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City assesses opening its own animal shelter
In 1980, Bryan, College Station, and Brazos County, Texas, formed the Brazos Animal Shelter, Inc. (BAS), as a nonprofit to provide animal sheltering services to the three local governments. A year later, a strong grass-roots effort led to the construction of a new animal shelter on Bryan property. For a number of years, the BAS board of directors included the mayor from each city along with the county judge. An executive director managed day-to-day operations.
In 1990, in an effort to address a growing concern about animal care, the cities of Bryan and College Station contracted with BAS to provide animal control services within its city limits. The Bryan Police Department assumed animal control responsibilities in January 2005 for areas within Bryan's city limits.
The change came about as the city wanted more animal control responsibility and accountability. By the end of the year, the three local governments were providing animal control services within their respective jurisdictions, and BAS continued to provide animal sheltering services.
Soaring Care Costs
As animal control services changed over the next several years, so did the structure of the BAS board, which went from three members (two mayors and county judge) to a group of 12 community members with the three governments still having representation through an appointed member. Throughout this time, the three governmental entities continued to provide funding to BAS for animal sheltering services.
The cost for shelter service was approximately $48 per animal in the city's fiscal year 2009-2010, which runs October 1 to September 30. Within one year, BAS increased the rate for service to the three governments, with Bryan's cost rising from $48 per animal to nearly $96 for fiscal year 2010-2011.
Then, as Bryan prepared for the 2011-2012 budget process, it requested BAS's new rate for animal services and learned the price was to increase to $121 per animal. According to BAS board members, the continually increasing rates were necessary to cover the cost of animal sheltering services.
The board suggested the city should expect this rate to continue to increase and projected the next year's rate at $131 per animal. Also, as part of contract negotiations, BAS asked Bryan to construct a new shelter facility...