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County analyzes options for animal shelter; Charles County estimates $8.45M for regional shelter
Summary
Staff reported Charles County's feasibility estimate for a bi-county animal shelter at about $8.45 million; St. Mary's staff said a standalone facility could cost roughly $4.8 million and urged awaiting the county's feasibility study before final commitments.
Commissioners discussed animal-shelter options March 7 after staff reviewed Charles County's feasibility presentation, which estimated a bi-county regional shelter at $8,448,839. County staff said they will run a St. Mary's feasibility study and expect to have a kickoff meeting and results within roughly 90 days.
Using Charles County's numbers as an analog, staff produced a rough standalone estimate for a St. Mary's-only facility of about $4.8 million (capital only, not including land or operating costs). Staff cautioned commissioners that operating costs — staffing, day-to-day operations, and maintenance — are the larger long-term expense and that the feasibility study will supply operational estimates and staffing complements needed for an apples-to-apples comparison.
Charles County's presentation assumed current memorandum-of-understanding percentages (St. Mary's 37.5 percent in the joint agreement); staff noted that Calvert County's move toward a standalone facility would change the allocation and that the counties should revisit the MOU and negotiating approach. Commissioners asked staff to use conservative assumptions for budgeting and suggested modeling a 50-50 split as a conservative placeholder until study results and intercounty negotiations are complete.
