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Davis County chair urges pause on planned animal shelter, cites budget shortfall and seismic risks
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Summary
Chair John Crofts urged the Commission to “put the project on ice,” saying a feasibility study estimated a $20 million facility while the County budgeted $16.5 million and the proposed site lies near seismic hazards; no motion was made and the project remains active.
At the March 24 Davis County Commission meeting, Commission Chair John Crofts urged colleagues to pause work on the planned county animal shelter, saying the project’s budget and chosen site raise both fiscal and safety concerns. Crofts said a feasibility study indicated about $20 million would be required for an optimal facility but that the County has budgeted $16.5 million, and he warned that the funding gap could push contractors toward lower-cost materials that would not hold up over time.
“Because the shovel is not yet in the ground, I propose putting the project ‘on ice,’ ” Crofts said, adding that he was trying to “look down the road long term” to avoid repeated, costly repairs. He also said the proposed site’s proximity to the Wasatch fault raises potential seismic risks: he noted the geotechnical study did not find a likely earthquake scarp through the site but cautioned a major event could cause ground separation that would compromise the building’s structural integrity.
Crofts raised specific durability concerns, citing choices such as steel door frames that could corrode from animal urine instead of more durable aluminum as examples of possible cost-driven compromises. He offered to both move and second a motion to halt the project, but meeting minutes note that because the item had not been publicly noticed as actionable, a motion would not have been appropriate; no motion was made and no formal action was taken.
Commissioner Lorene Kamalu did not support pausing construction at the meeting; she later praised Facilities Director Lane Rose and expressed confidence that Rose’s team would construct the best possible shelter within the approved $16.5 million budget. The record shows the Commission did not vote on changing the project’s schedule or funding during the March 24 meeting.
The exchange leaves the concerns Crofts raised on the record: a budget shortfall relative to a consultant estimate and site-specific seismic risk. The Commission’s next procedural step on the shelter — whether to reopen public notice for an actionable proposal or to request additional studies — was not specified in the minutes.