CITY OF SIMI VALLEY
MEMORANDUM
May 19, 2025
TO: City Council
FROM: Department of Environmental Services
SUBJECT: APPROVAL OF A ONE-YEAR CONTRACT EXTENSION WITH VENTURA COUNTY ANIMAL SERVICES FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025 -26, AND
AUTHORIZATION FOR THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE ALL
REQUISITE DOCUMENTS
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council approve a one-year extension to the Animal Services Agreement (contract) with Ventura County Animal Services (VCAS) to continue providing animal-related services and authorize the City Manager to execute the contract and all requisite documents.
BACKGROUND AND OVERVIEW
Since May 1987, the City of Simi Valley has contracted with VCAS to provide a wide range of animal -related services. Currently, VCAS provides the City with animal care services, field services, and administrative services. The City Council approved the initial contract in May 2020 for a five-year term from FY 2020-21 through FY 2024-25. In May 2022, the City Council approved a revised contract for the remaining three-year term from FY 2021- 22 through FY 2024-25 to accommodate the revisions to VCAS operations (Exhibit 1). This agreement expires June 30, 2025.
FINDINGS AND ALTERNATIVES
Several cities and the County of Ventura share the cost of VCAS operations. Currently , participating cities include Camarillo, Fillmore, Moorpark, Port Hueneme, Ojai, Oxnard, and Ventura. An annual Service Level Agreement is executed each fiscal year to update the costs of services and to allow for any proposed service changes.
The City’s selected service levels continue to reflect state -mandated services and appropriately meet the community’s needs. Any change in the selected service levels would require the City to provide the services directly or through other means. The following briefly summarizes the service functions.
VCAS intends to do a comprehensive review and update of the contract and requested a one-year extension to the current agreement to allow time to collaborate with the contracting cities.
AGENDA ITEM NO.
Consent (5)
Animal Care Services
• Defines potentially dangerous and vicious dogs, authorizes the impoundment of a nuisance animal, and provides for administrative and civil hearings to resolve nuisances at the discretion of VCAS.
Field Services
• Implements administrative citations in lieu of nuisance hearings for barking dog complaints and assists complainants with the required documentation and evidence standards.
Administrative Services
• Streamlines the administrative hearing process for citations through administrative review, which allows persons who received citations to request an administrative desk review without the expense or time of a formal hearing. • Provides a hearing process for breeding permit revocation and reversal of nuisance declarations.
The net cost to- date for FY 2024- 25 is $183,599 and it is anticipated that the total estimated expenses for FY 2025-26 is $1,063,672.91 (base services, field services, and additional services as needed) . The cost of services conforms to the current contract terms and has been included in the FY 2025- 26 budget. The contract allows for adjustments to field service costs based on costs incurred by the VCAS and a 5% increase to sheltering costs based on a three-year average of animal intake by city.
The following alternatives are available to the City Council:
1. Approve a First Amendment to the Agreement between the City and VCAS (contract) (Exhibit 2), extending the term for one year from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026, and authorize the City Manager to execute the contract and all related documents;
2. Provide staff with alternate direction.
Staff recommends Alternative No. 1.
SUGGESTED CITY COUNCIL MOTION
I move to approve a one-year contract extension with VCAS to continue providing animal- related services through FY 2025- 26 and authorize the City Manager to execute the contract and all requisite documents.
2 SUMMARY
S
ince May 1987, the City of Simi Valley has contracted with VCAS to provide a wide range of animal -related services. VCAS provides animal services to a wide variety of Ventura County cities, including Camarillo, Fillmore, Moorpark, Port Hueneme, Ojai, Oxnard, and Ventura. Currently, VCAS provides the City with animal care services, field services, and administrative services. In May 2022, the City Council approved a revised contract for a remaining three- year term from FY 2021- 22 through FY 2024- 25 to accommodate the revisions to VCAS operations. The City desires to extend the agreement with VCAS for an additional one-year term to allow for VCAS to review the services it provides to the collective cities and revise its future contract provisions accordingly.
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_________________________________
Stratis Perros
Environmental Services Director
P
repared by: Cynthia McCullough, Senior Management Analyst INDEX Page
Exhibit 1 – Current Animal Services Agreement ..............................4 Exhibit 2 – Amendment No. 1 ........................................................ .13 Exhibit 3 – FY 2025-26 Service Level Agreement ......................... 15 3 EXHIBIT 1
4 5
6 7
8 9
10 11
12 EXHIBIT 2
FIRST AMENDMENT TO AGREEMENT
BETWEEN
THE CITY OF SIMI VALLEY
AND VENTURA COUNTY ANIMAL SERVICES
THIS FIRST AMENDMENT (“Amendment”) to Agreement is made and entered into this 19th day of May 2025, by and between the City of Simi Valley, a general law city and municipal corporation (“City”), and Ventura County Animal Services (“VCAS”), each a “Party” and collectively, “Parties”.
