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HomeMy WebLinkAboutASAB Meeting Summary 10.15.25 Meeting Minutes Approved 1 Animal Services Advisory Board (ASAB) 6:30-8pm Wednesday, October 15, 2025 Community Room at OCAS 1601 Eubanks Rd. Chapel Hill, NC 27516 Members Present: Allan Polak (Chair), Debby Hill (Vice Chair), Dr. Lee Pickett, Dr. Ashley Robertson, Judy Miller, Annie Goldberg, Mike Dempsey, Kim Rider, Mike Delafield, Rhonda Patterson (Virtual), Cathy Munnier Members Absent: Dawn Roberts, Mary Lucas Staff Present: Elizabeth Overcash (Director), Krista Watkins (Business Officer), Senior Animal Control Officer Marcus Gamez (ACO) Public Present: Ellen Pearsall Call to Order: 6:32pm Review and adoption of Meeting Agenda: Member Vote (Motion/2nd) Allan Polak Motion Debby Hill Aye Annie Goldberg 2nd Cathy Munnier Aye Dawn Roberts Absent Judy Miller Aye Kim Rider Aye Dr. Lee Pickett Aye Dr. Ashley Robertson Aye 2 Mary Lucas Absent Mike Delafield Aye Rhonda Patterson Aye Mike Dempsey Aye Review and Adoption of September 2025 Meeting Summary: Members mentioned a typo on page 5; Rhonda’s name was spelled incorrectly. Allan motioned to approve agenda with the correction of the typo. Member Vote (Motion/2nd) Allan Polak Motion Debby Hill Aye Annie Goldberg Aye Cathy Munnier 2nd Dawn Roberts Absent Judy Miller Aye Kim Rider Aye Dr. Lee Pickett Aye Dr. Ashley Robertson Aye Mary Lucas Absent Mike Delafield Aye Rhonda Patterson Aye Mike Dempsey Aye 3 Public Participation Guidelines: One member of the public present-Ellen Pearsall. Limit of 3 minutes at today's meeting. General Public Comments (not on agenda): None Monthly Meeting Attendance Record: no vacancies. Typo for Allan his expiration of term is 6/2028. Everyone can serve 2 terms, and the Veterinarian can serve 3 if from Board of Health. New Business: Create subcommittee for Pat Sanford Grant award presentation and present winner at next meeting. Motion to form subcommittee: Member Vote (Motion/2nd) Allan Polak Motion Debby Hill Aye Annie Goldberg Aye Cathy Munnier Aye Dawn Roberts Absent Judy Miller 2nd Kim Rider Aye Dr. Lee Pickett Aye Dr. Ashley Robertson Aye Mary Lucas Absent Mike Delafield Aye 4 Rhonda Patterson Aye Mike Dempsey Aye Senior Animal Control Officer Marcus Gamez Presentation: Key takeaways • Animal Control Officer at OCAS since 2015 • Primary responsibilities include enforcing laws, statues, providing rabies vaccines in the field, educating citizens on resources available. • Very happy with positive changes at OCAS • 5-7 animal control officers available for calls Monday – Friday from 8am-5pm • Enjoys community outreach and going to schools and interacting with students • Priority is to reunite pet with owner rather than bring to OCAS • Gets about 10 calls per week • Clinic at OCAS is very valuable to people who cannot take pets to vet or for pets who need emergency care in house • Animal hoarding is still an issue but not as much as previously • Enjoys his job and providing resources to pet owners • His most unique situation was a call from the sheriff's department about a Ball Python loose in a house and had to tear house apart to find. Thankfully he had a snake handling class that taught him how to handle the snakes and overcome his fear. • The funniest call was for a chimpanzee in Durham, when he got to the home it was actually a rottweiler puppy in a costume. Director Overcash’s Report 25 dogs, 66 cats in shelter 30 dogs in foster and 102 cats Foster program has grown. Clinic in November for no cost vaccines Partnering with Paws4ever for fence program build for people in need. Paws4ever will provide fencing, and we supply the people in need. Goal is to keep animals in homes. The clinic is still growing, and the website is in development. Old Business: 5 Pat Sanford Grant Subcommittee will be Judy, Cathy, Mike Dempsey, Director Overcash and Business Officer Krista. This is the first year the application was online, and we had many more applicants. The beneficiary must be in Orange County. Motion to appoint committee made by Debby Member Vote (Motion/2nd) Allan Polak Aye Debby Hill Motion Annie Goldberg Aye Cathy Munnier Aye Dawn Roberts Absent Judy Miller Aye Kim Rider Aye Dr. Lee Pickett Aye Dr. Ashley Robertson 2nd Mary Lucas Absent Mike Delafield Aye Rhonda Patterson Aye Mike Dempsey Aye Dr. Elliot Cramer Proclamation written by Dr. Pickett is approved by board with addition of recognition of Friends of the Orange County Animal Shelter within proclamation. Board votes to approve addition 6 Member Vote (Motion/2nd) Allan Polak Aye Debby Hill Motion Annie Goldberg Aye Cathy Munnier 2nd Dawn Roberts Absent Judy Miller Aye Kim Rider Aye Dr. Lee Pickett Aye Dr. Ashley Robertson Aye Mary Lucas Absent Mike Delafield Aye Rhonda Patterson Aye Mike Dempsey Aye Informal Discussion: Attendance is important and we have the option to join online or phone. Thank you to Krista for the great print out about our terms Meeting was adjourned at 7:40pm by Debby with a 2nd from Cathy. All members approved adjournment.