Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Animal Control Shelter topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Morgan County commission directs staff to study building county kennel, explore contracting options
Summary
Commissioners discussed impound fees, liability and zoning rules and asked staff to issue an RFP to evaluate creating a county-run animal shelter versus renegotiating contracts with outside providers.
Morgan County Commissioners discussed options for animal impound services on Jan. 21 and directed staff to seek cost estimates and proposals to either build and operate a county kennel or pursue alternative contract arrangements.
The discussion focused on current impound fees charged to pet owners, the county’s annual cost for contracted sheltering and operational questions — including liability for animals held in county custody and permitting requirements for kennel facilities. Commissioners asked staff to prepare an RFP for renovating county space at the search-and-rescue building as one option and to solicit bids for alternative contracts and construction costs.
Commissioners and staff said animal owners already pay an impound fee to the county when reclaiming pets and often pay separate fees to the contracted shelter (identified in the meeting as River Valley). One commissioner said the county bears about $30,000 per year in sheltering costs; exact fee amounts and the county’s net recoupment were not specified in the record. County staff noted the county sometimes waives fees in hardship cases.
Speakers raised liability questions if the county were to operate its own facility, including whether deaths or sicknesses in county care would expose the county to legal claims. Staff said the county would likely contract veterinary services and that some local veterinarians had offered pro bono checks. Commissioners also discussed kennel licensing rules: Morgan County’s code was described as currently allowing kennel conditional use permits in A-20 and, per later clarification from staff, RR5 and larger zones as a conditional use that goes to the planning commission.
On other operational issues, commissioners discussed whether kennel operators must hold 20 contiguous acres to qualify for a county kennel license and whether that requirement should be revised to allow smaller lots in RR5 or RR10. Commissioners asked staff to check permitting and zoning implications, to estimate renovation costs for the county building behind the search-and-rescue facility, and to collect contractor bids and operating cost estimates. One commissioner suggested exploring a nonprofit or adoption-fostering arrangement to reduce long-term expense.
The direction from the meeting: staff should prepare an RFP and cost estimates for both (a) renovating county-owned space for a county-operated kennel and (b) soliciting alternative contracted shelter proposals. Commissioners said they will review the options before deciding whether to change contracting arrangements or the land-use code that governs kennels.