1 Pursuant to subsection 6.2 of Section 6. 0, TERM OF AGREEMENT, the term is being extended for an additional one (1) year and is amended to state as follows:
“6.1 Unless sooner terminated as provided for herein, this Agreement shall be effective from July 1, 2022, to June 30, 2026.”
2. Pursuant to Section 3.0 AMENDMENT SERVICE LEVEL FORM , and notwithstanding the February 15
th deadline, the Parties agree that Attachment “A” to the Agreement is hereby replaced in its entirety by the Attachment “A” to this First Amendment to the Agreement.
3. ELECTRONIC SIGNATURES. This Amendment may be executed by the Parties on any number of separate counterparts, and all such counterparts so executed constitute one Amendment binding on all the Parties , notwithstanding that all the Parties are not signatories to the same counterpart. In accordance with Government Code §16.5, the Parties agree that this Amendment will be considered signed when the signature of a party is delivered by electronic transmission. Such electronic signature will be treated in all respects as having the same effect as an original signature.
4. This Amendment may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which will be an original, but all of which together constitute one instrument executed on the same date.
5. Except as modified by this Amendment, all other terms of the Agreement between the Parties remain the same.
[SIGNATURES ON NEXT PAGE]
13 IN WITNESS WHEREOF the parties hereto have executed this contract the day and year first hereinabove written.
Attest: City of Simi Valley, A Municipal Corporation
By:
Lucy Blanco, City Clerk Samantha C. Argabrite, City Manager
Approved as to Form: County of Ventura
Algeria R. Ford, City Attorney By:
Print Name:
Approved as to Content:
Title:
Johanna Medrano, By:
Deputy Administrative Services Director/
Budget & Purchasing Print Name:
Title:
Stratis Perros
Environmental Services Director
14 EXHIBIT 3
City of Simi Valley
ATTACHMENT “A”
COUNTY-CITY ANIMAL SERVICES AGREEMENT
COUNTY OF VENTURA
AND
CITY OF SIMI VALLEY
FY 2025/26 SERVICE LEVEL REQUEST
PART ONE: AVAILABLE SERVICES AND APPLICABLE BILLING
RATES AND CREDITS
A. A nimal Care Services
At the election of the City, the County shall provide the following services:
1. Shelter Services
As may be required, the County shall provide animal care services to the City for all animals originating within the boundaries of the City (whether picked up in the City or dropped off at the County’s animal shelter) when there is a stray/abandoned animal, adoption return, confiscation, cruelty abuse or neglect investigation, or injured wildlife.
The County will accept animals surrendered by their owners dependent upon shelter capacity. For animals originating in the City and impounded, the County shall provide the following animal care services: sheltering, boarding, animal adoptions, foster care coordination, veterinary care and treatment, bite quarantine, euthanasia services, and disposal of deceased animals. Impounded animals will be vaccinated and provided necessary care, food and shelter in accordance with the provisions of state law. The animal’s picture will be posted on the Ventura County Animal Services Division’s (“Animal Services”) website as soon as practicable to assist the City’s residents in reclaiming a missing pet. The County will also provide, based upon availability of funding and resources, owner requested euthanasia, TNR (Trap, Neuter, Return) surgeries for community cats, and Pet Retention programming. These services will not result in the animal being impounded to the shelter. The County, in its sole and exclusive discretion, shall determine the public and non-public hours of operation and the staffing of the County animal shelters.
The owner or person entitled to the custody of any animal originating with in the boundaries of the City and impounded at a County animal shelter can redeem such 15 City of Simi Valley
animal by paying applicable fees according to the rates and fees approved by the County Board of Supervisors accruing up to the time of such redemption.
