Johnson County cities face deadline to use animal shelter

IOWA CITY - Cities in Johnson County will have until March 1st to decide if they want to help fund a new $4 million dollar Iowa City Animal Center.

Cities that decide against funding the building will lose out on animal services once it is completed.  The old animal shelter was destroyed in the 2008 flood.  Currently animals are being housed at a temporary shelter on Sand Road, about five miles South of downtown.

"It's important that everybody pays their fair share for this particular service," said Misha Goodman, Director of the Iowa City Animal Care and Adoption Center. "It's important that Iowa City doesn't bare the cost for other communities."

Each city will be required to pay an amount based on the number of animals taken to the shelter in the last three years. Under the plan, Iowa City would pay 58 percent, followed by Johnson County, 20 percent, and Coralville, 10 percent.

North Liberty and other cities would make up the final 12 percent.

Construction on the new facility, which is set to be built on South Gilbert Street, will begin in 2013, with completion coming in May 2014.  FEMA has already committed $1.6 million towards the building of a new facility, and Friends of the Iowa City Animal Center Foundation is expected to start a fundraising campaign in the near future.

Right now Iowa City bares the cost for most of the services provided to the entire county.

"It's a matter of fairness, if everybody in the county and other cities are using it," said city council member, Terry Dickens.  "We have to supply it, the cost should be shared."

In April the participating cities are expected to craft and sign a construction cost sharing plan.  After the building is completed, each city will pay for services based on previous use.