The Marion City Council is seeking legal advice from the city's attorney as to whether they have any jurisdiction to become involved with a controversy involving the Regional Humane Society and residents in the area.
The Humane Society is negotiating for the possible purchase of a residence on Old Highway 13 near its present rented location.
Dale Barnhurst, Pastor of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, acted as spokesman for a group of about 25 local residents and church members.
"We have three major concerns about this project," Barnhurst said. "First of all the house and land they are looking to buy is located between two private homes. This will bring additional traffic and noise to that area. Secondly the area is very low and is prone to flooding. Our last concern is close proximity to our school that has children through eighth grade attending."   
The location which is in Williamson County just outside the Marion City limits is not zoned by the county and the county board referred the matter to Marion.
"If we ever get a County board with some guts, we will have county zoning that would handle this kind of a problem," Mayor Robert Butler said.
Bruce Carter, Vice president for the Humane Society said that they have just been in the preliminary discussions and no plans have been made.
"However financially this would be a definite help to us," Carter said. "We are currently paying over $2,000 a month for the location we are using. The property we are looking at we could be buying for about $700 a month."
The council tabled the issue for further investigation.