[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6059066,"mediaKeyId","3295659-d205fa6c34d760f725edd4b93ceb7248","parentId",3295659,"title","Johnson County advances animal-shelter fee changes and approves outreach campaign to boost adoptions","audioSeconds",68,"startMs",1100000,"endMs",1168000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3295659-d205fa6c34d760f725edd4b93ceb7248&start=1100&end=1168","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3295659-d205fa6c34d760f725edd4b93ceb7248/thumbnail_1100000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6059066/Johnson-County/Indiana/Johnson-County-advances-animal-shelter-fee-changes-and-approves-outreach-campaign-to-boost-adoptions","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6059066-bc616afa0a0af72bdbf5e2b236bd89d9/orig.mp4?Expires=1770977367&Signature=Q7mz27J3-fHyde0LgeIjrRbmL8F6VK~KtAwOVqzOl0XkjM5bQxZy1QftZHcMfl5IDYaL3DrTTa4VSOrZ722xssdcb3zQYIFNutsc~x~hxHamHmBBiAixWQdI9LjtWTg7KsBAPzV5FV2jLu7KHWP1Twb1EceNYVO6AU0ApYTQePnrW-j-bD4QZv4gP2gERjdB1MOHRb~SoUwNqe5Ec2mE0BTxFxynwaiHCq5iYNGJGvMUPkKwJBS3WHwU3UXfF7UQanOubPl2M5yPFfFtZIe-4OPIZbzLt21ioWYQNdWg770TIxrt1JLevGR~tpgnDFUV7NCHv3gZUFLeF~0QL8Itug__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Johnson County IN","date","2025-05-12T16:16:33Z","article","Johnson County commissioners on May 12 gave first reading to an animal-shelter ordinance (Ordinance 02/2025‑O‑9) to raise certain adoption fees and approved related measures including grant applications, staff travel to a June conference and a local outreach campaign designed to boost adoptions.

The actions matter because shelter officials said adoption fees have been below the cost of care, and the changes are intended to reduce net losses while keeping adoption fees competitive with other regional shelters.

Carrie Kletchy, director of the Johnson County Animal Shelter and Animal Control, told commissioners the proposed ordinance would raise some adoption fees because \"we're losing money with every animal even when we adopt them. We pay more for spay and neuter than what we get.\" Kletchy said the increase would not fully cover costs but would give the shelter more flexibility to run specials and offer discounts for long-term residents: \"If I have a dog there for a year, I can do $50 off the adoption price, and it still goes down to what we're currently charging. It gives us a little bit more leeway to try to do specials.\"

Kletchy said the shelter's adoption rate has improved to about 19% from roughly 7% a year earlier and that the shelter's goal is a 30% adoption rate by the end of the year. She also said the shelter currently houses about 250 animals. The director said many adoptions are sponsored by businesses or individuals that pay adoption fees for long-resident animals, and outreach helps create free-adoption opportunities despite higher fees.

Commissioners approved multiple related items by voice vote: authority to apply for several animal-shelter grants (including Petfinder Foundation grants and others listed at the meeting), authorization for staff to attend the Animal Welfare Conference June 1–3 in Bloomington, Illinois, and approval of the “Pit Stop” outreach campaign that places flyers with QR codes at local businesses to direct the public to adoptable pets and volunteer/foster information.

Kletchy said the outreach flyers will include two QR codes: one linking to adoptable pets and the other to volunteer and foster sign-ups. The shelter plans to pair the Pit Stop campaign with media outreach and monthly features in the local paper to highlight animals and sponsors.

The ordinance was presented for first reading (title: Title 15 of the Johnson County Code of Ordinances); the commission carried the item forward with a vote but did not adopt the ordinance on final reading at the May 12 meeting. Other approvals made that day included routine travel and contract awards unrelated to the ordinance.

County staff did not provide a full fee schedule or the exact increased amounts during the May 12 discussion; the ordinance text and final fee table will be considered as the item moves through additional readings and administrative steps.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Commissioner Meeting 5-12-2025","oneSentenceSummary","Commissioners granted first reading of an animal-shelter ordinance to raise some adoption fees, approved staff travel to a national conference and backed a local outreach “Pit Stop” campaign and several grant applications to increase adoptions and sponsorships.","taxTitle","Johnson County, Indiana","taxId",4101,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6059071,"Commissioners endorse support letter for Jefferson Street Health Center’s HRSA application",48,522000,570000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3295659-d205fa6c34d760f725edd4b93ceb7248&start=522&end=570","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3295659-d205fa6c34d760f725edd4b93ceb7248/thumbnail_522000.jpg","/articles/6059071/Johnson-County/Indiana/Commissioners-endorse-support-letter-for-Jefferson-Street-Health-Centers-HRSA-application","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6059071-a3b2c35b404cda6b67621b440377400a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770977367&Signature=NXNSaFho3uuTyPXmE5GeU~~Xssj0o0lXiyCH0IkqiNLXcrB8B8Kg4GpZkvZ-Mu95Hl30HSLIX7wJ6VXao2a8GnqDKVnGWaCM5TcBKDs8wZzQ-ao-CGvHYhgjzu4zasseMRyQ6WhZ8Q-VE3~XLbshF34~~VqvrvRBunbGVFQZzFrjEtnc~41aeXTyv3O6hVyrNIF4rAMwBoqM3NqrG-Ln2xXvJ90Yw-OlNfN5azWFG8go~9xVoDBX7IxiFF8pH1La5L-tIIHKpxKaVpD2Ohxlrj1jYWk7S~zmkJ4MoQRlKp3U~ARBugmKEJ2NTZIaRaY9mXIXniFm~gunUywnOLgHBA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Johnson County commissioners on May 12 voted to approve a support letter for Jefferson Street Health Center’s application to the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), a step county officials said would help expand primary and behavioral health access in underserved parts of the community.

