Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Animal Services topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council considers county request to expand new animal facility; seeks details before committing
Summary
Guadalupe County commissioners asked the city to explore adding kennels to the new Cibolo animal services facility; staff outlined a potential MOU and the county said it would fund design/construction, while council members raised concerns about ongoing operational costs and staffing.
Guadalupe County representatives asked the Cibolo City Council on July 28 to explore expanding the city’s planned animal services facility so the county could house dogs it takes into custody. County Commissioner Jim Walton said the county would prefer a unanimous council decision and said the county would fund the design and construction of additional dog kennels and would work to cover maintenance and operating costs through an interlocal agreement if the city agreed.
City staff (Mr. Huggins) and the county described a two-step approach: (1) draft a memorandum of understanding to define the scope and timeline (60–75 days for an MOU review), and (2) negotiate an interlocal agreement for ongoing operations if the MOU supports that path. Several council members, however, expressed strong concerns about the city’s capacity to absorb additional ongoing staffing and operational obligations; one council member said the county should bear ongoing personnel and utility costs if it wants expanded services.
Council did not vote to accept a formal MOU that night but directed staff to continue exploring terms and report back; staff said bidding the city’s facility would proceed without delay, and any county-supplied kennel work would be treated as an add-on that should not stall the city’s project schedule.
