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HomeMy WebLinkAboutASAB Annual Report Work Plan 2019 2020 draft i WORKING DOCUMENT NAME OF BOARD: Animal Services Advisory Board Report Period: 2019-2020 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: Currently, XYZ , ASAB Chair; and/or XYZ, ASAB Vice-Chair. 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? The ASAB meets monthly except for the months of July and December. These meetings ensure that there is sufficient time to listen to stakeholders and address issues and timely manner. Three (3) ASAB members serve on the Animal Services Hearing Panel Pool. They chair the appeal hearing panels convened under the Unified Animal Ordinance. Three (3) members of the ASAB serve on the review committee for the Pat Sanford Animal Welfare Award. Every fall, the committee reviews applications and makes a selection based upon award criteria. Finally, the ASAB often creates task forces to address specific issues. One is currently examining ordinance provisions for keeping and displaying wild and exotic animals. Brief Statement of Board/Commission's Assigned Charge and Responsibilities. The ASAB is a sounding board for policy issues raised by residents or identified by the BOCC. Residents are referred to the board as a critical i step in any consideration of stakeholder concerns, before bringing an item to the Board of County Commissioners. Integral to this general responsibility is a concern with ensuring that the practices and outcomes of Orange County Animal Services meet or exceed prevailing professional standards. A good illustration is the ASAB's support for the county's Community Spay and Neuter Program and its effort to manage free roaming cats in more proactive and humane ways. Also integral to this responsibility is receiving feedback from the board members who serve on the Animal Services Hearing Panel Pool. This is one basis for the ASAB to work with staff to maintain a list of challenges and problems that may be addressed through the amendment of the Unified Animal Ordinance. Finally, the ASAB is concerned with the human aspects of animal issues as well as animal welfare. Fundamental is the relation of animals to public health, safety, and community welfare. Indeed, one board member is the veterinarian for Orange County Health Board. What are your Board/Commission's most important accomplishments? The ASAB continued to work with staff and stakeholders managing pet overpopulation in Orange County. Free-roaming cats are now a major focus. Together with staff, the ASAB has worked to create and maintain strong working relations with community partners Including the Agricultural Preservation Board to advance this initiative (which includes a "working barn cat" program). The ASAB supported staff efforts to ensure that dog walking trails are recreated in the area of the new OWASA and Duke Energy easements and that the attractive entrance to Animal Services is not degraded by these developments. The walking trail is expected to be open in the spring of 2020 and there is a plan for a pollinator garden on part of the public face of the easement that runs along the entrance driveway. These achievements will help to preserve the original design intent of making the Animal Services Center a destination for residents and others with an interest in animals. The ASAB began the process of identifying a member to serve as a member of the Animal Services Hearing Panel Pool. As previously indicated, three ASAB members are appointed by the BOCC to this pool and they have the special responsibility of convening and chairing individual appeal hearings. They have considerable responsibility for the stability and the integrity of the appeal process afforded by the county's i Unified Animal Ordinance and for this reason it is essential to have an effective succession of members. A task force of the ASAB worked with staff throughout the year to revise ordinance provisions for the keeping of animals dangerous to persons and property. This effort began with the effort to correct significant issues of language and conceptualization in the case of reptiles and came to include broader issues of whether amendments are needed to make the ordinance less restrictive or because of changes in the status of animals such as feline hybrids. The effort is continuing and it is expected to include ordinance provisions for the display of exotic and other animals before being brought forward for consideration by others. The ASAB paid attention to the recent ordinance amendment allowing for the review and revocation of a dangerous animal declaration made under the ordinance. This amendment was developed because of concerns voiced by members of the Hearing Panel Pool that lifelong declarations and restrictions were onerous and unreasonable. The ASAB remains convinced that it is important for there to be a parallel amendment to NCGS to avoid unnecessary and unwanted lifelong sentences as a dangerous dog with associated restrictions and requirements. The ASAB also paid close attention to an amendment to allow for the evaluation of dogs seized in dog fighting cases in order to make a final determination as to whether they are dangerous. Orange County's Animal Services Director spoke in support of this amendment in the North Carolina House of Representatives where it passed with only one no vote. Unfortunately, the amendment never came to a vote in the Senate during the 2019 long session. The ASAB worked with staff to develop several other important deliverables. One was the review of applications for the annual Pat Sanford Award (and as needed, outside agency funding applications). Another is developing and sustaining various community partnerships. A good example is the relationship that was created with the Agricultural Preservation Board in regard to the working barn cat program. Another example is the ongoing effort to partner with established community centers in Orange County to build stronger community relations through which various services and resources can become better known. Finally, the ASAB continued to assist the BOCC in ensuring that board vacancies are filled in a timely and effective manner. It routinely makes recommendations to the BOCC based upon interviews with candidates for vacant positions. It also provides each new member with an orientation, which includes an introduction to the board, a review of county policies for boards and commissions, and an overview of Animal Services operations. i List of Specific Tasks, Events, or Functions Performed or Sponsored Annually. In addition to activities mentioned above, the board sometimes