By Terry Witt – Spotlight Senior Reporter
Levy County Commissioner Lilly Rooks announced Tuesday that a donor has pledged $272,000 for construction of a 50-kennel dog shelter at Levy County Animal Services. The facility will be air conditioned and heated.
Rooks said the dog kennels will be equipped with guillotine doors to allow the dogs to step out of the pens while their living area is cleaned. She said human visitors wanting to adopt a dog will be able to walk around the entire shelter.
The new shelter will be constructed alongside the current office area of Levy County Animal Services at the Levy County Landfill. The county is contributing in-kind services such as pouring the concrete slab to reduce costs.
The plan is to construct 25 dog kennels on each side of a center walkway and build a small walkway around the perimeter of the facility for viewing dogs for adoption.
“The county animal shelter hasn’t been updated for 20 years,” Rooks said. “I think it’s the right thing to do,” Rooks said.
She said Robert Echols of Ocala has committed to making the donation. She said Echols wants county government to invest money in the project. Jimmy Jones, who heads building and maintenance for the county commission said the county can do quite a bit of the work as in-kind contributions. He cited the floor slab as one example.
Rooks said Echols isn’t the type of person who seeks publicity. She didn’t name him in Tuesday’s county commission meeting when the announcement was made, but when asked after the meeting if Echols was donating the money, she confirmed he is the donor.
Rooks had arranged for a committee to meet for the purpose of discussing the construction of a new dog kennel. The committee consisted of Echols, Rooks, Dr. Darlene Esler, veterinarian for Levy County Animal Services, Animal Services Director David Weatherford and Jones.
Jones came to the committee meeting prepared to present a cost analysis for a 34 kennel facility, but the committee agreed to expand the facility to 50 kennels. The presentation included design concepts for an indoor/outdoor, air conditioned and heated facility with an isolation kennel/area and small storage room. The facility will have an exercise area for the dogs. It will be entirely fenced.
Committee members discussed how to achieve the larger shelter and reduce costs by using in kind work done by the county and using construction donations from area businesses.
It was decided the county auditor would work directly with Echols to supply him a detailed breakdown of project costs and the estimated monthly release of project donation funds.
Rooks said she would also like to make improvements to the current dog kennel at Levy County Animal Services in case the county receives an unexpectedly large number of dogs at one time.
Linda Cooper, founder of Spotlight, asked if it would be possible to allow potential adopters to visit animal services on weekends. The facility is currently closed on weekends.
Weatherford said it was something they were looking into. Cooper said working people sometimes can’t travel to animal services during week days due to their jobs.
The next step, according to Weatherford, is drawing plans for the building. The county will handle the drawings.
Rooks said there are currently two volunteers working at animal services and two more volunteers are preparing to begin working there.
Echols is also the main financial supporter for the future Williston municipal animal shelter.
Board of Levy County Commission Regular Meeting August 21, 2018
Posted August 21, 2018
