Alpine city staff told the council at a workshop that Brewster County has offered $50,000 toward replacing the city's aging animal services incinerator, and staff estimated the model they prefer would cost roughly $108,000.

The recommendation, presented as part of the 2025–26 budget review, would require a budget amendment and likely a formal request-for-proposal process under the city's finance policy. Gio, the staff member who presented the briefing, said the county contribution would be part of an interlocal agreement for the city to provide services to Brewster County.

Why it matters: staff and council said the current incinerator is at the end of its useful life, limiting cremations to about one per day and creating freezer backlogs. Staff reported 378 public cremations between 2024 and 2025 and described recurring landfill/dump charges when the county allotment of large-animal disposals is exceeded. A higher-capacity unit (vendors discussed models rated to about 300 pounds) would allow the city to cremate deer and other large animals on site and avoid some dump fees.

Council members discussed revenue and fee options to offset the purchase. Staff cited historical cremation revenue that rose from roughly $22,000 in an earlier year to the mid-$30,000 range in later years and noted communal cremations typically cost customers $30–$90 while private cremations run roughly $90–$170 depending on weight. Councilors asked staff to validate those price comparisons against nearby providers before recommending fee changes.

What staff proposed and next steps: staff said they will begin drafting an RFP (the purchase likely exceeds the city's internal $50,000 cooperative threshold) and prepare a proposed budget amendment for council consideration. They also said the selected vendor has offered installation support and training. Council asked staff to confirm whether past CIP entries had an actual reserve for the project, to validate revenue/fee assumptions, and to return with procurement timing and a proposed amendment.

The workshop record shows no final purchase motion was made at this meeting; instead council directed staff to prepare the paperwork and return with more detailed cost estimates and fee-comparison data.