The council approved the resolution unanimously at its meeting Tuesday night. The primary benefit cited was that the new agreement would give the city a place to take stray cats. Currently, the city contracts with the Warner Robins animal shelter to take dogs, but due to space limitations the shelter does not accept Centerville's cats.
That alone had Centerville officials purring over the new proposal.
"As long as I have been serving on council, I have gotten more calls on cats than anything else," Councilman Cameron Andrews said. "I have to tell people we don't pick up cats."
Under the agreement, Centerville will contribute $50,000 toward construction of a new animal shelter, with the county adding another $200,000.
Warner Robins would build and operate the animal shelter.
The Houston County Board of Commissioners did not discuss the animal shelter at their meeting Tuesday. However, Commissioner Jay Walker attends Centerville council meetings as the county's liaison, and he said afterward that he expects the agreement will win the county's support. He expected that it would be voted on at the next meeting.
"I fully expect it to be adopted," he said.
The location has not been decided, but among considered areas are land north of Robins Air Force Base on property the city owns there, or on Stalnaker Avenue in the industrial park behind Anchor Glass, next to the Warner Robins Police Department gun range.
Councilman Eddie Tucker said the area next to the gun range appears to be the leading candidate for a location.
The idea for a cooperative effort on an animal shelter originated from Vision 2020, an advisory group made up of representatives of the governments of Houston County, Centerville, Warner Robins, Perry and the school board. Perry opted out of the animal shelter agreement because it already is making plans to build a new shelter of its own.
Under the joint agreement, the county and Centerville will pay $40 per animal brought to the shelter, an increase from the $30 that it currently pays.
But the extra expense did not bother Centerville Mayor Harold "Bubba" Edwards at all. He represents the city on Vision 2020.
"It will be one of the first joint ventures between the cities and the county," he said. "This will be a great step for the two cities and the county. I think it's all around a win-win-win situation for Centerville, Houston County and Warner Robins."
Vision 2020 is holding a called meeting Thursday to discuss the agreement. After a final version is drafted, it will go back to the governing bodies for final approval.
To contact writer Wayne Crenshaw, call 923-6199, extension 235.
