Guadalupe County commissioners are considering creating a public-private partnership to operate the county’s animal shelter.
Right now, the county’s animal shelter is entirely taxpayer-funded. A public-private partnership would allow Guadalupe County to retain policy and regulatory oversight while contracting operational responsibility to a nonprofit entity, Lt. Zachary McBride said during a presentation to commissioners Jan. 27.
Enforcement would remain with animal control within the sheriff’s office, while shelter operations would move to experts in shelter management.
The impact
Over the last four fiscal years, the county’s budget has increased by about 18% each year. Approximately 89% of the budget, which is about $526,000, is dedicated to county personnel, with $63,000 funding shelter operations, which has been “woefully insufficient,” McBride said.
By shifting shelter operations and veterinary coordination to a nonprofit partner, the county would avoid paying market-rate veterinary prices, yielding $158,000-$253,000 in annual savings, according to the presentation.
“A public-private partnership introduces adoption fees, grants, donations, economies of scale and volunteer labor,” McBride said, which would create $30,000-$100,000 in new revenue. “This doesn’t eliminate taxpayer funding, but it significantly reduces taxpayer funding by adding private dollars and community capacity to core services.”
Although the public-private partnership would yield long-term cost-savings, it would cause a short-term budget increase.
“Though some operational costs may decrease as facility maintenance shifts, a public-private partnership adds a flat payment of around $412,000 for shelter management, bringing the near-term budget to roughly $1 million. This increase reflects a managed transition to a predictable model that replaces escalating in-house costs,” McBride said.
Precinct 4 Commissioner Stephen Germann said he was a “steward” of taxpayer dollars, and there were too many "what ifs."
“You will never get my vote until I see a path forward,” Germann said. “There’s too many 'what ifs' in there. There’s no contracts with anybody.”
Notable quote
McBride said animal services will always require investment.
“The opportunity before us is to transform that investment into a sustainable future-ready model. A public-private partnership brings innovation, efficiency and community engagement, ensuring Guadalupe County leads with compassion and fiscal responsibility,” he said.
Stay tuned
The county is currently in discussion with the Humane Society of the New Braunfels Area and the Guadalupe County Humane Society, McBride told Community Impact.
