Bids exceed Shy Wolf’s current budget for an expansion property

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FILE: Wolf at the Shy Wolf Sanctuary. (Credit: WINK News/FILE)
FILE: Wolf at the Shy Wolf Sanctuary. (This file photo is not a photo of the missing wolf) Credit: WINK News/FILE

A crowded room, yet again. The community is showing up to support the Shy Wolf Sanctuary’s bid for expansion.

“We put a wrench in the whole plan,” said Beth Swiderski, president of the Shy Wolf Sanctuary. “To begin with, everybody just though the highest bid was going to get the land.”

Swiderski hopes the organization’s bid of around $1 million and shared land space is worth the nod of approval from the commissioners. Swiderski said they need space to carry out what they do.

“What we can do with the hurricane shelter if Irma comes or something comes back through it’s going to be amazing,” Swiderski said. “We’re gonna have shelter for their animals of that clinic. It’s going to be great and everybody knows we’re the best for the community.”

But, two other bidders want the 47-acre piece of land and are willing to triple what Shy Wolf Sanctuary said it could pay. John Pelletier lives across the street from the prospective land.

“That property there really should be – it’s the center hub of our community,” Pelletier said. “For me, I think it should be used for pleasant amenities.”

Meaning Pelletier wants to see restaurants or a shopping center. He would not even mind if it was a shared land space with the sanctuary.

Commissioners said their new deadline for the final bids is June 14 at 4 p.m. and that they will not extend it again. They will vote on the bids at the next regularly scheduled board meeting.

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