BEDFORD – The City of Bedford will be delaying the proposed payment to the White River Humane Society until an agreement can be made about including a City Council member on the Humane Society Board of Directors.
The funding from the city is a contract service and requires the city to sign the agreement before payment can be made and has been tabled since October. The City Council is wanting to add a member of their council to the Humane Society board to get a better understanding of the operation and spending within the non-profit organization.
To be added to the Humane Society Board, the current board would have to review the applicant and approve them to the group, which includes a yearly $10 membership fee.
The White River Humane Society says that all board members are required to work at least 12 hours per month, are required to attend a certain number of meetings, and provide contributions to the board.
Concerns over the amount of time one would have to provide to the board, while most council members have full-time jobs and serve on different boards, were brought up during the meeting.
Bedford Mayor Sam Craig asked to once again table the discussion until representatives from both sides can meet and determine how they can make the agreement work.
The payment of the approved $37,500 to the Humane Society will have to be delayed until each side can come to an agreement, and is currently anticipated to be paid in January, 2023.
