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Council unanimously opts to fund animal shelter project in cash, forgoing referendum
Summary
The council voted unanimously to fund the remaining balance of the $2.5M animal shelter from available local funds and year-end surplus, with staff noting the decision uses much of the projected surplus while still keeping a 17.5% unassigned fund balance.
Mansfield Town Councilors voted unanimously at the Aug. 10 meeting to fund the remaining balance to construct a replacement animal-control facility using the town’s available surplus rather than placing a bond referendum on the November ballot.
Finance director Miss Bacchus told the council preliminary fiscal-year figures indicated the town could fund the project in cash while maintaining the council’s 17.5% unassigned fund-balance goal, but that doing so would consume most of the anticipated surplus. Council members discussed alternatives, such as splitting funding across budgets or year-end transfers, and debated whether to pursue regional options that other towns are adopting. "It will take all of our surplus funds to stay at 17.5% to fund the animal control facility" Bacchus said, adding the design is expected to finish before the end of the calendar year and construction could begin in spring 2027.
A motion to fund the remaining balance in cash was offered and seconded; the deputy mayor called for a hand vote and reported the motion carried unanimously. The council asked staff to return with appropriation details and noted that year-end transfers or next-year budget allocations could be employed to finalize the funding before awarding a construction contract.
Councilors also discussed that state guidelines for facility HVAC and other requirements take effect in January 2029, and that moving forward now aims to meet that compliance timeline.
