HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 09-15-1998 - 8kORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Action Agenda
Item No. S- k
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: September 15, 1998
SUBJECT: Reappointment of County Animal Cruelty Investigator and Appointment of a Second Animal
.Cruelty Investigator
DEPARTMENT: County Manager
PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N)
BUDGET AMENDMENT: (Y/N)
ATTACHMENT(S):
Correspondence from APS
INFORMATION CONTACT:
Albert T. Kittrell, Assistant County Manager
TELEPHONE NUMBERS: - -ext. 2300
Hillsborough 732-8181
Chapel Hill 968-4501
Durham 688-7331
Mebane 227-2031
PURPOSE: To consider reappointing the County Animal Cruelty Investigator and appointing an
additional Animal Cruelty Investigator.
BACKGROUND: At the September 6 1994 Commissioners meeting, the Boazd appointed an
Orange County Animal Protection Society staff person to serve as the County Animal Cruelty
Investigator. The appointment was mad under the provisions of North Cazolina General Statutes
19A. The animal cruelty investigator was appointed to serve without any compensation or other
employee benefits for aone-yeaz term subject to removal for cause by the commissioners. On
October 2, 1995, the Board reappointed an APS staff person as the County Animal Cruelty
Investigator for a second term. One September 17, 1996, the Board reappointed Amanda Graham,
APS Associate Director, for her third term and an additional County Animal Cruelty investigator,
John Martenis, an APS staff person, to his first term.
In September 1997, the Boazd reappointed Amanda Graham for her fourth term as the County
Animal Cruelty Investigator and the appointment of Sandy Christiansen, and APS staff person, as
the second animal cruelty investigator to replace John Martenis. North Cazolina General Statutes
19A does authorize the Board to appoint one or more animal cruelty investigators. The second
animal cruelty investigator would be appointed under the same conditions as the first investigator,
no compensation and a term of one yeaz.
The APS requests the reappointment of Amanda Graham for her fifth term as the County Animal
Cruelty investigator and the appointment of Lorri Mitchell, APS staff person as the second animal
cruelty investigator to replace Sandy Christiansen.
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RECOMMENDATION (S): The Manager recommends that the Board approve the appointment
and second appointment of County Animal Cruelty Investigators under N.C.G.S. 19A with the
understanding that as, appointees of the County, the investigators will continue to follow the cruelty
investigation protocol as agreed to by the County and APS, and will be subject to County review as
is customary for any County appointed representatives.
ANIMAL PROTECTION SOCIETY OF ORANGE COUNTY
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1 061 AIRPORT ROAD CHAPEL HILL. NORTH CAROLINA 2751 4
" - TELEPHONE 91 9-967-7383 FAX 91 9-967-751 7
John Link, Manager
Orange County
PO Box 8181
Hillsborough, NC 27281
Dear Mr. Link:
As Fall approaches we are planning our investigation program for
1999. We have lost two major people in our organization: Sandy
Christiansen, one of our 19-a County-appointed cruelty
investigators, has accepted the position of Director of Animal
Control of Rochester, New York, contracted with the Lollipop
Humane Society there. We are very proud of him. We are also
proud of our program, since he came to the APS with no
experience, and within five years has excelled in the field.
Amanda Graham, our second County-appointed cruelty investigator,
and our APS Associate Director, is returning to graduate school
in Greensboro. While we already miss her on a day-to-day basis,
she wants to stay active in animal investigation, and has asked
to remain an APS County-appointed cruelty investigator. Her
appointment comes up in September.
APS would like to ask the Commissioners to re-appoint Amanda
Graham, and to appoint Lorri Mitchell as our second 19-A
investigator.
Lorri Mitchell. has worked for the APS for three years in a
management position. She has attended a basic investiga-
tion course and the three-day Horse Cruelty Investigator's
Workshop, co-sponsored by the APS, HSUS, and N.C. State Equine
Program. She also attended the Animal Cruelty Course: Dog
Fighting at Alamance Community College in April 1998. Lorri has
been in charge of incoming cruelty complaints and cross-
referencing with Orange County Animal Control. She is currently
accompanying Officer Melton on kennel inspections, and they
appear to work well together.
Lorri has field experience as the backup to our investigators,
and Sandy Christiansen has apprenticed her
field work. She has a B.A. in Criminology
for investigation
from UNC-CH. She works
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well with OC Animal Control and the Animal Control Officers.
John Sauls is also recommending her appointment.
Let me know if there is further information that we can
offer. Please advise me if 2 should write to the Commissioners
or leave this in your hands. Is it possible to be on the
September agenda so we have no gaps in services?
I will call you toward the end of the month to bring Dean
Edwards, our newly appointed Associate Director, to meet you and
Albert Kittrell. Dean is from Lakeland, Florida, from a progres-
sive humane operation there.
Sincerely,
l
Pat Sanford
Executive Director
8/21/98
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