City Manager Jacob Wood Asks City Commission to Consider Bidding Out Salina Animal Shelter Operations

The City of Salina may soon begin searching for a private contractor to operate the Salina Animal Shelter.

City Manager Jacob Wood is recommending that the Salina City Commission direct staff to develop and advertise a Request for Proposal seeking potential operators for the shelter. The item is scheduled for consideration during the commission’s Monday, July 27 meeting.

The proposal does not immediately privatize the shelter or commit the city to hiring a contractor. It would begin a competitive process allowing the city to examine potential operators, their qualifications, proposed service models and costs.

Concerns Identified During Shelter Review

The city hired Animal Shelter Services LLC in May to conduct an independent assessment of shelter operations. The company reviewed policies and procedures and conducted an onsite assessment.

Although its final report has not been completed, city staff said discussions with the company have already identified “several operational challenges and areas of concern.”

Staff now believes it may be difficult to hire an experienced animal services manager capable of addressing those challenges while meeting the city’s expectations for an efficient and effective shelter. The complete assessment is expected within approximately two weeks.

What Happens Next

If commissioners approve the recommendation, staff expects it would take approximately two weeks to prepare the Request for Proposal. Potential contractors would then have about 30 days to submit responses.

Those proposals would be reviewed and scored before being returned to the City Commission for another public discussion and possible action. Issuing the request would not require the city to accept any proposal or enter into a contract.

Even if an outside contractor is eventually selected to operate the shelter, animal-control duties would remain a city function. The city would need to establish how animal-control officers and the shelter operator would coordinate their responsibilities.

Commissioners may approve the recommendation, approve it with changes, postpone the matter or take no action. City staff is recommending approval. The staff report lists no immediate fiscal impact associated with beginning the proposal process.