HomeMy WebLinkAboutAnnual Report Work Plan 2014_15 working document
NAME OF BOARD: Animal Services Advisory Board
Report Period: 2014-2015
ORANGE COUNTY ADVISORY BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS
ANNUAL REPORT/WORK PLAN FOR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
The Board of Commissioners welcomes input from various advisory boards and
commissions in preparation for its annual planning retreat. Please complete the
following information, limited to the front and back of this form. Other
background materials may be provided as a supplement to, but not as a
substitute for, this form.
Board/Commission Name: Animal Services Advisory Board (ASAB)
Person to address the BOCC at Work Session—if applicable and contact
information: NEW CHAIR, ASAB.
Primary County Staff Contact: Bob Marotto, Animal Services Director
How many times per month does this board/commission meet, including any
special meetings and sub-committee meetings?
In 2015, the ASAB will again have a monthly meeting schedule to ensure
that there is sufficient time to listen to stakeholders and address agenda
items in a deliberate and timely manner. In the event that there is not a
definite need for a monthly meeting, none will be held.
Presently, the ASAB has only one standing committee and one task force:
• Potentially Dangerous Dog Appeal Committee: This standing
committee is required by NCGS to hear appeals initiated by owners
of potentially dangerous dog declarations; and it meets between 10
to 15 times each year.
• Free-roaming cats and pet overpopulation: This task force is
finalizing its work to promote targeted spay and neuter among
various segments of the county’s population of free-roaming cats as
part of the county’s strategic plan for managing pet overpopulation.
Note that adoption of the proposed unified animal control ordinance may
well have an impact in this area. If the ASAB becomes responsible for the
appeals process for administrative orders and civil penalties, a new
standing committee with only a projected work load will need to be formed
Brief Statement of Board/Commission’s Assigned Charge and Responsibilities.
The ASAB will continue to serve as a sounding board for stakeholder
groups, reviewing animal-related policy issues raised by residents or
identified by the BOCC. Animal Services and other county staff will
continue to direct residents to the ASAB as a critical step in any
consideration of stakeholder concerns, before bringing an item to the
Board of County Commissioners.
The ASAB would stress that it remains fundamentally concerned about the
human aspects of animal issues and services as well as animal welfare,
and recall that one of its members is the veterinarian who serves on
Orange County’s Health Board. In addition, the ASAB values the “human-
animal bond” and the role of animal companions in enriching the quality of
life for individuals, communities and cultures. A good illustration is the
ASAB’s support for Animal Services partnership with the Department of
Social Service to provide affordable pet sterilization to households of
lesser means.
What are your Board/Commission’s most important accomplishments?
The ASAB continued to work with staff and stakeholders to support and
promote a strategic plan for managing pet overpopulation in Orange
County. A major component of this work was the creation of a free-
roaming cat task force that met more than ten times, held stakeholder
listening sessions, and developed a plan to address free-roaming cats as a
constituent part of pet overpopulation in Orange County.
The ASAB worked closely and collaboratively with staff on the proposed
unified animal control ordinance. Significantly, this encompassed
collaboration with the UNC-CH School of Government faculty to address
and resolve several controversial issues, e.g., trespass and watchdog.
The ASAB also worked closely with staff to review funding applications
from outside agencies. Through this process, the board sought to identify
agencies that augment the “animal services” provided by the County where
there is a clear resident need for such services.
Finally, the ASAB has sought to coordinate effectively with the BOCC to fill
vacancies on the board. This ongoing effort includes interviewing ASAB
candidates and making a recommendation to the BOCC for vacant
positions. It also includes an orientation for new members, which provides
an overview of County “animal services” and introduction to the advisory
board in relation to County governance.
List of Specific Tasks, Events, or Functions Performed or Sponsored Annually.
In addition to activities mentioned above, the board hosts a variety of
partner organizations, thereby helping to strengthen important working
relationships, and supports the annual Open House, which promotes
positive community relations.
