Work has finally started at the new Greene County Animal Shelter site in Jefferson.

City Administrator Mike Palmer says earlier this month the contractor, Jensen Brothers, has started working on the lot that was donated to the project from Greene County Development Corporation in their west business park along Highway 4.

“We got very fortunate this year that the weather has held as long as it did. The contractor got out there right away and started moving dirt. There was a lot of dirt to move, I guess that’s surprising to see how much dirt work they needed to do to get the building ready.”

The City Council approved in October a contract with Jensen Brothers for $906,900 to build the 3,000-square-foot facility. Palmer describes another part of the project that the City is helping out with.

“The city’s is helping to offset some of that cost, we’re going to be running the utilities to them, being the water and the sewer, up to the building. So that’ll help with some of the cost, our in-kind services.”   

Palmer anticipates the shelter to be completed by next fall and that the non-profit organization of the People for Animal Welfare (PAWS) of Greene County will initially operate the city-owned facility.