Council approves amended interlocal with San Marcos; staff to plan for new shelter as San Marcos exits regional operations in 2026

Kyle approved an amended and restated interlocal agreement with the City of San Marcos to continue regional animal shelter services while Kyle develops long‑term housing plans for its stray animals.

Police Chief Jeff Barnett and Animal Control Supervisor Brianna Geddes told council San Marcos will provide shelter services under the revised ILA but has notified partners it intends to cease regional operations around Sept. 30, 2026. Geddes described required ordinance synchronizations on stray hold periods, trap‑neuter‑return, microchipping, and spay/neuter requirements and noted San Marcos asked for increased participation in community spay/neuter and microchip events.

Staff warned the council that a local shelter will require significant planning and funding: estimates discussed in the meeting suggested a local facility and full operational model could cost in the low millions for design and construction and substantially more to operate than the current roughly $300,000 annual contribution to the regional partner. The council authorized the ILA 7–0 and asked staff to hire a consultant and architect, evaluate county and regional partnership options, identify sites and produce a timeline and budget for a long‑term shelter solution.

What’s next: staff will return with service‑model options, consultant proposals and a proposed timetable for design, site selection and funding strategies. Councilors urged exploring county collaboration to share costs and maximize capacity.