Category: General

Willie Shakes

By George Smith

Willie Shakes said it all at one time or another. His immortal words ring true today on a variety of subjects. He talked about all things and the lines he wrote speak to us today.

I became infatuated with his turn of phrases in high school and took two Shakespeare courses in college.

No writer, before or since, cut to the core of a matter with more clarity than The Bard.

Let your imagination run free as mine did.

“It is not in the Stars to hold our Destiny but in ourselves” – Julius Caesar

“I am disgraced, impeach’d and baffled here,  pierced to the soul with slander’s venom’d spear, which no balm can cure but his heart-blood  which breathed this poison.” Richard II

“The man’s undone forever; for if Hector break not his  neck in the combat, he’ll break it himself in
vain-glory.  Troilus and Cressida

“Strong reasons make strong actions.” Lewis in King John

“My pride fell with my fortunes.”
As You Like It

“I will not jump with common spirits,
And rank me with the barbarous multitudes.”  The Merchant of Venice

“Go wisely and go slowly. Those who rush, stumble and fall.” Romeo and Juliet

“This sanguine coward, this bed-presser, this horseback-breaker, this huge hill of flesh!” 1 Henry IV

“You sign your place and calling, in full seeming, with meekness and humility; but your heart is cramm’d with arrogancy, spleen, and pride.
Henry VIII

“…When he is drunk asleep, or in his rage,  or in the incestuous pleasure of his bed; at game, a-swearing, or about some act that has no relish of salvation in’t; then trip him, that his heels may kick at heaven, and that his soul may be as damn’d and black as hell, whereto it goes. My mother stays:this physic but prolongs thy sickly days.
Hamlet

“He that is proud eats up himself: pride is his own glass, his own trumpet, his own chronicle.
Troilus and Cressida

“It is a tale; full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.” – Macbeth in Macbeth

“There is no more mercy in him than there is milk in a male tiger.” Coriolanus

“If a Jew wrong a Christian,
what is his humility? Revenge. If a Christian wrong a Jew, what should his sufferance be by Christian example? Why, revenge. The villany you
teach me, I will execute, and it shall go hard but I will better the instruction.”
The Merchant of Venice

“We know what we are but know not what we may be.”– Ophelia in Hamlet”

“More of your conversation would infect my brain..”  Coriolanus

“A pox on both your houses….”
Mercurio in Romeo and Juliet

“Such antics do not amount to a man.” Henry V

“He is white-livered and red-faced.”
Henry V

“They were devils incarnate.”
Henry V

“They are hare-brain’d slaves.”
1 Henry VI

“I have more flesh than another man and therefore more frailty.” – King Henry IV

“He is deformed, crooked, old and sere, Ill-faced, worse bodied, shapeless everywhere;’vicious, ungentle, foolish, blunt, unkind; stigmatic in making, worse in mind.
The Comedy of Errors

“Your abilities are too infant-like for doing much alone.” Coriolanus

“I can see his pride peep  through each part of him.” Henry VIII

“The croaking raven doth bellow for revenge.” Hamlet

“Infected he the air whereon they ride,
And damned all those that trust them.” Macbeth

“The tartness of his face sours ripe grapes.” Coriolanus

“My hour is almost come, when I to sulphurous and tormenting flames must render up myself.”  Hamlet.

GIVE US YOUR FEEDBACK.  CLICK ON “COMMENT” TO TELL US WHAT YOU THINK or use one of the alternative methods for providing feedback.

click here to CLOSE THIS PAGE

FATHER’S DAY

By George Smith

This Father’s Day is different for me. Why? I am a year older but was true in that situation a year ago.

The last 24 hours has caused me to question everything I believe or think I know. The present global pandemic and ensuring isolation and cloying anxiety and fingerlings of depression (plus some inner-most personal, tumultuous thoughts) created a need to examine my “here” and take a mental inventory of my “now” and ask hard questions about my very existence and my overall worth to myself, my family, my world.

A personal humanity laundry list emerged from my musings, not just for me, but for others as well. Take it or leave it, it’s now out there and my sunshine today is ultra-bright. 

Happy Father’s Day to everyone.

We know first hand about the dilemma associated with race, this big story about how people go out of their way to be judgmental, mean-spirited even, to those who are different or who chose to be appear or act differently

Shame on those that see color before humanity, gender before value, sexual orientation before good deeds, religious affiliation (or atheism) before   reverence for the emotions of the human heart, or nationalism over the needs of fellow human beings.

