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Home My WebLink AboutASAB Meeting Summary 01202021 Orange County Animal Services 1601 Eubanks Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27516 919-942-PETS (7387) ANIMAL SERVICES ADVISORY BOARD (ASAB) 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. Wednesday, January 20, 2020 Virtual Meeting Summary MEMBERS PRESENT: Amanda Schwoerke (Chair), Bryan Stuart (Vice Chair), Casey Ferrell (Secretary), Lee Pickett, Edmund Tiryakian, Sunita Driehuys, Dawn Roberts, Meggie Romick, Lori Gershon, Allan Polak, Susan Spinks, Sue Millager ABSENT: Lucia Welborne STAFF PRESENT: Bob Marotto (Animal Services Director), Rachel Plast (Administrative Assistant) Call to order: 6:32 p.m. Virtual meeting voting guidelines: Bryan Stuart, ASAB Vice-Chair Review and adoption of the agenda: • Amanda Schwoerke proposed to amend the meeting agenda to include an exploratory discussion about Dangerous Dog Declarations • Dir. Marotto proposed adding the Spay/Neuter Resolution to the meeting agenda Vote (Motion/2nd) Amanda Schwoerke Y (Moved) Bryan Stuart Y Sue Millager Lee Pickett Y Ed Tiryakian Y (2nd!) Lucia Welborne Sunita Driehuys Y Casey Ferrell Y Meggie Romick Y Allan Polak Y Susan Spinks Y Lori Gershon Y Dawn Roberts Y Review and approval of November 2019 meeting summary Vote (Motion/2nd) Amanda Schwoerke Y Bryan Stuart Y (2nd) Sue Millager Lee Pickett Y Ed Tiryakian Y Lucia Welborne Sunita Driehuys Y Casey Ferrell Y Meggie Romick Y Allan Polak Y Susan Spinks Y (Moved) Lori Gershon Y Dawn Roberts Y Review of public participation guidelines: Bryan Stuart, ASAB Vice-Chair General public comments on items not on agenda: • N/A Monthly Meeting Attendance Record (confirm completion): confirmed Animal Services Advisory Board updates: Bob Marotto, Director of Animal Services • 2020 Pat Sanford Animal Welfare Award: Carolina Boxer Rescue o Received by Mindy Bradshaw, Area Coordinator, Carolina Boxer Rescue o Notes • Animal Services Advisory Board o Approval of 2021 ASAB Meeting Calendar Vote (Motion/2nd) Amanda Schwoerke Y (Moved) Bryan Stuart Y Sue Millager Lee Pickett Y Ed Tiryakian Y Lucia Welborne Sunita Driehuys Y Casey Ferrell Y (2"d) Meggie Romick Y Allan Polak Y Susan Spinks Y Lori Gershon Y Dawn Roberts Y • Recommendations for Orange County's legislative agenda o Informational item o Motion to approve the ASAB Chair Schwoerke to communicate with the Chair and Vice Chair of the Board of County Commissioners to implore the BOCC take up this item as part of the county's legislative agenda Vote (Motion/2"d) Amanda Schwoerke Y (Moved) Bryan Stuart Y (2"d) Sue Millager Lee Pickett Y Ed Tiryakian Y Lucia Welborne Sunita Driehuys Y Casey Ferrell Y Meggie Romick Y Allan Polak Y Susan Spinks Y Lori Gershon Y Dawn Roberts Y • 2020-2021 OSAB Annual Report &Work Plan: Discussion o Discussion of whether to add to the report language specifying the ASAB's priorities around diversity, equity, and inclusion o Motion to request that OCAS include brief clause in annual report about ASAB's commitment to diversity, pending approval from ASAB Chair/Vice Chair of the language Vote (Motion/2"d) Amanda Schwoerke Y (Moved) Bryan Stuart Y Sue Millager Y Lee Pickett Y (2"d) Ed Tiryakian Y Lucia Welborne Sunita Driehuys Y Casey Ferrell Y Meggie Romick Y Allan Polak Y Susan Spinks Y Lori Gershon Y Dawn Roberts Y o Motion to approve draft Annual Report pending addition of language stipulated in prior motion Vote (Motion/2"1) Amanda Schwoerke