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today is Monday is the potential
transition with you if you have
questions but I will show you the slide
so you have access to the slide numbers
just for your awareness the today's
presentation is some history on the
animal service center then the current
implications from the current joint
powers agreement then we get into the
historical numbers that's related to
both animal intake and outputs and in
the budget is on a fiscal year basis
some transition proposals and a status
potential city budget implications for
both city and animal service center if
one of the transitions goes through and
then the next step so the last part of
it before we turn it over to direction
and discussion there's no transition
that you need to be aware of so that we
can discuss this first and foremost
under the history the joint powers
agreement was done between the city and
the county only it was done in 2008 as a
result of a takeover of the Dona Ana
County Humane Society in the city
building the city's building has owned
the building from its construction in
the early 80s on City of Albuquerque
land which is now unrestricted in his
city of Las Cruces land the effective
date of the original was done in 2008 by
a resolution Oh a three on line which
was done on a June 16th of that year and
then again later that year on August 4th
resolution oh nine oh 43 was passed by
the City Council that was to that
resolution repealed in its entirety
resolution only three oh nine that's the
reason for the asterisk and then we come
forward to 2012 and resolution 12 - 107
associate places the 2008 updated joint
powers agreement it was a complete
rewrite some of the items outstanding
within the issues of the current joint
powers agreement the 2012 one is the
lack of a lease on the building between
the city and the animal service center
and then the city is providing
additional administrative services to
the eight ASC and I mean that is
specifically stated within the joint
powers agreement that were not to
provide and I will cover those in a
little more
detail later and also under the terms of
the current joint colors really the
trend is perpetual if there's any
dispute there is a dispute resolution
component and then there is terms for
mutual cancellation of the joint powers
agreement or a unilateral cancellation
the mutual cancellation is the two
parties are the city in the county can
usually agree to separate and cancel the
joint powers agreement and they each
take what is what they brought to the
table so to speak I will say this the
city has bought most of the table
because of the land and the building is
used by ASC MVR both owned by the city
the unilateral cancellation is if one
party walks away without the consent of
the other then the other party takes
over that presents some difficulties
because the city does hitting some JPA
issues that the lease did call for in
2012 the JPA called for a lease from the
city to the animal service center for
the building the wording in the JPA is
the city shall develop police the two
parties shall have a lease when a
building that was never done for
whatever reason it also within the JPA
in 2012
it calls for animal camps that is being
done on a regular basis both intake and
outputs how many animals come in from
each entity and the type of that in the
presentation I don't really know that
it's not only stated in the JPA as to
why that number the animal counts is
important but it assumes a transition to
a per animal cost basis to both the city
and the county the JPA also requires no
monthly meetings of the board unlike
some of the other
how those agreements specifically
south-central solid waste and the CEO
Valley Regional dispatch authority I
believe they're JPS folks say they have
to meet at least quarterly they can
monthly as needed
this one is very specific that the board
shall meet monthly last day as the city
as the fiscal agent is providing for
uncompensated services specifically
listed in the JPA that were not to be
provided by the city and that includes
risk management Employee Assistance drug
testing training and onboarding of
employees as the fiscal agent the city
does have the responsibility of
accounting for the books paying its
bills on its behalf
it does have payroll responsibilities
because those are cut those checks are
cut through the city's payroll system to
pay the employees and there is keeping
of employee records but these four items
listed on their screen were specifically
excluded when other issues not related
to the JPA but in a matter of awareness
for the council there in addition that
there is no lease there's also no
crediting in the budgeting or for
capital improvements against the least
they're made by the city or for that
matter made by the ASC V for example the
improvements that we're done in 2019 was
used it was 1.1 million dollars of
improvements that's a front addition and
a remodel to the building the existing
building there's no credit against the
lease for those capital improvements
that were made by ASC and be also within
the JPA there is no increase calculated
in the budget or a growth factor or how
to manage
expenses such as capital improvements or
expanded programs for your information
the third bullet reduce number of
population due to kovat 2019 and a
change of practices by both City and
County Animal Control the numbers in the
population at the animal service center
have gone down which is a good thing
that doesn't mean it will stay that way
it has primarily to do the city and
county animal control are only dealing
with dangerous animals or hurt injured
animals or animals that have caused a
bite so the population is alone almost
an all-time low
I would I would make that argument
Clint Thakur is on the line as well and
he may have to that if you have specific
questions but I'll keep in mind that no
matter what happens with the animal
service center there is a minimum number
of staffing to handle animals you always
have to feed and care for the animals
24/7 365
they don't take holidays for animal in a
shelter and if we were to reduce the
population to not animal per clinic per
kennel or below you still have to have a
minimal number of staffing to come in
and take care of the animals whether
they're waiting to be returned to their
owner or adopted there are no provisions
for other services within the budget
budget such as qualified low income low
cost spay neuter those services they
Essene be because of the how tight their
budget has been over the last two years
and has essentially cut back the public
stand Nader to the general public for
anyone that they're only going don't
need an spay neuter for animals that are
adopted out of the shelter or while in
the shelter pending adoption when they
hit on the proposed transitions and some
of the
noises with the slots on the slides
slide one or phase slide to eight phase
one the city's transition with mutual
consent the city assumes that ASC MD is
a city to partner it would its staff and
its director would reported the chain of
command to the city manager city
organization they are saying they would
include the directional management of
the animal control function though those
two items are interconnected clearly and
they need to work naturally together and
hopefully under one director that is not
a requirement but that is one item for
evaluation in this transition we would
propose from a budgeting standpoint to
set it up as a special revenant fund it
ensures that the funds are preserved in
that fund for example the CDBG and home
program are considered special revenue
funds that means the money is restricted
for that purpose and any money they get
and generate would stay there the animal
control function or a COS may be part of
the city's general fund or anchored
reports the ASC Anna B or it could be
both or both the animal control function
and ASC we could be put in to the
special revenue funding we have options
there then the next bullet talks about
the cancellation of the existing JPA and
then we move to a new MOU MOA with
understanding or
between the city and the county that
basis is to continue to accept the
county's animals at the Animal Shelter
don't know it's the animal shelter
animal service center would still
provide the reclaim option if people are
reclaiming their pet out of the shelter
and then they would adopt the animal out
if it becomes unreclaimed essentially
it's a contract for services we would
propose to help with consistency basis a
flat fee for a fixed period of time
probably two years at most
and then the future rates would be
determined a formulaic basis and this
would be similar to the new C of LA
Regional dispatch Authority which has a
free structure it's a major split
between the city and the county in that
example lived is housed in a county
building and so the county pays 47
percent of the major budget the city
pays 47 percent you can work out a
similar component in doing so just to
receive credit for the fact that animal
service center is operating out of our
building going on the it would save on
administrative charges and incorporates
various env into the city as a city
requirements and functions such as its
personnel rules its finance rules only
procure things and so forth as part of
that on this phase one transition
proposes a new board the an animal can
care advisory board so the staff and the
executive director report through the