We are all of one creation…of that we should all agree. even if we disagree on a distinctive singular path.

That is a start.

Be kind today and every day after. If you do that and I do do that…it is the start of a movement that can change our world for the better.

Be kind. Today. Every day.

GIVE US YOUR FEEDBACK.  CLICK ON “COMMENT” TO TELL US WHAT YOU THINK or use one of the alternative methods for providing feedback.

click here to CLOSE THIS PAGE

 
 

City of Marshall Third Amended Declaration of Local Disaster April 21, 2020

[Marshall, Texas, April 21, 2020]

City of Marshall and Harrison County Release Third Amended Declaration of Local Disaster and Public Health Emergency

[Marshall, Texas] In a joint effort, the City of Marshall under the authority of Mayor Terri Brown and Harrison County under the direction of County Judge Chad Sims announce today, that both have issued a Third Amended Declaration of Local Disaster and Public Health Emergency Related to Communicable Disease. These orders are released in compliance with Governor Greg Abbott’s Executive Orders GA-15 and GA-16 advanced on Friday, April 17, 2020.

The new local orders stipulate that retail establishments will be able to operate as “Retail-to-Go” as delineated in the Texas Governor’s Executive Order GA-16, effective April 24, 2020. “Retail-to-Go” was defined by Governor Abbott as a safe, strategic reopening of select services and activities in Texas. This order establishes a temporary “Retail-To-Go” model that will allow select retail outlets in Texas to reopen beginning Friday, April 24. Under this model, reopened establishments are required to deliver items to customer’s cars, homes, or other locations to minimize contact. Customer admittance in the store will not be allowed under this provision. 

In addition, the new local orders will require every Harrison County food establishment to have all employees wear a face mask at all times.  In transactions with customers, cash handing functions and food serving functions are also required to be handled by separate employees.

The City of Marshall will perform a second round of inspections to verify proper implementation of all regulations.

Under the Third Amended Declaration of Local Disaster and Public Health Emergency, residents of the City of Marshall and Harrison County are still requested to shelter at home while still allowed to perform essential duties for their families. These duties may include obtaining medical supplies, visiting a health care provider, obtaining supplies they need to work from home, grocery shopping, engaging in outdoor activities while maintaining social distancing, and to perform work defined as an essential service. Citizens at a high risk of illness from COVID-19 and people who are sick are urged to remain in their residence except to receive medical care. Guidance on the Essential Critical Infrastructure workforce may be found at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (version 3.0 dated 4/17/2020).

The City of Marshall Emergency Management Team will continue to meet with leaders from Harrison County, Marshall – Harrison County Health District, CHRISTUS Good Shepherd Health System – Marshall leaders to monitor this evolving situation on an ongoing basis and provide notices to residents.

The City of Marshall and Harrison County urge all resident to use best practices to safeguard themselves and their families from the coronavirus (COVID-19).

1.            Restrict physical contract and publicly used areas.

2.            Maintain Social Distancing with a safe distance of six (6’) feet between individuals.

3.            Every person in Texas shall avoid social gatherings in groups of 10 or more per Executive Order of Governor Abbott.

4.            Residents should not visit nursing homes, retirement, or long-term care facilities unless to provide critical assistance.

5.            In accordance with the CDC, people shall avoid eating or drinking at bars, restaurants, and food courts, or visiting gyms or massage parlors. Residents may still utilize drive-thru, pickup, or delivery options through the Executive Order.

6.            Regularly wash hands with warm soap and water for at least 20 seconds.

7.            Avoid touching eyes, nose, or mouth.

8.            If soap is not available, use at least a 60% alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

9.            Avoid close contact with people who are sick. All persons should remain in the home if one person in the home exhibits symptoms.

10.          Essential errands should be conducted by only one adult from the household. All other family members should remain sheltered at home.

11.          CDC recommends wearing a cloth face mask in public. The mask will fit snugly, be secured with ear loops, and be able to be laundered and machine dried often. A mask should not be placed on children under age 2, anyone who has trouble breathing, or unable to remove the mask without assistance. A mask with multiple layers of fabric should allow for breathing without restriction. The cloth face coverings recommended are not surgical masks or N-95 respirators as those critical supplies that must continue to be reserved for healthcare workers and first responders.

Experience in Spain


GIVE US YOUR FEEDBACK.  CLICK ON “COMMENT” TO TELL US WHAT YOU THINK or use one of the alternative methods for providing feedback.

click here to CLOSE THIS PAGE

Research. Read. Analyze. Think.

