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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 06-27-2006-5jjORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: .)une 27, 2006 Action Agenda Item No. _ ~ " "l-i SUBJECT: Approval to Enter into a Proposed Contract with The Town of Carrboro for Interim Provision of Limited Animal Control Services DEPARTMENT: Animal Services PUBLIC HEARING: (YIN) No ATTACHMENT(S): Memo to County Management with Accompanying Background Materials INFORMATION CONTACT: Bob Marotto, Director, 968-2287 PURPOSE: To present for BOCC approval a County response to a request from the Town of Carrboro to provide limited Animal Control Services within the Town for a period beginning June 19, 2006 and ending no later than October 1, 2006. Final approval of the County's proposed agreement for the interim provision of select service will depend upon formal acceptance by the Town of Carrboro. BACKGROUND: The Carrboro Police Department, which houses the Animal Control function far the Town, recently approached the Animal Services Department to discuss the feasibility of the Town contracting with the Animal Services Department to provide Animal Control services within the Town limits. The Town sought to have a limited, interim scope of services in place no later than the start of FY06-07 so as to allow both parties additional time needed to mare fully evaluate options and cast considerations for what could become an on-going contractual arrangement. As the BOCC is aware, Animal Services currently provides Animal Control services to the Town of Chapel Hill under annual contract, and to both Towns of Chapel Hill and Carrboro far the after-hours/weekend Emergency Animal Rescue Services (EARS), and have done so since assuming direct Animal Shelter operations from the Animal Protection Society in 2004. These contractual relationships have been well received because they foster comprehensive strategies to field services such as rabies prevention and exposure. They do, however, require continuous communication and cost consciousness to be mutually satisfying and successful. The proposed agreement is that the Animal Control Division of the Animal Services Department will provide select animal control services to the Town of Carrboro. These are what may be termed essential or critical services such as responsibility for possible rabies exposures; the declaration of biting and aggressive dogs as a danger under local as well as state laws; and field services for animals that are injured, during the business hours of 9:00 AM and 6:00 PM. The remaining variety of Animal Control services beyond those expressly included in the scope of service far this agreement will remain the responsibility of the Town of Carrboro. County and Town staff will continue to negotiate the development of a potentially longer-term contract for the delivery of all animal control services to the Town by the Animal Services Department. Any contract proposal beyond the interim period addressed here will be thoroughly evaluated by bath parties according to cost and service standards, and brought back for final approval to the elected boards, FINANCIAL IMPACT: The limited scope of services as proposed, if approved by the Town of Carrboro, would yield additional revenues to the County in the estimated amount of $7,420, based upon a projected 14-week period, during FY 2006-07. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board approve Animal Services entering into a proposed contract with the Town of Carrboro for limited Animal Control services, recognizing that said contract is dependent upon approval by the Town; and authorize the Chair to execute the final contract document, pending final review by staff and the County Attorney. O Orange County Animal Services 501 W. Franklin St, Suite 106, Chapel Hill, NC 27514 (919) 968-2287 Animal Control Robert A. Marotto, Animal Shelter PO Box 8181 Director 1081 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd 304 Revere Rd Chapel Hill, NC 27514 Hillsborough, NC 27278 (919) 967-7.383 (919)245-2075 June 23, 2006 To: John Link, County Manager Gwen Harvey, Assistant County Manager From: Bob Marotto, Director, Animal Services Department Re: Proposed Interiar Carrboro Aniarat Services Agreement We are seeking the approval of your Office and the Board of County Commissioners to proceed to discuss the attached Proposed Interim Animal Services Agreement with representatives of the Town of Carrboro so as to enter into a formal agreement for the delivery of select animal services pending their approval. The proposed Agreement is for the period June 19°i, 2006, to October ls`, 2006, and $7,420 is the estimated charge for the select animal services that our department would deliver during that period. As you are aware, the Town of Carrboro asked that we provide select animal services until they decide on what basis they will provide such services in the future. The Town's consideration of various options as well as request that we provide some select services on an interim basis is prompted by the reassignment of their former Animal Confrol Officer to oilier duties in the Carrboro Police Department. One option that the Town is considering, on the basis of prior discussion, is whether these services can be provided on an on-going basis by contracting with the Orange County's Animal Services Department, as done currently by the Town of Chapel Hill. The scope of service in the attached proposed Agreement has been developed through discussions with representatives of the Town of Carrboro. What should be stressed is that this is not an agreement for full service. Rather, interim services provided through our Animal Confrol Division would only consist of what might be termed select essential or critical services that we would provide dwing the weekday business hours of 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. These responsibilities would include possible rabies exposures; the declaration of biting and aggressive dogs as a danger to the public; and field services for animals that are injured. Other services provided during weekday business hours would remain the responsibility of the Town of Carrboro during this interim time period. These responsibilities would include responses to nuisance complaints and code enforcement, and the impoundment and transportation of'stray and surrendered animals.. They would also continue to be responsible for receiving complaints from Carrboro