Orange County NC Website
they can start ordering equipment. He said that he talked with APS Interim Director Suzy Cooke <br />and she said that they will finish their contract with the County on June 30th and they were not <br />interested in a month-to-month continuation unless APS was considered for part of the <br />operation for 6 to 12 months. He thinks that the County needs to be ready by July 1St to run the <br />shelter. <br />Chair Jacobs asked the County Commissioners if any member thought that the shelter should <br />not be under the direction of the County and the County Manager. <br />Commissioner Gordon does not believe that it needs to be under the County management <br />because she does not have any cost estimates. The initial estimates were that the County's <br />costs would be higher. <br />Commissioner Carey said that the Board asked him to convene this committee in a short period <br />of time and to came back with a recommendation. The task farce worked hard and they did not <br />get into the cost area. They assumed it would be more expensive and he held them on task <br />because he thought the Board wanted a stronger influence of the County Manager's office but <br />not a department so the Board would have more direct policy influence aver this function. The <br />County Commissioners also told him that they wanted to protect and sustain the volunteerism. <br />He said that if they had factored in the range of casts, there would not have been any <br />agreement because the policies had not been set. They knew that options B and C would be <br />more expensive. <br />Chair Jacobs said that he understands Commissioner Corey's analysis, but it is the Board of <br />County Commissioners that will consider costs. He said that advisory boards make <br />recommendations to the Board of County Commissioners and the Board makes the final <br />decisions. <br />Commissioner Brown said that the bottom line for her is that she wants accountability. She saic <br />that she has never been able to accept any responsibility for the shelter operations and haw it <br />treats people and animals, the health issues, and haw the County collects animals. She has no <br />answers for the people that call her and complain. She said that there is no response from <br />anyone in trying to correct any of the issues. She would like to see how the responsibility piece <br />connects back. She wants to know haw the money is spent. She said that it appears that the <br />APS is going off on its own. She said that this is the first time that she has heard Rosemary <br />Summers say that her board would take over everything. She said that this still leaves the <br />County Commissioners not having any control or authority over it. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis said that he appreciates everything that Commissioner Carey has done <br />with the task force. He said that the recollection of what the Board asked the task force to do <br />was totally right. He said that if he had to decide right now, he would go with option C because <br />he wants to see the County Manager at the top. He does not want to see a bunch of lines under <br />the County Commissioners going to different places. He just wants to see County Manager <br />under the County Commissioners. He thinks the key is how to maintain the volunteer piece. <br />His greatest concern was that there would be a bureaucracy that was not conducive to <br />volunteers. <br />Chair Jacobs said that he shares Commissioner Halkiotis' and Commissioner Cordon's <br />concerns. He is not against having staff work through some kind of cost estimate. He would <br />like to look at a hybrid model and staff can look at this. <br />