Animal Control Officer Jerry Clase will keep his job after the county commissioners addressed allegations levied against the 23-year veteran.
During the last commissioners meeting June 22, all three commissioners, Brad Jackson, Ron Truex and Bob Conley, were given a packet with 16 allegations against Clase.
"I can tell you we've looked at all 16 complaints," said Truex today. "We categorized them and also received letters in confidence to us."
Those letters, according to the commissioners, were in support of Clase. They included Clase rescuing a puppy stuck on a frozen lake in Mentone.
As for the letters against Clase, the commissioners said for every allegation there were eye-witness statements with a different account.
"Often times they did not get a desired result so their opinion was not a good job was done by Mr. Clase," said Conley of the allegations.
The commissioners pointed out a charge that Clase shot two dogs with tags on then showed them to a husband and wife with their 3- and 6-year-old children present.
Conley read a statement from an individual claiming that he had shot the dogs for attacking his sheep and that Clase only picked up the dogs once they were dead.
Conley cited Indiana Criminal Code and Clase's job description to say times when he shot injured animals he was within the law.
During an incident where Clase was accused of being rough with a pitbull, Conley read an eye-witness statement saying that Clase was being rough with the dog but the dog was being rough back. The eye witness also claims that Clase didn't slam the dog while he had it on a pole.
As Conley read the findings of their investigation, Launda Ewell, who has been a vocal supporter of action being taken against Clase, left the old courtroom in tears.
At the end of the meeting, Mary Geyer, who hosted a meeting of those with complaints against Clase last week, addressed the commissioners.
"I've lived a very quiet life and have always believed that the powers that be were usually right," said Geyer. "But it's very hard to sift the wheat from the chaff."
Geyer asked if the commissioners investigated a accusation that Clase had kicked a dog in the groin.
Truex told her that they only investigated the claims that were brought to them.Truex also said that in the two weeks they investigated the claims no new claims were brought to the commissioners.
"I pray, gentlemen, you keep on this," said Geyer. "The animals cannot speak for themselves. Please don't look away."
Jackson made a motion and the commissioners approved it unanimously that it be known that they told Clase to abide by every aspect of statutes that govern his job and if any other allegations come up the investigation will be reopened.
More information from today's commissioners meeting will be in Wednesday's edition of the Times-Union.