By George Smith

If you believe, truly believe, that President Trump is saying the right things, making the right decisions and creating and directing a federal response system to battle the COVID-19 pandemic, you are wrong. Sorry, but that’s the truth.

Research. Read. Analyze. Think.

Fact: The president delayed important decisions that could have curtailed or weakened the magnitude of the virus because he wanted to prop up the stock market.

He repeatedly pooh-poohed the seriousness of the growing problem despite evidence of the virus’ potential from other countries and from his own medical experts.

His blatant lies will be his legacy.

Quote: “Nobody knew there would be a pandemic or epidemic of this proportion.”

This is not a misstatement; it is a lie.

There is factual evidence, however, that not only was the Trump administration warned about the potential of a pandemic and its dangers to Americans, it was given a plan on how to deal with it, which it promptly shelved.

Quote: “Anybody that needs a test gets a test. We – they’re there. They have the tests. And the tests are beautiful”

Without basis, Trump has claimed the US has done an excellent job in testing people for the coronavirus. As early as January, the president said the situation was “totally under control”. Just six weeks later the US had emerged as the new global center of the pandemic.

In reality, healthcare providers faced a severe shortage of testing kits as coronavirus hit the US, with the situation exacerbated by faults in the testing system and restrictions on who could actually take a test. A big disparity opened up whereby rich or famous people were able to get

Quote: “I’ve always known this is a real – this is a pandemic. I felt it was a pandemic long before it was called a pandemic. I’ve always viewed it as very serious”

You cannot have it both ways. Trump believes otherwise; he us delusional and truly believes if he says it, it is true. Whatever he says, he believes his troops, his followers will believe him, not facts, but his alternative reality.

Quote: “ lAmericans will have access ‘to vaccines, I think, relatively soon.”

A “bigly” lie.

He was contradicted by Alex Azar, the health and human services secretary, who pointed out: “You won’t have a vaccine. You’ll have a vaccine to go into testing.”

Dr Fauci and others at the meeting confirmed that clinical trials – standard for any new vaccine – would have to take place first. A vaccine is more likely to be a year or 18 months away.

Again: Research. Read. Analyze. Think.


GIVE US YOUR FEEDBACK.  CLICK ON “COMMENT” TO TELL US WHAT YOU THINK or use one of the alternative methods for providing feedback.

click here to CLOSE THIS PAGE

Letter to the Editor: No-kill animal shelter should be a city priority

The animal shelter, again.

In March of this year, Marshall City Commissioners adopted a resolution approving a low-kill animal shelter. As we say in the navy, Bravo Zulu, Marshall!

Now what?

The city manager has had a chance to get his feet wet, the new commissioners are in place, private fundraising continues, and many of us are left wondering where the new shelter stands on the city’s list of priorities.

At about the same time a new animal shelter was approved, yet another stray dog made her way to our property, where we found her hiding in our carport, scared to death.

She had fairly recently had puppies, had hookworm and is heartworm positive. She was initially so timid that she would not join me for a walk outside the fenced yard, and getting her 60 pounds into the car for a vet visit was a Herculean task.

Inside of a month, she was the alpha dog of her new pack. She’s joyful and loving, and she leaps into the car even before I’m ready. The change was incredible.

Every time I look at her, I think of Marshall Animal Shelter and wonder how many like her have been destroyed since March, and how many more will be killed before a new shelter opens.

Yes, I understand it’s “a process.” But I also understand that we’ve been here before. I doubt that the people who worked so hard to get us to this point, again, are willing to watch years roll by as this gets pushed into the background, again. The city owes them a plan.

Linda Harber,

Marshall

Easily bored? Skip this column

By George Smith

If you feel the need, skip this column today because it’s about a really boring subject: Insurance.

Many people – virtually everyone who is not associated with the industry in some way – think they understand insurance. They are wrong – double-dog dead wrong.

Take life insurance for example. You buy insurance in order to give someone (or some entity) money if you die. Did you get that? It’s just like you’re in Las Vegas and you are gambling: You are betting the insurance company that you are going to die and they are betting you are not going to go toe’s up … at least not soon.

It’s death’s version of the dollar slots.

And like all legal gambling edifices, the odds are in the house’s favor.

Insurance companies have truckloads of information that you, the insured, do not have. Actuary tables going back to the days of Moses tell agents when the average person – based on an incredible array of data – is going to go bucket-kicking. While they do not become giddified if a customer lives to be 112 (with coverage more than likely dropping the older you get and premiums more than covering the cost of the policy over time), they do get a twinge of sadness for anyone dying young with a $500,000 policy after making two payments.

