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The Bryan City Council on Tuesday decided against renewing an annual contract worth more than $145,600 with the Brazos Animal Shelter after two people raised concerns about the shelter's management and details of the contract.
The shelter had requested a 5 percent increase from fiscal year 2009's funding of $138,700 to provide its services to the city.
The council voted to approve a three-month funding agreement with the shelter while questions about its management practices were being addressed.
The animal shelter is funded by the cities of Bryan and College Station, as well as Brazos County.
College Station resident Shari Yvon-Lewis said the shelter's euthanasia rate was too high, with 269 animals killed in six months. Yvon-Lewis also challenged the shelter's policy against adopting "bully breeds," such as pit bulls. It's against state law to have breed-specific policies, said Yvon-Lewis, an assistant professor at Texas A&M University. The city should have some say in the shelter's policies, she said.
Bryan resident Lance Parr said the shelter's contract with the city should include a statement of expectations or criteria for evaluation of performance. There was no provision in the proposed contract for an external audit or oversight, Parr said.
Parr said the city's auditor was looking into complaints about the shelter regarding poor accounting practices and lack of controls.
"It's imperative that the auditor has time to complete his inquiries and that the council have the benefit of considering his input and recommendations before renewing the contract," he said.
In approving the three-month contract, the City Council asked the shelter to address the concerns and return with a revised proposal.
Also at Tuesday's meeting, the City Council approved a contract worth more than $6.3 million with Brazos Paving Inc. for renovations in downtown. Council members also approved a $42,000 parking study and a $50,000 project to demolish eight city-owned buildings.
The largest contract will upgrade Main Street from 24th to Martin Luther King Jr. streets. The project will also include work on Martin Luther King Jr. and 23rd streets, from the railroad tracks to Bryan Avenue and on 24th Street, from the railroad tracks to Main Street.
City Engineer Paul Kaspar said the work probably would take 14 months.
"You can stand and look at one end of Main Street and look to the other and it will be the same theme," he said.
Pavement and sidewalks are to be replaced, and landscaping and streetscaping will be added. Amenities will include brick pavers, benches, trash receptacles and bicycle racks.
City Manager David Watkins said the parking study was needed to ensure that the parking garage being built next to the Brazos County Courthouse won't create congestion.
The District, formerly known as the Brazos Transit District, is building the five-story, 1,012-vehicle-capacity parking garage, office and retail center.
The demolition of the buildings will help propel development, said Kevin Russell, director of planning and development services. Though city officials check on the properties twice a week, they are still finding that the buildings are being entered illegally, which is exposing the structures to the weather, he said.
The city also approved more than $4 million in sewer and water line improvements throughout the city.
Jason Barfknecht, Bryan water utilities director, said the funding would expand systems, correct inflow problems and relieve sewer problems.
