Shelter workers are in limbo

SPANISH FORK — All Amber Stochlia wants for Christmas is a job with Utah County in 2006.

The Utah County Animal Shelter, where Stochlia has worked for five years, will close its doors at the end of the month.

The Spanish Fork facility will reopen Jan. 2 with a new name, the South Utah Valley Animal Special Service District, and mostly new personnel.

Only one of the four full- and part-time employees at the county animal shelter is staying on with the south Utah Valley district, which will serve Provo and most south county cities and towns.

As for Stochlia, she's one of two county workers at the shelter whose employment future is in limbo. She's applied for positions with the county and is keeping her fingers crossed that she lands one of them.

"There are no guarantees," she said.

Stochlia said she didn't want to leave the animal shelter but felt it was in her best interest to try to remain an employee of the county.

"I didn't really know what was going to happen with the new management," she said. "I didn't know if it was going to be a secure job or what kind of benefits or retirement it would have."

Stochlia's fate, as well as that of one of her co-workers also hoping to continue to work for Utah County, is now up to county policy — which includes "bumping" — and the human resources department.

"They're county employees, so they have the opportunity of bumping within the county organization," said Utah County Commissioner Larry Ellertson.

Five years of service may earn Stochlia the right to other positions within the county. Then again, that service was in a department that no longer exists.

"There are no animal attendant positions within the county," she said. "If there were, we could bump over to them, but there's not."

Stochlia said she's nervous about how the upcoming changes will affect her, but she's also fearful for the future of the animal shelter.

"It may end up being a good change for me if I get one of the other jobs," she said. "As far as the shelter goes, I don't know if it's going to be good or bad. We have our doubts that it will work out."

Stochlia said she and her departing co-workers hope the new south Utah Valley district is able to maintain the county animal shelter's low euthanasia rate.