Today's Feature

Financing the Fight.

The Carthage Humane Society Board met in its regular meeting last Thursday evening in City Hall. New officers were elected and a written policy was adopted that eliminated the salary of $2,500 per year for the president and $2,300 per year for treasurer of the board. Treasurer report showed bank balances of $7,680.01, $12,215.9, and $1,378.04 in various local bank accounts. Also reported was a balance of $14,330.19 in what is referred to as the Equine account, money earmarked for boarding of neglected horses.

In a special meeting on June 14 the board voted to hire Dee Wampler & Joe Pascianno of Springfield to represent the society to fight a petition by the Attorney General that requests that the director, president, and treasurer be ousted.

Minutes of that meeting say that Wampler "stated his fee would be $12,500 retainer fee and that there could possibly be a few more thousand in expenses before it is all completed." It also says Wampler was "very concerned. . .the attorney general was asking for restitution for expenses of the trial, which could run into many thousands of dollars."

The board voted to fund the initial retainer by cashing in a CD in the amount of $5,417 that was earmarked for air conditioning. The additional $7,083 was taken from the Equine account and placed in a CD. The CD was then used as collateral to borrow $7,083. (The equine balance of $14,330.19 shown above reflects the amount before the CD was initiated.)

These funds are to be replaced "with a number of fund raisers that the board will undertake. As much of the proceeds from The Hawgs for Dogs fund raiser as needed will be used to repay loan" according to the minutes.

In the budget submitted to the City of Carthage with the Society’s request for funding, it is projected they will net $3,000 in the coming year from all fund raisers. Last year the Society netted just over $2,100 from all fund raisers.

The Carthage Humane Society is a private, non-profit corporation that contracts with the City of Carthage for services. The City contracted to pay $20,200 for the next year. The budget for the organization shows a total projected revenue for the 2007-2008 fiscal year to be $142,450.

I always wondered where that was. As a kid there were lots of expressions I didn’t really understand, but repeated anyway, just ‘cause they sounded neat.

Usually expressions like "big deal" or "what-of-it" or the ultimate "so?" seemed to irritate adults after a while, even though such sayin’s weren’t aimed at adults. Kids understood this and would exaggerate usage just to push the limits a little. The result was somethin’ like bein’ without sunshine for more than a couple days I suppose, ‘cept the clouds just kept comin’.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

This Is A Hammer
By Samantha Mazzotta

Home Remodeling Adds Value, Livability

Q: I don’t see the point in remodeling a home. The building materials deteriorate over time, the stylish new fixtures fall out of style, and you just have to do it all over again in 10 years. You just can’t rely on a home to be a good investment, in my opinion. So, why spend a ton of money on remodeling? -- Franklin S., Cincinnati

A: That’s a valid question. How much value is actually added to a home by remodeling work? How much money should you spend, if any?

Because certain remodeling projects can run in to the tens of thousands of dollars, a little research before deciding what to improve is well worth the effort. For example, Remodeling Magazine and Bankrate.com recently published a list of the top 10 remodeling projects in 2006 and the return those projects brought when a home was sold.

Replacing a home’s exterior siding with a fiber cement siding was the No. 1 project, with owners recouping 88 percent of the cost, on average. In some cities, 100 percent of the project cost was recouped when the home was sold. Minor kitchen remodels and bathroom remodels hit Nos. 4 and 5 on the list, respectively.

Remodeling is often about more than just numbers, however. Updating an old kitchen, replacing windows and doors and adding insulation can give your home a fresh look and reduce energy costs. These types of repairs can also qualify for a federal income-tax credit of up to $500, if completed before Dec. 31, 2007. More information on the credit can be found at the Alliance to Save Energy Web site (www.ase.org/taxcredits).

So, while it’s important to look at possible remodeling projects with a critical eye, don’t completely dismiss their value. Sometimes the financial returns aren’t as important as the happiness one gets from a house that feels more livable.

HOME TIP: Local, state and federal agencies often have programs to help homeowners figure out the costs and returns of remodeling projects, and sometimes offer tax credits or other benefits for home improvements