ASAB Annual Report Work Plan 2019 2020 draft

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i step in any consideration of stakeholder concerns, before bringing an item to the Board of County Commissioners. Integral to this general responsibility is a concern with ensuring that the practices and outcomes of Orange County Animal Services meet or exceed prevailing professional standards. A good illustration is the ASAB's support for the county's Community Spay and Neuter Program and its effort to manage free roaming cats in more proactive and humane ways. Also integral to this responsibility is receiving feedback from the board members who serve on the Animal Services Hearing Panel Pool. This is one basis for the ASAB to work with staff to maintain a list of challenges and problems that may be addressed through the amendment of the Unified Animal Ordinance. Finally, the ASAB is concerned with the human aspects of animal issues as well as animal welfare. Fundamental is the relation of animals to public health, safety, and community welfare. Indeed, one board member is the veterinarian for Orange County Health Board. What are your Board/Commission's most important accomplishments? The ASAB continued to work with staff and stakeholders managing pet overpopulation in Orange County. Free-roaming cats are now a major focus. Together with staff, the ASAB has worked to create and maintain strong working relations with community partners Including the Agricultural Preservation Board to advance this initiative (which includes a "working barn cat" program). The ASAB supported staff efforts to ensure that dog walking trails are recreated in the area of the new OWASA and Duke Energy easements and that the attractive entrance to Animal Services is not degraded by these developments. The walking trail is expected to be open in the spring of 2020 and there is a plan for a pollinator garden on part of the public face of the easement that runs along the entrance driveway. These achievements will help to preserve the original design intent of making the Animal Services Center a destination for residents and others with an interest in animals. The ASAB began the process of identifying a member to serve as a member of the Animal Services Hearing Panel Pool. As previously indicated, three ASAB members are appointed by the BOCC to this pool and they have the special responsibility of convening and chairing individual appeal hearings. They have considerable responsibility for the stability and the integrity of the appeal process afforded by the county's