ABOVE: Vermilion County Board Property Committee meets Monday evening while Animal Shelter Director Ryan Goodner (far left along window) listens in.
In what Performance Services Business Development Manager Blaine Meadows described over the phone as a “written handshake” agreement, the Vermilion County Board Property Committee has approved and forwarded to the full board a $50,000 deal for studying how the county should pursue a new animal shelter.
The County Board has already accepted a $2.5 million grant from the Julius W. Hegeler II Foundation to assist with constructing a new shelter. County Board Chairman Steve Miller said during Monday’s meeting that there have been too many incidents before where the county has not properly consulted with architects and engineers for a major project, and he doesn’t want that to happen this time. As Miller pointed out afterwards, Performance Services has already worked with the county on projects at the Rita Garman Courthouse and the Joseph Cannon Building. Miller says someone that knows what they are doing should be in charge.
(L) Vermilion County Animal Shelter Director Ryan Goodner, (R) Vermilion County Board Chairman Steve Miller.
AUDIO: I want to be sure that we have professionally prepared invitation for bids; rather than having lay people trying to put together bid requests.
Miller said what the county would really like is a new facility that’s about 12,000 square feet. Estimates are that the cost could be $375 – $575 per square foot, which doing the math would go past $2.5 million. He also says that using the current location at 14775 Catlin-Tilton Road makes perfect sense for three reasons: they would not have to purchase new land, infrastructure already exists, and it’s a good location, not far from I-74.
Current Shelter Director Ryan Goodner says sure, they’d love to start over with a completely new facility. But first they have to find out what the county can afford with this grant, and see if any other sponsors come aboard. Goodner says what the shelter needs more than anything is more modern equipment and supplies to work with.
AUDIO: The number one thing we need is to bring the standards up to today’s standards; is what we need. How they’re handled, different types of styles of kennels. There’s a lot of thing that have changed over the years.
When the question of approaching the City of Danville for assistance came up, Miller stated that that would not be done until there are definite plans. But Mller and Goodner did mention that an adjustment in assistance from the city is ONE of the reasons that the shelter has been able to save about $500,000 from its general fund this year. Miller says other reasons would include major reductions in expenses.
It is estimated that this Memorandum of Understanding with Performance Services could lead to a study that may take about three months.
