transition, noting that “there is going to be a significant cost to train 48 deputies in the response to Animal Control complaints” and that “we don’t have the hardware, we don’t have the set-up for licensers, we don’t know what they do.”

“So now that burden shifts to us, and we get to do it with a $100,000 less,” said Alger. “To assume that we’re going to do that by January 1 – it’s not going to happen.” The undersheriff said that until the Sheriff’s Office has the opportunity to meet with Menzel and County Prosecuting Attorney Bob Cooney to “learn what we are legally required to do,” the Sheriff’s Office wouldn’t commit any additional resources to Animal Control services.

“Not one bit, until that meeting occurs,” said Alger. “It is irresponsible for us to try to make those moves without knowing what factors were considered in making this decision.”

According to a county press release Monday, a planning meeting will be scheduled soon with the involved department heads about the cuts, at which time a “transition strategy will be established” for transferring Animal Control responsibilities to the Sheriff’s Office.