WARREN — New architectural drawings for the proposed Trumbull County Dog Pound significantly lower the cost for the new facility, according to David Snyder of the architectural firm Baker, Bednar and Snyder.

While Snyder would not provide a new estimated cost for the proposed dog pound, he noted that changes could lower previous estimated projections from $3.4 million to between $2 million and $2.5 million.

However, he added, the costs would be determined by those portions of the plan that commissioners agree to eliminate.

Under a previous plan proposal, the pound would have had heated floors throughout the building. The dog pound was planned to have six offices and a play area where dogs could get to know possible owners.

It also was proposed to have a sallyport where vehicles could back directly into the dog-pound building.

The architectural firm was later asked to make the dog pound smaller and more efficient.

“One of the problems we faced, the former Animal Welfare League site was 3.1 acres,” Snyder said. “However, the buildable portion of the site was no more than .02 of an acre.”

He noted they were squeezing a 6,000-square-foot building on no more than 9,000-square feet of buildable land.

“It was tight, but we made it work,” he said. “There were a lot of shared easements with AWL.”

Snyder is now suggesting the number of offices be reduced from six to two and the indoor play area where dogs and prospective owners would play be eliminated. Elimination of the heated flooring would reduce the costs by approximately $400,000. The roof of the building can be simplified, which also would reduce the costs.

Under the proposal, the footprint of the building would be reduced from 7,400-square feet to 5,600-square feet, which would make the building more efficient.

“It is convenient, makes a lot of sense and it will save money,” Snyder said.

Commissioner Denny Malloy noted that commissioners could raise money to maintain some sections that could face elimination through donations and selling naming rights to the sections.

“If they are half a million dollar add-ons, I believe they are very doable,” Malloy said. “You can name each room (in the building) after a donor to offset the costs of some of the interior build.”

Malloy noted the commissioners previously used funds from a donor to pay the architect to do some of the original drawings for the dog pound. The county later learned they could not use American Rescue Plan funds for a dog pound project.

“We always knew that we would have to come up with money from somewhere else,” he said. “We will have to come up with a bond or a blend or public-private donor-county funds, like most other counties do.”

Commissioner Tony Bernard recommended the architectural firm present its ideas to new Trumbull County Dog Warden Matthew Dubon, who was not part of the discussions when the plans were previously presented, to get his perspective on what may be needed.

“Most importantly right now is to get day-to-day operational setup,” Dubon said. “That way we can house more dogs.”

The pound currently can hold 20 dogs a day. However, based on the demand, they could house up to 60 dogs in kennels.

Bernard told Dubon to review what is being suggested, talk to other stakeholders and then return to the commissioners with suggestions.