County nears awarding of animal shelter contract

By Joel Davis
of The Daily Times Staff

The Blount County Purchasing Department is currently negotiating with the sole bidder for the general contract to build a new county animal shelter.

Carico Construction Inc. of Louisville is the sole bidder for the contract, Purchasing Agent Judy Hackney said.

"We are talking with the only bidder that submitted the bid and working on the details of contract work," she said. "Hopefully, we'll have something in a few short days."

Hackney said the contract price is still being negotiated.

Blount County is currently relying on the Loudon County Shelter to house homeless and abandoned animals. Animal control has been a subject of controversy since the previous County Commission declined to continue funding a contract with the city of Maryville for animal control services. That contract expired Dec. 31, 2006.

The current Blount County Commission voted Jan. 18, 2007, to hire an animal control officer. The Loudon County Commission has agreed to accept stray and unwanted animals at the Loudon County Animal Shelter for $4,000 per month. The agreement will run out at the end of June.

The new shelter is being built on a 12-acre site located behind the Boys and Girls Club, 241 Currie Ave., in Maryville. On April 19, 2007, the Blount County Commission authorized spending $350,000 in seed money for an animal shelter. The commission approved the floating of a short-term loan from the county debt service fund balance to pay for the project.