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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 06-03-2008-4fORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: June 3, 2008 Action Agenda Item No. ~- - -~ SUBJECT: Contract Renewal with Town of Chapel Hill for County Provision of Animal Control and Emergency Animal Rescue Services (EARS) and for Pet License Fee Collection DEPARTMENT: Animal Services Department PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: Bob Marotto, Animal Service Director, Contract 986-2287 PURPOSE: To approve a contract renewal to provide the Town of Chapel Hill with animal control and emergency animal rescue services during FY2008-2009 and identifies how pet license fees for Chapel Hill residents will be collected. BACKGROUND: The proposed contract renewal has been developed and reviewed with the Town of Chapel Hill to provide for the continuation of animal control services and emergency animal rescue services by the County to the Town during FY 2008-2009. Following a review by the Animal Services Department and the Budget. Department, there is no change in the direct service delivery or level of service and no increase in cost to the Town. An Animal Control Officer is housed at the Shelter whose principal responsibilities are the enforcement of the Town's animal control ordinance within the Town limits, including the response to animal control emergencies within the Town that. occur Monday through Friday between 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Under this contract, EARS workers will respond to animal injuries, animal cruelty, animal rescue, animals in need of assistance, rabies suspects, and other emergency calls in the Town limits of Chapel Hill after regular hours of service (that is, from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m.) Monday through Friday, and 24 hours on Saturday and Sunday and Holidays. In addition, the contract also indicates that the County will collect the Town's animal tax as well as its own and remit or credit that amount to the Town in a manner that is mutually agreeable to both the Town and the County. This has been the practice for a number of years, but it has not previously been a component part of an agreement between the Town and the County. FINANCIAL IMPACT: The proposed contract renewal will provide revenue to the County in the amount of $75,000 for FY2008-2009. This amount is the same as for FY2007-2008. In consultation with the Budget Department, it has been determined that this amount fully recovers all of the direct costs entailed by providing the services required by the contract. 2 RECOMMENDATION (S): The Manager recommends that the Board approve the contract renewal and authorize the Chair to sign the contract with the Town of Chapel Hill for Animal Control Services and Emergency Animal Rescue Services in the amount of $75,000 and the collection of license fees, subject to final review by the Staff and County Attorney. .~ NORTH CAROLINA ORANGE COUNTY AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN ORANGE COUNTY, HEREINAFTER THE COUNTY; AND THE TOWN OF CHAPEL HILL, HEREINAFTER THE TOWN: FOR ANIMAL CONTROL AND PROTECTION SERVICES AND EMERGENCY ANIMAL RESCUE SERVICES (EARS) AND FOR THE COLLECTION OF LICENSE FEES WHEREAS, the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill does appropriate funds for the 2008- 2009 fiscal year for the performance of animal control and Emergency Animal Rescue Services in Chapel Hill; and WHEREAS, the County having assumed direct operation of the Orange County Animal Shelter has the capability and a shared interest in continuing to offer this service through agreement to the Town: WITNESSETH 1. The County and Town hereby agree as follows: The Town will designate the Orange County Animal Shelter as its "Office of Animal Control," (hereafter "the OAC" or "the Shelter"). The County is authorized to appoint an Animal Control Officer to respond to emergency and routine animal service calls within the Town. During the hours of 9:00 am through 6:00 pm, Monday through Friday, the County shall provide animal control and protection services to the Town. The County's Emergency Animal Rescue Service (hereafter "EARS") will respond to emergency calls as described below. The County's services to the Town are listed in 2.A. , 2.B. and 2.C. below. 2. A. Chapel Hill Animal Control And Protection Services • During the hours of 9:00 am through 6:00 pm, Monday through Friday the Animal Control Officer will respond to all animal services calls within the Town, both emergency and routine. • All service calls responded to on behalf of the Town under this agreement will be handled in accordance to the Town's Animal Control Ordinance and policies developed mutually by representatives of the Town and the County. • The County will maintain a phone line at the OAC for the purpose of receiving animal service calls during the hours noted in 1 above. y • A quarterly report listing the number and types of calls handled at the Shelter within the Town limits will be forwarded to the Chapel Hill Police Department. • All County employees responding to service calls under this agreement will receive training pertaining to the Town's Animal Control Ordinance. • The County agrees to provide an animal control vehicle and necessary animal control equipment for the use in the Town. • Scheduled vacation time and sick leave time for the appointed Animal Control Officer will be covered by the County from Monday through Friday, 9:00 am to 6:00 pm, for emergency services only. • The Town and the County will cooperate to train County employees providing EARS service in the requirements of the Town's Animal Control Ordinance. 2. B. Chapel gIill Emergency Animal Rescue Services (EARS) • EARS hours are from 6:00 pm to 9:00 am Monday through Friday and all holidays and weekends. • The County shall provide trained, qualified personnel to respond to calls for EARS within the Town by going to the scene when necessary to protect and preserve the health and safety of the public and the life and health of animals. • Qualified personnel of the County shall, when necessary and proper in the judgment of County personnel, provide first aid treatment and/or take animals requiring care to veterinary facilities according to County policy. When immediate veterinary care is not needed in the judgment of County personnel, an animal may be taken to the Shelter. Sick and injured animals will be handled according to the Shelter operating policy. • The County may, in its discretion, bear the cost of emergency care and shelter costs for animals that do not appear to have an owner or keeper, or where the owner or keeper can be identified, charge the owner or keeper with the cost of emergency care and shelter costs of the animals consistent with the Shelter operating policy. • County employees or their designees shall attempt to contact at a time which is reasonable under the circumstances in each situation, the owner or custodian of each animal involved in an emergency requiring the assistance of the Shelter. • Where Town Public Safety and/or Town officers are also on the scene of an animal- related emergency, the County personnel shall cooperate with Town personnel in matters involving safety of persons and/or enforcement of the Town's .animal control ordinance. 5 2. C. Pet License Fees: • Itrs understood that the County is responsible for setting its animal taxes (or pet license fees) pursuant to North Carolina General Statute 153A-153. Animal tax. • It is understood that the Town is responsible for setting its animal taxes (or pet license fees) pursuant to North Carolina General Statute 160A-212. Animal taxes • The Town and the County agree to provide each other with at least 60 days of notice about any change that they are making in their respective animal taxes (or pet license fees) • The County agrees to collect animal taxes (or pet license fees) for the Town and to remit or credit those taxes to the Town in a manner that is mutually agreeable to the County and the Town. 3. Upon receipt of invoice for the services of Animal Control and EARS, the Town shall make four equal quarterly installment payments to the County of $18,750 for a total payment of $75,000. 4. This agreement shall be in effect for the period beginriing July 1, 2008 and ending June 30, 2009, subject to annual renewal as negotiated and agreed upon by both parties, unless either party gives 30 days notice of intention to cancel this agreement. In witness whereof, the parties hereunto cause this agreement to be executed in their respective names on this the day of , 2008 by ®range County Board of Commissioners Barry Jacobs, Chair Town Manager, Town of Chapel Hill Chief of Police, Town of Chapel Hill Approved as to Form: County Attorney G This instrument has been pre-audited in the manner required by the Local Government and Fiscal Control Act. Finance Director Town of Chapel Hill