Animal Services is Public Safety

Public Safety is one of San Angelo City Council's top priorities.  Animal Services fits under this area but has not gotten near the attention that Police and Fire Departments have garnered.  Council approved borrowing nearly $2 million in short term money to rehabilitate the City Animal Shelter in their February 21, 2023 meeting.  It was presented as an emergency item.

Finance Director Tine Diershke told council in March "the funds we are using can only be used for debt service and that's why we are using those funds at this time."

"This isn't going to solve all our problems.. for the growth that we've had in our community over twenty years is this facility even the right size to serve our community?"--Shelter Chief Morgan Chegwidden

Councilperson Lucy Gonzales said "This is not going to be an expansion for more animals.  We're going to leave it the way it is with the amount of animals we are housing."

Councilman Tommy Hiebert offered "It doesn't really give us a long term solution to some of the issues we're facing."

Issuance fees were $49,000, bond counsel fees $3,500 and interest costs will be $41,327 (the note is due August 15, 2023).  Those total $93,827, a significant amount that could fund may a low cost spay/neuter surgery program.

Council began its strategic planning process today.  They avoided dealing with the Animal Shelter in last year's process but a roach infestation and horrific hoarding conditions became an issue as staff was finalizing the budget for 2022-2023.

Last November City Council refused to approve a $10,000 budget item for low cost spay/neuter.  The Animal Shelter Advisory Committee reiterated this request in their April 2023 meeting but it is yet to reach Council.

Update:

Shelter Chief Morgan Chegwidden talked about planned Shelter renovations and reminded Council they just approved engineering design services for the project.  

Councilperson Lucy Gonzales asked about feral cats.  As usual Morgan ignored the city's only community cat sponsoring organization. 

Critter Shack's Sharon Halfman wrote Morgan in Summer 2021.

We deal successfully with hundreds of colony caretakers in the Concho Valley.  We have an ever-growing list of caretakers and offer as much assistance as we possibly can to these men and women. Since the passing of the ordinance that offers some protection to the caretakers, our programs have focused on providing help to these colony caretakers and a large part of our annual budget is aimed at helping colony caretakers and cat owners in education, financial assistance and low-cost spay/neuter programs.

Critter Shack's low cost spay/neuter clinic has operated for over a decade.  It transitioned from large MASH like operations to a regularly scheduled clinic once the rescue established facilities in Wall, Texas. 

Concho Valley Homepage was able to understand the local rescue situation.  The City Animal Shelter is myopic in this regard.  

It's great the City finally got interested in assisting community cats.  They shouldn't assume their recent contributions made all the difference.  Within the last few months Animal Services refused to assist an elderly Santa Rita resident with her community cat problem.  Hopefully, they.reached out to her with their recently found money for community cat spay/neuter.  That way the city can add to the number of colonies they assist.  They have a ways to go to reach hundreds.

Update 6-12-23:  The Animal Shelter Advisory Committee meets next on August 17, 2023, two days after the $2 million note has been refunded.  The engineering design for shelter improvements should be completed by then.   Will the project have been put out to bid before the next ASAC meeting?  

Update 9-4-23:  Mayor Brenda Gunter and City Council asked numerous questions of Shelter Chief Morgan Chegwidden during a recent budget meeting.   The Mayor referenced a Jackson Street dog attack where at least one pet died.  Details were light on the incident.  Details were also light on the city's efforts to control our third world level of loose animals.

Update 9-27-23:  The City's Capital Improvement Plan has a 4-30-24 completion date for Animal Shelter renovations.  The project is yet to be bid on the city's purchasing website.