Mayor Conger shares current status of new animal care center

JACKSON, Tenn. — The construction for the new Jackson Animal Care Center has been in the works for the past few years.

However, with construction starting then pausing, then having to wait for inspections, there has been some delay.

But in June, hopefully, when bids are placed and approval is given, this can be the home for many animals in Jackson.

“The funds were allocated in 2022 from American Rescue Plan. There were some issues with EPA on potentially a dump site or landfill previously there. So they had to do a bunch of testing, boarding and wells, and things like that,” said Jackson Mayor Scott Conger.

Right now, city officials are engaging back with the architectural firms that did the original plan and design.

But according to Conger, because of Tennessee Code, since it has been over a budget year, they can’t continue construction with the same construction firm.

“So with the architectural firm, we can pick back up with them. That can update and give us the renderings of where and give us definitives where the workers stopped, where the work needs to start, and what needs to be completed,” Conger said.

Once architectural firms update the plans, then the city can send bids back out for construction firms.

Once approved, they can resume construction.

“Because of the price, they have to be sealed bids. And so we have to open them, and go through and evaluate the bids, and then do the contract negotiations with the winning bid, and then present that to council. So, may be July-August before council gets the contract, but then we’ll know a pretty good contract timeline,” Conger said.

The city budgeted a million and a half dollars to finish construction, and half million to $600,000 to equip the building.

“If anything, there may be some things that were done that need to be redone. I don’t know. They’ll tell us all that when they get the plans in and we can bid the package out for construction, then that can start. And once we get the construction package bid and get the contract signed with the construction company, then they can tell us their expected timeline for completion,” Conger said.

Conger hopes to get bids out in June so the construction can continue.

The new Animal Care Center will be located at the end of Conalco Drive in east Jackson.

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