chain of command this animal care
advisory board would report to the City
Council just like your other boards and
would be appointed and report
to the City Council and issues its
structure as I presented in this example
is a non-standard board there would be
council representation from each of your
districts and one appointed by the mayor
a veterinarian to provide health care
oversight and potentially County or
other city representation on the board
because the sick the shelter center
normal service center provides all of
the sheltering services for rescued
animals in Dona Ana County the board
could take any other function of any
other responsibilities or any other
formation as the will of the council is
directed to staff and an establishment
the other thing is is the board can
provide recommendations for appropriate
policy updates to the City Council and
can review practices and procedures
within the animal service center and
animal control functions phase two this
was a previous proposal which was
derived from previous city manager Eid
which was a take-off of the city's phase
1 transition this was the city of Sue's
management of the county animal control
of the county's animal control function
in addition to what was proposed in
phase 1 this would this would require a
new joint powers agreement or meet with
major modifications it would be as such
that you could propose it to have no
oversight board really the reason you
would need to join powers it really is
to
the cross enforcement of city and county
animal control ordinances with the
respective staff this is similar to
recent changes that were done with
extraterritorial zone joint powers
agreement essentially the city in
regards we used to have the etz
Commission and authority those two wards
were disbanded and all of the policy and
enforcement actions was provided to the
county because eta is within
incorporated Dona Ana County the city
has input on ordinance changes through
our development process and ultimately
the City Council and the city staff also
have review authority and provide
comments on land-use decisions or land
use cases but essentially that authority
for approval resides with the county's
Planning and Zoning Commission or County
Commission I would see the
administrative Lee it's made easier
handling the budget for the etz and also
it's made it easier for the clientele
who are subject to e.t.c jurisdiction so
there is precedent in any way in many
ways and a good structure the board the
next several slides over to give you a
12 year plus history of an intake that's
how the animals coming into the center
these are reported on a calendar year
basis and it gives you a historical
overview for las cruces the total over
12 years
well essentially 11 years the there's
not much numbers for 2008 and 2020 were
in and still currently the the good news
is the total numbers are going down our
highest year was 73,000 92 and intake in
2009 and 2019 was the lowest year at 43
that's that's good
these totals do not include two
categories of animals wildlife because
it was a relatively small number and
people who have returned adopted animals
which were in the hundred less than 200
for both the city in the county so our
two biggest animals for the city coming
in are those turned in by the public as
unrestrained animals and then also
unrestrained animals caught running at
large by city animal control functions
from the city 3500 from animal control
and another 1,200 are from the public
jumping to the county's numbers you'll
see something very similar they've had
some high years than we have had their
first Rangers were substantially higher
than the city's first three years for
total intakes
but last year 20 County or 2019 was
their lowest year they to see
unrestrained animals came in from the
public but their second biggest number
is coming from owner surrenders people
who for whatever reason are giving up
their animal to the center to adopt out
that's their second highest category
of numbers jumping to slide 11 if you
look at the splits the average over the
ten eleven year period is 52.3%
city 47.7% county one thing you should
keep in mind related to the budget and
to these numbers there is animals that
do there are animals that come in from
the town of SIA hatch someone park
Anthony those are not accounted for in
this number because then there their
numbers are de minimis in the whole
scheme of things
I'm just so you're aware so that's the
intake that's the number coming in on a
per year basis outcomes here's a broad
overview of the outcomes for the same
11-year period 2009 to 2019 my screen
going out foods those that were
euthanized adopted rescued return
archery and return to owner deceased or
expiring the shelter wildlife releases
and stolen or missing people in the past
have stolen animals from the shelter or
the animal ends up missing through
escape or whatever you'll notice that
the numbers of euthanasia or going down
1875 was the 2019 number rescues and
adoptions have held adoptions have been
fairly consistent though 2019 was the
highest recorded year adoptions and a
2017 2018 and 29
two are the three highest years on
rescue by rescue that means the animals
were adopted out to a non-profit or
community rescue group I attribute that
increase in 2017 1819 due to the efforts
of the staff and the new executive
director so those are some progressive
members it's not perfect I think we'd
all like to see the animal service
center of Nicaea valley work themselves
out of the business but we don't
actually believe that to be the case the
next slide the next two slides are
related to their budget it outlines the
city's contribution the county's
contributions as you can see what was
paid for by other count other cities all
other revenues and the total those
numbers from the city in the county
varied over the first year until we got
to 2012 and then joint powers and then
their expenses or the city charges an
admin fee also included with that is
audit fees and the personal expenses
operating expenses and capital
improvements that they've made that
includes vehicle and equipment purchases
that were down out of the animal
services general fund I want to point
out to you I do not a grant funds at
this time in this budget the reason is
is the revenue is restricted and it ties
to a direct expense so they work each
other out so I excluded those across the
years trying to give you an opportunity
to compare apples to oranges their
budget starting in 2010 was around the
1.8
dollars a year in expenses in 2012
you'll notice that the number the city
in the county contributions started
matching dollar for dollar give a few
five sensor here but then their budget
has to increase the next slide 2015 that
was the first year that they've been an
increase in a city and counties
contribution and there was only roughly
twenty two thousand dollar increase from
the city's other cities fourteen and
fifteen thousand dollars and then it
drops back down to less than ten
thousand and then your expenses the
biggest expense as with the animal
service center is the same as it is with
the city personnel on though they do
have operating expenses that are there
as well in 2019 at the request of the
animal service center due to what I
would say is deferred activities not
being funded the contribution was
increased in 2019 to both the city in
the county to the 1.25 million and the
FY 2008 on the far right hand column
that those are year-to-date numbers thus
the asterisks it is budgeted at 1.25
million at the so we may now at the
April budget meeting for the animal
service center we were advised by the
county the animal service center was
going to ask for an increased
contribution in the next fiscal year
budget FY 21
the county has advised the city staff
and has seen the
the budget constraints over at the
county the county and is going to
recommend county management is going to
recommend to the Commission doing with a
budget shortfall because of Kovan the
county is going to propose to adopt
their same FY 20 but and FY 21 which
would limit the county's contribution to
1.25 million the city could over
contribute over contribute but that is a
decision to be made as part of the the
city's budget process slide 15 this is
just a breakdown of the city on the
county's contributions year-over-year
and as you'll see in the last column of
the far last three columns on the far
right 2021
it is a questionable the two bottom
bullets is relates to the question of is
the city's transition to assume the
animal service center into its
operations realistic or not it is doable
it can become a city department with
limited financial and a negative impact
in my opinion land of moosh might
disagree with me include that slide I
just realized taking over the county
animal control function because of the
equipment and the staffing and their
difference in pay the city's animal
control officers are paid substantially
higher than counting yet the county's
animal control officers have newer
equipment the county also has animal
care responsibilities for the court hold
facility that's on the corner of Griggs
and walnut or near Griggs and walnut and
also they can use the County Fairgrounds
for larger livestock though that's not
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always happen but it has happened in the
past item six slide 16 this is a very
busy slide and I'm sorry for that but I
was trying to get through this this
