City and county finance animal shelter

By Deanna Ryan

The Crossroads Chronicle was asked to investigate the amount of money allocated in the 2022 Swainsboro City Budget to the Betty Gambrell Animal Shelter. Specifically, we were asked how much money the city was paying towards the shelter when compared with the Emanuel County, where the money came from, what was it used for, and what happened to the donations that were made to the shelter that were routed through the county?

Swainsboro’s financial director Chu Lin Ooi answered these questions this week.

He shared the 2023 Animal Shelter Budget which outlines the various costs of running a shelter. He also provided a ledger report of shelter donations for 2022.

The animal shelter’s 2022 expenses were as follows: $58,662.24 for two salaried employees (a third joined towards the end of the year), $51,905 for employee insurance, $8,840.92 for FICA taxes, $4,714.56 for retirement contribution, $4,109.28 for GIRMA General Liability insurance, $7,000 for vet expenses, $5,500 for water bill, $5,000 for supplies, $5,500 for electricity, $2,500 for gas along with smaller expenses. The total for the entire year was $172,826.44.

Director Ooi pointed out that this total cost was split with the county. After the city pays these bills, Emanuel County reimburse the city for fifty percent of the costs. The city pays these costs through the general fund.

As for the inflow of money, $1,705 was collected in adoption fees and $910 was contributed as donations. This money is also split in half between the city and county.