Animal shelter committee set

Colusa County Supervisors Mark Marshall and Kim Dolbow Vann will head up an ad-hoc committee that will coordinate the development of a new animal shelter with related issues.

The committee will also include representatives from the county Sheriff's and Probation departments.

"I had supported a more central location, possibly in Williams, and we will need a new facility," said Marshall, who represents most of the Williams area.

A new animal shelter is needed for two reasons.

Perhaps the most immediate need is that it sits on land that the county wants to use for a new juvenile detention hall.

The longer term need is the facility is too small to handle the anticipated need as the county grows.

A needs assessment for a new animal shelter has been completed.

The report recommends finding ground about 1 acre in size.

"I think the smallest (recommended) piece is just under an acre, and the largest piece is just over an acre," Lt. Shane Maxey said recently.

No specific piece of property has been located. Maxey suggested the county will look at property it already owns as a possible site.

The county has already set aside $6.1 million for its new detention center, but is relying on grants and other funding sources for the bulk of the project.

It also will be looking to outside funding sources to build the animal shelter.

According to the report, the cost of just constructing the shelter — not counting land or furnishings — is between $3.17 million and $4.28 million, Maxey said.

The current facility is more than 50 years old, has had a litany of maintenance issues, not the least of which is a leaky roof from time to time.

The county handles more than 100 dogs each month, and the need is expected to grow in the coming years. At times, there have been discussions about developing a facility that could handle large animals such as horses as well.

Those are decisions yet to be made, and would likely need a larger food print, officials said.

There is no timetable for when a new shelter will be constructed, but if the county's plans to locate the juvenile facility at that location moves ahead, the animal shelter project must stay ahead of that construction curve.

Coordinating that effort will be one of the primary tasks of the committee.