looks at option phase one the city and
the animal service center of the Mesilla
Valley and I'll make this slight bigger
hold on Philip the screen is the best I
can
it talks about how much if you brought
this ASC MB to a city department and you
merged it with animal control as a
special revenue fund and the county
contributed 1.25 million dollars this
this tells you what the city's
contribution would have to be the
essentially 2.6 million dollars that
number of course in scenario 2 goes down
if the county contributed more 27 way
for 1.75 million dollars and it goes
down further if the county were to
contribute two million dollars so the
bottom slide is the bottom of this slide
scenario 3 is the city and the county's
money are almost equal F 5 this
presentation
sure I mean I'm so sorry I'm a few hurt
there if you hit the escape screen right
now it should lock it back to the right
for you to the far left it's not that
much so there is some there's some
animal control includes increases
in their budget for fuel and motor pool
repair that would have probably occurred
anyway there are some savings to the
animals service center both the hundred
thousand dollars plus an admin fee
twenty nine thousand dollars in workers
comp fees and thirty eight hundred
dollars in unplanned audit fees and
capital those are savings by doing this
merger and it covers the city on to
cover the shortfall so I'm going to go
to the next slide this is the same
options as previously discussed the only
thing is is we leave the animal control
in a general fund so there's not much
difference between though there is a
little bit of savings to the city I know
it's a lot of information and we'll
probably have more questions you will
probably have more questions and we want
more answers to get to you then we will
have answers for you today
next slide the next two slides are going
to give you this overhang the thought is
is to transition to a poor animal
budgeting or cost in future years rather
than a flat contribution from the city
in the county based on these these
bullets are to give you a highlight the
annual fiscal budget on next slide it
talks about that includes the boat
indirect cost reoccurring dira cost and
non reoccurring direct animal care costs
you think I have that word it in there
twice it's supposed to be non
reoccurring and reoccurring direct
animal care cost the intake number only
chart talks about the three-year three
previous calendar year
numbers it's an average and it has seems
no other services and then the average
animal stay for each of those years what
was the average number of days that an
animal stayed within that within the
Center for FY 21 that is a three-year
average and in animal care days the
fourth Willa is the total intake of
animals times the average annual stay
then the cost per animal day is the
total budget divided by the animal care
days and then the two bottom rows or
city and county animal numbers animals
that's the average yearly either the
yearly number for the city in the county
or a three-year average and then the
city and the county cost per animal per
day based on the average members days so
it's I'm going to jump this screen and I
want to walk you through the first
example so here's the formula based on
animal services centers 2.5 but main
budget in FY 18
I took their average 3-year intake over
the three previous year's calendar years
that's 10,000 155 animals per year in
that year the average state was 20 day
twenty and a half days so this number
times this number gives you the number
of animal care days that's how many days
they had to care for all the animals on
average in a year that's a lot then you
take this number the 200,000 and divided
into there
budget and that gives you their cost per
animal per day that's 12 dollars and 85
cents sounds really great when you put
it in that perspective then I took the
1285 and multiplied it by 5000 m134
that's the number of city animals that
were brought in that gives you 1.3
million dollars for the county they
brought in 4,600 animals and that gives
you a number of 1.18 million dollars
during the same for all the fiscal years
then it comes out across the number of
animals so the cost per animal goes down
the cost the budget is driven by how
many animals are contributed by the city
in the county and then one year FY 20
time it to their budget have been nine
hundred seventy seven thousand dollars
is the city's contribution and then
seven hundred seventy eight thousand
dollars the last two columns are FY 21
that's taking an average over the
previous three years and doing our magic
and that comes out to eleven dollars and
eighty-eight cents per day per animal
for tonight's stay at the shelter or day
stays you get to a number about 1.3 nine
point three five nine and one point two
three million this last column is what
was requested by the animal service
center as part of their budget that
doesn't take into account the fact that
this county is not willing to propose to
increase their budget and this includes
some major capital and expanded services
and over the next year that roughly
based on the three-year average
the city's cost at two million dollars
and the county's costs at 1.9 million so
that's a lot to share real quick but I
wanted to some transition items that if
you were to pursue if we were to proceed
with this just some things you to be
aware of the city animal control
officers are represented by police union
we would want to respect that or at
least respect some form of union
representation that would have to be a
dialogue with the city and the Union
retirement changes with para we've
checked with para the animal service
center is in a different plan from the
city's different plan for its employees
when we can do that para is confirming
that all we have to do is provide a
notice to para and the employees become
hired by the city and their retirement
moves over future items for
consideration working on the animal
control ordinance update there's a
change to the fees that there would not
be a pet licensing fee they're in
funding ending fund balance reserve that
has to do with at the animal service
center if you would happen to that that
needs to be addressed and also not
considered within this presentation is
the fact that an expanded shelter will
be coming online in FY 2022 that's a
year from this July or August the nice
part about that is the it will be a new
more efficient shelter a better shelter
it'll make for easier cleanup reduced
health issues because of overcrowding
issues and the like and you don't allow
the old shelter to be any purpose
potentially is a
facility for the shelter and potentially
for a low-cost spay and neuter and my
next slide there's two this is the next
last one how would you like for us to
proceed further analysis report back to
the council and potentially the County
Commission and that coordination in the
ideal world the potential transition
could occur by July of 1st 2021 that
allows us for planning and negotiations
between with the county there are arson
audit advantages of waiting until the
start of the new fiscal year I don't
believe it can be done this July 1 so
that's why I put July 1 of 2021
the other option is the status quo and
this will need to be discussed with the
county as well address the issues with
the JPA look at the lease secure lease
and work on a plan on how to better
manage the funding and the contributions
and with that mr. mayor this is for the
discussion screen and this is my and the
whining in the background is the door in
the hay well thank you very much for
that it's quite a bit of information you
did and you did a fantastic job David
before I turn it over to councillor
Flores and others if I may just share
with you my take on this I think it's
fair to say that I helped bring this
forward a few years back and let me
explain to you why so as you know the
Animal Services Board is consists of
three members of the city three of the
county and then you all hire a director
so there was a while back
few years back we were having problems
with the director and the director would
not not believe this is this a manager
or county manager and it got very
frustrating and things weren't happening
we're catching all kinds of you know
members of the of the animal community
were just upset and it couldn't really
do anything and so that's when I got
with the county I said hey this look at
this and and maybe let us take it over
pretty actually pretty happy about it
that's how we start moving in this
direction and then a phenominal took
over and we also got a new director and
so things seemed to calm down quite a
bit but nonetheless that's how this
discussion got started now if you if you
think about it under the city is so they
would be part of the city function and
our management team would have direct
authority over that director and we
wouldn't have to deal with a lot of the
things we were happy happening three or
four years ago which has not happened
that sense doesn't mean it could happen
in the future as much as I appreciate
David bringing that that's very that's a
lot and you know there's a lot of
animals that come in every day to keep
track of them like that that's gotta be
so tedious I think we're actually in the
driver's seat because if the county
doesn't want to I think we just do
averages and if County doesn't want to
pay well then let them build their own
shelter which of course they're not
