1o. 1992 Animal Control Contract i
CITYOF
I ,:tei ,
CHANHASSEN
1
690 COULTER DRIVE • P.O. BOX 147 • CHANHASSEN, MINNESOTA 55317
I (612) 937-1900 • FAX (612) 937-5739
1 MEMORANDUM
TO: Don Chmi e l , Mayor %•;rss;g 1/...
I City Council + - t _
Don Ashworth, City Manager r•
FROM: Scott Harr , Public Safety Director S
IDATE: September 6, 1991
SUBJ: 1992 Animal Control Contract - A.i._
This memo is provide information recommending. that the City continue
to provide animal control services to the cities of Victoria,
Shorewood, Greenwood, Excelisor and Tonka Bay.
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HISTORY:
IAs is outlined in the attached memo dated 6/24/91 , Chanhassen entered
into a three year contract with the above cities to provide them with
a total of 20 hours per week of animal control . This arrangement has
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gone very well during 1990 & •1991 , and it is time to consider
continuing with this program another year. (Please refer to the
6/24/91 memo for more detailed information about the animal control
Icontract . )
IANALYSIS : -
The animal control contract has continued to benefit not only the
other five cities , but the City of Chanhassen as well . With the
I change in CSO staffing, the program is running more smoothly than
ever , and developments of policy & procedures have helped make
everything run better yet . At a meeting with the representatives from
I these cities held at Chanhassen City Hall on 7/18/91 , the consensus
was that everyone desired this relationship to continue.
1 RECOMMENDATION:
While we agreed to provide animal control services for a 3 year
Iperiod, I drafted the contract to permit increases in what we charge
Pt
Tali PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER
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-September 6 , 1991
Page 2
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each year. I presented the contract to the Public Safety Commission
at the 8/8/91 meeting, and they endorsed the contract , ' recommending
that the relationship continue for 1992. It is the recommendation of
' staff that the City again enter into a contract with the five
neighboring cities for us to provide 20 hours of animal control per
week, with an increase in the hourly fee to meet our expenses .
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• CITY of
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CHANHASSEN
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6 MINNESOTA 55317
,.. 690 COULTER DRIVE • P.O. BOX 147 • CHANHASSEN,
(612) 937-1900 • FAX (612) 937-5739
1
MEMORANDUM
I
TO: Don Ashworth, City Manager
FROM: Scott Harr , Public Safety Director I
DATE: June 24 , 1991
I
SUBJ: Animal Control Contract
I
This memo is to provide you with an updated review of the animal
control services that we provide to the neighboring cities . This
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memo is being written in response to inqui , ies made about the
status of the program, as well as to serve as a resource as the
1992 budget is considered. 1
HISTORY 1•
On September 12 , 1989, the City of Chanhassen agreed to provide 20
hours per week of animal control service to the Cities of : Green- '
wood, Victoria, Tonka Bay, Excelsior and Shorewood. This action
was in response to an -immediate need of these cities after the pri- '
vate company that was providing animal control to them unexpectedly I
withdrew from their contract . The City of Chanhassen was approached
because we had an animal control program that was operational , we
were in close proximity.-:to these other cities , and we all utilized
the same veterinary clinic. _ - 1
Animal control services were provided to these cities during the
end of 1989 on an interim basis while our City Council considered 1
whether to enter into a three year contractual agreement through
which Chanhassen would provide animal control services to them.
The plan was approved, and we did- enter into such a contract that
has continued to work very well. The contract was renegotiated for I
1991 to provide for an increase in the hourly fees charged to these
cities , and it is expected that fee increases would occur each
year. 1
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1
CITY OF
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sL4wY` '
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411W77 r4 .: , ;'�� ; 690 COULTER DRIVE • P.O. BO •° , BOX 147• CHANHASSEN, MINNESOTA 55317
"k '"- (612) 937-1900 • FAX (612) 937-5739
MEMORANDUM
TO: Don Ashworth, City Manager
IFROM: Scott Harr , Public Safety Director
DATE: June 24 , 1991
IISUBJ: Animal Control Contract
II
This memo is to provide you with an updated review of the animal
II control services that we provide to the neighboring cities . This
memo is being written in response to inquiries made about the
status of the program, as well as to serve as a resource as the
1992 budget is considered.
