Commissioners to vote on giving Humane Educational Society ARPA funds

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- We previously reported last week that the Humane Educational Society is in a tight financial situation.

Now, they are hoping they will get some extra help from Hamilton County via American Rescue Plan funds.

Last week, representatives from the Humane Educational Society, located on Randolph Circle right off of Highway 153 here in Chattanooga, presented concerning information to the Hamilton County Commission concerning the accumulation of back taxes they owe on this property. 

HES Board of Director President Jim Kennedy said, “We are going to exhaust every avenue we can to see if there is a way for us to not to have to pay over a half a million dollars in back taxes to the city and the county.”

This comes as the Commission is considering whether or not to give them $170,000 worth of ARPA funds.

HES representatives told the commission that if they were given the ARPA funding, they would use it for operational expenses.

However, several commissioners voiced concerns on how money is currently being spent at the organization.

Commissioner Joe Graham stated, “Last week when we asked those questions, and no disrespect to the Humane Society, but unless we ask those financial questions, they were not volunteered or not answered, so, I feel like there are some transparency issues between them and us at the moment.”

However, other commissioners believe the situation is overblown.

Commissioner David Sharpe said, “I take a little issue with some of this criticism… we should be critical of every taxpayer dollar, there’s no question about it. Some of the criticism that has been tossed in the direction of the Humane Educational Society is unfounded.”

HES explains that a tumultuous period partially contributed to the problem.

HES executive director Rebecca Bryan said,  “We had three executive directors between 2019 and 2020. It was Covid, we had to find a new audit firm.”

If commissioners elect not to give these funds to HES, they will go to parks instead, as some worry about a precedent being set.

Commissioner Graham said, “I don’t want other organizations that might get into a bind come in here and say, “Well, you forgive their taxes, why don’t you forgive ours?” Well we don’t have the authority to forgive taxes and neither does the city of Chattanooga.”

The Hamilton County Commission will consider whether or not to give these funds to the Humane Society next Wednesday.