White Bluffs Awarded Contract

SIDNEY – Sidney’s City Council, one member short of a five-member panel, unanimously approved the bid from White Bluffs Veterinary Hospital during its regular Tuesday night session. Of the two bids submitted, the low bid came from White Bluffs, which sits just outside of city limits.

Prior to discussion on the bids, Mayor David Weiderspon announced his ownership of White Bluffs and stated he would refrain from discussion and voting on the item. Weiderspon left the council meeting after stating Vice Mayor Dalan Hiett would take over.

City Attorney Jordan Ball presented the bids to council, which showed charge amounts including a monthly fee, boarding fee, rabies observation, rabies samples, and euthanasia and disposal of animals.

In all categories except the euthanasia of dogs, White Bluffs presented the low bid.

In a letter to council, Sidney Veterinary Hospital, which sits inside city limits, said its fees reflected the cost of overhead of operating inside those limits. Sidney Veterinary Hospital also requested that its prices be effective for only a two-year period. Ball said the city requested a five-year estimate, but it was not a condition.

“In comparison in looking at the monthly fee, $200 per month, the bid from White Bluffs, equates out to $2,400 per year,” Hiett said. “Sidney Veterinary Hospital at $525 per month equates out to $6,300 per year.”

Hiett also calculated some averages based on impound numbers from last year, and determined that White Bluffs would cost the city less money to handle its animal impound and veterinary services.

Other points of discussion focused on the facilities themselves, in which Sidney Police Major Joe Aikens said White Bluffs provides up to four run-lines for dogs captured by the police department while Sidney Veterinary Hospital provides just one. One run line isn’t sufficient, according to Aikens, because authorities might need to kennel more than one dog, which would not be humane to have multiple dogs on just one line.

Numbers presented by Sidney resident Julie Young showed a savings of over $4,000 per year if the city chose White Bluffs on certain boarding fees.
Councilman Bob VanVleet’s motion to approve White Bluffs was unanimously supported by a 4-0 vote.