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1St. The Board discussed the direction to take in operating the animal shelter effective July 1St <br />and asked staff to come back with an organizational structure that would have the operation of <br />the shelter and Animal Control as a County department or bureau, but under the direction of the <br />County Manager. The Board also asked the staff to come back with a budget and an <br />operational process by which the department could be up and running by July 1St <br />John Link thanked Assistant County Manager Gwen Harvey, Purchasing and Central <br />Services Director Pam Jones, Personnel Director Elaine Holmes, Finance Director Ken <br />Chavious, Health Director Rosemary Summer, and Chief Information Officer Todd Jones who <br />worked diligently to come up with this proposal. He also thanked Suzy Cooke, the Interim <br />Shelter Director and Kathy Bryan, Director of Orange Enterprises. <br />The staff is recommending that the Board of County Commissioners make specific <br />decisions to be ready by July 1St. The first is to authorize a structure where the County Manager <br />would be in charge of operating the shelter and Animal Control. He said that the Board did not <br />have to make the decision tonight as to whether this is a department or a bureau. In either <br />case, the Board will be able to have an advisory board. Also, the Board needs to approve the <br />staffing transition plan that is outlined in the abstract as well as the capital inventory that needs <br />to be purchased to have the equipment necessary by July 1St. APS has said that they would be <br />taking their equipment with them as they move out of the shelter. The staff recommends that <br />the Board not make decisions on how to secure veterinarian services. They would still like to <br />work with AP5 on veterinarian services. Animal control also needs to be worked out with <br />Chapel Hill and Carrboro. This can also be decided at a later date. <br />Assistant County Manager Gwen Harvey said that the Manager's recommendation is <br />to support the concept of moving forward with a transition plan that would create a new County <br />department under the ultimate authority of the County Manager and then to the Board of County <br />Commissioners. At the April 1St work session, there were same concerns raised (page 2 of <br />abstract) having to do with overall accountability, sustaining volunteerism, having a welcoming <br />environment, considering statutory responsibilities of the Health Director, cost estimates, <br />preserving citizen involvement, and having a hybrid model to engage other non-profits. There <br />was a new entry to the possible alternatives, which was a proposal from Orange Enterprises. <br />Staff met informally with Kathy Bryan, and the proposal is attached to the abstract. <br />Gwen Harvey made reference to attachment 3, which is the County Proposed Core <br />Staffing Plan, and was created by the Personnel Department. There is a proposal from County <br />staff for a reduction from the existing APS number of Animal Care Technicians from nine to a <br />core group of five, expandable to a maximum of seven. <br />Attachment 4 gives the capital equipment needs and totals $108,000. These are the <br />things that are needed for immediate operation. Regarding veterinarian services, they used a <br />figure that was based upon APS's past experience of approximately $11,000 a month. This is <br />for routine care as well as spay/neuter. <br />Attachment 5 is the cast estimate that the Board asked for. The net operating cost <br />based on what is currently known is $695,550, with the one-time startup capital costs of <br />approximately $108,000. <br />The recommendation is to approve the governance and management model, the <br />County's staffing and employee transition plan, and the capital equipment and inventory <br />purchase. <br />Chair Jacobs said that the Board recognizes and appreciates all of the efforts of the <br />staff and members of the task force and the public. <br />PUBLIC COMMENT: <br />Ann Peterson, APS President, said that the only reason she is here is to address the <br />comments about the veterinarian services and to explain why the APS cannot help in this <br />regard. She said that it is not that they do not want to help, but State law prohibits them from <br />cooperating. She said that the amount listed in the proposal is about $132,000 short at a <br />