gonna want it to if they were to say and
play hardball with us we'll then say
build your own Jail before we built down
$400 per foot and that used to actually
make money it was an enterprise zone
until they moved it into their there
into there so I would like for us to and
[Music]
David Mathes for this and I think it was
all part of the appropriation so it
answers a lot of my questions and it
looks like I I agree with the mayor I
feel I believe that and already they've
already made it clearer that the carrier
is not going to come through the only
concern I have I mean the carry it's
easy to say go build your own but what
are they going to do you know with all
the end
I know that there are Till's or return
to own our policy is very different than
what we exercised here in our city our a
cos animal control officers actually
make sure that that if there's a
straight you know there's someone if
there's a out they don't try to find out
the launch of some of the neighborhood
see if they have a chip or license
whatever some identification and and and
when they do find a place to perhaps ask
a home ask whether the animal belongs
there they make sure that the animal is
then placed in that home returned to the
owner there and and all the the fact
that make sure there is an open gate or
open fence that still exists that's sort
of safeguard to make sure the animal
doesn't get out again whereas the a cos
and the county will just pick up the I
will locate the address perhaps and is
just sold back in the same condition or
so yeah the objective conditions that
let the unwanted might people confess I
thought the other so there's different
ways of looking how all of this is done
that and I I don't know what would
happen to those to those animals or
strays or whatever and that's that's
concerned but in terms of you know what
we're looking at financially it just
looks like we aren't going to be getting
a lot of money from the county that you
know that bus I mean that Commissioner
many Santas brought that up and when
Clint did his presentation at the board
meeting I mean it cleared that the
county wasn't going to come through the
money which means the city has to pick
up the tab maybe it doesn't have to but
that my under sailors at the sea does
pick up the tab
so we looked at a position where we
don't have the autonomy to make
decisions that benefit the shelter and
it's almost like you know having you
know carrying this dead weight with a
county so mother information is that we
take that third option options of how to
break away from you
JPA we have a mutual cancellation
cancellation resolution so exercise the
[Music]
option about I am concerned about the
animals and Moo's or are they going to
be taken are they going to be taken to
the County lighted out there where they
take throat livestock and are you going
to have the facilities that can really
take care of cats and dogs and rabbits
and skunks and stuff like that
what Stokes pretty much get terminated
so those are just my thoughts and thank
you again very much it but mr. Dalton it
does seem like breaking away laterally
is an option that we can exercise at
this point really does look like the
best option to it thank you yes can i
address council floors this comment on
my reading of the joint powers agreement
lateral cancellation is probably the
worst one based on the wording of it
I think actual cancellation that's why
we need to look at some potential
compromises on an animal care advisory
board
I think that's necessarily the animal
care advisory board policies of animal
control ordinances and the policies and
procedures at the shelter and how animal
control works I don't know that any of
us are exactly happy with the way ASC
Enemy function is now especially
budgetarily and and from a control
standpoint to the mayor's point about
management of the shelter with the board
selection of mr. Thacker it's I've seen
a significant improvement we've come a
long way baby
and I told mr. Thacker every day I'm
glad he's there and I'm still glad he's
there we've improved he's improved and
his staff has improved it and it's a
tough job but I'm if you were to
flat-out ask me what's a recommendation
is I think the city is in better control
if we control the center ourselves and
work to have the county still bring our
their animals to our shelter there's
some added benefit of cost savings on a
per animal basis we still have to feed
an animal we start to clean up after why
you should the city county duplicate
cost when we already have a building
working on a second building we're
looking at minimal staff additions
because of the second building it's a
great reallocation of staff from the
existing staff for a building to two
buildings and we think we can do that in
any discussions with clamp so I think
the best is mutual cancellation and
working out the details on
what happened and then I will point out
one option I don't I'm not supported
with this building account and I'm jail
because the County statutory statutorily
obligated to provide a jail just like
they're obligated to provide for a
County Courthouse and a District
Courthouse and a health building so and
by the way city residents are all
taxpayers to Donna County let's not
forget that sure
well thanks David and I think if we were
to work with them and ask them you know
let them know our concerns and and ask
them what how much time they would need
for them to figure out when to get the
animals wherever I think they'll come to
the table I mean we that would be that
would be obviously our number one thing
is to work together with them much like
much like you know we just charge them
for the animal but I don't know about
keeping it I would just average it and
then just if we every year if we we fall
short raise the price and you know we
like I said we have that I think we have
that so mr. Dooley and the unilateral
agreement isn't I'd like to see the JPA
if he could send it to us to the board
members please if you could just send it
to me at my request to me
I don't just I mean I totally respect
your reading of the options and at the
mutual agreement to dissolve the JPA is
probably probably the most diplomatic
way to go about but why why what are the
other benefits of doing it is it just to
have a family divorce here or do we
really would it just be ugly if we
didn't do your thoughts on there
if that's a okay you know you know two
years this is it has to be canceled in
some fashion I will send all the council
a link to that resolution that approved
the resolution presentation together
when the county did not provide its
share of the agreement hmm mr. chairman
councillor Flores I only went back to
2012 2008 late 2000
but looking at the funding formula from
2012 forward forward
the county has always met their
obligations to what was agreed to
financially Thank You mr. Delano Thank
You mr. mayor thank you so mayor thank
you David and for your work on this
presentation very thorough
I appreciated having the history even
before I sat on the board and or was
chair of the Animal Services or you know
that mr. Thacker is on the line and
stands for any questions and whatnot and
I want to say publicly that I've
appreciated his leadership he's really
turned the you know we just continue to
improve and I know I I agree with mayor
that the former director we did have
some concerns that we were getting a lot
of feedback from the animal advocacy
groups about about decisions just
different different things the lack of
coordination and collaboration with all
folks and not and so but Clint reminds
us all the time when we took over that
facility where it was at and what that
former director had been able to do with
just given the conditions of the
facility and the animals and so there
was a lot of change that she did as well
and so I just I just want to I want to
say that publicly it's just part of a
continuous process right and we're just
going to keep getting better and better
and so one of the things that I have
continued to be concerned about is wheat
with the Geo bond and going to the
voters and asking the voters to approve
a measure and you know basically then
building out a new facility for the
Animal Services and we're asking the
county residents to assist really in
that process and I don't believe that
eating with the formula David that you
put together and into account and so I I
really feel really strongly and not only
not only that because over time and if
you look at the amounts there have been
I guess many opportunities for the
county has given forth more money than
the city has over time at least that's
how I looked at it I could be wrong we
were going through those slides pretty
quickly so but I also know that the
facility were for I guess whatever the
joint powers of agreement the city took
over that facility and over many many
years the facility deteriorated up until
very recently we put a lot of money in
that HVAC renovations because of the
conditions that that building was and
that the animals were in and never once
asked the county for any more money as
said that so we have put forth a lot of
Fundy David and those and that formulary
there is all that HVAC and everything a
part of these that does not reflect
anything of the city's capital
improvements to the building or the
animal service centers capital
improvements to the building this is
strictly operating the year-over-year I
will say the city and the county looking
