Harrison County Animal Control one step closer to shelter expansion

CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WBOY) – The Harrison County Commission voted on Wednesday to approve a contract with McKinley Architecture and Engineering as the project for a new Harrison County Animal Control shelter continues its beginning stages.

Harrison County Commission President, Susan Thomas, said she hopes the estimated cost for the project, which will create new rooms and double the shelter’s capacity, will be $3-4 million. Thomas said she hopes the project will break ground in the next year.

“We desperately need a new facility. We need the room. This is in the beginning stages. Now that we have approved the contract, they can start moving forward with the various tests that have to be done on the property and then there will be bids to go out for construction,” Thomas said.

The McKinley contract the commission voted be 8% of the total project amount as originally set, despite McKinley requesting a higher percentage during Wednesday’s meeting.

The commission also accepted the County Fire Protection funding from the governor’s office, totaling $109,553.23 for Harrison County, part of a $3 million fund geared toward providing all fire departments in the state with items like PPE and other gear. According to Thomas, the goal is to distribute the county’s funding equally among the 16 fire departments in Harrison County, as it did last year. The commission is set to vote on the final distribution agreement at a future session.

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