Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Animal Shelter topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Durant council approves $144,664 in design services to advance new animal shelter; full estimate $1.676 million
Summary
Durant City Council voted 3-1 to authorize professional design and surveying services from Therum LLC for $144,664.07 as the first step toward a proposed 5,000-square-foot animal shelter; the full project estimate listed on the agenda was $1,676,006.07.
The Durant City Council on May 8 voted 3-1 to approve professional design and surveying services for a proposed new animal shelter, moving the project from concept toward a public bid for construction.
The approved item was for architecture, engineering and related professional services from Therum LLC totaling $144,664.07, which council members and staff described as the initial, non-bid phase of a larger project estimate shown in the agenda package as $1,676,006.07. Vice Mayor Mike Simalescu said the vote authorizes the city to begin design and surveying work that will later be used to produce construction documents and solicit bids.
Council members and staff described the planned facility as roughly 5,000 square feet with separate spaces for public lobby and administration, an adoption area with interior and exterior "get-acquainted" rooms, a cattery, medical/veterinary space, quarantine and kennel areas, staff support spaces (including laundry and a shower), outdoor runs for many kennels, exterior play areas and a secured staff parking/drive‑up portico. Staff said the proposed site is a roughly 2-acre tract of city-owned land north of the sports complex and adjacent to Highway 78.
Shane, the project architect on the proposal, summarized the layout and said the design reflects needs identified in meetings with police, animal control staff and other stakeholders: "We have a general lobby for the public to come. Off of that lobby is our administration space ... there are a couple of adoption rooms ... we do have a cattery ... I think we've got around 20 some odd kennels ... moving into the center of the facility is where the canine kennels are. There's I think we have around 50 total, between their quarantine areas and the general population areas." (Spoken remarks in the council discussion.)
City officials and council members discussed staffing and enforcement. Staff said animal control now operates under the police department; the city plans to add one full-time animal control officer in the near term. In response to a question on enforcement, Deputy Chief Clark provided a recent tally, which council members summarized as about 800 calls for service in the previous year, 29 citations, 3 warnings and several repeat offenders and repeat addresses. Council members urged moving forward with design work to demonstrate progress and attract community and nonprofit partners and funding.
Community members and local businesses reported early fundraising to support the project. Bobby Storey said a community fundraiser and a personal contribution brought a donation to $2,000; Stephanie Gardner said community donations raised $740 of that amount via GoFundMe and that a broader private fundraising goal is $500,000. Gardner described marketing support and QR codes deployed at Auto Spa locations to continue collecting donations.
Councilmembers and staff repeatedly framed the approved contract as a design-stage, professional-services authorization that does not itself obligate the city to the full construction cost. City legal and staff representatives clarified that architecture and engineering are professional services not subject to competitive-bid rules; construction will be publicly bid once design documents are complete.
The final motion to "approve the professional services and surveying" passed on a roll call vote: Council member Miller — yes; Council member Scheer — yes; Council member Fuller — yes; Vice Mayor Mike Simalescu — no. The council directed staff to proceed with the design package that will later support formal construction bidding.
The city did not provide contract terms, total project financing or an operating budget for the completed facility during the meeting; those items were discussed as future work and under development by staff.
Votes and next steps: staff will complete design and surveying work under the approved professional-services contract, then return to the council with construction documents and a recommended procurement approach for the construction phase.
