Received a generous donation for renovation
by Jack Criss
The Bolivar Bullet
The Estate of the late William Tribble left approximately $1.8 million largely designated to renovate the Cleveland-Bolivar County Animal Shelter located on West Carpenter Street. Mr. Tribble’s connection to the city or the shelter is not clear at the present time. The shelter was in desperate need for repairs and updating according to City officials and the funds will go a long way in helping the animals and the shelter’s workers in taking care of those housed there which includes dogs, cats, guinea pigs, rabbits—basically any animal that is found homeless and in need of care.
“Mr. Tribble provided this generous amount through his Estate. Since receiving the donation in 2019, the City hired the Shelter Planners of America, a consulting group based out of Fort Worth, TX—using the donated monies—to design and manage the renovation project. At this point, the City is finalizing the schematic design and will be publicizing a request for bids this fall. We hope to receive bids for the Board of Aldermen to approve by the end of this year, with the goal to begin the actual renovation in the Spring of 2021,” said Dominique Green, Cleveland City Clerk.
SWEET FACES: The Cleveland-Bolivar County Animal Shelter has been in dire need of repairs and updating for many years, and will greatly benefit from the funds designated for renovation.
“We’re probably looking at about a nine month to twelve month timeframe for completion. With this being the first time for many of us in renovating an Animal Shelter, we are leaning on the consultants to guide us through this unique process. Through this process we have learned that animal shelter construction is very different from most projects. With an animal shelter renovation you’re essentially building a hospital to mitigate disease amongst the animals, help with the separation of pregnant and nursing animals from other animals, among other requirements to make the shelter a functional space—it’s much more than just having kennels in a building. The City’s goal is to honor the donation and the Estate by taking steps to ensure a quality renovation to the shelter.” said Green.