REFUGIO, TX — Refugio County commissioners, on Tuesday, declined to accept free land to build a new animal control facility. Animal control has been a hot topic for months.
The pressure from residents is on as a deadline approaches.
"The purpose of today's meeting is actually just a budget workshop,” County Judge Gigi Poynter said.
The clock is ticking for Refugio County to make a decision before they lose their remaining ARPA funds. Right now, there is a proposal to re-purpose another building to use as their animal control facility.
"Those funds have to be obligated by December 31st. The timeline to complete all the environmental clearances and permitting and testing on any piece of land would be tricky,” Poynter said.
Poynter shared that information with other commissioners as they considered an offer for one acre of land from the City of Woodsboro. The land would be located at a landfill.
"We don't know what problems might arise if we're to disrupt that property,” Poynter said.
During the meeting, one neighbor said the property in question could have groundwater contamination.
"At 40 feet, it's the same level as the river. Anything that went into the groundwater moves straight into the river,” a Woodsboro resident said.
Commissioners Court proceeded to vote.
"Given the laundry list of requirements and our brief timeline. I would move that we decline,” Poynter said.
In a three-to-one vote, the commissioners agreed that this would not be the way to solve their animal control issue.
"I don't think that landfill in Woodsboro will pass inspection, that's my concern, and then we'll burn up all that time,” Precinct 4 County Commissioner Russell Wolfshohl said.
County commissioners plan to discuss the animal control facility again August 13.