at this chart that I shared my screen I
believe this is slide 15 the the dollar
amounts the same starting in 20
13 that's because of the new JPA the
difference I didn't go back to 2009 and
look at the JPA as to why there was a
difference in the formula I can research
that for you but I don't I considered it
because we moved on from there and we've
been consistent since 2013 I didn't I
can look at the difference and figure it
out but these are actual audited numbers
reflected there except for FY 2021 David
I think I think that's important and it
probably just something to have as we
move forward because I for one agree
that we should take that over take the
center over as a city I think we can do
it very amicably and honestly any time
at least and that times that I you know
when I first got elected we had this
meeting and and although it it took a
little bit to get people up to speed and
because of the fact that the minutes but
you know representation people weren't
aware of what was happening those kinds
of things I think that county manager
Macias has has been interested and
wanting to look at that and that we even
spoke while swapping you take over you
know the financial woes of the detention
center and we'll do you know redo our
MOA there but also take over sort of the
financial and the building and
everything of the Animal Services Center
and you know it kind of it felt like
there was some genuine interest I I
can't begin to understand the county's
financial woes or whatever I know
there's a bit of concern about
about putting forth an increase in the
budget because of the goals that we have
in mind in terms of an additional
venerian and all the other you know
things that we feel need to happen in
the next couple of the coming years but
they would have met their obligation if
we hadn't changed or made the increase
so I'm still concerned about I think
that that that formula that I'm David
the amount of the capital all the
improvements that we've made I think
should be a part of this just so folks
know that that that we are constantly
looking at that and improving that
building and oh yeah we approved all
that funding to actually the new
building right construct a new building
and I think that's important as well
that has to be accounted for in terms of
the formula if you will I wondered and I
don't know how you came up with that
other than what you explained here but
I'm wondering if things and reads and
larger breeds the conditions that the
animals come in or over time as they say
because sometimes animals are needing
operations or very significant medical
care like in the time when we had those
problems two years ago very costly
medical care right to ensure the health
that we were administering vaccines and
medication and just all the changes in
terms of protocols and cleaning that we
had to do those kinds of things out I I
wonder if it would look differently if
we took that into account
mr. mayor Councillor gone through it
could
there's some assumptions in this this
was a discussion with Clinton Mike and
our budget staff is how to get to this
slide 19 this is this is straight
numbers this this doesn't differentiate
between cat and dog they're cleaning
expenses associated with the cat versus
a dog you've got little larger breeds
eat more and so forth
so this is this is a straight line per
animal basis regardless of the animal
type or its gender or anything like that
or any long-term care expenses
it also doesn't take into account other
revenues from fees for like adoption
fees or reclaimed fees or anything like
that so those could be subtracted out
based on historical numbers as well what
numbers were reclaimed and what what are
reclaimed fees account for does that
account for a daily expense so these
numbers could go down but I've made a
note to account for when capital
improvements both by the animal service
center and the city as part of that and
also differentiating possibility between
animal size type medical care and etc
okay I think that that would be
important I wonder I'm assuming that it
would look a little differently I don't
I don't I don't know that but I I
especially know and being the chair
during that very trying time where Clint
and everybody had to really come
together and look at their cleaning
protocols and look at how we were going
to separate animals and address the sick
and if medications and that kind of
thing it became kinda common well I'm
saying pretty costly but I don't know
I'm not into the day-to-day stuff so I
wonder if just looking at that because I
wonder if that is going to be the
difference you're
if we do take it over right the
conditions that the animals come in have
the link the stay that they have more
they still you know the longer they stay
the more expensive they get kind of
thing especially if they're sickly
lastly one of the things over time that
I've always been incredibly concerned
about is and is the sort of the
difference of the players supervisors
and kind of the essentially the
philosophies if you will I think Clint
has done a very good job of bringing
people together I think our our task
force has been a really good place to
bring everybody together really I won't
say force but it brings people together
does really have some difficult
conversations about the ordinances
philosophies what we do what we don't do
they bring up you know different things
that I think it we don't consider you
have the animal advocates there and so I
I think Clint has done a good job
because initially we were having some
trouble about like for me it's always
like why are we doing this a certain way
and what kind of conversations have you
had and I know as a chair I was getting
a lot of emails about well the a cos did
it this way this is what happened I was
having to intervene with you and past
city management about sort of the a cos
and how they handled different things
same with the county at least as a chair
because I'm not no longer children don't
get those kinds of emails anymore
kind of daily sad sort of the issues
that the AC the Animal Services Center
staff was having and so I was always for
it would
nice for everybody to be under one
umbrella where the supervision was
offered by one individual meaning is you
know Clint as a director and then we
could do a lot of strategic planning in
terms of and and and looking at our
philosophy about how we return animals
and and those kinds of things and I've
always felt there was a disconnect and
so because of that I think it's even
more important that we come in under one
so at 11:00 and I know there's some
concerns and you have to talk to the
Union and I know Clin is getting some
some feedback about love to hear more
from Clint about sort of his ideas or
what his feeling is about um some of
that so the rest of the council has that
opportunity to go meet him for one and
two to hear from him and his perspective
about what he sees moving forward so
thank you Mary did you want to hear from
Clint now or wait till after council has
their questions I don't know what
counsel how counsel fails but it's a lot
to I'm sure he wants to weigh in and
some of the questions and concerns have
been brought up so I'm not sure it's a
will of the council you you may or
whatever you think it's the best way to
proceed if it's okay with Clint jump in
say a few things that way there it could
actually problem different questions
that what counsel was going to ask and
and and they could then divert and ans
went something different if that's okay
with you all okay plan to either I am
yes sir okay so there you go you have
the floor if you want to say your
comments about what you've heard so far
what was being discussed why you think
it might be best if you if that's what
you think that
at under one roof instead of you know
the way it is now and you know just
think like that alright I think the
council is on ready good job so far
females excuse me one sec Clinton I just
need you to identify yourself please
I know you you know we we said who you
are but I need you to just say that
please
no problem come back here executive
director animal service center Mesilla
Valley the council has done a very good
job bringing up some of the concerns and
things that we have and also resolutions
of how to fix them I did a really good
job on the presentation I appreciate his
representation there the coven has
really changed how our services industry
is going to be gone going forward part
of the groups that I'm in of a their
shelters are empty just like ours is
getting there too right now we are
trending generally around 550 animals is
wherever usually are right now we are
I think yesterday's Facebook post was
180 so we're not talking just a little
bit down we're talking record lows never
seen these numbers before and it's
providing opportunities for our staff to
do some amazing things some enrichment
so and also some ideas playing with the
animals getting them out so they're a
lot more adoptable now with that said
it's also causing some some major
heartburn am I in because I don't know
quite how to budget for this it's it's a
hard one when you look at what could be
and what is if we continue and only
accepting injured sick this just bite
animals things like that only for here
on out we're kind of losing animal
control we're kind of I'll see if I can
get some can you any better now think so
alright
where do I get to I'm sorry for
interrupting about the budget hard to
