The Natchez-Adams County Humane Society has long been one of the most respected charities in the area. In recent months, though, a dispute that began over plans for a new animal shelter has divided some members of the organization.

Because the existing shelter is insufficient in nearly every way, all those involved on both sides of the disagreement want to see a new facility built as soon as possible.

In August, the factions asked me to mediate their dispute so that planning for the shelter could move forward. As has been reported in The Democrat, this mediation was successful, and the representatives of the two sides reached an agreement they hope and believe will end the division and get the project moving again.

The negotiators did not try to select a site or a specific plan for the shelter. Rather they agreed to a number of steps that ultimately will enable a newly constituted board of directors to consider agreed-upon facts to reach the best decision for the organization.

The disagreement, greatly condensed, was this: A group, including Vidal Davis, donated property on Jack Pitchford Road to be used for a shelter. Davis led a board-sponsored fundraising effort to pay for the project and developed plans for its construction. Earlier this year, the majority of the NACHS Board of Directors became concerned about the costs to build and operate the shelter and questioned other aspects of the proposed site.

A new site near the existing shelter on Liberty Road was identified, and the board made plans to locate the shelter there. That led a group of members, including former Natchez Mayor Tony Byrne, to withdraw their support of the shelter, arguing that a large amount of money had been raised based on plans for the original site.

There are other issues, but this synopsis covers the genesis of the dispute.

The NACHS board was represented in the mediation by President Barbara Platte and Ashton James, who is not a board member but was asked to participate. The other side was represented by Tony Byrne and Becky Morris.

To my great joy, all four of these people performed their duties with integrity, a spirit of cooperation and good humor. While often espousing sharply divergent views, they remained respectful and kept their eyes on the goal of building a new shelter. The community owes them a debt of gratitude.

As often happens in disputes, partisans on each side had accepted different versions of “the facts” concerning the proposed shelter, rendering objective decision-making impossible. An important step was to conduct joint fact finding on the knowable information about the Pitchford Road site, such as the availability of city sewage.

Even after researching the facts, certain issues remain. But they are subjective matters about which reasonable people can disagree. Ultimately, the new NACHS Board of Directors will have all the facts and can weigh their importance.

The other major issue was the operation of NACHS itself. That was resolved with the following agreement:

4 Three board seats (of nine) will be filled by new members at the Humane Society’s annual meeting Nov. 15, and in the future three members’ terms will expire each year.

4 Nominations for those board seats are being sought from the entire community. Anyone who is interested in serving on this important board or who has a suggestion of someone who would be a good board member is encouraged to call or e-mail me (601-445-4014; furlow@furlowcommunications.com).

4 Two people appointed by Byrne and Morris will collaborate with the board’s nominating committee to nominate new board members.

4 Yearly audits of NACHS’ finances and annual meetings will be conducted in the future.

4 The bylaws will be updated and adhered to.

The new board of directors will take a fresh look at the shelter project and will adopt its own planning process. Representatives of both sides have agreed to support the outcome of that process.

As with any mediated resolution, neither side got all it wanted. But without yielding on principle, everyone involved set aside their egos, their hurt feelings and their preferences concerning the shelter to reach an agreement that will serve our community well. I urge everyone who has formed opinions about the dispute to accept the outcome of our mediation and to support it and those who worked conscientiously to achieve it. To do otherwise runs the risk of inflicting permanent damage on the organization and preventing construction of a shelter.

I also implore anyone who is willing to help give NACHS a fresh start by offering themselves for consideration for board service to contact me right away. You’ll have the satisfaction of contributing to a bright future for a beloved local institution.

Bill Furlow is a Natchez resident and a crisis and strategic communications consultant.