The Lampasas City Council last week approved changes to Lampasas Animal Shelter fees and policies.

The council voted 4-1 to approve the first reading of an ordinance to set several new fees. Charges approved in the first reading include a $50 adoption fee for dogs less than one year old and a $35 fee for dogs older than a year.

The council also voted to increase cat adoption fees for animals less than one year old from $15 to $20.

Mayor Pro Tem Les Gerhardt, along with councilmen Jerry Grayson, Brad Neely and Evan Stubbs, voted to pass the ordinance. Councilwoman Wanda Bierschwale cast the ‘no’ vote. Mayor Judy Hetherly and Councilman John Cole did not attend the recent meeting.

Council members plan to adopt the same animal control fees the Lampasas County Commissioners Court accepts, as the city and county use the animal shelter jointly. To encourage adoptions, Stubbs suggested a fee of $25 for dogs less than one year old and a $20 fee for older dogs. If county officials agree to those rates, the City Council may vote at the ordinance’s second reading to lower the adoption fees.

Animal shelter supervisor Kasey Dressel said increasing fees from the current rate of $15 for all dogs and cats will help ensure animal welfare.

“The little bit higher fee for adoption discourages the people we don’t really want to be adopting anyway,” she said.

The animal shelter spends approximately $23 on vaccinations for puppies and about $18 for older dogs, Mrs. Dressel added.

An animal may be returned for a full refund within 14 days of adoption for medical reasons only. A veterinarian’s statement approved by the animal shelter supervisor is required.

Other changes in the ordinance include an increase in euthanasia fees from $50 to $75 for dogs and from $30 to $50 for cats. The increases are intended to encourage pet owners to take their animals to veterinarians.

“We’re not in the business to compete with our local veterinarians,” said Police Chief Tim Angermann, whose department oversees the animal shelter supervisor.

Although the City Council voted to increase quarantine and impound fees, the fee for surrendering an animal to the shelter will be eliminated.

“We did not want to have a fee that basically encouraged people to drop their animal off on a county road instead of bringing it to the shelter,” Angermann said.

In addition, the shelter no longer will accept animals from outside Lampasas County.

In other matters, the City Council voted 5-0 to approve the Canales- Dibble Contractors Inc. bid of $9,500 to clear land donated to the city by Rex and Linda Johnson for a park near Third and Hackberry streets. The land, to be named “Rex and Linda Johnson Park,” includes Cooper Springs.

Also at the recent meeting, the council approved the purchase of an electronic sign for $4,682 from adsLED Inc. of Austin. The singlefaced sign, which can display 95 messages 365 days a year, is funded by a donation from the Spring Ho Committee. The sign will be mounted on the information kiosk at the south entrance to W.M. Brook Park.

In other business, the council voted 5-0 to split the cost of removing a red oak tree and replacing portions of the sidewalk on Chestnut Street in front of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church.

Church members are concerned that the tree’s roots are making portions of the sidewalk not level and unsafe for pedestrians. Parishioners also believe the tree roots may damage the foundation and bell tower of St. Mary’s, Lampasas’ oldest church building in continuous use, said church senior warden Richard Hammett.

Church members asked the city to pay 50 percent of an $8,576 bid from MW Hail Construction Inc., as they said the company has done good work for St. Mary’s in previous projects.

Because of the project’s cost, however, Lampasas’ charter requires city staff to seek at least three bids, City Manager Michael Stoldt said. The city will pay half the cost of the lowest bid. If MW Hail’s bid is not the lowest, the church still may contract with MW Hail and pay the balance not provided by city funds.

Also Monday, the City Council OK’d a $9,278 proposal from Vaisala Inc. of Louisville, Colo., for an Automated Weather Observing Station at the Lampasas Municipal Airport. A grant from the Texas Department of Transportation Aviation Department will pay 75 percent of the cost.

Gerhardt, Grayson, Stubbs and Mrs. Bierschwale voted to approve the expenditure, and Neely ab- stained.

In other business, the council:

• voted 5-0 to purchase a 2010 Ford F-150 XL pickup truck, to be used by a major crimes investigator, for $19,539 from Leif Johnson Ford of Austin.

• approved a new hotel tax ordinance with collection enforcement provisions.

• approved the payment of $6,400 to Qro Mex Construction Inc. of Granite Shoals for eight residential connections to a 10- inch wastewater line. The new line runs along Western Street between Central Texas Expressway and a manhole at Water Street.

• agreed to hold an annual joint meeting with the Kempner Water Supply Corp. board at 6:30 p.m. on March 31.