Y (Moved) Bryan Stuart Y Sue Millager Y Lee Pickett Y (2nd) Ed Tiryakian Y Lucia Welborne Sunita Driehuys Y Casey Ferrell Y Meggie Romick Y Allan Polak Y Susan Spinks Y Lori Gershon Y Dawn Roberts Y • Exploratory discussion of Dangerous Dog Declarations o Chair Schwoerke raised instance of a Dangerous Dog hearing in which two dogs escaped owner's property, killed two chickens belonging to another resident miles away, and a panelist in the hearing felt the Dangerous Dog Declaration was an unjust legal mechanism to respond to the situation because of the muzzling requirement. o Chair Schwoerke moves to add a discussion with respect to Dangerous Dog laws to the February ASAB meeting agenda. Vote (Motion/2nd) Amanda Schwoerke Y (Moved) Bryan Stuart Y Sue Millager Lee Pickett Y Ed Tiryakian Y (with a request that panelist with the objection attends discussion) Lucia Welborne Sunita Driehuys Y Casey Ferrell N Meggie Romick Y Allan Polak Y Susan Spinks Y (Moved) Lori Gershon Y Dawn Roberts Y • Spay/Neuter Resolution o OCAS has traditionally advocated to the BOCC to adopt a resolution acknowledging February 24th as Spay and Neuter Day o Motion to approve Vote (Motion/2nd) Amanda Schwoerke Y Bryan Stuart Y Sue Millager Y Lee Pickett Y Ed Tiryakian Y Lucia Welborne Sunita Driehuys Y Casey Ferrell Y Meggie Romick Y (2nd) Allan Polak Y Susan Spinks Y Lori Gershon Y (Moved) Dawn Roberts Y Old Business: • Ordinance Amendments Proposed to Address Aggressive Animal Gaps • Shelter Requirements for Livestock Guardian Dogs: Task Force Update o Task Force reviewed other jurisdiction ordinance, literature, and stakeholders o Preliminary recommendation is to create an exemption to the county ordinance regarding LGDs ■ provided the dog can be verified to be a working dog ■ the exemption is for the period of work only ■ Exemption would require access to adequate shelter (adequacy to be defined/determined by OCAS staff) o Exploring a system of registration for LGDs with the county o Seeking input from N.C. Agricultural Preservation Board; will inform of February board meeting • Systemic Racism and Animal Welfare: Task Force Update o The task force is comprised of Sunita, Allan, Meg and Lee (Amanda has had to step away for the time being) o At present, focused on: ■ pet-friendly and low-cost pet-friendly rental housing; ■ access to low-cost spay/neuter services; ■ education about pets and pet care; ■ ASAB diversity, inclusion and equity • Recommend that when there's a board opening, a concerted effort be made to advertise it to minorities at community centers, churches, libraries and in newsletters and newspapers o Completed study of the county dog parks (whether there is equitable access regardless of race) and feel no change/recommendation is needed o Discussed but decided not to pursue these issues: ■ access to other low-cost veterinary care; ■ how many animals of POC families live near unsafe sites, such as toxic waste sites, in the county Informational Items • November and December 2020 Monthly Statistics for Sheltering Operations o http://www.orangecountync.gov/Archive.aspx?AMID=46 • November and December 2020 Monthly Statistics for Field Services o http://www.orangecountync.gov/Archive.aspx?AMID=45 • Financial update o Hiring freeze in place for three (3) positions o Departmental budget reductions from 2020 will carry over into 2021 • Dir. Marotto announced his retirement, effective March 3, 2021 Informal Discussion • N/A Adjournment: Meeting adjourned at 8:22 p.m.