Trustees will now be able to work at Warren County Animal Control and Adoption Center, but a new policy regarding concealed carrying will have to be put in place. 

At the county Health and Welfare Committee meeting Tuesday night, County Commissioner Blaine Wilcher told the committee that Sheriff Jackie Matheny Jr. told him inmates will be allowed to work at the shelter. 

“Sheriff Matheny called me toward the end of last week and, basically, what they are going to do is, starting Monday, they are going to have two trustees there with an officer for two hours a day, from 8 to 10 a.m. to help with the cleaning,” said Wilcher. 

The inmates will be able to help the shelter with the cleaning before the shelter opens. Wilcher was thrilled about this news.

“This is probably some of the best news we have tonight. That is really going to be a big help to them. He said he will look at it and see how it works and if they need to do more or less,” said Wilcher.

Now that inmates will be allowed to help at the shelter, Wilcher says they need to address Animal Control director Sherri Bradley’s right to conceal carry.

“With that we need to address the situation that Sherri has a right to carry. We don’t at this time have a policy from this committee on that. So we need to make a motion to allow Robert Bratcher to write a policy for her, or anyone else I guess, who has a conceal carry that works there with the proper training to carry a weapon,” said Wilcher.

“Blaine, the only thing is David Britton did advise me that he thought it is just the director,” said County Executive Terry Bell.

“OK, let’s make that just the director then,” said Wilcher. 

“What is the proper training? What do you mean by that?” asked Commissioner Kasey Owens.

Bradley said she did not know how they do things here, but in Florida she had to go shooting every year to qualify. 

“Do we need to specify the proper training?” asked Owens. “I guess Robert would do that.”

“I don’t want to say because I don’t know what it is, but between Jackie, Sherri, Robert and David they will make sure we get in what we need,” said Wilcher.

“It probably needs to be in there too that the county needs to furnish her a firearm. I think they would rather we recommend,” added Bell.

“Well, wouldn’t that be part of it though?” asked Wilcher.

“As long as you have the wording in there,” said Bell.

“I figure that could just fall under the policy and have Robert write the policy,” said Owens. 

The committee unanimously made a motion to have the attorney write a policy.