The City shall be charged for its proportion of the total County animal care service costs incurred during the fiscal year identified above as set forth below. The County shall bill the City on a quarterly basis for animal care services based on a weighted three (3) calendar year average of the City’s pro rata animal intake percentage, as follows:
The three (3) year weighted average will be calculated so that fifty percent (50%) of the rate is based on the City’s previous calendar year pro rata animal intake percentage relative to the usage by other cities and unincorporated areas of Ventura County, twenty-five percent (25%) of the rate is based on the City’s pro rata animal intake percentage from two (2) years prior and twenty -five percent (25%) of the rate is based on the City’s pro rata animal intake percentage from three (3) years prior, illustrated as follows:
Example:
Hypothetical animal care budget: $6,027,354
Camarillo: (10.4% * .50) + (9.9% * .25) + (10.4% * .25) = 10.3% Future year cost = 10.3% of $6,027,354 = $620,817
Payments of $155,204 made quarterly which will be reduced by any licensing revenue
The animal care budget will be allocated among the participating cities and the County based on the weighted three (3) calendar year animal intake percentage formula described above. For FY 2025-2026, the County’s animal care budget shall follow the following one (1) year fixed-rate schedule:
$7,803,561.85 for fiscal year 2025-2026
2018 INTAKE 2017 INTAKE 2016 INTAKE FUTURE YEAR WEIGHTED AVG Camarillo 1174 10.4% 1223 9.9% 1109 10.4% 10.3%
Fillmore 198 1.7% 320 2.6% 192 1.8% 2.0%
Moorpark 283 2.5% 245 2.0% 321 3.0% 2.5%
Ojai 44 0.4% 109 0.9% 50 0.5% 0.5%
Oxnard 4112 36.3% 4196 34.1% 3947 37.2% 36.0%
Port Hueneme 409 3.6% 432 3.5% 470 4.4% 3.8%
Simi Valley 1360 12.0% 1363 11.1% 1306 12.3% 11.8%
Ventura 1249 11.0% 1555 12.6% 1253 11.8% 11.6%
County 2494 22.0% 2864 23.3% 1971 18.5% 21.5%
Total Intake 11323 100.0% 12307 100.0% 10619 100.0% 100.0% 16 City of Simi Valley
In addition to the animal care formula charged to the participating cities, in the event of any animal intake at a County animal shelter originating from the City due to any law enforcement request, pending court case (including, but not limited to, a criminal case, a petition for writ of mandate under Code of Civil Procedure section 1085 or 1094.5, and a petition for hearing regarding whether a dog is potentially dangerous or vicious under Food and Agriculture Code section 31621, or related provisions of City Ordinance), or a court stay, which results in a County shelter stay of more than fifteen (15) days, the County shall also charge the City for animal care services according to the rates and fees approved by the County Board of Supervisors for each day that each such animal receives animal care services, and any fees have not been paid by the dog owner within 30 days of the County’s invoice for services being mailed to the dog owner.
2. Petitions for Hearing to Determine Dogs to be Potentially Dangerous or Vicious
For any dog impounded to the shelter, the Animal Services Director may bring petitions for hearing to determine dogs residing within the jurisdictional limits of the City to be potentially dangerous or vicious under state law and/or City Ordinance Code. In connection with such petitions, the City shall pay the County accordi ng to the rates and fees approved by the County Board of Supervisors for County employee time expended (and including but not limited to, the attendance at hearing of County employees; legal services performed by the Office of County Counsel; and any services provided by an administrative hearing officer ). If the County retains the services of an administrative hearing officer who is not a County employee, the City agrees to reimburse the County at the administrative hearing officer’s customary hourly rate. If the dog owner appeals any determination that a dog is potentially dangerous or vicious, the City shall pay the County according to the rates and fees approved by the County Board of Supervisors for the attendance at the appeal hearing of County employ ees and the legal services performed by the Office of County Counsel in connection with such an appeal.
3. Rabies Suppression Record Management
The County shall provide the City with rabies control activity reporting as required by State law.
B. Field Services
At the election of the City, the County shall provide the City with the following field services consistent with County Ordinance and State law.
For City Ordinance Code provisions that are consistent with County Ordinance Code and State law, animal control officers may issue citations (administrative or notice to 17 City of Simi Valley
appear) for violations observed by animal control officers while in the field (and including, but not limited to, citations issue d for: failure to license, barking dog nuisance, failure to vaccinate, violation of leash laws, violation of mandatory spay/neuter, violation of animal nuisance orders, and breeding of animals without required permits) . The City will be solely responsible for collection of the citation amounts and processing of any administrative appeals from these citations issued by animal control officers in the field except for barking dog nuisance citations which may be handled by the County . The County will not be responsible for collections or processing administrative appeals from citations issued in the field and/or citations in which the animal owner is provided notice to appear in court except for barking dog nuisance citations which may be handled by the County.
The County will provide, consistent with County Ordinance and State Law , response and investigation of reported animal bite and intimate contact cases to establish that there is compliance with state- mandated quarantine procedures. This includes a follow-up to verify the health of the animal after quarantine. Shelter quarantine will be at the discretion of the County.
