Kendall County Board looks to improve air quality at Animal Control facility

Kendall County Board members want to improve the air quality at the Kendall County Animal Control facility.

At the July 16 Kendall County Board meeting, board members approved HVAC improvements for the facility, 802 John St., Yorkville, and the public safety center. American Rescue Plan Act funds will pay for the $190,675 project.

The project will include installation of dehumidifiers in the two kennel spaces and waiting area (covers cat rooms as well). It also includes the replacement of the 20-year-old roof top unit that serves a Public Safety Center jail common space, which had started to malfunction.

“We need to get the environment better in that facility,” said Kendall County Board member Brian DeBolt, chair of the board’s facilities and technology committee, in talking about the Animal Control building. “The humidity and so forth is really tough. The working conditions are not the best, especially on a very hot day. And there’s also some remediation work to be done at the sheriff’s department.”

Kendall County Board member Brooke Shanley agreed.

“I am over there quite frequently and the working conditions are far less than desirable,” she said during the meeting. “I know that this will be much appreciated.”

Kendall County Board Chairman Matt Kellogg noted there are more animals being care for at the facility than in the past, perhaps because not as many people are adopting animals.

“We’re sitting at 20 or 30 cats and 20 or 30 dogs all the time,” he said. “It’s completely changed the air quality.”