HAYS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT
Last week’s regularly scheduled Hays County Commissioners meeting on March 25 led to a termination of the county’s contract with Austin Pets Alive! related to the Hays County Pet Resource, Education and Research Center in a four to one vote. The vote also established a contract to plan and ultimately build a physical Pet Resource Center in addition to the online resources that were previously under the APA! contract. This led to a community outpouring for public comment both in support of APA! in maintaining the contract and with requests that more funding go to local animal service organizations for these services instead. In public comment, Prevent a Litter of Central Texas, pointed to all of the animal welfare programs they are already performing in the community as a reason that funds might be better spent with Hays County-based organizations.
The agenda item also stated that, in addition to terminating the contract with APA!, Hays County would move forward with a “professional services agreement with Broaddus & Associates, Inc. for project management services in order to partner with both local municipalities and nonprofit organizations to deliver the Hays County Pet Resource, Education and Research Center in a timely and cost-effective manner.” The four commissioners that voted in favor of the item all pointed to the possibility of a collaborative approach with resources dedicated to local organizations while still maintaining the work that has been done by the Pet Resource Center so far. They all said they would like a physical location to house the center in addition to the online resources. In the agenda, it states that “the project will consist of possible land locations, ordinance update finalization, meeting with stakeholders to define potential options for a collaborative or standalone Pet Resource Center, defining facility requirements and presenting the options to commissioners court for final review and project implementation.”
