Consent Calendar Item 3j
STAFF REPORT
City Council Consent Item
DATE: September 18, 2023
TO: Honorable Mayor and Council Members
FROM: Casey J. Day, Chief of Police
THRU: Merritt Perry, City Manager
SUBJECT: Approve a new Memorandum of Understanding with Miranda’s Rescue Mission for Animal Care Services
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Approve a new memorandum of understanding with Miranda’s Rescue Mission for animal care services, which recognize the updated terms for the compensation of services rendered.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
Miranda’s Rescue Mission maintains and operates an animal sanctuary in a secure and sanitary manner adequate for the confinement, treatment, and placement of all domestic animals. Miranda’s Rescue Mission accepts animals from the City’s kennel facility and provides the supervision, labor, food, tools, supplies, and other necessary items for the extended care, management, and disposition of the animals. The City’s partnership with Miranda’s Rescue Mission has reduced costs and staff time involved with providing long-term kennel care in the City’s animal control and kennel facility.
BACKGROUND:
The City of Fortuna has historically utilized the services of Miranda’s Rescue Mission to provide extended animal control services including shelter for the secure and humane impoundment and disposition of stray, abandoned, abused, or otherwise neglected animals. In prior years, this partnership has reduced costs and staff time involved with long term care of animals in the City’s kennel facility beyond ten (10) days.
The current MOU with Miranda’s Rescue Mission expired in June of 2023. The City budgets approximately $1200.00 per month for associated services and associated veterinary expenses. In previous MOU’s, Miranda’s Rescue Mission received a monthly payment of $500.00 for services rendered. In addition to the monthly payment, Miranda’s Rescue Mission also previously received the amount left over from unexpended monthly allocations; per contractual agreement.
For current and future MOU’s, staff is recommending a change to the terms of the MOU in order to eliminate unnecessary costs associated with the aforementioned provision which contractually obligated the City to provide Miranda’s Rescue Mission with unspent funds which are left over each month.
The new MOU eliminates this clause and recognizes a fiscally responsible flat fee of $800.00 per month for compensation to Miranda’s Rescue Mission for services rendered. Staff has checked with alternative service providers throughout Humboldt County including the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office Animal Control Division and costs associated with these alternate providers is substantially higher.
Consent Calendar Item 3j
FISCAL IMPACT:
The current budget amount adopted for this fiscal year is $20,000.00. With the proposed monthly fee of $800.00 per month, the city will save up to $10,400.00 per year, less whatever is spent for any additional associated expenditures.
RECOMMENDED COUNCIL ACTION:
1. Receive staff report.
2. Approve recommended MOU renewal terms.
3. Consent Agenda vote.