The Morgan County Commissioners are raising animal control rates on area municipalities to ensure the department remains solvent.
The commissioners raised the current animal control rate of $2.50 per person in the county to $3 per person in the morning.
Morgan County Commissioner Chair Ginny Fanning says the rate increase was proposed during annual budget hearings with department heads.
Fanning says a number of factors are going towards the increase: “When we had our budget hearing with animal control, we were realizing that they were having increases in so many different areas – with food and supplies as well as utilities and so forth. That being said, we had to try to figure a way of making it a balanced budget there because the county has had to supplement this last year in order for them to continue operating, and that’s not sustainable. We then had to call on our villages, the City of Jacksonville, and the rest of the folks who use those services. The rate hadn’t been increased since 2020, so that’s why it was increased 50 cents.”
The increase will result in just over $16,000 more for animal control’s annual budget.
The rate increase will take effect on January 1st.