The Courier of Montgomery reports that the Conroe city council turned down the only bid it received to operate the Conroe Animal Shelter, even after extending the deadline for proposals. They have decided to run the shelter with city staff.
The only company to submit a bid was Texas Litter Control. Several provisions in the contract created concern, according to Interim Police Chief Lee Tipton and Interim City Attorney Mike Garner. Those concerns were about Texas Litter Control’s authority over the budget, a new animal shelter, the creation of a trap-neuter-release program for the city and the city’s inability to intervene with Texas Litter Control’s policies and procedures for the shelter.
Tipton added that the fact they didn’t intervene resulted in the situation they were in at present.
Mayor Pro Tem Harry Hardman said the shelter is the city’s responsibility and they needed to provide oversight.
Giving Texas Litter Control authority over the shelter’s budget could violate state law, according to Garner. The state law he was referring to prohibits the control of public funds by a private business.
An operational plan for the shelter is being worked on by Tipton’s department.
The poor treatment of a dog sparked the concerns about animal treatment at the shelter.
Looking to a future meeting, Tipton said he would bring back an operational plan.
