City council meeting Number 200.9fiscal year 25/26 and 26/27 in accordance with Agreement File to compensate Southeast Area Animal Control (“SEAACA”) for Consideration and possible action to authorize the City Manager July 13, 2026
Introduction for fiscal year 2025/26. SEAACA to compensate 2) Seek Council direction and approval address service issues, and;1) Provide an update on SEAACA and staff’s efforts to
•Background addressedImprovements have been made but not all items have been •New leadership appointed in January 2026•Marginal progress with previous leadership•Service delivery discussions with SEAACA since August 2024
•Service Complaints Lack of enforcement •Limited proactive patrols of parks and public spaces•responseup inspections after initial field -Inconsistent follow•ups -for dead animal pickDelayed response time to service requests, especially •Community Complaints
Contract Compliance FY 25/26 projected to be under $50,000•FY 19/20 $141,300•Reduction in license revenue;•approximately 2020 (following COVID)Door to door canvassing has been reduced since •every yearcanvassed once every 2 years, and delinquent licenses AFN 200.9 requires all Bellflower addresses be •Lack of license canvassing services•
Contract Compliance December2,70610,62925.4%November3,11510,28630.2%October2,86110,62926.9%September2,42010,28623.5%August2,60410,62924.5%July1,63810,62915.4%June1,38610,28613.4%May2,42510,62922.8%Ap ril1,85010,28617.9%March2,30110,62921.6%February1,9079,60019.8%January2,13910,62920.1%Month(minutes)logged Time for full complianceMonthly minutes Fulfilled% 2025Staff audited officer logs for •totaling 40 hours per week”“one assigned officer, •hour per week officer-40•
Not Just a Bellflower Issue Response is pending •nd Commissioners on June 2Mutual letter, signed by all 5 cities, to SEAACA Board of •Buena Park, Lakewood, South Gate, and Commerce•experience;Bellflo wer service issues similar to what other cities •
Audit Findings planmember cities to review or influence SEAACA’s spending Budget adoption timeframe leaves little to no time for •agenda packets, and Board meeting minutesnot made public; budgets, audited financial statements, Lack of transparency with financial documents as they are •Budgeted $39.2 million, only spent $29 million•surpluses for the past five fiscal yearsyear -to-Budgetary practices have resulted in year•Independent audit of financial systems•
Audit Findings comparables.utilization of services by SEAACA, and peer fraud/waste/abuse, animal control officer call analysis, Will cover operations, organizational structure, risks of •Part B of the audit is pending; •to ongoing labor negotiationsbenchmarking, and staffing vacancies as these relate SEAACA’s recruitment strategy, compensation •it may expose SEAACA to litigation riskService agreements with member and contract cities as •Audit items withheld from public review•
Improvements More responsive in recent months•organizational prioritiesregarding performance metrics, operational changes, and Increasing communication and collaboration with member cities •Implementing corrective actions identified in Part A of internal audit•tracking and operational software systems-Commitment to the replacement and modernization of its service•Hiring additional Animal Control Officers, currently at twelve (12)•
Contract Costs an agreement which the City has not approved or signed.Cost is based on $814,974.Bellflower should expect an amount due of FY 2026/27: SEAACA is not increasing costs compared to FY 2025/26, •Commissioners approval to waive remaining amount, $173,094. amount of $641,880 (last agreed upon rate) but will require Board of After discussions, SEAACA invoiced the City for FY 2025/26 in the •City did not agree or sign this agreement.•$814,974.increasing overall cost to amendment, revising and removing license revenue guarantee and year agreement, not an -FY 2025/26: SEAACA provided new 5•(included $138,000 license guarantee). $641,880 year agreement with SEAACA at a net cost of -FY 2024/25: City signed 5•
Recommendation) Alternatively, discuss and take other action related to this item.3or;paymentforCounciltorecommendationsfuturemakeand27-2026FYforcompliancecontractualreviewtoManagerCitytheAuthorize) 2and;26-2025FYfor880,641$ofamountinvoicedtheinSEAACAcompensatetoManagerCitytheAuthorize)1