City staff updated the Animal Shelter Advisory Committee on the status of shelter renovations. San Angelo City Council approved borrowing $2 million in early 2023 as the need for the project was urgent.
Morgan shared there would no commercial laundry equipment as the city had difficulty arranging maintenance of those washers and dryers. She said there would be a cost associated with additional electric service due to AEP's need to add capacity to ensure the new HVAC system could operate properly.
Construction Manager Al Torres indicated the engineers need three months to finish the updated electrical and he expects City Council to approve the project in their first meeting in August with construction starting that month. If that schedule holds, it would be two years since the City paid back the first bond intended to fund this project.
Torres expects shelter renovations to be complete in February 2026, three full years after City Council approved funding this urgently needed project.
Staff indicated there have been issues with the temporary shelter and getting that building ready. Torres shared that the temporary facility would be finished in August, just in time for renovations to start on the existing shelter building. He is working with a Buyboard contractor on the temporary shelter plans.
Morgan stated that shelter staff is not sufficient to do enrichment (supervise play yards) at the main shelter and did not see availability to add enrichment at the temporary shelter site. Later, Morgan revealed that shelter pets "do not go outside" under current facility operations.
It remains to be seen what comes before City Council as the main shelter renovation planning continues and the temporary shelter is made ready. Many Council positions will change after the May election is concluded. Departing Council members heard repeated missed timelines. Hopefully, that won't be the case for newly installed officials.
Update 5-2-25: The special Animal Services Taskforce will present their analysis and findings to City Council at their next meeting to be held on May 6, 2025.
1 comment:
From December 2021 to January 2022 the shelter had an animal enrichment officer (part time temporary). She was fired for not keeping her mouth shut about what went on in the shelter and for challenging the use of fake categorization of "vicious" or "aggressive" dogs. She put in at least as many unpaid hours as paid hours, worked her ass off, loved working with the dogs and specialised in getting long-stay dogs adopted - she was very good at it. CVPaws raised funds for play yards and a memorandum of understanding was produced. The project was canned by Morgan. All that space yet nowhere for dogs to be exercised. Dogs in kennels 24 hours. Cruel and inhumane. A member of the public doing the same would be prosecuted for animal cruelty.
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