Casper Approves Animal Shelter, UV Disinfection Contracts
The city council awarded contracts totaling more than $8.4 million for a new animal shelter and wastewater plant equipment.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in City Hall
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The Casper City Council approved a $7,814,133.40 construction contract for the New Metro Animal Shelter and a $647,500 procurement agreement with Glasco UV for equipment at the Sam H. Hobbs Wastewater Treatment Plant. The shelter contract, with Sampson Construction Company, covers a 9,694-square-foot facility designed by Amundsen Associates and will replace the city's existing shelter.
Why it matters
The existing shelter was designed like a traditional pound and is not built for long-term animal stays, so the new facility addresses that limitation. The wastewater equipment upgrade replaces aging disinfection capacity, and Glasco UV was recommended after a 10-year analysis of long-term operating costs.
The shelter project is funded by $6,445,038.40 from the 2024 Specific Purpose Sales and Use Tax, with the remainder from unallocated tax proceeds, unappropriated Metro funds and One Cent #17 funds. The council chose Glasco UV's $647,500 system over Trojan Technologies' $590,000 initial bid based on a 10-year cost evaluation.
The players
Casper City Council
The elected governing body of Casper, Wyoming, which approved both contracts at its Tuesday meeting.
Sampson Construction Company
The contractor selected to build the New Metro Animal Shelter under the approved construction agreement.
Glasco UV
A New Jersey-based ultraviolet disinfection equipment vendor selected to supply the Sam H. Hobbs Wastewater Treatment Plant system.
Trojan Technologies
A water treatment technology company whose lower initial bid of $590,000 was not selected for the wastewater plant project.
The details
Sampson Construction Company's agreement sets the base construction cost at $7,610,610 and includes two accepted alternate items, an attached garage and exterior sunshades. At the wastewater plant, the new open-channel low-pressure high-intensity ultraviolet system exposes treated water to germicidal light before it is discharged into the North Platte River.
Timeline
Tuesday, November 4, 2026: Council approved the shelter and wastewater contracts.
November 5, 2026: Groundbreaking ceremony for the new shelter.
Late 2027: Targeted substantial completion of the new shelter.
Municipal Lens
Casper's decision to weigh a 10-year operating-cost analysis over the lower initial machinery bid reflects the same life-cycle approach municipalities use when replacing infrastructure. The choice favors long-term operating cost over up-front price, a trade-off that shapes how city councils justify capital spending.
Casper residents will see a larger, purpose-built animal shelter replace the current facility once construction is finished in late 2027. The wastewater upgrade changes how treated water is disinfected before it reaches the North Platte River.
The takeaway
Casper's council chose a higher upfront equipment price after reviewing projected 10-year operating costs, a reminder that initial bids alone can understate what a public project will cost to run. Residents interested in the shelter's progress can track the project as construction begins.
What happens next
Construction on the New Metro Animal Shelter is slated to begin after a November 5 groundbreaking ceremony, with substantial completion targeted for late 2027.
Further reading
Follow more decisions from the City Hall section for context on how Casper's council is funding and approving major public projects.
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