Describe this board/commission’s activities/accomplishments in carrying out
BOCC goal(s)/priorities, if applicable.
Work done by the ASAB in coordination with Animal Services staff touches
several principles and priorities. Three principles and priorities seem
noteworthy with respect to the ASAB in calendar year 2014. These are:
Sustainable Services
• Supported strategic plan for managing pet overpopulation to control
medium and long-term costs.
• Concentrated on core services and continued to seek and enhance
partnerships through use of Partner Profiles.
Making County Government Accessible, Understandable and Transparent
• Served as a sounding board for stakeholder concerns about animal
issues and animal related policies and worked with staff to
communicate with the BOCC regarding citizen concerns.
• Made recommendations to the BOCC regarding certain citizen
concerns as well as on candidates for ASAB vacancies.
Advisory Board Roles and Responsibilities
• Sustained ASAB by filling numerous vacancies, conducting
orientations for new members, and developing new board
leadership.
• Continued to be attentive to the need to manage staff support for the
ASAB itself.
If your board/commission played the role of an Element Lead Advisory Board
involved in the 2030 Comprehensive Plan preparation process, please indicate
your board’s activities/accomplishments as they may relate to the
Comprehensive Plan’s goals or objectives.
(The Element Lead Advisory Boards include: Planning Board, EDC, OUTBoard,
Commission for the Environment, Historic Preservation Commission, Agriculture
Preservation Board, Affordable Housing Board, Recreation and Parks Advisory
Council)
Not applicable.
Identify any activities this board/commission expects to carry out in 2013 as they
relate to established BOCC goals and priorities.
If applicable, is there a fiscal impact (i.e., funding, staff time, other resources)
associated with these proposed activities (please list).
The ASAB expects to be especially concerned with several areas in the
coming year. These are:
Sustainable Services
• Continue to work toward the full implementation of the County’s
strategic plan for managing pet overpopulation but on an adjusted
schedule.
• Continue to concentrate on core services, support and encourage
effective partnerships with other organizations, and communicate
with residents (as needed) about the preceding.
Making County Government Accessible, Understandable and Transparent
• Continue to serve as a sounding board for the BOCC on various
issues and policy concerns, and make recommendations to BOCC,
in coordination with staff, on matters of concern to stakeholders.
• Continue to coordinate with staff to inform the BOCC of strategic
initiatives and significant policy considerations
Advisory Board Roles and Responsibilities
• Continue to recommend ASAB applicants to the BOCC and orient
new members to the role and responsibility of the advisory board.
What are the concerns or emerging issues your board has identified for the
upcoming year that it plans to address, or wishes to bring to the Commissioners’
attention?
Free-Roaming Cats and Pet Overpopulation: The board expects to work
with staff as they proceed with the 5 year plan for managing free-roaming
cats as a critical component of pet overpopulation in Orange County.
Along with staff, they will work as well on the adoption of several ordinance
amendments focused on overpopulation if it does not appear that the
proposed unified animal ordinance will be adopted fairly quickly. These
include a differential recovery rate for reproductive versus sterilized stray
animals and a microchip requirement for the recovery of stray animals.
Unified Animal Ordinance: The board expects to continue to support staff
in the process of promoting and adopting the proposed unified animal
ordinance. Board support may include appearing at town hearings and
discussions of the proposed ordinance since the plan is to have the
ordinance reviewed by Chapel Hill and Carrboro before returning to the
BOCC for final approval.
Visioning for 2025 and Beyond: The board will begin to think about the
future of animal services in Orange County. Initiating this process makes
sense since the planning process for addressing pet overpopulation in
Orange County is nearly completed and future strategic planning will
require a clear vision.
Commercial Dog Breeding Regulations: The ASAB expects to approach
the BOCC to request a resolution of support for legislation that would
regulate “puppy mills” in North Carolina.
Working Document II—BM, MMW
October 3, 2014