Terre Logsdon – Record-Bee staff
LAKEPORT ? After six months of exploring a variety of options, the Lake County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously on Tuesday to award Nacht and Lewis Architects $285,500 for architectural services to design a new animal care and control facility at the Hill Road Jail site.
A consultant selection board (CSB) met last August to review proposals the county had received for architectural services for the new animal care and control facility”s design. Through that process, they selected Nacht and Lewis, who submitted a proposal for the initial design phase.
On Oct. 11, the board directed Public Works Department staff to investigate alternative sites for the proposed facility and to investigate facility options that would reduce costs associated with the project”s original scope, according to a memo from Public Works Director G.R. Shaul.
Those alternatives were examined, Shaul reported.
“Whatever you”re going to do, do it now,” Shaul told the board on Tuesday, explaining that construction costs will continue to rise the longer the project is pushed back.
All options have been explored, Shaul said ? from renovating the current facility, using modulars or purchasing design plans from a previously constructed facility.
“I agree with what [Shaul] said,” Chief Administrative Officer Kelly Cox said, “that we should decide what to do. It”s been over six months … we need to come to a conclusion.
“I”m very, very concerned about spending this amount of money ? but I don”t think we”ll get a new one for less than this,” Cox said.
He did suggest, however, that the county could expand its current shelter for less money.
The new facility”s estimated cost is around $2 million.
The benefits of moving to a new site by the Hill Road Jail, Shaul said, included the ability to expand the facility in the future, as well as to utilize inmate labor.
“This is almost a textbook example of the $100 hammer,” said Board Chair Anthony Farrington. “Three hundred thousand dollars out of $2 million for architectural services … The facility at the jail will be about the same size as the current one.”
Animal Care and Control Director Denise Johnson said that although the new facility wouldn”t be much larger when built, it would be an improvement for the animals.
“The current facility,” Johnson said, “even when it”s clean, it”s not very sanitary.”
Additionally, Johnsen said it will be built in phases, which will make it easier to make additions to the facility in the future.
District 2 Supervisor Jeff Smith asked if there will be an on-site spay and neuter clinic; Johnson said such a clinic wouldn”t be included at this phase. Smith suggested using one of the modulars that were currently used as shelter offices for that purpose, which Johnson said would be suitable.
Farrington expressed concerns over such issues as barking dogs, which may be a problem for neighbors of the site. If those were addressed, he said, he would sign the agreement.
The item carried unanimously.
Contact Terre Logsdon at tlogsdon@record-bee.com.
