County commissioners to consider plan for animal shelter dog wing

Published 12:00 am Sunday, November 3, 2019

SALISBURY — An agreement to build a dog adoption wing at the Rowan County Animal Shelter will be considered by the county commissioners Monday.

The agreement is with Shelter Guardians, the donor, and C.S. Bradshaw Construction Co., a general contractor.

The agreement addresses financial responsibilities and rules about disbursements for project expenses as well as the donor’s continuing obligations. The commissioners directed the county staff in October to draft a memorandum of understanding with Shelter Guardians.

Plans call for 46 dog shelters, a lobby with several offices, an operating room, surgery room, surgery prep room, grooming area and food preparation area, said Chris Bradshaw of Bradshaw Construction. He said the facility will be about 9,000 square feet.

Each dog shelter will have an outdoor area, a running area and a doggie door, Bradshaw said.

The total cost of the project is an estimated $1.8 million. Bradshaw said construction is expected to begin in early 2020, but the date is not final.

Nina Dix, chairwoman of Shelter Guardians, said she hopes to provide a space for the dogs “to be cared for properly.”

“We hope to provide a less stressful place for the animals, for holding them and to give the shelter staff a space they need in order to do the job we expect them to do,” Dix said. “We received input from the shelter staff to actually build them, what they say they need in order to effectively do their job.”

The agreement says the county has determined a need for an additional building to house the dogs separate from other animals at the shelter. It will be built adjacent to the animal shelter.

In other business:

• On the consent agenda, the commissioners will consider a resolution of support for a $45 million bond issue for Rowan-Cabarrus Community College. The college has asked for support for a referendum on the March ballot to support construction of a 105,000-square-foot technology education complex.

• The board will consider a request for a public hearing on incentives for “Project Bay.” The company would be a new employer in Rowan County that would create 161 jobs over the next four years.

• The commissioners will consider a plan to add Performance Road in Atwell Township to the state secondary road system.

The board will meet at 3 p.m. Monday in the Rowan County Administration Building, 130 W. Innes St.