The DeWitt County Board earlier this week reinstated the committee structure, and the head one of those committees says the animal shelter is going to take top priority.

Danny Ballenger heads the Public Safety Committee. He explains it will not be long before he is contacting architects to join them for their first committee meeting to get the process rolling. He wants to get the ball rolling and get a new animal shelter prepared as soon as possible.

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The building is almost completely outfitted for the new animal shelter, and Ballenger believes it is very well suited to fit the needs of what they want. In addition to that, there is also a huge storage building on the property as well.

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Ballenger indicates the inside of the building is very spacious and is going to allow the animal shelter and their staff so much more opportunity. He explains there is plenty of room for kennels, offices, and even an area for dropping off animals out of the weather elements.

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Leaders in Macoupin County who recently constructed a new animal shelter have been very willing recently to share their ideas and experiences with Ballenger as a part of this process. He explains they faced many of the same challenges and have seen the site for the animal shelter, and Ballenger notes, they feel the building is ideal for what any animal shelter should be.

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The first meeting for the Public Safety Committee will be next Thursday at 7 am in the County Board room at the courthouse. Ballenger hopes those interested will come out and be a part of the process and encourages anyone interested to approach him about seeing the old Black's Building and their plans for it.

Ballenger hopes the site will be ready for the animal shelter to take over by the middle of next year.