Oversight concerns are expected to be addressed in the coming weeks for the Elizabethton/Carter County Animal Shelter.

The City of Elizabethton voted Thursday to appoint City Council members Wes Frazier and Sam Shipley to serve on the Animal Shelter Steering Committee, a newly-formed board committee created by the Carter County Commission following the resignation of County Mayor Leon Humphrey’s office as the sole oversight of the facility.

Seven members now sit on the new board: Frazier, Shipley, Carter County Commissioner Buford Peters, County Finance Director Christa Byrd, Animal Advisory Board Chairman Mike Barnett, Carter County Commissioner Randall Jenkins and Shannon Posada, shelter director.

Peters, the interim oversight chairman over the shelter, address City Council Thursday and stated the administration is doing a “great job.”

Following pushback from various entities, Humphrey resigned and said his office would no longer serve as the oversight of the facility’s operations during last month’s County Commission meeting.

When asked about Humphrey’s role with the shelter, Peters added that mayor stated to him that he is still in charge of the building and grounds portion of the housing.

“Our goal is to see how we should proceed with the shelter,” Peters said.

The board members alluded to the fact that he has worked alongside Posada to look at the budget and see where operational costs can be cut to benefit the city and the county better.

“The shelter is being run great,” Peters said. “We just need cooperation between the city and the county to make sure we have the best shelter around that won’t be a burden to our taxpayers. I believe we can have the best shelter around.”

Tentatively, the steering committee is expected to have their first meeting July 27 at 4:30 p.m. inside the County Courthouse.

The topic of the animal shelter is expected to be one of the hot-button issues discussed during Monday’s County Commission meeting. Commissioners will meet to vote on a possible four percent property tax increase.

Following Peters’ talk to Council, Frazier praised the efforts of the staff on site at the shelter.