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City moves to form independent community working group to address animal‑shelter needs; staff proposes adding a shelter position
Summary
Assistant City Administrator J.D. McCauley outlined plans to form an independent community working group to pursue short‑term improvements and long‑term options for the city’s animal shelter, proposed initial members and said staff were identifying three projects for the current shelter; council was told a new shelter staff
Assistant City Administrator J.D. McCauley reviewed progress since a 2019 Team Shelter USA report and said the city would help assemble an independent community working group to pursue short‑term improvements at the existing shelter and explore long‑term governance and funding options.
McCauley said the city attorney had interpreted the report’s reference to “city leadership” as meaning representatives of the entire community, not only elected officials. McCauley proposed the initial committee membership would include city liaisons Capt. Kevin Hayes and Councilman Robert Freitas, and community members Dr. Lawrence Santos (local veterinarian), Tabitha Waldrop (project engineering/management background), Laura Nichols (former pet‑store owner) and Dawn Porter (CPA with shelter collaboration experience). He said the committee would be independent of the city and could decide its own structure, mission and whether to seek 501(c)(3) status.
McCauley said staff would meet with shelter leadership to prioritize three projects for the current facility and that, if approved by council, a new shelter worker position (not a public‑safety officer) would be included in next year’s budget starting in July. “This group will be the organization that gains community support, raises money for future short term improvements to the current shelter, and looks for ways to raise money to build and contract with an organization to run a future animal shelter,” McCauley said.
No formal council action on the committee or the staffing request was recorded in the study‑session transcript; McCauley said staff would circulate contact information and the committee would aim to meet within 30–45 days.
