New animal shelter to open Jan. 2

SPANISH FORK — Payson took a pass.

Goshen said no go.

But that won't stop the South Utah Valley Animal Special Service District from beginning operations Jan. 2.

Provo and the eight other Utah County cities to the south have signed — or are expected to sign — interlocal agreements to have the new special service district take care of their animal sheltering needs.

The district replaces the Utah County Animal Shelter and will occupy its existing facility at 582 W. 3000 North in Spanish Fork.

An identical shelter recently was completed at 193 N. 2000 West in Lindon, where the North Utah Valley Animal Special Service District will make its debut Jan. 17.

"It's one of those things that quite often people don't think about happening, but we do have animals, and there needs to be a good and humane way to take care of them," said Utah County Commissioner Larry Ellertson.

Utah County will be a participant in both districts to cover the unincorporated area of the county, but its involvement will be minimal, Ellertson said.

"It allows the local entities that contribute most of the business for the shelters to be directly involved in the operation of it," he said.

Still, the county covered the $2.3 million building cost for each of the shelters and has agreed to lease those facilities to the districts for $1 a year for 30 years.

But the financial backing ends there, said John Borget, Provo city's finance director and a board member for the south Utah Valley district.

"It falls on the backs of the cities," Borget said. "It's a balanced budget. The revenues that come in from pet adoptions and licensing and the money that comes in from the cities has to balance what it costs to run the facility."

Total operation costs for the south district's first year are expected to be about $360,400, a little more than half of which will be covered by quarterly payments from the participating cities, he said.

The south Utah Valley cities' financial responsibilities for 2006 were calculated by the number of animals served in the respective cities in 2004, Borget said. Using those numbers, cities that required the least amount of services, Genola and Woodland Hills, were asked to pay a much smaller portion than the district's biggest user, Provo.

"That way, each party comes up with their fair proportionate share," he said.