budgets heartburn how do we move forward
with looking at the budget and such yeah
so it's gonna be really hard looking at
that and doing that budget if we don't
know for sure what the future of the
intake our animals are going to be is
City and County Animal Control we going
to stick with what they're doing and say
only sick this just mean aggressive uses
types of animals coming in if so I can
budget towards that is it going to be
going back to what it was and we were
gonna be at 500 600 animals in the
middle of summer then I need to budget
or what is that I can tell you right now
with the budgets that we're looking at
we're budgeting
for Animal Control we work with this
continue bringing these low numbers
because that's the future without will
control the groups that I am in and the
people that are the executive directors
that are talking they're doing
phenomenal work in their field and they
have that capacity to say Animal Control
is no longer gonna be doing this or I
don't control we have a different way of
thinking well as I don't I don't have
that capability I'm only over the Animal
Center
so with me coming on as part of the city
it'll be extremely well for me to be
able to have that capability and to work
with the City Council directly and say
this is where we want to go this is the
direction this is why this is how it's
going to happen and this is the
advantages and the disadvantages of
doing so and right now I just can't do
that
I have no only way I'm kind of at the
mercy of both the city and the council
so I think with that information I'll
open up to any questions anybody may
have okay well thanks Clint I'm going to
go with the who's next in line that's
Council
skills then counselor beta-tubulin
councilman como Thank You mayor I think
you Clint and Thank You counselor gun
that I may approach hang on that up for
your inside definitely a complicated
decision and I think your presentation
mr. Donovan
leaves a lot of time to digest and
probably a lot more analysis than we
have time to maybe even make solid
decisions at this work session at least
for me you know internally so I tend to
want to lean to more of the folks who
have been involved on the board defer to
the expertise of mr. Thakur
in terms of whether a decision is here
but right off the bat I did want to
express a couple of comments that might
seem relevant to this discussion one is
if we do choose an option where the city
takes sole control of the Animal
Services Center I think we just have to
make sure that whatever agreement we
enter into with the county as a contract
or whatever fee for services it is that
we offer that is equitable to the cost
of service and so I don't want us to
lock into some type of contract for a
year that ends up costing the city a lot
more money to perform those duties and
services and then the county perhaps
gets more than what they're paying for
and so however that contract design
could reflect the actual costs like you
know kind of like a almost like a
variable APR kind of thing right where
you have you know your your county is
paying reflective on the services that
are needed especially in the county
because not it's not just the cost of
operations but I mean think about it if
we're going to be enforcing or if we're
going to be acting as a shelter for the
entire county and have jurisdiction
especially a city councilors you know
now our customer service is going to and
I mean that in the sense of like council
districts but also the administration
right the work that we
is now focused I have complaints about
the shelter or folks that have concerns
or have questions are going to go to the
city they're not just going to go today
they're not going to go to the county or
the city and so I think we have to take
into account those services we're going
to deliver as a city we are now going to
be on the hook for providing good
services right and chaparral didn't Vado
and in hatch in other places like that
where perhaps the city you know we don't
have that the reach out there in terms
of the customer service I also you know
question in terms of the animal control
ordinances between the city and the
county I'm not sure how those are
spelled out currently in the JPA in
terms of enforcement and how the humans
are they how the Animal Services Center
treats those right especially when it
comes to like pets that have been either
surrendered or that have been caught I
guess wild you know two or three times
we want to make sure that the county and
the city's ordinances are in line so
that we're not enforcing different
ordinances if we're operating everything
centrally from the city I don't know if
there could be some type of agreement
that the county and the city's pet
ordinances and animal control anything
any pets coming into there and will
control all wild animals I think those
policies have to be pretty similar if
not the same right otherwise then within
the administrative costs our duties are
a little bit more burdensome on the city
I say all there's not having a great
degree of knowledge of what currently is
in place and so just some thoughts that
come to mind in terms of what what I'm
looking at in in this particular
agreement you know as the county perhaps
has more financial issues again want to
make sure that that we are getting our
fair compensation for provide providing
these services and that there is there's
really no way for us to lose out on this
particular deal I don't think it's a bad
idea for us to do it as long as there's
some safeguards in there that allow the
city to to charge adequately right we
want to be sending maybe an invoice
that's reflective of the services every
month rather than having like an annual
contract where where the city might lose
depending on what happened some and then
lastly I don't know what happens during
an economic recession but in terms of
like animal care and animal adoptions
and animal you know people give up their
animals but also something to be mindful
of over the next couple of years if
folks can no longer afford their pets
does that mean that we should be
projecting more more intake at the at
the Animal Services Center and so just
mr. Thakur's point in terms of you know
questioning what the budget might look
like I don't know if that's a strong
consideration you need to make now but I
think financial hard times are ahead and
however that impacts operations at the
Animal Services Center you should also
take into account so that's it for me
right now
Thank You Man thank you mr. Beck Thank
You counselor you know yes David may
answer some items for counselor based on
counselor roscas commentary two things I
think one of the things that we can do
back go back to and working with the
budget staff and Clinton his staff is
the minimal staffing numbers to have a
shelter you have to have people to
operate it so what is that base number
and then what if each kennel is or every
other kennel is full what's the basic
number you need for minimum staffing and
minimum operation and let's start
working from there and going up as far
as the animal control ordinances in 2014
the county led the effort I think they
completed theirs first to rewrite the
city ordinance of the counties ordinance
and then a sitting mirror that so
actually for the most part they're very
equal right now the only thing that the
county doesn't have is the federal cat
colony provision within the ordinance
that the city does I think that's why
the animal care advisory board would be
very important because in a fee for
service or service for fee agreement or
some other type of greement with the
county the county would have to sign off
on how this
manages they would have to accept the
fact that we're the manager with the
owner were the managing entity for the
shelter and if they're going to bring
their animals to us even for a fee for
service they have to know what our rules
are and our policies and practices and
they have to live with them so that's
why I think the animal care advisory
board will be a key success to making
this a success if if you go forward at
that transition so mr. Dodd can I just
ask a quick update I mean a quick
question on that in terms of the actual
allowances zoning like with Sony
allowances for different types of animal
thinking in particular horses livestock
chickens goats that kind of thing
because most of those are probably you
know certain either certain municipal
zoning I'm imagining that most of those
those types of animals are in the county
just based on you know location of where
some of these potential places exist
it's not so much enormous but it's a
question also of like what type of
animals is the county going to be
bringing in whether it's like a seated
horses or things like that right so is
that something that would be reflected
it was currently reflective like the fee
for service rather assuming that they
would bring in animals that require a
higher standard of care and a higher
cost of care how do we address mr. mayor
Councillor that's something that we
would have to take into consideration
just what I know for my planning days
there are isolated pockets inside the
city limits where livestock are allowed
by right based on the livestock and the
acreage and so forth there's a couple
down south in district 2 there's a
couple in the Far East in district 6 and
there may be one other area where
livestock are regulated in the city and
that's done by our zoning ordinance and
