Yuba City, Sutter County OK paying more for animal shelter
Two government agencies this week agreed to pay more money to build a new regional animal shelter.
The Yuba City City Council and Sutter County Board of Supervisors voted to pay their higher shares of the $5.2 million shelter, a joint project among the cities of Yuba City and Live Oak and Sutter County.
The new budget has a little wiggle room, allowing officials to OK to expand the budget to $5.8 million if they want to add up to $600,000 in alternatives.
"The cost estimates have come in quite a bit higher," said Steve Jepsen, Yuba City's city manager, while addressing the council on Tuesday.
The city, however, is limited in what it can do, he said. It can raise the shelter's budget, or it can go back to the drawing board and try to design something that stays within the limits of the current $4.5 million cap. Efforts to do so, however, might cost more than just increasing the budget now and building a more expensive shelter.
"None of us like the increase, but it's not a choice we have," Sutter County Supervisor Stan Cleveland said.
The Sutter Animal Shelter Authority, a conglomerate of the three participants, agreed to seek the increased budget at its Jan. 30 meeting.
Live Oak Mayor Gary Baland said last month that he thinks his fellow City Council members will approve the larger budget.
Live Oak's City Council meets 7 p.m. Wednesday.
CONTACT reporter Jonathan Edwards at jedwards@appealdemocrat.com or 749-4780. Find him on Facebook at /ADjedwards or on Twitter at @ADjedwards.