hosts partner organizations, supports the annual Open House, and provides its own appreciation for all Animal Services staff. As indicated earlier, members of the board are available to serve on task forces charged with the in-depth review of a specific issue of concern from the standpoint of operations, programs or policies. Describe this board/commission's activities/accomplishments in carrying out BOCC goal(s)/priorities, if applicable. Three principles and priorities seem noteworthy with respect to the ASAB in calendar year 2019. These are: Sustainable Services • Supported strategic plan for managing pet overpopulation to control costs and reduce the use of euthanasia for population control. • Supported efforts to advance the plan for managing free roaming cats in Orange County as part of the overall strategic plan. • Supported efforts to meet or exceed professional standards within the field of animal welfare and animal services. Making County Government Accessible, Understandable and Transparent • Served as a sounding board for stakeholder concerns about animal issues and animal related policies. • Met with and recommended candidates for the ASAB to the BOCC • Stood ready and coordinated openly and effectively with the BOCC as needed • Continued to work with staff to identify needed amendments for the Unified Animal Ordinance. Advisory Board Roles and Responsibilities • Provided a setting for stakeholder communication about various animal-related matters. • Sustained ASAB by vetting candidates for board vacancies, making recommendations to the BOCC, and conducting orientations for new members. • Worked toward effective succession of ASAB members on the Animal Services Hearing Panel Pool. • Supported the Pat Sanford Animal Welfare Grant and participated in the application review panel. 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 i 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 2020 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 2020. These are: Sustainable Services • Support strategic plan for managing pet overpopulation to control costs as well as to reduce the use of euthanasia a means of population control. • Support efforts to advance the plan for managing free roaming cats in Orange County as part of the overall strategic plan. • Support efforts to meet or exceed professional standards within the field of animal welfare and animal service Making County Government Accessible, Understandable and Transparent • Serve as a sounding board for issues and policy concerns. • Coordinate with staff to advise the BOCC and County Manager regarding strategic initiatives and public policy. • Identify needed amendments to the UAO based upon the experience of the Animal Services Hearing Panel Pool. Advisory Board Roles and Responsibilities • Provide a setting for stakeholder communication about animal- related matters • Provide leadership to the appeal hearing panels by having three (3) board members be part of the Animal Services Hearing Panel Pool and chair the hearing panels • Meet with and recommend candidates for the ASAB to the BOCC and orient new members of the ASAB. • Support the Pat Sanford Animal Welfare Grant with board members serving along with staff on the annual grant application review panel. 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? i Socially conscious animal community: The ASAB is working with staff to support a BOCC resolution designating Orange County as a socially conscious animal community. This approach to animal welfare is new and exciting and arguably more holistic and socially responsible than any predecessor. Of special note is that the focus is on different segments of the community rather than "the shelter" alone and increasingly the welfare of all animals. Manaqinq Pet Overpopulation: The board will continue to support staff efforts to manage free-roaming cats more effectively and more humanely. In particular, the board will work with staff to coordinate with the Agricultural Preservation Board and other entities to advance the "working barn cat" program. More generally, the board will continue to work with staff to ensure that organizational forms and practices responsible for the county's success in managing over population are recognized, supported and extended into the future. Participation in the Animal Services Hearing Panel Pool: The ASAB will continue the process it has begun to assure effective succession of its members on the Animal Services Hearing Panel Pool. As these members are responsible for convening and chairing individual appeal hearings, it is especially important to assure that there is effective succession as ASAB members leave the Hearing Panel Pool (as will happen with one member in 2020). Community Centers and Services: The board will continue to support staff in partnering with established community centers in Orange County to build stronger community relations through which various services and resources can become better known. This is an opportunity to provide these services to underserved areas of the county in new and different ways that are becoming more prominent in the field of animal services and animal welfare. Wild and Danqerous Animals Task Force: It is expected that there will be a draft amendment for BOCC consideration as a result of the work of the task force with staff. The amendments will include the ordinance provision for keeping and displaying wild and exotic animals that is conceptually clear and updated in a number of key areas. Unified Animal Ordinance and Legislation: The ASAB will continue to coordinate with staff to identify and address "issues" in the administration of the ordinance in areas that may be subject to administrative appeal. As in the past, it is expected that this may bring forth recommendations for ordinance amendments based upon the experience of the Animal Services Hearing Panel Pool with the appeal process. The ASAB will also continue to work with staff to identify legal changes that may be addressed by the i BOCC through the county's legislative agenda. ASAB Vacancies and Other Deliverables: The board will continue to assist the BOCC in ensuring that board vacancies are filled in a timely and effective manner. The board will also provide each new member with an orientation, which includes an introduction to the board, a review of county policies for boards and commissions, and an overview of Animal Services operations. Other deliverables will include reviewing applications for the annual Pat Sanford Animal Welfare Award and may include reviewing outside agency funding applications. Approved December XY, 2019 Bob Marotto, Animal Services Director