Animal Shelter Task Force Minutes

       Minutes of the Meeting of the Animal Shelter Task Force
       October 28, 2009

1. The Meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by Chairman Robin Aubrey. All members were in attendance.

2. Acceptance of Meeting Minutes from October 14, 2009

A motion was made by Sandra Hamorsky with a second from Dr. Murphy to approve the minutes as presented and was unanimously approved.

a). Information on State, County and/City specification for shelter operation

Staff Liaison Pierce distributed information recently received from Ms. Kim Intino who is with the US Humane Society. Included in this information were kennel policies and procedures from the Humane Society of Oregon, information on shelter floor plans, a model on determining minimum kennel staffing needs, a model on estimating the size and cost of an animal shelter, and a layout of the kennel space allocated for the new city hall. Brief discussion followed. Chairman Aubrey stated this information would be placed on the next meeting’s agenda for review.

Brief discussion followed on whether the three to five day hold proposal may not be able to be met with the proposed kennel layout at the new city hall. Discussion followed on how to kennel both dogs and cats. Dr. Murphy stated that the area designated is probably an inefficient use of space. He stated that the use of portable, stackable cages would accommodate more dogs and cats which would allow for more animals within the area.
George Buss agreed with Dr. Murphy. Dr. Murphy stated that if the area was reconfigured, how many animals could we hold and still allow for an area to work. Any reconfiguration would have to include an isolation room, a table on which to place the animal for an examination, etc.  Brief discussion followed by the task force members on what the best use of this area would be and how a recommendation could be agreed upon that would extend the current holding policy.  Item continued till next meeting.

b)   List of actions owners of lost animals need to take to be added to the City’s web site alert page

Sandra Hamorsky stated she was working on this item, but could not get her printer to work in order to distribute the information prior to this meeting. She will send it out to the task force to review.

Staff Liaison Pierce stated that none of the four local veterinarians have responded to the city letter, despite phone calls to their offices. Based on the information Bowie CLAW had on the subject, and as a result of the phone conversations staff has had with these firms in the past it is assumed that as of now, none of these facilities are interested in participating in a kennel program.

Chairman Aubrey asked the task force members if they had any documents that they wanted to have added to the web site. There were none offered. Item deferred until next meeting.

e). Additional information on strays dropped off at county shelter by Bowie residents

Staff Liaison Pierce stated that he had exchanged emails with Mr. Rodney Taylor Associate Director who manages the County Animal Control Facility on this matter. He stated that Mr. Taylor agreed that the county could release the data on strays and turn ins as requested, with just the address name, and not individual house numbers. He was working on that and will forward it as soon as it is available.

Sandra Hamorsky stated that if the current weekly volume of animals picked up by Bowie Animal Control is from 1 to 3 per week, then the new city hall space looks adequate. If that number is 15 to 17 per week, then a larger facility would be needed. Michael Semeniuk stated that we may not be able to get additional data and the averages are what we will need to use, and he did not believe there are greater spikes in the numbers.

a). That the CBASTF endorse the proposition that a short-term animal shelter be built and operated by the City of Bowie.

Dr. Murphy asked whether the task force would be able to vote on the question that we explore a short term holding facility. Michael Semeniuk stated that this is late October and that a motion would need to be made which he made which had a second by Dr. Murphy. Discussion followed on motion. Sandra Hamorsky stated that the city needed to hold animals longer, however whether this action entails a facility is another issue. She stated she would have preferred the consideration of agenda item 5 before agenda item 4. She also asked whether the Bowie CLAW benefactor’s money was dedicated solely for a structure. Brief discussion followed. She stated that if the question is to recommend a longer holding period, she agrees, however if the question is whether a new facility is needed, the answer is no.

Michael Semeniuk made a motion to endorse the need for and feasibility of establishing a small short term holding shelter for cats and dogs by the City of Bowie. Dr. Murphy offered a second, motion carried 5-2 in favor, with Chairman Aubrey and George Buss opposed.

At this time, a five minute recess occurred.

Dr. Murphy stated the next step is to do a report, and asked who would be doing it and that all members should have input into it. He also asked whether we should look at a facility, where to build, etc, and what items that are needed. Sandra Hamorsky stated that what we voted for was that there needs to be a longer service hold than now provided by Bowie Animal Control. Dr. Murphy stated that there is a need and that options were needed. She stated that she thought the vote was on whether or not we need to do more, but haven’t established a scope, # of days to hold or reconfigure the kennel space.

George Buss noted that all the options need to be included as part of the task force analysis, and that would include a review of the new city hall space, doing nothing, reconfigure the kennel space per Dr. Murphy’s recommendation, and include the mobile unit that he recommended to Bowie CLAW.  Michael Semeniuk stated a preliminary report was due and now it is almost November. He suggested we submit documents and that the statement to City Council would be that the need exists and that we would be looking at more detail in a final draft.

5. Discussion: That the CBASTF include alternate proposals in its preliminary and final reports to the City Council whether or not it endorses Item 4

Discussion followed on report format. Chairman Aubrey stated that she believes the various options should be included in a preliminary report to City Council. Lengthy discussion followed on the merits of including alternates being reviewed or just to make a brief statement to city council at this time.

Dr. Murphy made a motion to ask City Councilman Brady who was in the audience on report format, which received a second from Michael Semeniuk. Councilman Brady stated that he preferred not to be called upon and preferred to speak off line, and wanted to stay neutral.  Dr. Murphy withdrew the motion.

Chairman Aubrey made a motion that both the preliminary and final reports include alternate proposals being evaluated, which received a second from Sandra Hamorsky.

Michael Semeniuk asked whether the alternates were to be listed as references, or were they to be spelled out. Sandra Hamorsky asked what the holding time for animals was to be, to which Michael Semeniuk stated that had not been decided. Sandra Hamorsky stated that a couple of options for the City Council would be her preference. Dr. Murphy questioned whether the preliminary report needed any additional information. Chairman Aubrey stated that the preliminary report should list these alternatives as bullets, and in the final report a cost benefit analysis should be completed. George Buss stated his belief that the preliminary report should just include a list of items being reviewed. Vote to include alternates was approved 4-2-1, with members Murphy, Garretson opposed, and Semeniuk abstaining.

Discussion followed on who was working on the draft. Sandra Hamorsky stated she was doing a draft and would circulate that to the task force. Michael Semeniuk stated he would also be writing a report. Chairman Aubrey stated that all the task force members should bring what they are working on so that it can be reviewed at the next meeting.

Motion to adjourn made by Chairman Aubrey, with a second from Sandra Hamorsky which was unanimously approved. Meeting adjourned at 8:40 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

 

Lawrence Pierce
Recording Secretary