as well as our animal control ordinance
for care I would say if you have a
situation most of the life
stark situation is going to come in
front of the county and that would be
something that we would need to address
within the ordinance
speaking of emaciated animals or animals
attack by livestock or unfortunately
animal fighting the previous example is
cockfighting even though it's illegal
now under state law thank goodness
the county has their court held facility
on a graded so they hold their own
dangerous and vicious animals there and
then they've also held livestock out at
the County Fairgrounds so it would be
like a mutual aid agreement we do this
if we had a livestock situation I would
say we would be better off paying the
county to handle livestock through their
facilities because there we have them
and there we have staff to manage their
court whole facility but that's
something that we can discuss and should
be part of our discussion thanks David
one quick question before I get to
councilor bait the Stevie David Dolan
have you ever one of the things that I
was thinking because a lot of the
animals there in the South Valley
especially in chaparral that's what I
was gonna ask you let me ask Clinton and
Thacker real quick copy of a problem is
that in chaparral I think the county has
a contract with chaparral to bring
animals in I don't they have if they do
they're a co for them you get a lot of
strays out there I made a lot of
problems with what I was thinking was
maybe reaching out to the city of El
Paso because I mean it's just right
there and and for that particular group
work with our Paso and that way there
because you know bring them all the way
over from from chaparral to Las Cruces
and get expensive for them and it might
be cheaper if they were a paper animal
there in El Paso then that reduces the
use of our facility here in Las Cruces
about their senior we had to go there
because they can't I can ask her Paula
Powell's the director there and I could
talk to her about it the issue that we
have is like he said crossing state
lines and they're in New Mexico and so
on there's nothing wrong with that when
it comes to fire because there's
property at stake lives at stake but
animals but I think we might be working
with that might be cheaper for everyone
concerned they may want they may need
the business I don't know okay so let me
go to cows our bait the Stevie and
Councilman coma Thank You mayor thank
you David for that really comprehensive
presentation I know I am really
appointed to the Animal Services Board
and it's been very educational on all
the all the different ways I did have a
quick question as far as services though
we as a city we also don't always sort
we didn't have these last year charge
the county for some administrative
services that we did is that correct we
usually charge three percent or
something like that don't we
David mr. chairman the admin fees under
the ordinance are tied to the Consumer
Price Index that's within a JP last year
to help balance the books at the annual
service center we took a budget
adjustment both to the animal service
center and city council to not charge
last year's admin fee what we need to
and that's clear within the JPA
I see it as a one-off and we need to go
back to that and that was accounted for
in their FY 21 budget proposal
to the city to account for that that
goes away if it's part of the city
organization so that's money not going
and if you look at the admin feed the
city transfers 1.25 million dollars and
then turns around and transfers out an
admin fee that's that's to cover
primarily for finance and it's not that
it's not necessary they are their own
entity but that that does go away if
they're part of a city if they become if
the animal service center becomes a city
department but that was done only to
help balance the books it was not easy
it was not easy to happen and we need we
need to go back to charging it's
approximately 3% it give or take put on
the PowerPoint it was a hundred eleven
thousand so it's out of two almost $3.00
budget so quick calculations name is 4%
you said a hundred no much thousand one
hundred and eleven thousand man
it's about 3.7% small amount either it
does seem in just offhand it does seem
like the city does take and duties and
responsibilities of this program anyways
I think it's something that I would like
to see us pursue although I really am
glad to hear some of the comments from
concert roscas to make sure that we we
do account for those items in the county
but thank you again David and thank you
for showing us Snickers we have a face
behind them you saw David before he hit
the kills our Bencomo do you have
permission from the Mars candy company
to use those names yes he was named
after the planet very good nice response
and snicker was named after
snickerdoodle not the candy bar as well
so it's amazing that they happen to be
names of two candy bars but I also think
Omaha thank you and thank you mister
dawn Han for presentation I really
appreciated that and I have another
question about the name is that Debbie
after the household or no it's doggy
after the character from Harry Potter
because he can ever so often he can hold
his ears just like Dobby does so that's
Bobby's probably my favorite character
in that whole series
we need a pet sitter we'll bring him
over you'll change your mind quickly to
the Animal Services website which maybe
that might be bad news for me so good
news for the shelter yeah I have a
couple questions and thank you mr.
Thacker for jumping on it's nice to
you know I would certainly love you know
when this is all over I would definitely
love a tour of the facility as a new
counselor I think that that's something
that I would really appreciate how big
is the staff the animal service mystery
counselor Ben : they currently have 62
staff Wow and that's when we're fully
staffed yes okay all right now you're
not fully staffed no we're not we are
down 1214 positions that because of
kobane or other reasons yes and other
reasons okay okay thank you you know
this conversation regarding you know a
partnership with the county on this you
know if we move forward which seems like
it's a good idea to just sort of take
over the center as a whole in this
condition about the county and its
ability to pay its fair share
ultimately I think the ones that end up
hurting in that conversation of the
animals right like if if the county just
doesn't have the resources or are
willing to come to the table for some of
the negotiations on those scenarios that
mr. Jotham provided I think ultimately
that's a tough position to be in right
because are we really going to say well
then we're going to take any animals
because that just doesn't seem like it's
something we would be willing to say
right Matt mr. cherrick councilman come
I would say you are correct because it
leads to other issues if you don't take
the animals abandonment and abuse and
neglect it's always a concern
from those the board members of city and
county representation when we discuss
issues like this there was some
consistency done this last year the
county and the city both have surrender
fees that they charge an owner if they
surrender in the field and and the
county and the city manager process it
differently
fewer a cos but the ASC MV board
disgusts as part of their budget retreat
and part of their I think it was less
than a year ago other thing I was in the
fall - just that fee for surrender fee
because people what people would say to
the animal control officer why I won't
surrender it to you I'll go to the
shelter and I'll surrender the animal
and the surrender fee was substantially
cheaper at this Center so the board
voted and made the feed the same so the
city the county and now the shelter fee
for owners surrender all the same so if
you surrender that animal anyway you're
gonna pay the same fee I believe it's 20
dollars now and it used to be something
it's twenty-five dollars right now right
sorry and there is a there is an
escalating fee if you turn in more than
one animal so it's to deter than playing
the system and that's what was happening
well I'm not gonna surrender than the
County Animal Control they they would
make the effort to drive it to the
center so now that they're consistent
those are things that are we have to be
vigilant on and that that's something
that the animal care advisory board well
it would play a role in both in that the
city and the county the city animal
control and the shelter functions work
together that leads to my next question
which was around the advisory board a
notice that
I think you said in face to we there
would be no need for an advisory board
[Music]
sorry there was a miss I was treating it
there would be an animal care advisory
board regardless at the city level there
would not be a governing board in phase
2 that's to the animal service center
board of directors right now that's
that's what I mean by that but you you I
think strongly that you need an animal
care advisory board for sure if you go
down this line if if you're not if the
animal service center stays this way
then that the board serves as that
function and how to manage the policies
of animal service center that's their
role I notice that I felt like the
euthanizing numbers were high can you
talk to me about about that and if
there's been a conversation about moving
towards becoming and no-kill shelter and
