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HomeMy WebLinkAboutASAB Meeting Summary 05.21.25 Meeting Minutes Approved ANIMAL SERVICES ADVISORY BOARD (ASAB) 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Wednesday, May 21, 2025 Community Room at OCAS 1601 Eubanks Rd, Chapel Hill,NC 27516 MEMBERS PRESENT: Allan Polak(Chair), Debby Hill (Vice Chair), Dr. Sunita Driehuys (Secretary), Michael Delafield, Michael Dempsey, Annie Goldberg, Judy Miller, Cathy Munnier, Dr. Lee Pickett, Kimberly Rider, Dawn Roberts. Members ABSENT: None STAFF PRESENT: Elizabeth Overcash (Director) PUBLIC PRESENT: Juliet Pulliam(OCAS volunteer) Call to order: 6:31PM Review and adoption of the meeting agenda: Vote (Motion/2nd) Mike Delafield Aye Michael Dempsey Aye Sunita Driehuys Aye Annie Goldberg. Aye Debby Hill Aye Judy Miller Aye Cathy Munnier 2nd Lee Pickett Aye Allan Polak Motion Kimberly Rider Aye Dawn Roberts Aye Page 1 of 6 Review and approval of April 2025 ASAB meeting summary: Vote (MOtion/2nd) Mike Delafield Aye Michael Dempsey Aye Sunita Driehuys Aye Annie Goldberg 2nd Debby Hill Aye Judy Miller Aye Cathy Munnier Aye Lee Pickett Aye Allan Polak Motion Kimberly Rider Aye Dawn Roberts Aye Public Participation Guidelines: limit of 3 minutes at today's meeting. Can submit more information by email for inclusion as an agenda item for discussion at a future meeting General Public Comments (not on agenda): None Monthly Meeting Attendance Record: Confirmed through approval of meeting minutes New Business: 1. 2025 Initiatives and Goals for ASAB Discussion—further discussion on ideas presented at April meeting. a. Dog Training program at OCAS -presented by Cathy Munnier. Has a 2nd trainer involved and has been working with Director Elizabeth Overcash. Will be starting seminars for new dog adopters with handouts. Will start group classes in August at OCAS for puppy socialization and basic training. Cathy will be working on hiring more trainers as the program grows. There will be suggested donations as fees—trainers and OCAS will split the donations. Proposed donations will be $10/seminar and $15016-week group classes. Discussed ways to Page 2 of 6 encourage additional donations to subsidize adopters who can't afford the donations themselves. b. Dr. Lee Pickett updates: i. Coordinating for DEGA (Determined for Everyone to Gain Access to Veterinary Care organization)to help residents of Orange County moving forward is probably best accomplished by OCAS reaching out to the various county organizations that work with homeless people and others in need to offer veterinary care at OCAS. DEGA can then subcontract or partner with OCAS. ii. Legislation-Dr. Pickett has been connecting with NCVMA director to see if they would oppose the idea of making it easier for shelters to provide veterinary services. Questions from NCVMA—which state would we model the proposal on and how many shelters would do this?NCVMA may support legislation if it provides jobs for veterinarians and does not take away revenue from NC private veterinary practices. NCVMA will provide more input after conferring with their committees. iii. ICare license tag money—can the process for applying for this money by shelters be made easier to allow all NC shelters to access it? It's an onerous amount of paperwork that shelters need to have the staff to even attempt this. OCAS does participate, but we still have to use additional grant money to cover the cost of the spay/neuter surgeries. Plan to follow up with NCVMA about this. c. Employee Appreciation Committee—ASAB donations to treat OCAS staff i. Allan Polak is familiar with ice cream trucks who provide vouchers to the recipients and can coordinate for this ii. Cathy Munnier suggests Dunkin Donuts 2. Discussion of ASAB Orientation for new members-will be discussed at next meeting 3. Talking Points Committee Updates—Cathy Munnier and Judy Miller. Two documents attached about this. Discussion about how to disseminate the information: a. OCAS Website b. Social media—ask ASAB members and OCAS staff to share these on their personal accounts. Request all ASAB members to post something positive about OCAS or animal facts this month. c. Food pantries—churches, MOW d. Dr. Pickett will provide links to accurate pet information for members to share Animal Services Advisory Board: 1. Currently have 2 vacancies on ASAB—at large position and Town of Hillsborough. Mary Lucas has been recommended by ASAB to the BOCC for the Town of Page 3 of 6 Hillsborough position and her confirmation is pending. Rhonda Patterson and Timothy Ivey are eligible for at-large position Motion to recommend Rhonda Patterson for at-large position on ASAB: Vote (MOtion/2"d) Mike Delafield Aye Michael Dempsey Aye Sunita Driehuys Aye Annie Goldberg Aye Debby Hill Motion Judy Miller Aye Cathy Munnier Aye Lee Pickett Aye Allan Polak 2nd Kimberly Rider Aye Dawn Roberts Aye Page 4 of 6 2. Need to have new Secretary for ASAB starting August 2025, as current Secretary is rotating off of the board. This discussion was tabled until June meeting—may consider this to be a rotating duty and/or use Al to record meetings and create summaries. Old Business: None Information Items: Presented by Elizabeth Overcash, Director of OCAS 1. 40 dogs, 21 cats and 2 guinea pigs currently at OCAS 2. Starting another special for dog adoptions this month. Cat adoptions have been going well 3. 17 dogs and 93 cats in foster care 4. Vet tech position has been filled 5. Continuing to connect with other county departments to coordinate services to residents and offer all information in Spanish 6. Working on going paperless at OCAS 7. Planning a staff day at Camp New Hope on June 29th for OCAS staff. ASAB members are invited 8 2nd play yard plans for enrichment and socialization- quote of$7000 for fencing with safe entry area, which OCAS will post a GoFundMe campaign for. Informal Discussion: ASAB members discussed that a rabid coyote attacked a person in Raleigh—victim strangled the coyote, and it was tested. Overall rabies incidence seems comparable to prior years. Adjournment: Meeting adjourned at 7:38 pm. Vote (Motion/2nd) Mike Delafield Aye Michael Dempsey Aye Sunita Driehuys Aye Annie Goldberg Aye Debby Hill Aye Judy Miller Aye Cathy Munnier Aye Page 5of6 Roni Peterson Aye Lee Pickett Aye Allan Polak Motion Kimberly Rider Aye Dawn Roberts 2nd Page 6 of 6