Social media was abuzz this week after the Meridian City Council voted to take $20,000 it had previously allocated to Meridian Animal Control and repurpose it toward an event recognizing Crestwood teacher Jamal Roberts, who is competing on American Idol.

 

In March, the council allocated $540,000 to demolish the old animal shelter on Cooper Street and build a new facility from the ground up. The project is sorely needed as the ’70s era building is not only an eyesore in the community but also unsuited to meet the needs of a modern shelter. The money joined a previous $200,000 allocated by the council during the 2024 fiscal year.

 

Celebrating Roberts’ achievement is also vitally important, both for the esteem – and American Idol film crews — he brings to the Queen City, and the example he sets for Meridian’s youth, showing them that hard work and determination can pay off. A young, passionate singer, Roberts is already set up to be a lasting role model for the city’s future generations, and a public celebration of his success only adds to the impact he will have in the community.

 

The decision to redirect some of the animal shelter funds to cover a stage, lighting, and other expenses related to the celebration for Roberts understandably caused a kerfuffle among residents who saw the move as taking money away from the animal shelter. That view, however, is not entirely correct.

 

As it currently stands, Meridian Animal Control has $720,000 allocated to put towards construction of a new shelter, and council members have pledged to reimburse the department for the $20,000 they redirected in the next budget year. With the project still in the early phases, it is implausible the shelter will blow through its available funding and need the $20,000 before Fiscal Year 2026 begins Oct. 1.

 

The amount of money transferred is also less concerning when viewed in the proper context. For many, $20,000 is a lot of money, but the city of Meridian spends roughly $2 million each month in utilities, gas, payroll and other expenses. A comparable expense for a resident making $50,000 per year would be about the cost of a tank of gas, approximately $42.

 

Should the painfully slow and cumbersome government procurement process somehow move astronomically quickly and the shelter project need the funds earlier, the city won’t have too much trouble coming up with the cash.

 

The current Meridian Animal Shelter is a disservice to both the city’s residents and the animals that have to stay there, and residents are right to demand proper facilities. At the same time, recognizing Roberts is also needed, and city officials should support the celebration effort in any way possible.

 

This may be one of those rare instances where we can have both.