Руководство приюта в Гранд-Айленде оспаривает расторжение контракта с городом перед комиссией округа

Central Nebraska Humane Society takes contract dispute with Grand Island to county commissioners GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (KSNB) - Tensions between the Central Nebraska Humane Society and the City of Grand Island took center stage Tuesday morning as shelter leadership brought their ongoing contract dispute before the Hall County Board of Commissioners. The appearance follows a public statement released by the CNHS board over the weekend, in which they aimed to counter what they called “misinformation” surrounding their decision to terminate their current sheltering contract with the city. Humane Society defends operations, insurance history CNHS Board President Greg Geis and Executive Director Ashley Meister addressed commissioners during their Aug. 25 meeting. The discussion was placed on the agenda by Commissioner Jane Richardson, who also serves as the county board’s representative on the CNHS board. Geis strongly refuted claims that the Humane Society was forced to hand over animal control duties to the Grand Island Police Department in August 2025 because it lost its insurance. “The reason we put that statement out is because there is a lot of misinformation being put out. We felt that we should put a statement together explaining exactly what happened and why it happened,” Geis said. “The biggest misinformation being put out is that the city had to take over animal control because we lot our insurance and that is totally misinformation.” According to Geis, CNHS did lose coverage with one carrier but successfully secured high-risk, expensive insurance with another. He stated the board actually made a decision at the end of 2024 to step away from animal control enforcement to focus solely on sheltering. Financial strain and payment disputes The current contract dispute stems from a three-year agreement approved in August 2025, under which Grand Island pays CNHS $25,000 per month plus a $45 daily fee for the first three days a stray pet is housed. “A councilmember decided that we were being overpaid or paid incorrectly. The next thing, every month we’re paid differently. We’re running in the red, we have a three-year contract, we can’t do that for three years. We tried to negotiate with the city at different times, and met with their city administrator, their city attorney. We wanted it fixed the way it’s supposed to be,” Geis said. “We were just told we can’t do anything with it and we’ll have to cancel the contract.” While City Council member Chuck Haase has publicly questioned the Humane Society’s billing claims, Geis noted that the other nine members of the council have consistently voted to approve and pay those claims. “For six months, the contract was paid exactly how we expected it to be,” Geis said. “A council member decided we were being overpaid or paid incorrectly. The next thing is every month, we’re paid differently.” Meister added that the city had pushed for the daily rate structure, whereas the Humane Society prefers a flat lump-sum contract. When CNHS tried to renegotiate, they were told by city attorneys and administration that their only option was to cancel the contract. Ultimately, CNHS issued a six-month termination notice to the city. County officials express support Hall County officials, who secure sheltering services from CNHS under a flat $18,350 annual contract, expressed frustration with the city’s handling of the situation. “It’s been a big struggle working with the city,” Richardson said, calling the city’s inconsistent payments “strange” and “inappropriate.” When Commissioner Pam Lancaster asked if Grand Island still owed the shelter money, Meister confirmed that they did. Looking ahead Despite the city contract ending, Meister emphasized that the shelter is not closing and will continue to honor its contract with Hall County. “I’ve heard people say, ‘The shelter’s shutting down.’ That’s not true,” Meister said. CNHS leaders say they hope to eventually negotiate a new, sustainable lump-sum contract with Grand Island that “works for everybody.” If a new agreement cannot be reached before the six-month notice expires, the city may issue a request for proposals to find a new sheltering partner. The Hall County Board of Commissioners did not take formal action following the discussion. Click here to subscribe to our KSNB Local4 daily digest and breaking news alerts delivered straight to your email inbox. Copyright 2026 KSNB. All rights reserved.