THOMASVILLE- The New Year got off to a rocky start for the Thomas County Board of Commissioners, as they split votes on the new Chairman and Vice Chair, before hearing from several concerned citizens over the new animal control ordinances. 

County Attorney Bruce Warren began by opening the floor for nominations for Chairman of the Board, which is currently held by Mark NeSmith of District 4. 

District 7 Commissioner Phillip Brown nominated NeSmith for a second term, with current Vice Chair Wiley Grady seconding the nomination. 

Warren then asked if there were any other nominations. 

District 2 Commissioner Moses Gross nominated Zippy Vonier of District 8, with Jeremy Rich seconding the motion. 

With no other nominations heard, Warren asked those in favor of NeSmith to raise their hands. 

By a show of hands, NeSmith, Brown, Grady and District 3’s Ken Hickey voted for NeSmith. 

Vonier, Gross, Rich and District 5’s Donnie Baggett then raised their hands for Vonier, resulting in a tie. 

Warren then opened up the floor for a second round of nominations. 

Hickey nominated Brown, with Grady seconding the nomination, while Gross re-nominated Vonier and Rich seconding. 

By a show of hands, those in favor of Brown were Grady, Hickey and NeSmith, while Vonier, Gross, Rich and Baggett all voted for Vonier. 

Brown recused himself from voting, resulting in a 4-3 majority vote for Vonier. 

Baggett and Grady were both nominated for Vice-Chair, but Grady asked to be rescinded due to health reasons, making Baggett the sole nominee. 

Following the election of Vonier and Baggett, the Commissioners opened the floor to public comment. 

Jeanette Dixon was one of the first of multiple individuals to speak on the new animal control ordinances. 

“In the spring I came before you to try to get animal ordinances changed,” she said. “I was so delighted at the last meeting I had attended they had changed, but I am disappointed at the fact y’all are separating with animal control.” 

Dixon read aloud the newest animal control ordinance that states Thomas County Commissioners are not responsible for animals at large or strays. 

“I have a husky at my fence line,” Dixon said. “I have raised chickens for two years and I don’t know the last time you bought a dozen eggs, but they are very valuable right now. It’s not if, but when my chickens will get killed.”

Dixon told the Commissioners that due to their new ordinances, her only option is to take her chickens and sell them, because she cannot watch them get hurt, while not being able to protect them. 

“I cannot let my daughter see another chicken get killed in our yard by dogs,” she ended shakily. 

Judy Bradshaw followed up Dixon. 

Bradshaw explained they recently moved to a new home, where they became aware that their next door neighbors own six dogs. 

“We have two small dogs, and I had no idea when I moved that one of those dogs was going to jump the fence,” she said. “If I hadn’t had animal control, I would’ve had no resources and my dog would’ve been dead.” 

Bradshaw argued that more education needs to be available in Thomasville, otherwise the overpopulation will continue and individuals such as her neighbor will continue to house dogs, without taking proper care of them. 

She explained this education isn’t possible without the help of the Thomasville- Thomas County Humane Society. 

The Commissioners thanked her for her comments, before hearing from James Herbert, who is also concerned about dangerous dogs. 

Herbert recently woke up to his dog barking. He said he opened up the window to see what the commotion was, and saw a Rottweiler. 

“I called 911 and they told me to call Animal Control and they told me there was nothing they could do until the dog gets vicious,” he said. “So, you’re telling me I have to get bitten in order to get some service. On top of that, I have my 97-year-old mother who lives with me, who has Alzheimer’s. God forbid she go out and get bitten by this dog, what do I do?” 

Commissioners allowed for one final comment from the public on the situation. 

Dawn Deleo, a Humane Society volunteer, was the final individual to speak. 

She provided photos of dogs the Humane Society had found abandoned and neglected before she adopted them. 

“I’m very concerned about how the Board is handling animal control,” she said. “It doesn’t seem like you’re concerned about the abandoned, neglected and abused animals.” 

Deleo said there is nothing in place for dogs like hers right now. 

“Some citizen in Thomas County abandoned it,” she said. “I implore you to do something about it. Someone already abandoned it once, and I don’t think you should abandon it again.” 

Deleo was met with a round of applause from the audience before Vonier closed the public comment and addressed the remainder of the Commissioners on the items on the agenda. 

Despite these objections from the public, the Board of Commissioners is continuing to move forward in their first phase of animal control, while waiting on a new Animal Shelter to be built or a negotiable contract with the Humane Society to be produced.