August 7th is nearly 2 weeks away, but the work isn’t done to spread the word about the millages on the ballot and what benefits they bring to Jackson County. Commission Chair Steve Shotwell joined WKHM to talk about the county millages for Animal Control and Parks.
Animal Control: “We had to let the dog catcher go (when budgets were tight). Right now, if the millage passes, an enhancement of 3 full time positions for animal control, and a full time staff.” Shotwell said. Currently, regular law enforcement handles animal control calls on a priority basis. This means that if a more important call comes in, the animal control issue has to wait. If the millage passes, law enforcement will no longer have to handle these calls.
Parks: The parks millage has garnered a lot of attention, especially with the renovations happening at the fairgrounds. With the new convention building coming, what’s the fate of the American 1 Events Center? Chairman Shotwell explains, “It’s going to be enhanced and turned into a continued asset for Jackson.” Shotwell said that the county and American 1 are currently working towards continuing the lease and naming options. He also indicated that the event center will be available to rent. When asked about the millage and its application to the Cascades, Chairman Shotwell conceded that there’s still work to be done out there and “some of this money will go into the Cascades.”
The millages will appear on the August 7th ballot, county-wide.