they see your proton shaking the head
but you know I think what would that
look like in a budget moving forward and
and and you know is it possible I'm
gonna try to share my screen I want to
get it right on the Crick slide you do
that if I could say a few things first
of all cancer a local shelter is defined
by 90 percent of the animals coming in
leaving alive we've actually hit that
several times in our monthly stats and
we're really close to here you clear out
here tomorrow now it does not mean no
killing whatsoever because you're always
going to have to euthanize the sake be
aggressive and so on so we've worked
really hard and our goals are all set to
words hitting that 90 percent mark
and and we'll continue to do that I mean
it's that's a benchmark that we all
strive for great that's great thank you
for showing ID I didn't know that but I
appreciate that yeah and also the
euthanasia is decreasing every year and
yeah we're going to touch on that and it
has dropped in cartons significantly
since 2008 that you could over and they
were euthanizing almost as many animals
that were leaving in other ways come a
long way yeah absolutely thank you for
noting that I appreciate that if you can
explain also why animals are euthanized
that way I think also be a good thing to
know
the animals are euthanized for any
reasons I'm whether excuse me we may do
it for court order and if those percent
on a court order that we do not count
them towards our percentages they're
also done for sickness and illness and
we have a very very specific reasons why
they're euthanized we don't just say
sick we say sick distemper and treatment
was was tried or no treatment and we we
post all those stats on our daily face
Facebook pages our daily Facebook page
post so you're welcome to like us on
Facebook and see that progress as you're
going through yeah I definitely will
thank you for that explanation also
there's also requested and also
aggressive animals right in addition to
the list is just murder yes yeah
aggressive animals and owners can come
in and say I'd like to have my mo
euthanize while we do reserve the right
if the animal is perfectly healthy and
there's they just don't want anybody
else to own the animal will tell them
that we won't provide that service but
you can surrender it yes
[Music]
I shared my screen and you'll see in
2009 and the reported year euthanasia
was ten thousand three he said out of
fifteen thousand that's that's six
that's two-thirds a 66% and last year
that number calendar year 2019 was 1875
out of 92092 hundred going out the door
so that that's 20% so there they are
making progress and as Clint said there
is no such thing as an absolute no kill
shelter sometimes that's the most humane
thing you can do to an animal
sick or injured sorry there there are
also animals that may be as Clinton
Luger to is the court order those are
dangerous or potentially dangerous
animals that have been determined by the
courts that they have to be put down
because of their aggressiveness or their
their danger to the rustic community so
there are legitimate reasons the animal
service center also per the city's
ordinances they are are essentially are
court hold facility so if the animal is
held for quarantine for rabies and to
the owner they go to the animal service
center so those animals take up space
within the center as do potentially
dangerous animals that can't be held at
home pending adjudication so those
numbers also contribute to the cost of
running in the shelter for rabies holds
and for court holds the owner is charged
their fees for boarding of the animal if
if we know who the owner of that animal
is that's not always the case by the way
there was a lot of that I didn't know
what the three scenarios that you
presented the accounting
poached with those yummy Oh Oh No we had
I always have to look at my microphone
to see if it's turned off or on we have
not had the same detailed discussion
that we're having with you today with
the county we've had some very
preliminary discussions we did it back
in 2017 option two or phase two is not
really the most realistic in the city
taking over County animal control
function I think it increased the budget
by almost a million dollars that's and
that was assuming that the county kept
paying for their staff in all of their
functions so that's not realistic so we
we can go to this next level now with
the county based on your feedback I've
been making a list of questions and
areas items to take into consideration
if we move forward in discussion with
the county management I think if we
could commit to a flat fee for one or
two years before going to a per animal
basis that will help us out it will also
give us an opportunity to look at our
practices on animal intake between the
two entities I will disagree and that's
part of being a professional the city
and the county do return to owners
differently like councillor for spoke
about in the city an animal running at
Norwich presents two hazards a traffic
hazard people trying to avoid hitting an
animal or hitting an animal could cause
an accident you know the other thing is
is the density in the community the
ability for an animal to cause a bite we
have cat bites we do have cat bites
where kids think oh great they see a cat
in a park and you go let me go pet him
and then he scratches and we're right
so there is that we don't chase animals
home we try to apprehend them and get
them home and make sure the the return
when they return home they're secure in
the county especially with the dog they
will chase a dog home I've seen it
myself
stick my head out the window and yell at
the dog to go home because I live in a
semi-rural area and they were County
Animal Control will chase a dog home
because one it's a lot to pick it up and
take it and a dog will go home I can't
not so much but a dog will go home
so and it's safe to do that in the
county if I'm pretty sure the County
Animal Control Officers if they don't
think it's safe to chase an animal home
they want so there are there are
different reasons for different
practices that are very legitimate both
City and County Animal Control great and
my last question their plans for the
future their conversations to sort of
bring back the what used to be the
spayed and neutered program to expand
that again mr. chairman councilman
comment that needs to be part of the
discussion returning spay neuter the
county is funding that through snap city
previously funded it through the Telstra
fund until it was cut off for animals I
disagree with that I disagreed with it
at the time I was the program manager
over that funding mechanism my argument
is an intact animal unspayed under
animal presents' a greater health risk
to the community than a speaker the
reason is is they're more likely to get
out there were more likely to be
aggressive and they're more likely to
fight someone and if there is one thing
that I will always say to everybody and
Clint and most the animal service center
board members agree with me is none of
us want a rabies outbreak that is the
most dangerous thing that we could
experience here in this community we've
had health exposures at the
in terms of work but none of us ever
want a rabies outbreak that is a cruel
disease to an animal and it's cruelty
humans as well so that it should be
earth the animal service center and
animal control functions are a public
health and safety function clearly for
the first and foremost so I'm supportive
of that and we need to find a mechanism
to get back to that through the shelter
so I'll put that on my list of getting
back to low-cost spay and neuter
conversation and thank you so much oh
sorry you can say something I just
wanted to just to shout out really quick
the back is the plan to use the existing
animal shelter we're in now when the new
one is built we plan to convert some of
the areas of the existing shelter to
spay and neuters to get multiple doctors
in multiple spay neuter teams in and
we'll do some high-capacity
sterilization now that will take funding
and that's where again all these these
things are kind of up in the air funding
but that's the plan great that's great
thank you and um mr. man I never when I
apologize actually have to jump off two
minutes ago but I look forward to this
continued conversation I actually think
you're the last one of comments I think
the direction is there to move forward
get with the county see what Carmen but
that the discussion we can have and then
they'll bring it back to us for for an
update is that good yeah all right good
okay I believe that's it that was the
only item on the agenda so there's
nothing further in a motion to adjourn
so moved second motion made by Mayor Pro
Tem Rhonda a second by councilor for us
that we adjourn all those in favor
signify by saying aye sure it's for a 2
p.m. and then Christine I'll just be
here to do the agenda setting whenever
you're ready
so here we need to remove an item okay
removing number five the contract for
the CPA audits okay this is the agenda
meaning for the nay in 2020 City Council
meeting number one non consent one
nineteen cents to non consent for
nineteen cents three and on consent
three nine consents for non consent for
not consent six non consent consent and
the force five has been removed five in
the newts seven on consent seven nine
consent eight non-consent eight nine
consents and by not himself and nine on
consent
great thank you hey thanks see you later
you