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Staff recommends outsourcing animal shelter services; partial remodel or field model both estimated at ~$900K
Summary
Faced with deteriorating shelter conditions, staff presented two options: close the building and contract regionally (field model) or perform a partial remodel to keep operations in-house. Both approaches carried a similar net budget impact of about $900,000; staff recommended the field model as a preferred path pending further council direction.
Neighborhood Services staff told the council the animal shelter's conditions have worsened and presented two options under consideration for FY2027. Option A would close the municipal shelter building and move to a field‑service model with a regional partner to handle intake and care; option B would be a partial remodel addressing priority issues to keep operations in‑house. Staff estimated the net impact for either approach at about $900,000 for the coming year.
The city manager and staff recommended option A in the budget proposal, while noting council may choose otherwise before final budget adoption in September. Councilmembers pressed for a timeline and asked that staff avoid normalizing the $900,000 annual cost by pursuing a long‑term capital solution; staff said a new facility has been on the CIP/bond wish list and could be brought forward for voter consideration in a future bond election.
