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minimum. She said that the County has, in attachment 5, the figure of $132,000. This is what it costs APS to contract with Nicks Road Animal Clinic to do all the veterinarian services for the APS owned animals that are adapted by the public. If APS no longer awns the animals, they cannot provide this service for this price. If the animals are owned by APS, as far as State law is concerned, they can da whatever they want as long as they do not abuse the animals. A vet who is an APS employee can provide care and they do not have to be licensed or do not have to own or lease a facility. If the animals are not owned by APS, then the only person that can provide veterinary care is a licensed vet with his own facility that can be registered and inspected by the North Carolina Veterinary Medical Board. She said that the North Carolina Medical Board issue is what started the entire dispute two years ago with Bobby Schopler. She said that it was this issue that required them to renegotiate contracts and start all aver. Because of these laws, this means that once the County takes over the shelter, the animals will na longer be awned by APS. The only thing that APS can do far County owned animals under North Carolina law is to sell their low-cost spaylneuter certificates. The Nicks Road Clinic can redeem the certificates. Just for the spays and neuters, it would cost the County $21,000 per month for those certificates, or $252,000 a year. This is just for the necessary care in order to adopt out the animals, without any rounds of veterinary care. APS paid additional veterinary hours of approximately $1,000 a month for regular care. This means that it would cost the County $264,000 a year for veterinary services. She made reference to the addendum given to the Board by the staff that says, "those services are to be worked out with APS" and said that there is nothing to work out. The only option they have under State law is to provide the low- cost spaylneuter certificates. Elliot Cramer's statement is as follows: It is almost two years since Laura Walters fired Bobby Schopler and you were first alerted to problems at the Orange County animal shelter, including substandard performance and illegal operation of a veterinary practice. You have since expressed your strong concern and dedication to the animals. Yau have proceeded at a very deliberate pace, bringing us to this decision point. "The mills of the gods grind slow, but they grind exceedingly fine". • Volunteers Volunteer considerations have been an issue, but the information I have provided shows that APS has very few serious volunteers and, as John Link has said, many have expressed their intention to continue. Only 18 volunteers who volunteered prior to February fulfilled their 8-hour per month commitment in March; of these only 13 did anything beyond dog walking. You can expect increased volunteerism under County management. With the very generous salaries and benefits associated with the operations manager and customer relations manager positions, I believe you can obtain very competent and experienced employees and I hope that these essential positions will be advertised to non-APS employees. • Cost to the County Page 32 shows a 30% increased cast to the County of $162,000, but this is misleading; $70,000 is for an Animal Services Director over BOTH animal control and the shelter, providing oversight that has been lacking. The income from adoptions is understated by $26,000 based on current fees and 2003 adoptions. It would be even higher using the higher adoption figures for 2001 or 2002. puppy dog cat kitten other (average) Adopt fee $104 $113 $91 $80 $15 number 423 471 464 497 82 2003 report Income $180,429 vs. $154,400 claimed by APS • Veterinarian care