I
i.
I HISTORY
•
On September 12 , 1989 , the City of Chanhassen agreed to provide 20
' hours per week of animal control service to the Cities of : _ Green-
wood, Victoria, Tonka Bay, Excelsior and Shorewood. This action
was in response to an ::immediate need of these cities after the pri-
vate company that was- providing animal control to them unexpectedly
I withdrew from the.ir-` contract . The City of Chanhassen was approached
because we had an animal control program that was operational , we
were in close proxiiii'.ifyytt'o these.-other cities , and we all utilized
IIthe same veterinar.yl.;t;c4,i 4c.
Animal control services were provided to these cities during the
end of 1989 on an iritTer m;7bas,is while our Ci.t.y ,Council considered
I whether to enter into a three `yiear con.t:r-actual agreement through
which Chanhassen would
provideIan}`mal control services to them.
II The plan was approved, and we Od„"enter into such a contract that
has continued to work very well The contract was renegotiated for
1991 to provide for an increase in the hourly fees charged to these
cities, and it is expected that fee increases would occur each
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II year . -
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II .
, DoTi,Ashworth
II
June 24 , 1991
Page 2
ISTATUS OF PROGRAM
Following is the breakdown of the hours that each city contracts I
with us to patrol per week:
City of Tonka Bay 3 II
City of Shorewood 10
City of Excelsior 4
City of Victoria 2
ICity of Greenwood 1
20 hrs/week
In addition to these patrol hours, the City of Chanhassen responds
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to "emergency call-outs" , which provide necessary services such as
animal services & impounds during times that a Community Service
Officer is not on duty. All expenses incurred as a result of pro- ,
viding animal control services to the other communities are charged
back to the particular city utilizing the services ( including board
fees, veterinary costs , euthanizing fees, etc. ) .
The patrol time is divided among our Community Service Officers and '
turns are taken on a weekly basis to be "on call " (during which time
the Carver County Sheriff ' s Department contacts the on-call person
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via pager when an animal control situation arises that requires
immediate attention) . The hours that our CSOs provide patrol ser-
vices are scheduled at various times , not only to fit the assigned I
schedule of the Community Service Officers , but also in response to
specific needs that each community may communicate to us .
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ANALYSIS OF THE PROGRAM
Having been' participating in the providing of animal control ser- I
vices through this program for almost 2 years now, we have had the
opportunity to get a realistic feel for how it works . Frankly, the
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only difficulties have been a result of CSO personnel shortages .
Much of the credit for the success of the Animal Control Program is
due to the commendable job that Bob Zydowsky has done in assisting
with the design and implementation of this program. '
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In addition to the $5,800 .00+ that is acquired after the costs of
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providing this service is considered, it has proven very beneficial
to us to have the CSO that is providing the contract services
available to respond to Chanhassen calls . In effect , this provides
for an additional officer that spends a portion of that 20 hours not I
only being directly available to work in Chanhassen, but is coming
- and going through town, and being available to assist the City and
the Sheriff ' s Department .
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Another interesting benefit that we had not necessarily expected -
was that communication between the six cities that are serviced by
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our Community Service Officers. has increased, providing much more
expeditious responses tQ animal .related calls.. A perfect example
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Don Ashworth,
June 24 , 1991
Page 3
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is that more lost animals are returned to their owners quickly,
' limiting the expenses that we have with both boarding fees and
euthanasing (not to mention making the pet owners happy! ) .
' Frequent meetings with the CSOs that provide the service, our
Finance Department and myself have helped "fine tune" the operation
of the program so that there is actually little administrative time
' involved. The billing process has worked smoothly, policies and
procedures have continued to be developed, and everyone seems happy
with the way the program has evolved.
' As previously stated, personnel shortages have been the only
stumbling block we have encountered. Fortunately, Carol Dunsmore
has expressed an interest in being of assistance when needed. The
' fact that she lives in Chanhassen and has an interest & working
knowledge of dealing with animals has been very helpful . As the
cities we work in have continued to feel _more comfortable with the
' program, "call-outs" have continued, and while part of the job, it
is very difficult on those providing the services when we are as
shorthanded as we have been this last year . Again, Carol has been
a great help by being willing to assist in covering these necessary
' calls .
