Committee Explores Contracting for Animal Control

The Courts & Public Safety Committee meeting on April 16 featured a “hypothetical conversation” with Brian Williams of Mayflower’s Paws & Whiskers Society, exploring the idea of contracting out animal control in Faulkner County.

After the discussion, the Committee voted to send the information on to the full Quorum Court for further consideration.

Williams, who was invited by the Committee, said his organization — which is already running an animal control program — could process about 100 animals / month for $500,000 a year, providing a “fully operational shelter.”

He added he expected “we’d be over-run the first six months to a year” once people found out about the shelter, but he estimated that “$500,000 should do it once the over-run is in control.”

He added, “If each city (in Faulkner County) paid $10 / person, that would raise $275,000 against the expected costs.”

Williams, who is also a Mayflower council member, said Mayflower’s mayor is prepared to pay to participate in a county-wide animal control solution.

At the end of the discussion, County Attorney David Hogue pointed out that Kimberly Clark — a company closing down its Conway location — has paid “roughly 20% of the income” of the animal control funding over the last several years.

He reported that, since the last animal control meeting, County Judge Jim Baker put out the pilot spay and neuter program for bids by printing a notice in the local newspaper and contacting county veterinarians; the bid opening is scheduled for April 22, 2019.

(Edited from full video on Faulkner County Arkansas Facebook page.)