Orange County NC Website
ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: May 17, 2011 <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No. 5 - q <br />SUBJECT: Agreement Renewal with Town of Chapel Hill for County Provision of Animal <br />Control and Emergency Animal After-Hours Call Services and Collection of Pet <br />License Fees <br />DEPARTMENT: Animal Services PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No <br />ATTACHMENT(S): <br />Renewal Agreement <br />INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />Bob Marotto, Animal Service Director, <br />968-2287 <br />PURPOSE: To approve an agreement renewal that 1) provides the Town of Chapel Hill with <br />animal control and emergency after-hours animal services during FY2011-12; and 2) <br />addresses the collection of pet license fees for Chapel Hill residents. <br />BACKGROUND: Orange County staff has developed and reviewed the proposed agreement <br />renewal with representatives of the Town of Chapel Hill. The amount of the FY 2011-2012 <br />contract will be $83,818. With respect to level of service, the agreement is similar to past <br />years (except for adjustment in after-hours emergency services). <br />Regular service involves an Animal Control Officer (ACO) being stationed at the Animal <br />Services Center Monday through Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. This ACO has <br />principal responsibility for enforcing the Town's animal control ordinance within the Town limits <br />and responding to calls about stray animals and other such requests for animal services. <br />Under the renewal agreement, County Animal Control Officers will provide emergency services <br />outside of regular business hours (that is, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m.) Monday through Friday, <br />and on a 24 hours per day basis on Saturdays and Sundays and holidays. These services will <br />include rabies exposures, dangerous animals, exigent animal cruelty and animals in immediate <br />need of assistant. <br />For FY 2011-2012, Chapel Hill Police Officers will continue to "triage" after-hours service <br />requests in accordance with guidelines shared by Animal Services and the Chapel Hill Police <br />Department which is incorporated into the agreement. Initial inspection of a scene by an on- <br />duty Police Officer has proved quite successful. It is expected to continue to control the <br />amount and costs of emergency after-hours animal service. <br />The agreement also provides for the County to collect the Town's pet license fees (as well as <br />its own) and remit or credit that amount to the Town in a manner that is mutually agreeable to <br />