It’s just human nature.

Of course, like any professions from physicians to news employees, there are good and bad insurance agents. There are no bad doctors, newsies or insurance agents or companies in the Marshall area and that comes from personal experience. Other towns are not so fortunate.

At this particular moment in my life, I have insurance: Car (three), an ATV, homeowners, personal property, life insurance (2), travel insurance for an upcoming trip and health insurance (Medicare and a supplemental policy).

Realizing this is a Yikes! moment.

We pay out X-dollars a month in various forms of insurance and, get this, hope we don’t need any of it. On one hand, you have to have it in case you need it; so, in effect, most people are betting there will be no wrecks, that vandals don’t attack the insured property with Magic Markers, that no one dies, that burglars hit somebody else’s house, that an upcoming trip goes off smoothly, that any health issues are minor ones.

Checking on one insurance policy recently – medical – the total amount billed for a relatively minor operation (one night stay) was $82,000-plus. The primary and secondary insurance companies paid $29,800; I paid $350, leaving a balance of about $53,000. I did not pay that nor was I ever billed.

That amount was written off after negotiations between the two insurance entities and some medical company and hospital minions. So, either the hospital and staff and the doctor and helpers decided to be generous to a senior citizen or they were satisfied with what they were paid.

So, then, why is the cost so high in the first place?

Many people have become exponentially smarter since access to Google entered our lives. The Billing Advocates of America website (BAA) has tons of information for the uninformed, confused or for folks simply looking for facts rather than conjecture.

Many doctors, according to the site, do not know how much they will get paid when they see a patient, because 1) They don’t process their own billing and 2) insurance companies pay based on internal algorithms.

When doctors, or their agent, send a bill, they will typically add to the actual cost to ensure they get adequate payout. Of course, the insurance companies know this but it makes no matter since they are using their internal figures based on their calculations on what a procedure is worth.

Here’s the rub. A cash customer normally gets billed at the same high rate that is send to the insurance company. Say wha…..?

(Here’s where this column becomes worth the time it takes to read it.)

Cash patients, armed with this information, can attempt to negotiate the bill with the doctor or staff in an attempt to lower the cost to what the insurance company pays. The same goes for hospital and other medical service agencies.

If you have insurance, an annual talk with your agent will keep you apprised of industry changes that could prove beneficial. As insurance and medical costs increase, it is imperative that consumers get as familiar with the rules of the game as possible.

Check out billadvocates.com and similar sites for the best information.

Now that we’ve covered that topic, let’s turn to another riveting subject in which we all have a vested interest: Solid waste disposal ….

GIVE US YOUR FEEDBACK.  CLICK ON “COMMENT” TO TELL US WHAT YOU THINK or use one of the alternative methods for providing feedback.

click here to CLOSE THIS PAGE

CHANGE IS IN THE AIR – MOBILIZE MARSHALL

By Ron Munden

By Ron Munden

I think many will agree that over the past 10 years I have written more critical articles about Marshall than anyone else.  I hope so because that has been my goal.

In 2006, I was appointed Project Manager for the Tourism Task force over the objection of then City Manager Frank Johnson.  This is the only time that I worked on a City project.  The entire experience was less than perfect but there was one incident that convinced me that I should not waste five minutes working with the City.

By 2007, the Task Force had selected a contractor and the contractor had provided the first deliverable.  They provided a list of 54 best practices that should be implemented in preparation of the detailed tourism plan that was the final deliverable.

I was confident that we could complete these 54 items during the 6 months that we would be waiting for the final plan.  Before returning to Marshall I had worked for the Department of Defense {DoD} for over 30 years and most of that time had successfully managed a variety of projects.  Based on that experience I wrote a web-based project management software package based on proven project management techniques.  The software provided tools for managing the implementation of each task and just as importantly it provided transparency so every citizen of Marshall with a web-browser could review the status to the project whenever they wanted.

I loaded the first set of data into the software so I could demonstrate it to the Task Force.  At the next meeting I provided the demo.

The software included all the standard project management date like:

. Item due date

. Item completion date

. Responsible organization

. Responsible person

. etc.

I was shocked at the response to the demo.  Assistant City Manager Janet Cook explained that was not the way that we did things in Marshall.  She explained that the city did not assign specific due dates. When Marshall developed a project plan, due dates would state, “to be completed in the 2nd quarter of next year.”  And most disturbing, I assigned responsibility for completing a task to a specific person.  The City would never do that.

