Pet shelter faces shutdown if not renovated, state says

Pet shelter faces shutdown if not renovated, state says

October 25, 2001

By Janelle Holden
journal staff writer

After four years of housing stray animals in a building not up to code, the Cortez Animal Shelter must either make plans to relocate or face a state-imposed shutdown.

A representative from the Colorado State Department of Agriculture told the Cortez City Council at their Tuesday workshop that the animal shelter, just east of Cortez, has been in violation of Colorado’s minimum standards for animal shelters for the last four years, and needs either significant remodeling or a new building.

Cynthia Thompson, the department’s representative, said the shelter lacks an isolation area for incoming animals, full wall separation between animal runs, proper drainage, and sealed walls.

"The shelter is being well-run," said Thompson. "It’s the building itself that is the issue."

Thompson said a new building could easily be constructed to separate sick cats and dogs properly, and incubate incoming animals for at least three days.

The city spent nearly $100,000 on the shelter last year, and proposes to spend another $135,000 in the coming year. The county currently pays for 40 percent of the kennel’s operation and maintenance.

Mayor Joe Keck said the most feasible option for solving the problem would be to build a shelter on county land near the county landfill and split the cost between the city and the county. Keck said the county had discussed the possibility of using its land in the past.

"It’s got to be a joint effort," agreed Cortez Chief of Police Roy Lane, who supervises the shelter. Lane said many, if not the majority, of the animals at the shelter are picked up in the county. If the city refuses to take them, stray animals are often dumped on the highways or in a county field.

Lane also said the facility should be located out of town to cut down on animal noise, and the city should apply for a state grant to help fund spaying and neutering pets.

"I really think if you have it in town, you’re going to have problems with the noise," agreed City Manager Hal Shepherd.

"I think it would make everything a lot easier if we had an up-to-date facility," advised council member Jim Herrick.

Thompson told the council that if a long-term plan is filed with the department the shelter could continue operating, even if construction doesn’t start for another couple of years.

On Tuesday, the council also:

• Began the annual budget process. The council heard budget-request presentations from Mesa Verde Country Tourism, formerly the Umbrella Tourism Committee, and the Cortez Mainstreet Association at the council’s workshop. The council will hear non-profit requests on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. and will review the budget with city staff next Monday at 5:30 p.m.

• Heard a presentation from Sgt. Dennis Spruell. Spruell told the council that there are methamphetamine labs "all over Cortez." "Meth in Cortez is very, very popular," he said. "I don’t know why, but Cortez is a mecca for meth labs."

Methamphetamine, or speed, is made from common items, most of which are extremely toxic, like crystal iodine, gasoline antifreeze, ephedrine, and acetone. Spruell said that 80 percent of the labs discovered are found because they blew up. Yesterday the task force found one drug lab because a child called to tell on his parents and said, "something has got to be done."

• Debated whether to lease 144 square feet of Cortez Airport terminal space to Tim Dietz of Mesa Verde Aviation, one of the two fixed-base operators at the airport. The council decided to take the request under consideration, but expressed skepticism about the idea.

"I don’t think that the foyer is a good idea," said council member Cheryl Baker, who also commended Dietz for starting up a new business in the area.

• Approved a conditional-use permit for Ertel Funeral Home and Crematory to build a new funeral home and crematorium at 635 E. Empire St.

• Agreed to delay paying Four Corners Materials $12,000 until the company fixes poor joint construction, surface irregularities, and concrete cracks on Park and Driscoll streets that occurred during this summer’s street-improvement project. A representative from Four Corners said the company would fix the problems in the spring.

• Heard from D W Tower, a Durango company that wants to construct a 180-foot lattice cellular tower on a knoll at the city’s industrial park. The company is asking for a 10,000-square-foot lease for 20 years.

• Considered a draft ordinance that would allow the city to refuse water service to any resident who is moving to a new location in the city and hasn’t paid the water bill at their old location. One person, the city manager said, is on her fifth address and owes $180.