The Cookeville City Council voted Dec. 4 to authorize exercising a purchase option on 180 Miller Road to secure a spay/neuter clinic space.

Mister Mills presented the proposal and said the property, owned by Cindy Bellas, contains a roughly 3,000-square-foot structure built in 2014 that has been leased to Wags and Whiskers Pet Rescue, which operates the spay/neuter clinic at the site. "The whole goal here...is that we can be assured of the continued availability of a spay and neuter clinic here in Cookeville," Mills said. He recommended purchasing the property at a price of $399,000 subject to a clean title report.

Mills said the purchase would be funded from bequeathed funds held by the animal-control board (he stated those funds exceed $1,000,000 and referenced accumulated interest) and that staff would present a budget amendment to appropriate the funds. The council moved, seconded and approved the motion 5–0.

Why it matters: The purchase is intended to secure ongoing local veterinary and population-control services for animals the shelter serves and to preserve clinic equipment and operations now held by the current tenant.

Next steps: Staff will complete title review and process a budget amendment to appropriate the animal-control board funds for the purchase and any required maintenance or lease adjustments.