Finally, she said that she thought we should sit back, take some deep breaths and do nothing until the contractor provided the final report because the contractor might change their minds on these 54 best practices during the next six months.

The Task Force voted.  All the city employees on the Task Force voted to do nothing.  A couple of hotel representatives on the task force agreed.  The other private sector representatives voted to proceed.  It was a split vote.  I decided not to push it.

In Ms. Cook’s brief three-minute description of how Marshall managed projects, she described a system that violated every project principle that I had been taught in my 32 years in DoD and my three years at Booz Allen Hamilton.

That was the day that I gave up on Marshall successfully completing any project.

The Task Force did nothing during the next six months.  On the night the final tourism plan was approved by the City Commission, the City Manager announced that he was abolishing the task force.  Using Marshall’s “breathe deep and do nothing” project management system, the City spent over $3 million dollars of Hotel Occupancy Tax money and accomplished nothing.

The City has used those same techniques during the last 10 years on the yet to be completed Memorial City Hall renovation project.

For over ten years I have felt that Marshall was hopeless.

But starting in 2019 I feel CHANGE IS IN THE AIR.

Saturday’s “Mobilize Marshall” meeting validated this feeling.

I think many strategic plans are as worthless as the paper they are printed on.  In Marshall’s case I would substitute “always” for “most.”  But that was the past — today I feel different. 

For the first time since I returned to Marshall, I heard magical words coming from a Marshall City Manager’s mouth.  Words like “accountability”, “measurement”, etc.

Also, based on my brief observations and conversation, I think that Marshall now has a City Manager with leadership skills and is a subject matter expert on managing a city.  I get the feeling that when he says something, he means it. A rare trait.

With the exception is the period Buzz Snyder was the interim city manager. In the 18 years that I have been in Marshall we have not had a city manager with leadership skills.  In that time none have had broad city management skills.

I think the new City Manager, Mark Rohr, can successfully lead the charge to “mobilize Marshall.”  History may prove me wrong, but I don’t think so.

Finally, based on conversations with key city employees, I think at least some bought into Mr. Rohr’s management style and are eager to follow his lead and improve Marshall.

Twelve years ago, I lost all hope that Marshall could ever succeed.  Today I think the stars have realigned and success is possible.

It is time for Marshall to reject the “breathe deep and do nothing” attitude.  As they say, “Lead, follow or get out of the way.”

GIVE US YOUR FEEDBACK.  CLICK ON “COMMENT” TO TELL US WHAT YOU THINK or use one of the alternative methods for providing feedback.

click here to CLOSE THIS PAGE

The Million Dollar Dog House

By Amanda Smith

“We don’t need to build a million dollar dog house.”

This statement gets thrown around a lot in connection with the proposed animal shelter; the implication being that we are building something to benefit pets and not people. However, a municipal animal shelter doesn’t serve animals. It serves humans. In addition to reuniting people with lost pets and getting dangerous dogs off the streets, there are many things animal control officers do that some of us may never see. They capture snakes and other wildlife in people’s homes, remove dead animals from the roads, rescue animals trapped under houses or in wells, send decapitated heads to the state lab for rabies testing, and much more. Their job is dirty, dangerous, and thankless.

Over thirty years ago, through a combination of research and trial and error, it had already been learned that by building and operating animal shelters differently, better results were achieved. The results included better working conditions for employees, better outcomes for the animals, and better services for the public. This led to a revolution in the design and operation of new shelters and the demolition of the old-style “dog pounds” that were the norm when the Marshall Shelter was built 50 years ago.

Experience showed that it was not only more humane to save animal lives than to end them, it was actually less expensive. This is part of the reason that the average U. S. shelter is now about 15 years old. Some states are still behind the curve on this, with Texas being one of the worst in terms of euthanasia rates. Think of that for a moment. Texas is one of the states with the highest kill rates to begin with, and we have the oldest and one of the highest kill rate shelters in this state. It doesn’t speak well of Marshall.

Another of the drivers of change came from recognition of the toll that shelter work was taking on employees, including depression and PTSD, and this issue is even more urgent than the stain on our city’s image. We have animal control officers – police department employees – whose job it is to protect and to serve us, and we are not giving them the work environment they deserve. 

Ironically, one part of the job is responsible for both the greatest emotional rewards and the deepest despair for shelter workers – dealing with homeless pets, including the constant requirement to kill healthy companion animals. We should, at the very least, try to lessen the burden they must bear for slaughtering healthy animals.   

