Texarkana, Ark.'s animal services director shared his vision for new facilities Tuesday, a day after the city Board of Directors approved $875,000 in financing.
A new building and renovations to the current Animal Care and Adoption Center will mean more efficient, less expensive operations and most importantly, happier dogs and cats with fewer health risks, Charles Lokey said.
"I've been working on this for years, trying to get something done," Lokey said.
A new 80-foot by 80-foot building will house dog kennels, a cat adoption area, and an on-site spay and neuter clinic, and the design will allow better ventilation and easier cleaning than the current facility does.
The 36 kennels will be all stainless steel to facilitate their cleaning and disinfection. Floors in the kennel area will be made of sealed resin, also easy to clean, and have drains to the sewer system.
A pair of bay doors, one on either side of the building, will provide cross-ventilation in the kennel area and allow animal control officers to drive vehicles into the shelter. Multiple exhaust fans and two large evaporative coolers, or "swamp" coolers, will also improve ventilation and provide energy-efficient relief from hot temperatures.
A cat adoption room will also provide a comfortable environment, and though it may not be within his budget, Lokey hopes to connect the cat room to an enclosed gazebo outside so the cats can move more freely.
Other features of the new building include an updated break room for employees and volunteers, and possibly a shower and locker room, as well.
The center's current main building will be renovated into a veterinary facility, with a quarantine and isolation area, a spay and neuter clinic, and a surgery recovery room. The center does not now have on-site spay/neuter capability, and animals must be transported to veterinary clinics for those procedures.
Lokey said the new facilities will make the most of modern technology such as LED lights and web-connected security cameras. He is hopeful that broadband internet access will soon be available at the site, making streaming "puppycams" and "kittycams" possible for potential adopters searching for pets.
New and improved electrical and plumbing systems will prevent frequent problems and big repair bills.
"I have a plumber on speed dial," Lokey said.
In June, the city was forced to spend about $2,000 on electrical repairs in the original shelter building, constructed more than 50 years ago, he said. That building will no longer be used once the new facilities open.
Aesthetic touches will include a diorama depicting local wildlife, landscaping featuring abundant rose bushes, and awnings with the center's logo on them. And all the new facilities will be fully accessible to people with disabilities.
Now that financing has been secured, the project enters a design phase. An architect will prepare finalized plans, and the Board then must approve them. Construction work will not begin until the fall at the earliest and perhaps not until early 2020, Lokey said, adding that after consulting with contractors, he is confident in his cost estimates.
"This is going to be a big leap forward for Texarkana," he said.
During a regular meeting Monday, the city Board voted to finance the project with bonds issued under a provision called Amendment 78 financing.
Adopted by voters in 2000, Amendment 78 to the Arkansas Constitution created a type of tax increment financing, a way to capture a defined area's increases in property tax revenue to fund redevelopment projects. The amendment allows cities to issue bonds and repay them with such captured revenues. The city will pay off the debt over five years at 2.53% interest.