New Albany Advances New Animal Shelter and Public Works Projects

The City of New Albany took another major step forward today as the New Albany Redevelopment Commission approved moving ahead with two key investments in city services: a new animal shelter and a new public works facility.

Both projects were originally approved by the New Albany City Council in 2025 as part of Mayor Jeff Gahan’s key initiatives, and today’s action signals that the City is getting closer to breaking ground on these critical investments in public services.

“These projects represent a long-term commitment to improving the services our residents rely on every day,” said Mayor Jeff Gahan. “From caring for animals to maintaining our streets and responding to emergencies, these facilities will ensure our team has the space, tools, and technology they need to serve our community at the highest level.”

The new animal shelter project follows the City’s decision to end a previous joint arrangement with Floyd County. Under the former interlocal agreement, the City and County were expected to share costs nearly evenly based on population. However, over time, Floyd County officials fell significantly behind on their financial obligations, shorting the City by nearly $1 million. The shortage from county officials has had drastic consequences on the condition of the facility, with the aging building rapidly deteriorating beyond what it can effectively support.

In response, City leadership moved to establish a fully independent animal shelter to ensure reliable funding and improved services. The new facility will significantly expand capacity, incorporate modern design, and include specialized HVAC systems to help prevent the spread of disease and improve overall animal health. The result will be a safer, more efficient, and more humane environment for animals and staff alike.

The City’s current public works facility is over 50 years old and has long exceeded its useful life and is no longer adequate to meet the City’s growing needs.

The new public works building will modernize operations by expanding space for equipment, materials, and workforce training. These upgrades will strengthen the City’s ability to respond to emergencies and severe weather events, while also improving day-to-day services such as road maintenance, pothole repair, and infrastructure improvements.

Together, these projects reflect New Albany’s continued investment in strong neighborhoods, public safety, and high-quality city services.

New Albany Takes First Step Toward New Animal Shelter 🐾

The City of New Albany is taking an important first step toward building a new animal shelter to better serve our community and its animals.

On Tuesday, April 21, site plans for the new facility will be presented to the Plan Commission for review and approval, marking the first official step in the development process.

Currently, the City operates out of the New Albany–Floyd County Animal Shelter building. As demand for services continues to grow, the need for a modern, expanded facility has become increasingly clear. In 2024 alone, the shelter cared for more than 1,000 animals, stretching the capacity of the existing space.

This project follows the City’s transition to independently operating animal services after the dissolution of the joint city-county agreement in 2023. That agreement, originally established in 1999, ended after Floyd County officials had fallen more than $1 million behind in their share of operating costs over time. Following the split, the City assumed full responsibility for shelter operations.

At the same time, Floyd County Commissioners in recent public meetings have proposed the current animal shelter site be part of a future judicial center project to replace the dilapidated former City-County Building. This further reinforces the need for the City to move forward with a new, dedicated facility.

The new animal shelter will allow New Albany to expand and improve services, including:

• Animal care and housing

• Adoption services

• Veterinary/health services

• Training and community programs

“New Albany has a tradition of providing high-quality care and services to our furry friends, and this new Animal Shelter will continue and build on that tradition for years to come,” said Mayor Jeff Gahan.

The City remains committed to ensuring the long-term success of its animal services program and meeting the growing needs of the community.

💧 $25 Million Investment in New Albany’s Sewer System — NO RATE INCREASES & NO NEW TAXES

The New Albany Sewer Board has approved $25 million in critical upgrades to our sewer utility and collection system, a major investment in our city’s future that will be completed with NO sewer rate increases and NO new taxes.

The board voted today to move these projects forward to the City Council for consideration.

“This vote moves the city toward a cleaner, healthier environment and a stronger economic future, all while keeping our sewer rates low,” said Mayor Jeff Gahan. “The New Albany Sewer Utility serves every household and business in our city. These improvements will protect our environment, safeguard public health, keep our economy moving forward, and keep our sewer rates low. We have not raised sewer rates in over 15 years, and we are not going to.”

🔧 From Federal Oversight to Local Control

For decades, New Albany operated under a federal EPA Consent Decree due to frequent sewer overflows, events that occur when waste in the system exceeds capacity. When Mayor Gahan was elected to his first term, he set out to eliminate this health issue.

