3f 1994 Animal Control 1 CITYOF -4--
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i CHANHASSEN
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690 COULTER DRIVE • P.O. BOX 147 • CHANHASSEN, MINNESOTA 55317
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(612) 937 -1900 • FAX (612) 937 -5739
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MEMORANDUM Reiecte' i
Dat
1 TO: Mayor pate Su bmitted to �
City Council
pate Submitted to ���
1 Don Ashworth, City Manager
FROM: Scott Harr, Public Safety Direct
1 DATE: July 27, 1993
1 SUBJ: 1994 Animal Control
1 This memo is to seek direction from the City Council regarding our continuing to provide
animal control services to the cities of Victoria, Greenwood, Tonka Bay, Excelsior and
1 Shorewood.
BACKGROUND
I The City of Chanhassen has been providing animal control services on a contractual basis to
the above cities for 5 years. In 1989, we were approached by these cities and asked to
1 provide animal control services because the private organization that had been doing so
suddenly stopped, and we had an established animal control program. The Chanhassen City
Council did authorize Public Safety to provide animal control services for the remainder of
1 1989, and then to enter into a 3 year contract with these cities. At the end of 1992, I did ask
the Public Safety Commission to endorse, which the Council later authorized, Public Safety to
continue providing these services in 1993 on a 1 year basis, while we evaluated the possibility
1 of continuing on in the future.
I During the last several months we have had two meetings with the administrators of the 5
cities that we are providing animal control services. The consensus has been that they would
like to continue contracting with the City of Chanhassen to receive animal control services.
I However, there has been a concern developing regarding the quality of service that is being
provided, which is directly attributable to how busy we are.
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1 July 27, 1993
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1 ANALYSIS
' The benefits of the City of Chanhassen being involved in such a contractual arrangement
remain that it does permit us to have a Community Service Officer on the road and available
to respond to Chanhassen calls when providing animal control services elsewhere, and that the
' program is financially beneficial to Chanhassen. (In addition to paying for the costs of a
CSO for 20 hours per week plus ancillary costs such as uniforms, secretarial support, office
supplies, fuel, vehicle maintenance, etc., the fee charged also has been calculated to pay for
1 50% of the vehicle that is used, plus we make approximately another $5,000.00 .)
The only negative aspect of continuing with the program is that the Community Service
1 Officers are considerably busier than they were in 1989. Since that time, population has
increased in Chanhassen by approximately 30% or 3,000 people, not to mention the increase
in businesses. Population growth is expected to continue each per year. Without question,
the opening of Target within the year, and other proposed businesses, are going to have a
pronounced affect on the number of calls that our Community Service Officers are involved
with. I should also add that since 1989, our Community Service Officer & Animal Control
1 Program has become very well accepted by not only our City, but the cities that we contract
with, as well as the various law enforcement agencies with whom we work, so that we are
being called upon more each and every year.
My first commitment is to ensure that the City of Chanhassen is receiving sufficient public
' safety services. Because of the reasons listed, I believe we are too busy to continue providing
contractual animal control services with the staff we now have. Because of the level of
activities that our Community Service Officers are involved with, both Chanhassen and the
' other cities are experiencing the tension of what has become 'doing too much with too little'.
The CSOs are finding themselves unable to complete their tasks in as timely a manner as
necessary, which results in frustrations by the community and our employees. I am the one
' that gets complaints from residents that don't feel that their complaints are being responded to
quickly enough, and I feel terrible about a recent questionnaire sent out by the City of
Shorewood soliciting input on their city services, which resulted in our animal control
program being listed as the most unsatisfactory. This is a result of our CSOs being too busy
to provide the same level of service that we have been able to provide.
1 RECOMMENDATION
The "which came first -- the chicken or the egg ?" question is WHICH IS STRESSING THE
1 SYSTEM (i.e., Chanhassen or the contractual cities)? In all fairness, I would have to say it is
a combination, and I think both are being short changed as far as the quality of service right now.
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July 27, 1993 1
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Because we have benefitted, and continue to benefit financially from the program, it is my
recommendation that the Council consider the hiring of an additional part -time (30 hours per
week) Community Service Officer. As in the past, I would recommend hiring someone that
is pursuing their law enforcement training, and to seek someone that has particular knowledge
and experience with animals, (for example, someone on a career track to become a
Conservation Officer). As the City of Chanhassen continues to grow, a reasonable increase in
personnel needs to be anticipated -- particularly when we are providing services to five other
cities as well. This position would pay approximately $9.00 per hour, with no benefits
included.
Two other alternatives exist. One is to increase the hours worked by our two part-time
Community Service Officers to 40 hours per week; thus, benefits would be included. The
two CSOs would like to see this occur. I am concerned about this option because part -time
CSOs are generally involved in schooling, or seeking another job once they have completed
their training, both of which are time consuming endeavors. Also, our CSO program is not
presently designed to be a permanent, full -time position.
Another option that has been discussed over the years is that if we are going to continue
providing animal control services, perhaps we should consider hiring a full -time animal
control specialist. I think this is an excellent idea because then one person that has 1
professional knowledge in this area could coordinate the program, while receiving support
services from the CSOs. This position could be offered on the basis that whenever
Chanhassen decides to no longer provide animal control services on a contractual basis to 1
other cities, that the position would possibly be eliminated at that time. I have not pursued
this alternative aggressively, though it does have merit, because of the costs associated with
1 such a position, but would examine it further if the Council desires.
I should add that the contract cities would like to know our decision as soon as possible so 1
that they can plan their budget.
It is the recommendation of staff that the City Council give approval to enter into a 3 year
contract (1994, 1995 & 1996) with the above listed cities to provide animal control services
to be billed at a rate similar to that which has been charged, and to authorize the inclusion of
an additional 30 per week community service officer position in the 1994 budget. 1
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