Members of the Cache County Council have accepted a $3.2 million bid for construction of a 11,000-square-foot animal impound facility to be located adjacent to the county jail (Photo courtesy of the ASPCA).
CACHE COUNTY – On Tuesday, members of the Cache County Council unanimously gave a green light to plans to build an animal impound facility adjacent to the county jail.
That vote signaled the county’s acceptance of a $3.2 million construction bid for the project, which Sheriff Chad Jensen acknowledged was “substantially higher” that earlier estimates that the new facility would cost about $2 million.
The bulk of that cost increase, Jensen said, is due to recent rapid inflation in the cost of building materials.
“What was once a $15 sheet of plywood is now $40 a sheet,” he explained. “What was once $90 a yard for concrete is $200 a yard.”
The proposed facility will be approximately 11,000 square feet, including administrative offices, medical treatment facilities and kennels for impounded animals.
The project has been under consideration for nearly a year, with Jensen making regular progress reports to members of the county council.
When completed, the new impound facility will be operated as a partnership between the Cache County Sheriff’s Office and the non-profit New Vision Veterinary service.
Under a recently finalized memorandum of understanding, Cache County will be responsible for administration of the impound facility, while New Vision staff and volunteers provide medical care and shelter services.
The new facility will shelter all animals impounded by local city and county officials.
During their regular meeting Tuesday, Jensen told council members that, given the rising cost of building materials, the price tag for the impound facility would only increase if a decision on the project was delayed.
The sheriff added that his office could contribute about $900,000 toward the increased cost of the project, due to an increase in the daily rate received for housing state inmates.
The council voted to accept the $3.2 million bid for the impound facility, while requesting that county officials seek additional sources of funding for the construction project.
The New Vision Veterinary service operates in partnership with Utah State University, the Bridgerland Technical College and Cache County.
New Vision lists its available services as adoption, medical treatment, emergency care and hands-on instruction for veterinarians, technicians, students and interns.