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Tri County Animal Shelter seeks county share of $73,000 capital and equipment needs; commissioners ask prioritization
Summary
Tri County Animal Shelter director Dana Comer detailed state inspection‑driven repairs and capital needs — new dog kennels (~$52,000), new computers (~$8,000) and a roof replacement (~$13,100) — and told the Gates County commissioners the costs would be split among the three participating counties.
Dana Comer, director of Tri County Animal Shelter, presented a budget request to Gates County commissioners asking that the county share the shelter’s capital and equipment needs and noting many items were prompted by a state inspection.
Comer told commissioners the shelter currently houses 27 kennels and handles more than 1,400 animals annually (the speaker cited 1,423 animals last year). The shelter operates with a staff of five but had only three staff members for several recent months.
Key needs Comer listed (estimates presented to the board): new modular/sanitary dog kennels throughout the facility — a quote “a little over $52,000”; new computers and printers that support Windows 11 — approximately $8,000; and roof replacement — a Parish Roofing quote of about $13,100. Comer said those three items together total roughly $73,000 and that the expense is customarily split three ways among the participating counties (Gates, Chowan and Perquimans).
Comer said the shelter postponed a planned $20,000 community cat room expansion so that other inspection items could be completed, and she reported the shelter had already spent about $9,000 sealing sidewalks after a state inspector said porous concrete could not be sanitized. Comer also said the shelter has purchased new cat towers — roughly $50,000 worth — and has about $28,000 in online donations in a shelter fundraising account to offset spay/neuter costs.
State inspection and compliance: Comer repeatedly referenced the January state inspection and Department of Agriculture inspection requirements; she said chain‑link dog runs are failing rust‑and‑sanitation standards set by inspectors and recommended replacement with more sanitary kennel fronts.
Commissioner questions and finance: Commissioners pressed whether the shelter’s priorities could be phased. One commissioner expressed concern that the roof was not yet leaking and asked whether roofing could be deferred while kennels receive priority; Comer and other officials replied that commissioners should determine prioritization and that some inspection‑driven items needed attention to remain in compliance.
Funding mechanism discussed: County staff explained one‑time capital costs are commonly paid from appropriated fund balance and said the county’s fund balance still grew after earlier appropriations; county staff offered to bring a matrix of capital requests for prioritization.
Other shelter details: Comer described partnerships with the nonprofit AWARE (Animal Welfare of the Albemarle Region Everyday), which funds enrichment, beds and improvements, and she noted tri‑county operations: Chowan County manages payroll and some bills and each county reimburses its portion for multi‑county projects. She said Gates County’s animal control officer, working part time, brought in nearly the same number of animals as full‑time officers in neighboring counties during the same period, and she praised that officer’s work.
No formal vote was taken; commissioners asked staff to include shelter requests in the capital requests matrix and to prioritize along with other county projects.
