05242016 - News Article - Porter County Council pondering $2.25M request for new animal shelter

Porter County Council pondering $2.25M request for new animal shelter

NWI Times

May 24, 2016 

http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/porter-county-council-pondering-m-request-for-new-animal-shelter/article_aa704629-896b-5c0e-92dd-1e196f9d283d.html

VALPARAISO — The Porter County Council seemed generally supportive Tuesday night of plans for a new 14,500-square-foot animal shelter along Ind. 49 near the Porter County Expo Center.

But it will not be known until at least next month if the group will be willing to free up the $2.25 million needed for the building in addition to a $1 million private donation announced late last week.

There was already discussion Tuesday about reducing the size of the structure by doing away with an interior courtyard designed to give cats the opportunity to be outside for greater mental stimulation.

A question was also asked about the operational costs of a proposed system that will replace the interior air in the kennel areas every six minutes.

"I think it's great, it's long overdue," said Councilwoman Sylvia Graham, D-at large.

Councilman Jim Biggs, R-1st, said the proposal speaks volumes that, "This county is going to treat its animals with compassion."

The details of the project were presented by representatives of Larson Danielson Construction Co., which recently won out in the competition for the best overall proposal. The project design is now undergoing some tweaking to fit needs and the county's budget.

Porter County Commissioner Jeff Good, R-Center, has said the hope is to fund the project from money generated by the 2007 sale of the county hospital.

Part of the funding equation will depend on whether Portage decides to join every other municipality in the county in paying to use the new shelter, said Council President Dan Whitten, D-at-large.

He said concern has been voiced that the proposed site is too far from Portage.

Good said the preferred location for the shelter is further north at Sunset Hill Farm County Park in Liberty Township, but no one from Portage came out to support the commissioners when they made an unsuccessful attempt to win approval for use of that location.

Sue Lynch, D-at large, who attended Tuesday's County Council meeting, said she did not believe the proposed location of the new shelter will preclude the city from using the site.

Portage currently takes its stray animals to the Hobart Humane Society.