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Two very important issues that remain unresolved are recommendations to improve or replace the <br />outdated shelter and spay/neuter facility, and the question of finding additional revenue for animal <br />services. <br /> <br />The current animal shelter, completed by the Tri-Agency in 1978, is co-owned by the cities of Eugene <br />and Springfield and Lane County. The facility houses Lane County Animal Services and the City of Eugene <br />Spay/Neuter Clinic. While the facility was considered state-of-the-art in 1978, it now is inadequate to <br />current needs. In 2003 Lane County brought in an architectural consultant to conduct a needs <br />assessment. The needs assessment recommended construction of a new 22,000 square foot shelter. The <br />assessment was clear that “the goal of any renovation, expansion or new shelter should be to create a <br />safe, efficient, and humane facility.” The report highlighted specific concern about ADA accessibility to <br />the facility, as well as stating “the arrangement and flow of the existing facility does not allow for <br />segregation of animal control functions and public access. This permits conflicts between dangerous <br />animals and the public.” The report identified problems with parking, customer reception, and <br />human/dog, dog/dog and dog/cat conflicts. The report addressed improvements needed to address <br />adoptions, stray animals, animal holding areas, and animal handling and evaluation. <br /> <br />Lane County then contracted with PIVOT Architecture to complete a master plan for LCAS. The Lane <br />County Animal Services 2007-2008 Master Planning Study was delivered on March 5, 2008. This study <br />described four options for improving the facility, ranging from a remodel and expansion of the existing <br />facility, to a new expanded facility, or a remodel/expansion combined with a satellite outreach center. <br />Cost estimate for these options ranged from $6.6 to $9.8 million. <br /> <br />On April 7, 2010, the Lane County Board of Commissioners was provided a report, Animal Service Facility <br />Options, on options for improvement or replacement of the shelter. This report was prepared by a <br />workgroup that included Eugene, Springfield and Lane County representatives. The workgroup <br />examined options for funding, structuring and operating a state-of-the-art facility to replace the existing <br />facility. There was consensus among the workgroup participants that… <br /> <br />The current facility has outlived its useful life and needs to be replaced; <br /> <br /> <br />Time is of the essence; <br /> <br /> <br />There is a high level of community interest in issues relating to animal services; and <br /> <br /> <br />These conditions offer an opportunity of leveraging a solution. <br /> <br /> <br />The workgroup reviewed a range of options for collaborative action among the three governments and <br />local non-profit animal welfare organizations, foremost of which is Greenhill Humane Society. More than <br />a dozen sheltering operations with facilities constructed within the last ten years were contacted to <br />learn what collaborative structure they chose to use. Options for sharing construction costs and <br />ownership were explored and three general options were described: first is an option to replace or <br />remodel the facility through collaboration between the governments, second is an option to expand a <br />collaborative approach to include a non-profit partner, and third is an option to do nothing. The report <br />recommends that the facility be improved or replaced and these options be further developed by <br />regional governmental partners. The primary unanswered questions identified in the report involve the <br />degree of collaboration desired by the participating organizations, and the funding strategy for <br />improvement or replacement of the facility. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />