By BRENT MARTIN
St. Joseph Post
It appears St. Joseph will get a new animal shelter, finally.
After years of on again, off again negotiations with Friends of the Animal Shelter, the city is inching closer toward breaking ground.
Mayor John Josendale says a new shelter is needed, evidenced by the fact that the current shelter is full once again.
“We’ve gone back and forth on it for a long time, but we’ve identified the site down at the end of the South Belt and this construction will start and hopefully you’ll see work on the grounds over the next month or so and we’re looking for the possibility of a completion early fall or late fall of this year,” Josendale tells host Barry Birr on the KFEQ Hotline.
The St. Joseph City Council is expected to vote during its March 17th meeting on a $4.7 million contract with E. L. Crawford to construct a new shelter on the South Belt Highway. Friends of the Animal Shelter will donate more than $1.6 million toward the project.
Josendale is pleased with the latest development.
“I think it’s very positive and, again, I can’t say enough for Friends of the Animal Shelter that has worked with it for years and years,” Josendale says. “They had the dream to go one direction. It wasn’t working. So, again, coming back to the table and being able to work together and with their support being able to move forward with the new animal shelter.”
Josendale praises the flexibility of Friends of the Animal Shelter and how willing the group was to work with the city on alternative plans when the original plans proved too costly.
“Again, working with them and knowing what their dreams have been to put this in place for a long time,” Josendale says. “But the need for it in the city and knowing how if you’ve ever been down and toured the facility, the current facility, you understand the need for the new and expanded facility.”
The contract still must be formally approved by the city council, then a new animal shelter might actually become a reality for St. Joseph.
You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.