01-19-2016 Animal Welface Facility CommitteeAnimal Welfare Facility Committee
January 19, 2016
Animal Welfare Facility Committee
Tuesday, January 19, 2016 Meeting
VIRGINIA: The Animal Welfare Facility Committee of the Pittsylvania County Board of
Supervisors was held on Tuesday, January 19, 2016 in the Main Conference Room of the County
Administration Building in Chatham, Virginia. Elton W. Blackstock, Jr., Chair, called the meeting to
order at 3:30 p.m. The following members were present:
Jessie L. Barksdale
Elton W. Blackstock
Mr. Tim Barber (arrived at 4: 00am)
The following Board of Supervisors members were also present:
Ronald S. Scearce
Robert W. Warren
Joe B. Davis (arrived at 3:45pm)
Jerry A. Hagerman (arrived at 3:57pm)
Mr. Clarence C. Monday, County Administrator, Mr. Otis. S. Hawker, Assistant County
Administrator for Operations, and Ms. Rebecca Flippen, Deputy Clerk to the Board were also
present.
Approval of Agenda
Motion was made by Mr. Barksdale, seconded by Mr. Blackstock, which was approved by a
majority vote of 2, with Mr. Barber being absent at that time.
New Business
Remarks from Mr. Monday:
Mr. Monday summarized a timeline concerning the proposed Animal Welfare Facility.
August 2014- County received 3 findings from the State Animal Pound & Shelter Inspector
concerning records, porous surfaces, and inappropriate enclosures for small dogs.
September 2014 – The Board of Supervisors directed the County Administrator to issue a Request For
Proposals (RFP) and communicate the County’s intention to the State for a long-term strategy to
resolve this matter. The Board’s intention was to build a new facility, and the RFP would include cost
estimates, feasibility analysis and possibly a conceptual rendering. Dominion 7 was awarded the RFP
and immediately began work.
January 2015- Dominion 7 staff facilitated a community meeting that was attended by
approximately 100 citizens and members of the Board of Supervisors. The purpose of the
meeting was to seek input as to the County’s needs for a new facility. Dominion 7 staff took
public input under advisement while a search was conducted for a site.
June 2015 – Board authorized the hiring of a part time Animal Shelter attendant and advertising to hire
an Animal Shelter Manager.
August 2015 – At a meeting of the Animal Welfare Facility Committee, Dominion 7 presented a cost
estimate of $5,189.000.00 and a conceptual of an animal shelter. Their work was a starting
point based on local input and other localities’ recent work, and the projected future growth in
Pittsylvania County. Staffs from the County and Dominion 7 continue to work together
towards finding a balance between need and affordability for a new shelter. The committee
Animal Welfare Facility Committee
January 19, 2016
requested Dominion 7 scale back on the project, and authorized staff to form a committee to
work with Dominion 7 on coming up with a facility that met the needs of the citizens but that
the County could afford.
August 2015 - Board of Supervisors approved the purchase of property located at 11880 U.S.
Highway 29 in Chatham, Virginia. It is the County’s intent to establish an animal facility on
this site.
An Animal Welfare Facility Committee was formed and met on several occasions with
Dominion 7 to develop a plan for an animal shelter that the County could afford and would
also meet the County’s needs.
January 19, 2016 – County Administration announced the hiring of an Animal Shelter
Manager who would begin working on February 1, 2016.
Presentation by Dominion 7 Staff:
Blair Smith, Architect for Dominion 7, presented a 2-phase plan for a new animal welfare facility for
Pittsylvania County. Phase I included both a site and revised facility floor plan conceptual. The size
of the new facility in Phase I would include a new addition of 5,937 square feet and renovation of
5,878 square feet, totally 11,815 square; 41% smaller than the original concept. Mr. Smith state the
County’s current facility had 43 kennels and Phase I of the proposed new facility would have 52
kennels (Phase II would add an additional 43). The current facility has no cages; Phase I would have
44 cages (Phase II would add an additional 18 cages). Project costs for the revised Phase I included
the following: construction - $2.6 million; soft costs (additional A&E work that would include scope
of work, construction documents, RFP on construction, and overseeing the RFP/construction);
utilities - $15,000; FFE Costs - $61,000; and contingency - $294,200; coming to a total of
$3,236,200-38% less than the original cost estimates in August 2015. If the Board approved Phase I
and moved forward, it was estimated for public opening in July, 2017. Phase II would begin as the
Board of Supervisors felt necessary.
Motion was made by Mr. Barber, seconded by Mr. Barksdale, to recommend the following to
the Board of Supervisors at their adjourned meeting at 7:00 PM on January 19, 2016:
“To approve amending Dominion 7’s contract for additional architectural and engineering work
that would include scope of work, construction, a Request For Proposal (RFP) on construction, and
overseeing the RFP”. The Committee unanimously approved the Barber’s motion.
Ms. Catherine East, President of the SPCA of Pittsylvania County, read a letter to the
Committee proposing an offer of their services to Pittsylvania County, which also requested access to
assess all dogs within 24-48 hours of the dogs’ impoundment.
Mr. Blackstock directed the County Administrator to have the newly hired Animal Shelter
Manager meet with the SPCA and no other action by the Committee was taken.
Adjournment
Motion was made by Mr. Barber, seconded by Mr. Barksdale, to adjourn, which was
unanimously approved by the Committee. The meeting adjourned at 4:32 PM.