The Tompkins County Council of Governments and the Tompkins County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals reached a temporary agreement on the organization’s funding last Thursday at the monthly Council of Governments meeting.
The board decided the municipalities will increase their payments to the SPCA by 50 percent for the first three months of 2008. On April 1, the board will decide whether they will continue to work with the SPCA, which offers a no-kill policy for all animals retained, or choose a less expensive vendor.

Abigail Smith, executive director of the SPCA, first requested in August that the Town Board permanently increase the budget from $20,700 to $41,400.

“It isn’t adequate for the long term,” Smith said.

Cathy Valentino, town supervisor of Ithaca, started a subcommittee of the Town Board to research other animal control options for the county. She said she has received phone calls from residents asking the board to support the SPCA.

“We will listen to the people … but we have to be financially responsible to all of our citizens down the road,” Valentino said.