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CONSENT CALENDAR
City of San Bernardino
Request for Council Action
Date: April 17, 2024
To: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
From: Charles A. Montoya, City Manager;
Kris Watson, Director of Animal Services
Department: Animal Services
Subject: Authorize and Appropriate Funding for Animal
Services for the Preparation of the Regional
Partnership Agreements
Recommendation:
It is recommended that the Mayor and City Council of the City of San Bernardino California, adopt Resolution No. 2024-067;
1. Authorizing the Director of Finance & Management Services to approve the allocation of $4,000,000. from the General Fund and to appropriate the funds to make the necessary upgrades to the Animal Services facility; and
2. Authorizing the Director of Finance & Management Services to amend the Fiscal Year 2023-2027 Capital Improvement Project Program to add the Animal Services Regional Partnership Facility Improvement Project.
Executive Summary
It was established that the City of San Bernardino would enter into a Regional Partnership for Animal Services with the cities of Colton, Fontana, Grand Terrace, Loma Linda, and Rialto. In order to accommodate the additional animals this Regional Partnership Agreement will bring, it is necessary to upgrade the Animal Services facility and make temporary site improvements that will house the influx of animals in the interim, while long range plans are being made for a replacement shelter. The total cost to construct the facility and site improvements is estimated to be $4,000,000. The total immediate impact on the general fund will be $4,000,000.
Due to the terms of the Regional Partnership Agreement, the City of San Bernardino will be reimbursed by the five partner cities in the Agreement after July 1, 2024. After reimbursement, the impact to the General Fund will be $2,306,915. with this action. 2 0
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Background
Earlier this year, the Department of Animal Services received notification that Riverside County Animal Services would be discontinuing shelter services for the cities of Colton, Fontana and Rialto on June 30, 2024. Subsequently, these three cities in our region are in need of a shelter to contract for services beginning with July 1, 2024.
The cities of Colton and Fontana previously contracted with the City of San Bernardino for shelter services; those contracts ended in 2014 (Colton) and 2015 (Fontana) when those cities began contracting with the County of Riverside. The City of Rialto previously contracted with the County of San Bernardino until 2018 when they transferred to Riverside County for shelter services. The cities of Grand Terrace and Loma Linda currently contract with the Department to provide shelter services.
Animal Services realized that this is a significant investment in the welfare of animals in our City and in our region. In an effort to lessen the impact on the General Fund of our City, as well as any partner cities, the Mayor and City Council adopted Resolution No. 2023-188 on December 6, 2023, that established a Nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation to actively raise funds for programs and services to benefit all the animals in the shelter, as well as programs which support pet owners in our community. The Nonprofit is named “Friends of San Bernardino Animal Services Foundation”.
The item brought forward on behalf of the Animal Services department on December 6, 2023, also identified in the fiscal impact section that the General Fund share for the current fiscal year was $2,300,000. The estimate given that the total facility shelter improvements were stated to be approximately $4,000,000 and the supply costs, as well as additional personnel costs, were to be $1,500,000. The anticipated reimbursements and expenses from the partnering cities are accounted for in the proposed biennial budget.
Discussion
Animal Services has worked with the Public Works Department team to assess the current shelter site and prepare the facility to accommodate the influx of animals on July 1, 2024. Currently, Staff estimates the cost for the necessary improvements and additional structures to be roughly $4,000,000.
In an effort to keep costs low and maximize flexibility, the building facility upgrades will be in the form of modular trailers for the staff office, metal building kits, and kennel housing units that will house the animals. All of these newly acquired structures will be able to be moved and utilized at the new site location when the replacement shelter is constructed.
The site improvements will consist of design and architecture fees, grading the site to control the flow of water, foundational concrete pads for the kennel housing units, above and below ground site utilities that include electrical and natural gas, sewer hookups, and all compliance with all ADA requirements. The new kennel units and modular trailers will also require all utility hookups to make them fully functional. 2 0
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The costs for the site improvements and new structures will have an initial cost on the general fund of $4,000,000; however, after reimbursement payments from partner cities, the actual cost is estimated to be $2,306,915, not including the additional personnel and supplies.
2021-2025 Strategic Targets and Goals
The approval of this appropriation aligns with Key Strategic Target and Goal #3:
Improved Quality of Life, by partnering with other entities in the Region, ensuring consistent, stable animal services for our residents and those of neighboring cities.
Partnering with the other cities in our region also aligns with Key Strategic Goal # 4 – Economic Growth and Development by improving the City’s Animal Services facility.
Fiscal Impact
The immediate fiscal impact to the General Fund is $4,000,000. Once the Regional Partnership Agreement goes into effect on July 1, 2024, the impact to the General Fund will be $2,306,915 based on the reimbursement payment terms agreed to between each of the partnered Cities and the City of San Bernardino.
Conclusion
It is recommended that the Mayor and City Council of the City of San Bernardino, California, adopt Resolution No. 2024-067;
1. Authorizing the Director of Finance & Management Services to approve the allocation of $4,000,000. from the General Fund and to appropriate the funds to make the necessary upgrades to the Animal Services facility; and
2. Authorizing the Director of Finance & Management Services to amend the Fiscal Year 2023-2027 Capital Improvement Project Program to add the Animal Services Regional Partnership Facility Improvement Project.
Attachments
Attachment 1 – Resolution No. 2024-067
Attachment 2 – Exhibit A – Construction Costs of Shelter Improvements Attachment 3 – Exhibit B – Payment Schedules for Partnering Cities Ward:
Third Ward
Synopsis of Previous Council Actions:
December 6, 2023 Resolution No. 2023-188 of the Mayor and City Council of San Bernardino, California, Authorizing the City Manager to take the steps necessary to establish a California Nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation to support the Department of Animal Services Programs and Initiatives.