The support letter matters because HRSA awards and related federal programs can affect local access to primary care and behavioral health services and may enable recruitment incentives that make physicians easier to find for underserved clinics.

Betsy Swearingen, director of the Johnson County Health Department, and Paul Smith, vice president of physician services at Johnson Memorial Health, described the project as an effort to increase primary and behavioral health access for underserved populations. \"It's really a project to increase primary and behavioral health access to underserved populations throughout the community,\" Paul Smith said. He added the project would help the clinic access federal recruitment resources.

Smith said the group intends to form a governing entity and that community volunteers, including department staff, have agreed to participate on a founding board that will meet over several months to present the entity to federal reviewers. The applicants described the effort as a formation process that requires organizational setup and federal review before award decisions.

A commissioner moved, seconded and the board approved a resolution to send the support letter to HRSA. The meeting record shows the motion carried by voice vote.

No funding commitment from the county was described during the May 12 discussion; speakers and the commission limited comments to support for the application and local organizational steps to prepare the submission.

County staff or the applicants did not provide a firm federal timeline for HRSA review at the meeting; Paul Smith indicated an expectation of hearing back in the future but did not provide a guaranteed date.

The applicants asked the county for the support letter to accompany the HRSA application; commissioners approved sending that letter to support the center’s federal application.","Johnson County commissioners approved a letter supporting Jefferson Street Health Center’s application to the Health Resources and Services Administration to expand primary and behavioral health access to underserved populations.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6059076,"Johnson County commissioners allow exception for long-running Memorial Day ceremony on courthouse lawn",246,121000,367000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3295659-d205fa6c34d760f725edd4b93ceb7248&start=121&end=367","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3295659-d205fa6c34d760f725edd4b93ceb7248/thumbnail_121000.jpg","/articles/6059076/Johnson-County/Indiana/Johnson-County-commissioners-allow-exception-for-long-running-Memorial-Day-ceremony-on-courthouse-lawn","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6059076-94ca74556618ca444dda499b560330e9/orig.mp4?Expires=1770977367&Signature=ZmD8BUrtBQc8o-fG-o8BWw94xRtUy9y6i-Pd-ugh6a6hmtmm280JyXJqr89rrmyuAzokvZmFYLkWgVhpYtlc9a05qRkVUehhRIcGtJZB9~obU-mnHAZrbYuYwZN9iF4S~7yy0avrMZHhd30xKy9Gvso-x4g4OT9R0ZmWDVEt-Q33qLBce8f-eEOLl28Xtm4AGXPfdFp~CImziCDwK040Fhgwqe7qPLsfRu7zRwDImqJ-yUW3-MqdenBLR5mbMGku4R6jnfVywXHb5CRRP-oxO7N2FnELCAuwj3s9MTFHV88GT8Qf7JVSRqpsFhtH7hoNj9h-2vsyguzEQLpZ9CjyTQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Johnson County commissioners on May 12 approved a one-time exception allowing the Franklin American Legion Post 205 to use the courthouse lawn for its Memorial Day ceremony on Monday, May 26, while setting conditions for band placement and equipment.

The action matters because the county has tightened use of the courthouse lawn in recent agreement modifications; the commission’s exception preserves a half-century tradition while reiterating new limits intended to protect the grounds.

John Beardsley, representing the Franklin American Legion Post 205, told commissioners the annual ceremony has been held on the courthouse lawn for 50 years and asked for permission to return this year. \"This ceremony has been held on the courthouse lawn for 50 years, and we should continue to honor our military veterans who've given their lives in defense of our nation,\" Beardsley said. He said the band’s downbeat would be at 10 a.m. and the program at 11 a.m. and requested power at the northeast corner of the courthouse for an amplifier.

Commissioners noted that modifications to county agreements earlier in 2025 restrict uses of the lawn and that organizers must keep heavy equipment and the band on hard surfaces. Commissioners and county staff discussed that attendees — many of whom are elderly and seek shade under trees on the lawn — cannot be prevented from sitting on the grass, but that tents and performance equipment should be placed on paved areas. A commissioner said tents have been used for other downtown events and could provide shade on hard surfaces.

A motion to grant the special exception was moved, seconded and approved by voice vote. Commissioners signified approval by saying \"aye,\" and the chair declared the motion carried.

The commission’s approval included the following conditions discussed at the meeting: the band and amplification must be located on a hard surface; power access is expected at the northeast corner of the courthouse; tents for shade are acceptable if placed on hard surfaces; and organizers should be advised of the county’s lawn-use restrictions established in 2025.

The Franklin American Legion Post 205 plans the ceremony on May 26 with a community band and the traditional program; organizers will coordinate with county staff on power access and placement of the band and tents. The county did not announce any permit fee or additional liability requirements during the May 12 discussion.","The county granted a one-time exception May 12 to let the Franklin American Legion hold its 50th Memorial Day ceremony on the courthouse lawn, while clarifying restrictions that require bands and equipment to remain on hard surfaces.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Johnson County advances animal-shelter fee changes and approves outreach campaign to boost adoptions

Commissioners endorse support letter for Jefferson Street Health Center’s HRSA application

Johnson County commissioners allow exception for long-running Memorial Day ceremony on courthouse lawn