residents during this interim period. Lderim Aniara[ Services Menrorarednm Juue 23, 2006 Pnge 2 Given our limited responsibility for animal services during this interim period we have consulted with the County's Budget Office to ensure that the costs of our' service costs are recovered, What we are proposing is a total base fee of $7,420 that includes, labor, mileage, materials and service administration. Essentially, this service charge amounts to one half of what would be the total costs of animal control services if they were exclusively provided by the Town of Carrboro for that period. In summary, the purpose of this memorandum is to obtain approval from your Office and the Board of Commissioners to further discuss an Interim Service Agreement for Animal Services with the Town of Carrboro for the period June 19"`'' 2006, to October 1 ~`, 2006. The agreement that would be proposed is attached as is an Action Agenda Item Abstract summarizing the agreement and describing the context from which it has emerged.. I look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience Enclosures: BOCC Agenda Item Abs6 act: Approval to Enter into a Proposed Conti act with the Town of Carrboro far Lrterim Provision of Limited Animal Cartrol Services Proposed Lrterin: Animal Services Agreement: Orange County and Town of Carrboro Ce: Irene Paul, Animal Control Manager S PROPOSED INTERIM ANIMAL SER [rICES AGREEMENT: ORANGE COUNTYAND TOWN OF CARRBORO Jreue l3,1006 Introduction On an interim basis, as the Town of Carrboro decides how to provide the animal control services previously provided by their own Animal Control Officer (ACO), Orange County Animal Services will provide select animal control services, These specific services and the terms under which they are to be provided aze set out in the following two sections. The period covered by this agreement begins on .June 19`h, 2006, and ends October 1, 2006, The cost of select services that are to be provided during this period is $7,420. This is a total base fee that includes labor, mileage, materials and service administration, Scope of Service The Animal Control Division of the Orange County Animal Services Department will provide select services on weekdays between 9:00 a,m, and 6:00 p.m. These services will be in addition to the Emergency Animal Rescue Services that Orange County presently provides under contract with the Town of Carrboro between the hours of 6:00 p.m. and 9:00 a,m, Monday through Friday, weekends and Holidays. It is expected that EARS calls will continue to be made through 911 and that Communications will page the on- call EARS worker More specifically, during the weekday hours of 9:00 a.m, to 6:00 p,m., the Animal Control Division of Orange County's Animal Services Department will provide these services: • Responses to al] calls pertaining to rabies exposures. • Mid-term and term health checks on biting animals that aze quarantined at home as well as biting animals quarantined at Orange County's Animal Shelter; and the impoundment and transportation of biting animals that will be quarantined at Orange County's ?,rrimal Shelter, All health checks shall be based upon • quazantine reports received from the Carrboro Police Department in a timely mazmer. • Responses to calls about aggressive animals that are verified to be such by a Carrboro Police Officer.. Lrterin: Animal Services Agreenreut Jrrr:e 23, 2006 Page 2 The issuance of dangerous dog declarations, vicious dog orders and/or animal nuisance orders (as authorized by Carrboro's Ordinances) based upon the Animal Control Manager's review of bite and aggressive incident reports received from the Cazrboro Police Department with the prior approval of a designee of the Carrboro Police Chief. Responses to all calls concerning injured animals.. Assistance and expertise in animal neglect and cruelty cases. With regard to concerns about shelter, sustenance, or overall care, the Animal Control Manager will be available for consultation and/or support on a case-by-case basis. Also, Anima] Services personnel will assist and/or otherwise work with Cazrboro Police Department personnel to effectively address and resolve cases involving animal hoazding, animal fighting and other more severe acts of cruelty covered by North Carolina General Statute 14-360. Unless there are exceptional circumstances, during this interim period Orange County Animal Control generally will not handle calls or complaints other than the ones specifically referred to under Scope of Service. Requests for exceptions should be made to the Orange County's Animal Control Manager, Irene Paul (o: 919-245-2075; c: 910-210-7649). In her absence they should be made to the Animal Services Director, Bob Mazotto (o: 919-968-2287; c: 919-210-9647). Service Delivery With regard to the manner in which the select services defined above are delivered, the following is understood: Animal service requests for the Town of Canboro will continue to be received by the Carrboro Police Department (CPD), CPD will refer service requests covered under the Scope of Service to the Animal Control Office, From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday tlrru Friday, CPD will refer calls to the County's Animal Control Office (919-245-2075); and from 5 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. they will page a designated Orange County ACO (919-216-1440). Requests for field service will not be forwarded or routed through an individual Orange County ACO or the Orange County Animal Shelter. Lrterirrr Animal Services Agree»reut June 2.3,1006 Page 3 Orange County Animal Services will be granted access to Can-born Animal Control files and case histories as they relate to needed information pertaining to service responses provided by Orange County's Animal Control Program. Any issues that may arise shall be communicated and addressed by the Animal Services Director and/or Animal Control Manager and the CPD Chief or her designee. Service Charee Compensation for the select animal services provided under this agreement is $7,420. This is a total base fee that includes labor, mileage, materials and service administration for the interim period of June 19`h, 2006, to October 151, 2006. This agreement shall be in effect for that period of time unless either party cancels the agreement. Cancellation will require thirty days written notice from either of the pazties to the agreement. In the event of cancellation, compensation shall be prorated at a weekly cost of $5.30.