Pressure on to build new animal shelter in Yuba City

With an Oct. 23 deadline looming for the start of construction on a new animal shelter, members of the Sutter County Taxpayers Association and a former grand jury member say they hope to put the county's failing animal shelter negotiations in the spotlight.

A new group called Build Our Sutter Animal Shelter established a website and Facebook page last week to call attention to the eight-year saga that has left the old dilapidated facility still in use.

Plans to construct the new shelter stalled again.

The latest holdup is over procedures that would allow employees working at the county-run shelter to transfer to the city's payroll once a new animal shelter is built.

"We need people to show that they care," said Beckie Jennings, a member of the grand jury that published a scathing report last year about the shelter.

Jennings is among those spearheading the new group and calling for increased attendance at meetings of the Sutter Animal Services Authority, the governing board that operates under a joint powers authority between Yuba City, Sutter County and Live Oak.

An authority board meeting has been scheduled Monday.

"We are urging you to attend if at all possible," reads an email from Pat Miller, president of the Sutter County Taxpayers Association to the group's members. "Speak out and demand that SASA sign the contract to get the project started."

"We want our elected officials and government staff to know that we want the new Sutter area animal shelter to be built without further delay," reads the website's introductory text.

The site features a petition, as well as links to documents and news stories to help visitors catch up on the issue's long, acrimonious history.

CONTACT Nancy Pasternack at npasternack@appealdemocrat.com or 749-4781. Find her on Facebook at /ADnpasternack or on Twitter at @ADnpasternack.