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Morgan County authorizes work to lease old animal control building to nonprofit STEP for spay/neuter services
Summary
Commission authorized Commissioner Clark to finalize a two‑year lease with STEP (Smith and Tip of the Eastern Panhandle) to use the former animal control facility as a low‑cost spay and neuter clinic serving regional nonprofits; lease terms and building repairs will be finalized by staff.
The Morgan County Commission on Jan. 28 approved moving forward with a lease to locate a low‑cost spay and neuter clinic in the former animal control facility.
Commissioners discussed a nonprofit identified in the meeting as 'Smith and Tip of the Eastern Panhandle' (referred to as STEP) that seeks to provide low‑cost spay and neuter services for rescue groups across the Eastern Panhandle. County staff and STEP representatives said the building will need modest repairs (flooring, portions of roof) and operational certifications (hospital license, DEA requirements) before surgeries can begin.
Commissioner Clark was authorized to continue working on the lease and the commission president was authorized to sign a two‑year lease agreement when terms are finalized. Commissioners emphasized limiting county fiscal exposure (considering in‑kind lease terms rather than cash) and that initial operations would be limited to nonprofit partners; opening to the general public was discussed as a potential future step if demand and logistics support it.
Next steps: county maintenance staff will assess needed repairs and insurance/certification items; the lease will be finalized and brought to the commission president for signature.
