By JON BAKER

LINCOLN — Town Council member John Flynn knew long before the start of Tuesday night's regularly-scheduled meeting where most of the “Public Comment” category would be focused, and who would do the talking.

At least half of the town's dog- and cat-loving advocacy group, Lincoln Friends of Animals, strode into Council chambers several minutes beforehand to voice their disapproval of Town Administrator T. Joseph Almond's alleged desire to move the town's sheltered animals to the new million-dollar facility in Pawtucket.
When Council President Ronald McKenna announced the “Public Comment” portion, LFA chapter volunteer Eliane Hodgson wasted no time in approaching the microphone, stating “Our beautiful creatures should not be trucked to Pawtucket. For them, it would be a perilous journey … You should make every effort to keep the shelter open.
“We have a number of supporters who are willing to sign a petition against closing (it), as this has become an extremely important issue in town,” she added. “We are asking you to support our campaign against the cruelty of moving our beloved animals … to save a few dollars, when it is proposed to spend thousands of dollars on a new senior center.
“We hope you will keep us informed of any proposal, and will let us be on the agenda in August. If we don't speak up for our Lincoln animals, who will?”
LFA Vice President and Board of Directors Jane Grant and part-time volunteer Barbara Swiney reiterated those remarks, though Grant mentioned the LFA has added to the shelter a refrigerator, microwave, new doors for the (14) dog runs, a copy machine and exercise room, and also pays for all spay/neutering and dry dog and cat food.
At meeting's end, the group congregated in the parking lot, and spoke with Almond as he departed the building. He informed Gorman, Hodgson and at least six others that he was awaiting a proposal from either Pawtucket Mayor James E. Doyle or Animal Control Officer John Holmes, and maintained no time line existed for a final decision.
Almond told Hodgson that there was no point to being on the Aug. 18 agenda until a proposal reached his office.
“Nobody is going to try to sneak anything by you,” Almond said, addressing LFA's concerns.  “By anybody's standards, you people have done a tremendous job with these animals. But you have to realize that we have to cut $2.5 million from the budget, and we've already let eight people go. Those people have families.
“I have no problem with what you do,” he continued. “When I get a proposal (from Pawtucket), I'll call Marie or Elaine and let you all know … If animals aren't going to be cared for as well, we won't do it.”
Almond also stated that “regionalization” of animal shelters is being discussed by other towns and cities statewide, and claimed he's spoken to others to see if they want to get involved with the Lincoln shelter.
More than 24 hours before the session started, LFA President/Treasurer Marie Gorman offered, “We want to … make the townspeople and the Town Council realize how important this is. We're not on this agenda because we didn't sign up for it, but we want to get the word out to all animal lovers in Lincoln, 'Let's not lose our shelter!' I don't think anyone in town who loves them wants to see them moved.
“We've spent over $250,000 on that shelter the last 24 years; we've done a lot for it,” added Gorman, who has spent nearly the last quarter-century as a shelter volunteer and coordinator of volunteers. “To see it go down the tubes would be very disheartening … We know it's not written in stone, that it's a possibility … I'd just like to see the Lincoln animals stay where they are, and have our shelter refurbished.”
Flynn admitted that the Capital Improvements Committee last summer approved plans to renovate and upgrade the shelter, currently run by Animal Control Officer Colleen Klink. He also said about $150,000-200,000 had been set aside for such.
“Elaine has been calling me about once a week, and the volunteers are adamantly opposed to (closing) it,” he said. “Without a proposal, or more  information, it's hard to know what will happen. But, of course, I'm sympathetic to the desires of Marie and Elaine, everyone.
“Someone is going to have to prove to me that, if we went to Pawtucket, Lincoln would receive a much better service, and the savings would have to be substantial. They're very passionate about this … I do know the money's there to renovate and/or expand this shelter. In fact, there are plans already drawn up for it. Right now, it's all on hold while we await Pawtucket's proposal.”
LFA came to fruition about four years ago, when members chose to separate from Volunteer Services for Animals, a statewide organization. Hodgson claimed some members are chapter volunteers, the others shelter volunteers. The latter group cleans cages, feeds the dogs and cats, wash blankets, walk dogs and do other things to make the animals comfortable.
“For any animal that would be transferred to Pawtucket, the Town of Lincoln would have to pay a fee every day the animal is there,” Hodgson said. “We still don't know what that fee will be. I'm extremely upset, as we were told the town couldn't afford to take care of its own animals. Joe told us it was not definite, but it would probably be cheaper to have them in Pawtucket rather than maintain our own building (located at 25 Wellington Road, off of Albion Road).”
LFA also accepts ferrets and bunnies on an “as necessary” basis.
Gorman stated she believes the animals would receive better care and attention “at home.”
“We pay for all of the spay and neutering, dry food and veterinary bills, except for euthanasia, which comes from the town,” she noted. “We don't do that very often. We have about nine dogs right now, but there could be 35 in there; that's an estimate. Some months are easier than others. It could come to $300 one month, and $1,500 the next, but it all comes from donations and adoptions.”
Offered Swiney: I'm shocked this would even come up. To pick up the animals and bring them to Pawtucket, it's dreadful.”
Hodgson stated afterward she would call the Town Administrator's Office at least twice a week to learn if a proposal has been issued.
“If not, I'll call Pawtucket and ask Mayor Doyle or Mr. Holmes if they have,” she added.