City Agrees to Turn Animal Control Services Over to Foundation

With some reluctance but ultimate unanimity, the agreed Monday night to turn over its city-run animal services to the new Petaluma Animal Services Foundation, as part as their annual budget discussions.

The turnover is expected to be complete by August 2, 2012. All City Animal Services personnel will be offered employment with the new PASF, pending review and acceptance of positions with the new foundation.

Their wages and benefits are expected to be somewhat reduced from current levels for most positions, in the short term at least, but it is hoped the commitment of these employees to animal health and services will motivate them to accept the reduced terms.

"It's our intent to bring everyone along so we can hit the ground running," said Sue Davy of the PASF.

The Petaluma Animal Services Foundation's of Animal Services and the shelter on Hopper St., offers to take over all animals services from the city, including services "for stray, surrendered, injured and dead animals as well as public services for our town of 58,000 residents." (An 8-page version of their proposal is attached to this article.)

The offer was precipitated by seven years of previous city budgets that led to a staffing decrease from 10 to 6.5 full time equivalent employees; the current draft budget projected further cuts to 4.5 employees, including the loss of an animal control officer. PASF hopes to retain staffing for animal services at the current level without further reduction, keeping the two current animal control officers.

"I believe that government does have a purpose," said city councilmember , "and it's frustrating when we have to cut things. I'm reluctant to outsource things but these are important services."

Her sentiments were echoed by several other councilmembers who questioned elements of the plan such as ownership of property and service vehicles, and liability covering them.

It was agreed that pending a more precise contract, all property will remain with the city, but the Foundation would assume liability.

The effect on the 2012-2013 budget itself is negligible, because the city is essentially contracting out the services for roughly the same amount of money, $478,000. But by allowing the Foundation to provide the services the animal services staff will remain at its current level., and the Foundation stands to gain more in revenue from donations and grants that are not available for municipalities.

UPDATE: While City Manager Brown called the budgetary difference in turning over animal services to PASF "a wash," the Foundation's Sue Davy disagreed.

"I’m not sure why the city feels that they’re paying the same amount. Their appropriation for Animal Services in 2011-2012 was $648,220. Our proposed budget from the City for 2012-13 is $478,220. A savings of $170,000."

The difference can be regarded as the 5% budgetary reduction asked for by the City Council in across-the-board savings from last year's budget.

The city of Petaluma will retain revenue from licensing and other fees to the average from previous three years up to $92,000; the Foundation will retain revenue above that amount.

"It's the best possible step in a very difficult situation," said. Earlier, he had quoted baseball great Yogi Berra, "When you get to a fork in the road, take it," in reference to the necessity if not opportunity to turn city animal services over to the private non-profit.

In recent yearshas had an improving but less than stellar euthanasia and adaptation rate., who spent three recent years as the city Animal Services director, will leave city employment to become executive director of the PASF. In a statement to the Council he said that four years ago about , but the number had dropped to 126 last year; the adoption rate in same period rose from 400 adopted to 565 last year.

According to their proposal, PASF "will work towards a zero euthanasia rate for our homeless pets."