News Photo by Steve Schulwitz DeeAnn Karos spends time with a dog at the Alpena County Animal Control Shelter in Alpena on Tuesday. The shelter is getting a new part-time manager soon.

ALPENA — Alpena County is hiring a part-time manager for its animal control shelter, which will allow its animal control officer more time to investigate crimes against animals and issue citations to people who violate local ordinances.

The Alpena County Personnel Committee recommended Al Rapsman to the Alpena County Board of Commissioners to be hired to oversee operations at the animal shelter at the fairgrounds.

The entire board needs to approve the committee’s recommendation to hire Rapsman.

Rapsman is working part-time for Alpena County 911 Central Dispatch and Emergency Management, with all three entities paying a fair share of his wage, because the hours he works between the departments will qualify him as a full-time county employee.

Alpena County Sheriff Eric Smith said he believes Rapsman is a good fit and will work well with the other animal technicians and volunteers who work at the facility now. Rapsman does lack some experience in working with animals that are often suffering from trauma, but Smith said he is confident Rapsman will settle into the job just fine and work well with the people who have helped run the shelter for years.

Currently, Animal Control Officer Michelle Reid manages the shelter, but Smith said as crimes against animals increase in the county, she is needed more on the criminal side of the law and not for the day-to-day care of the animals.

“We are getting a lot of complaints about animals and we need our deputy to be available and have 100% dedication to the enforcement piece of animal control,” he said. “We are bringing in a shelter manager to handle the shelter aspect, because she doesn’t have time to do both.

Beth Pelkey, a member of the Friends of Animal Control Group, said the group supports the sheriff and will continue to provide support after the change in management.

“We know Sheriff Eric is doing this for the good of the shelter,” she said. “We want to see the shelter become a cohesive unit where we can all be there together and do the job that we need to do for the animals.”

Smith said having a shelter manager who doesn’t have to worry about the law enforcement component, could help build and strengthen relationships with other current and potential partners.

Aside from the animal control shelter at the fairgrounds, there is also the Huron Humane Society and Second Chance Animal Shelter, all in Alpena. Each shelter offers slightly different services but has its share of supporters, donors, and volunteers. Smith said working with the other shelters and communicating with them to share ideas and express concerns, could benefit the animals and reduce costs down the road.

Recently, Smith said, meetings have been held between the county, Smith, Reid, representatives from the other shelters, and other stakeholders.

Alpena Mayor Cindy Johnson, president of the HHS, said the meetings are a good first step to becoming more tightly connected and fulfilling the needs of the animals, staff, and facilities.

“The reason we are all coming to the table is to help the animals and to give them a second chance,” Johnson said. “We are all doing the same hard work and collaboration, and communication between us is essential.”

Johnson didn’t go into details about what is discussed at the meetings or what plans are being discussed, but she said everyone needs to be on the same page and put the animals’ needs and health at the top of the list of priorities.