Last week I met with Comissioner Kruse and his team including some of the construction staff to evaluate the space. I gave my suggestions for bandaids to possibly get us through a season or two, still blown away that after months no one (including their vet who supposedly spent a day with staff testing the property) was aware that to even put dogs in the outside runs they were still going to address the biohazard of the drains on the outside.
We also discussed what the community actually needs. Where it could go, and what I would recommend, a design not only of my own making, but with feedback from numerous community members that work on the ground either at MCAW or related fields.
Approximately 13,000 sq feet, 113 kennels, indoor play-yards for heat and foul weather, scalable to budget and size of property. I was told that what the community is asking for would cost $1,000 per sq ft minimum and was a $13 million dollar project. No way it could be done.
Crazy story though. Orange County just gave the ok on a $49 million dollar project at $400 per sq ft (123,419-square-foot) and Marion county is finishing a project at $600 per sq ft. I would love to know what would make building a facility in Manatee County SOOO much more expensive than building in Orange County especially as their design looks high end, but I digress.
https://animalservices.marionfl.org/animal-center/new-shelter-5568
Please write to Comissioner Kruse asking him to stand by what he said in the 1/27 meeting that “if we can build a facility for $1 million, $3 million, or $5 million bucks and make it perfect for the dogs we will.” (time stamp approximately 5:35) Let him know that you know it can be done. And that the bandaids are great to get the dogs out of Palmetto, but this NEEDS to be temporary, it cannot be our solution for the next decade.
All Manatee County Tax payers should know we currently spent $1,200 per square foot on a building that ultimately holds 5 dogs ($5.8 million on the adoption center, 4,800 per sq foot) and will not meet our community needs without this addition, 3x what Orange County spent. While I do fully support the idea behind the having rooms to meet and greet adopters, they are useless if the dogs are stressed out, over exposed to weather, and really can’t contain anything other than moderate to easy dogs. This is our only municipal shelter, for 450,000 residents, 40% that own dogs.
Please direct your message directly to Comissioner Kruse, but BCC all other Comissioners so they are fully aware of the details as well.
george.kruse@mymanatee.org;
drbob.mccann@mymanatee.org
Carolann.felts@mymanatee.org;
tal.siddique@mymanatee.org amanda.ballard@mymanatee.org; jason.bearden@mymanatee.org; mike.rahn@mymanatee.org
County administrator:
Charlie.bishop@mymanatee.org;
Lastly the next meeting is on Tuesday the 24th. If you would like to give your opinion. For the record.