Paulding County discusses $4.13 million plan to remodel old senior center into new animal control facility
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Summary
County staff presented a plan to convert the former senior center into a 17,000-square-foot animal control facility at an estimated cost of roughly $4.1 million; staff said Albion General Contractors was the lowest bidder and the county would fund the project from the general fund. Supportive public commenters urged approval.
Paulding County staff briefed the Board of Commissioners on a proposed remodel to convert the former senior center into a new county animal control facility, describing space, handling capacity and an estimated cost of about $4.1 million.
Jeremiah (Speaker 7), who has led planning, told commissioners the project would expand the facility from roughly 6,000 square feet to about 17,000 square feet, add roughly 125 dog kennels, a quarantine area, a 1,100-square-foot sally port and upgraded heating, ventilation and air-conditioning to reduce disease transmission. He said Albion General Contractors was the lowest of eight bidders and the company would be given one year to complete the remodel if the board authorizes the chairman to enter the agreement. Funding for the project would come from the county general fund.
During a public comment period, Jessica Gullett (Speaker 9) and Jason Platt (Speaker 11) spoke in favor of the project. Gullett described an emotional visit to the current shelter and praised the compassion and work of animal control staff; Platt, who runs a local rescue and a spay/neuter program, said existing facilities cannot handle current and projected animal intake and urged the county to fund the larger facility to protect public safety and animal welfare.
Commissioners acknowledged the project had been discussed for years—one commissioner said conversations started about 6½ years ago—and urged staff to move forward. County staff repeatedly framed recommendations as requests for authorization to execute the construction agreement; no final board vote on construction authorization was recorded in the work session transcript.
What happens next: staff asked the board to authorize the chairman to enter the construction agreement with Albion General Contractors and to monitor costs closely during construction. The project schedule, if authorized, would allow a January start and a one-year construction window.