' FUTURE OF THE PROGRAM
The contract that we entered
into was for a three year period
(1990 , 1991 , and 1992) . Contractual language was included to allow
' for increased fees charged by the City of Chanhassen, as well as
for other cities to withdraw if they felt so compelled. An
increase for 1991 of approximately 6% was well accepted by the
other cities .
There have continued to be some questions and concerns by our City
Council regarding our involvement with providing animal control ser-
vices on a contractual basis. This is one of the issues that I am
interested in having the Public Safety Commission and City Council
address so that not only are concerns stated and responded to, but
' also so that the cities involved and I have some direction in
planning for 1992. •
IF •
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• • � Don. Ashworth
•`June' 24 , 1991
Page 4
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I know that one concern has been the question of what the program
costs to operate. Following are the costs of the Animal Control
Contract Program:
We presently provide 20 hours of patrol service per week @ $23 .40
per hour :
20 hours/week (contract hours) _
x $23 . 40/hour (1991 hourly fee)
$468. 00/week (amount billed to other cities for
patrol services per week)
x 52 weeks/year
$24,336 . 00 (annual fees charged for the contract
13 ,389 . 50 (cost of CSO, including benefits ,
to provide the 20 hours of patrol
service under the contract)
10, 946 . 50 (remaining to pay for vehicle costs , I
administrative costs , secretarial
time, finance time, insurance,
etc. ) '
5 , 131 .35
$5 , 815 . 15 (AMOUNT REMAINING AFTER OUR COSTS
OF PROVIDING SERVICE)
Another question has been: What does the City of Chanhassen get for
providing these services? In addition to the goodwill extended to the
other cities involved, half the cost of the newer CSO vehicle, and the
monies remaining after program costs , I stated earlier the benefits of
increased communication in this geographical area (since in the past ,
animals have wandered between jurisdictions , often times without neigh-
boring communities being aware that the animal may have been picked up,
resulting in unnecessary boarding and euthanasing of animals) . And
there is no question that the City of Chanhassen benefits by having the I
availability of the CSO that is working the contract hours available to
us at anytime they are on duty covering the contract .
I am also aware that there has been a question of whether the City
needs to be providing these services to others . I think the police
contract is an example of how one agency can serve other agencies to
the benefit of all, while everyone involved is being fiscally respon-
sible. This is also the case with our involvement in the Southwest I
Metro Drug Task Force. Cooperative efforts are the way of the future.
Similarly, the animal control contract permits other cities to have
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Lon Ashworth
June 24 , 1991
Page 5
their animal control needs met , while giving Chanhassen benefits
as well . I see it as yet another example of how cities are
mutually consolidating services for the benefit of all , deve-
loping creative and economical solutions to meet the needs of
those served.
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RECOMMENDATION
Based on our experience to date, I would recommend that our
participation in this program may continue. However , I can only
' recommend this if we are adequately staffed.
As a result of Ms . Browne resigning from her full-time CSO posi-
tion with us to accept a police job, we are presently back to one
full-time employee (Bob Zydowsky) . I have recommended to you
that we consider changing one of the two existing full-time CSO
jobs in order to create two part-time (30 hours per week) posi-
tions, while keeping CSO Zydowsky in a full-time position. You
have authorized my taking steps to hire for one of these part-
time positions at this time.
' It is my opinion that in order to meet the CSO needs of
Chanhassen alone, we need 80 hours per week of coverage. Pre-
sently, CSO Zydowsky provides 40 hours of this coverage, and my
' recommendation of hiring two part-time CSOs at 30 hours per week
would provide the additional 40 hours of CSO coverage for
Chanhassen and the 20 hours per week for the animal control
contract . (An important benefit of having the two part-time
positions is that we then have personnel available to more fairly
cover off-duty "emergency call-outs" , which have been excep-
tionally burdensome on both Bob Zydowsky and Carol Dunsmore. By
' having the• full-time CSO position and two part-time positions ,
and by utilizing Carol ' s willingness to assist , we can schedule
people to be on-call for the off-duty call-outs one week per
' month) .
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