Some argue that the cost of a low-kill shelter is too high. By comparison, the police department and fire station facilities cost $2.5 million each, over 10 years ago. Like them, the animal shelter is a municipal facility that is responsible for a core function of city government. A low-kill shelter can be built today for half the cost of just one of those. It isn’t a fancy dog house. It is a special-purpose government building that is intended to serve our community for decades to come. 

We need to build with the future in mind, and to place the welfare of the people who will be working there at the forefront of our thoughts. Could you do their job? Most of us couldn’t. Why would we expect them to live with the cheapest and least effective thing that can be built? Why not follow the example of other cities and do it right? To do it right, we must build what is needed. 

Most cities the size of Marshall are spending $2 to $3 million (or more) to build low-kill animal shelters. They have tight budgets too, but they realize that it’s important build what experts know they need to succeed. If Marshall builds a low-kill shelter for $1.2 million dollars it will be the least expensive facility of its kind built in a decade in this state.

So, when people say we don’t need to build a million dollar dog house, the answer is that we are not. We are building an effective and modern animal control facility. Our animal control officers would much rather be saving animals than killing them, and with the right facility that can be the normal outcome.

Another outcome of building the right facility lies in the ability to attract volunteers and donors, and to qualify for grants. A high-kill shelter won’t offer those benefits. It’s cheaper to build a slaughterhouse than a place of salvation but which one will make Marshall proud? And in the end which makes the most economic sense – save some money in building costs up front, but lose millions in grant and donor revenue over the life of the building? 

The answer is obvious, and that’s why for most of the last three decades cities across the country have embraced the low-kill paradigm and built shelters where lives are saved more than they are taken. It’s the ethically and economically sensible thing to do.

Sometimes making the responsible choice requires looking ahead. It’s time to look ahead, Marshall. We are not building a shelter for today. We are building an animal control facility that will serve our community for decades to come. Let’s get it right.

GIVE US YOUR FEEDBACK.  CLICK ON “COMMENT” TO TELL US WHAT YOU THINK or use one of the alternative methods for providing feedback.

click here to CLOSE THIS PAGE

Importance of a Community Animal Shelter

This is the full text of the Guest Column published on Wednesday in the Marshall News Messenger  

By Katie Jarl (Dec 26, 2018)

For more than six years, Marshall has been trying to determine what to do about its antiquated, 50-year-old animal shelter. Several years ago, I visited the shelter in Marshall myself. In my position as the Texas Senior State Director for the Humane Society of the United States, I have visited many shelters, and Marshall’s is one of the saddest and most outdated facilities I’ve encountered. It really is a relic from the past that is incapable of functioning to today’s standards. It should have been replaced decades ago. Unfortunately, it’s still in use because of arguments over money. Specifically, how much to invest.


I would like to make a point that many may not have considered but relates to the financial welfare of your community for years to come.
If you build the cheapest facility you can, you may end up losing huge amounts of money over the lifetime of the new shelter.

Why is that?


Most shelters rely heavily on grant funding.
National and local organizations are on the lookout for innovative programs and offer grants to shelters that are succeeding on various metrics or are capable of meeting the needs of the communities that they serve.


A while back, I saw two of the plans being considered; Scheme P and Scheme U.


The smaller plan (P) would struggle to meet these standards because it would be inadequate from the day it opened its doors.


It was only 1,000 square feet larger than your current 1,475 square foot shelter.


The other plan (U) had the capacity to serve your region and potentially achieve low-kill status.


At just over a million dollars, it was still quite inexpensive but would likely attract grant funding and would be seen by those on the outside as a sign of serious commitment by the local community.


If Marshall had built an adequate new shelter years ago, the town could have had several years of grant funding already in the shelter’s coffers.

This amount is lost forever now due to the delays, but if you spend enough to build the right kind of shelter, Marshall’s people and animals will benefit from this.


If you do not build a facility that meets your needs and is up to today’s standards, that money, and more importantly the lives of so many animals, will be lost to you forever.


Attempting to save money by under-building will cost you untold sums in the future.


I’ve seen communities make this mistake before and regret it.
Don’t be one of them. Build your shelter with the future in mind.
You aren’t building something for the next five years.


If history is any gauge you may be building it for the next fifty. Choose wisely.

————

Katie Jarl


Katie Jarl is the Texas Senior State Director for the Humane Society of the United States.

GIVE US YOUR FEEDBACK.  CLICK ON “COMMENT” TO TELL US WHAT YOU THINK or use one of the alternative methods for providing feedback.

click here to CLOSE THIS PAGE