POLL: Shelton Debates Aldermen Funding For New Animal Shelter

The Animal Shelter Building Committee has filed a request with for the issue of funding for a new shelter to be discussed at the Board of Aldermen’s next meeting, scheduled for October 13. They have yet to hear back whether the item will be added to the agenda, but Committee Chairman Gerry Craig said negotiations on the topic could finally pick up in coming weeks.

“[Aldermanic President] John Anglace said that he would do what he could, do everything he could, to get it on the next agenda. At this point, we see how it goes,” Craig said.

The Committee, along with volunteers from non-profit group Friends of the Shelton Animal Shelter, has been working for over five years to build a completely new shelter, which would replace the current one that is dilapidated and has repeatedly failed environmental and agricultural inspections. They are hopeful that some of Shelton's for the 2011-2012 fiscal year can be allocated to their cause.

“We have a surplus and low taxes, but we have a building that would be an embarrassment to anybody,” Animal Control Officer Sheryl Taylor

“We failed big time,” Taylor added, “because there were chunks of cement coming out of the walls and doorways. The wire [fencing] is not safe, and the mayor won’t fix it until each cage breaks as it goes along. The metal for the base of the cage fencing is all rusted out.”

The Committee has spent the last six months reviewing bids from contractors interested in taking on the project.

Craig explains: “We went through the process where we sent out RFQ’s, which are requests for qualifications. We picked out three contracts that we felt met our standards to complete the job and we received bids from them. Then we narrowed it down to one that we all voted on. We did a little negotiating with the company and came up with an agreed number and forwarded that on with the request to be put on the aldermen’s agenda.”

The contractor they chose is . Craig said Mayor Mark A. Lauretti recommended the Committee go about their request for funding by reviewing bids and presenting the best one to the Board of Aldermen. The ultimate decision to use this particular firm and accept their price is now in their hands.

“We’ve completed our tasks to find a place, which we did, and we did the environmental checks on the land. We came up with a basic outline of what we wanted and now it has to be approved by the Board,” Craig said.

An estimated amount for the cost of a new shelter has not been immediately disclosed. Craig said that he has never been through the process of requesting official discussion for funding before, and “after five years of working for this, I don’t want to screw anything up.”

If the Board of Aldermen were to vote “yes” on the Committee’s request for funding and the services of Bismark, construction of a new shelter could begin immediately. “It would depend on what Bismark has to do, but I see no reason why the project couldn’t be started,” Craig said.