The Consent Decree designation limited growth and required federal approval for any new business or development that came onto the sewer system.

“Obviously, that had us throttled economically, so we got to work,” Mayor Gahan said. “We made targeted investments in our collection system, eliminated more than 100 overflow events, and ultimately had the Consent Decree lifted. That restored our ability to plan and grow locally, and now we’re ready to take the next step to invest in our utility and continue working towards a cleaner, healthier environment and a more promising economic future.”

🌊 A Responsibility as a River City

This next phase of improvements will enhance both the sewer collection system and the wastewater treatment plant, ensuring long-term reliability and performance.

“For a River City like ours, this isn’t just an infrastructure project, it’s a responsibility,” Mayor Gahan said. “Clean water means healthier families, stronger recreation opportunities, and a safer environment for future generations. It also supports economic development by attracting new businesses and investment. By modernizing our sewer system today, we’re protecting our river, preserving our environment, and securing New Albany’s future for decades to come.”

New Albany now operates a modern, reliable, and environmentally responsible sewer system, and this next $25 million investment ensures we continue building on that success for decades to come.

🌳 Growing a Greener New Albany

The City of New Albany is proud to once again be recognized as both a Tree City USA and Tree City of the World by the Arbor Day Foundation, marking our fifth consecutive year receiving the Tree City USA distinction. This recognition is especially meaningful as 2026 marks the 50th anniversary of the Tree City USA program.

“Growing healthy trees in an urban environment takes planning and commitment,” stated Mayor Jeff Gahan. “We will continue working with our tree board and other professionals to make good decisions about protecting our tree canopy and to keep it healthy now and long into the future. I especially want to thank Indiana DNR for their efforts in helping keep our urban canopy strong.”

Recently, the City of New Albany was awarded a grant by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources that helped complete an inventory of trees throughout the city as well as a management plan to help guide our urban forestry management. The inventory showed 7,777 city owned tree sites in public rights of way and parks. The inventory also documented the species and health of each tree in the city.

Krisjans Streips, with the New Albany Tree Board stated “I want to thank DNR for supporting our efforts to have healthy trees in New Albany. Their grant has been instrumental in helping us get designations like Tree City USA and Tree City World.”

These designations reflect our ongoing commitment to maintaining healthy urban trees and the important role they play in our community’s quality of life.

As part of that commitment, the City is continuing environmental cleanup efforts at the former QRS Recycling Center along the New Albany shoreline. This work includes a site evaluation to support healthy tree growth as environmental improvements move forward, helping transform the former recycling center into a beautiful greenspace for users of the Ohio River Greenway.

Over the next week, some trees on the former Recycling Center property, along with understory and brush, will be removed as part of this process. Much of this work will focus on smaller saplings and overgrowth, while numerous large, mature hardwood trees will be preserved and remain in place. While tree removal is sometimes necessary, we remain focused on long-term sustainability. Replacement plantings will help ensure the continued health and growth of our urban tree canopy, building on the hundreds of trees planted across the city each year.

🚧 Upcoming Infrastructure Work: Broekers Lane Culvert Replacement

The City of New Albany will soon begin work to replace the culvert on Broekers Lane, just north of the intersection with Budd Road. This project is a proactive investment in our infrastructure that will help prevent future roadway issues while ensuring safe travel for residents.

“I am happy to finally get this much needed repair underway,” stated Mayor Jeff Gahan. “It has been in the planning stages for quite a while now.”

Recent inspections have shown that the existing culvert has experienced significant deterioration over time, including cracking, shifting, and structural wear. While it has continued to function, engineering assessments recommend replacement as soon as possible to ensure long-term safety and reliability.

What to Expect:

• Work is scheduled to begin the week of April 13

• Construction is anticipated to last approximately 3–4 weeks

• Temporary lane restrictions and/or road closures during construction

• Clearly marked detours and traffic control measures

• Residents will maintain access to their homes at all times during construction

We understand this may cause short-term inconvenience, and we appreciate your patience as we complete this important improvement. Thank you in advance for helping us make a better New Albany.