The County shall charge the City according to the rates and fees approved by the County Board of Supervisors for County employee time expended in providing field services. The City shall identify a budgeted amount for field services per fiscal year, as well as the average budgeted level of hours of service that the City authorizes the County to provide per week. The County shall notify the City in writing on a quarterly basis regarding actual hours expended for field services to the City, to enable the City to make the determination of whether the City wishes to authorize in writing a higher budgeted annual amount for field services that are not state-mandated. The County will provide the City state -mandated field services, and the City agrees to pay the County’s costs for all state-mandated field services, whether or not the City’s budgeted amount or hours for field services have been exceeded. The County shall be under no obligation to provide the City with any non-state-mandated field services in excess of the City’s budgeted cost and hours, in the absence of prior written City authorization to do so.
The County will issue barking dog citations to owners of dogs residing within the jurisdictional limits of the City upon the required showing being made under City ordinance regarding the existence of a barking nuisance. The County shall charge the City according to the rates and fees approved by the County Board of Supervisors for County employee time expended in reviewing and responding to complaints regarding barking dog nuisances in the jurisdictional limits of the City, regardless of whether a barking nuisance citation is ultimately issued. Once a citation is issued, the dog owner will be responsible for paying the County’s standard fee for any administrative review of a citation, as well as paying any required hearing deposit to request an administra tive hearing to contest the citation, unless the dog owner 18 City of Simi Valley
establishes to the County the dog owner’s financial inability to pay, in which case, the City shall reimburse the County according to the rates and fees approved by the County Board of Supervisors for County employees providing services based on the time expended per hearing; and if the County retains the services of an administrative hearing officer who is not a County employee, the City agrees to reimburse the County for hearing officer services rendered at the administrative hearing officer’s customary hourly rate.
In the event the City declines to have the County perform field services and transports an animal the shelter for care, the City shall be responsible for:
(i) S canning animals for an existing microchip and making all efforts to reunite a lost animal with its owner based on any microchip information prior to transporting that animal to a County shelter;
(ii) M aking all efforts to use information available from any animal’s personal ID tag or a pet license to reunite a lost animal with its owner prior to transporting that animal to a County shelter;
(iii) V accinating an animal with current standard vaccinations provided by Animal Services after an animal has been transported to a County shelter ; and
(iv) T aking a digital photograph of an animal and loading the digital photograph and other pertinent animal information onto Animal Services’ computer information system for tracking animals subject to impoundment after an animal has been transported to a County shelter.
C. Administrative Services
1. Animal License Processing per License
At the election of the City, the County and/or the County’s vendor shall provide the City with animal license processing services at the annual fiscal year cost of six dollars ($6.00) per applicable cat or dog license for each animal within the boundaries of the City. The County and/or the County’s vendor shall mail license renewal notices to the animal owner of record; and when the renewal and payment are received, the County will process licenses. If the County and/or the County’s vendor provides online web- licensing, it shall provide such web-licensing at no additional cost to the City. Licenses will be required before the County will release an animal to a resident of the City. The City animal license fees that the County and/or the County’s vendor collects (less the amount of the County’s license processing fee of six dollars ($6.00)) will be credited to the City quarterly in arrears against the amount that the City owes the County under the parties’ animal services agreement.
2. Automated Administrative Citation Processing
19 City of Simi Valley
At the election of the City, and consistent with City Ordinance Code provisions, the County and/or the County’s vendor shall provide the City with an automated citation service for citations related to licensing, vaccination, (and, if applicable, mandatory spay/neuter) issued to animal owners within the boundaries of the City. If the County reaches a determination, in its sole and exclusive discretion, that it no longer desires to provide an automated citation service to the City (either directly by the County or through the County’s vendor), the County shall provide the City wi th sixty (60) days’ prior written notice before ceasing to provide such services.
The County and/or the County’s vendor will provide the following automated citation processing service to the City contingent upon the City’s reimbursement of actual County costs incurred, and including, but not limited to:
a. actual costs charged to the County by the County’s General Services Agency for mailing and processing of citations and the cost of one (1) hour per month for the services of a Field Services Manager /Citations Clerk):
generate auto citations in Chameleon software; send files to the General Services Agency for processing; receive and review auto citation files from the General Services Agency to ensure accuracy; send reviewed and completed files to the General Services Agency for processing and mailing to animal owners; receive and store finalized PDF file from the General Services Agency; generate email notification to the City’s staff with PDF files for further collection and appeals; receive, through a Supervising Animal Control Officer , communication from City staff regarding citizen appeals when necessary; and receive updates from the City regarding customer data to be updated, with the County updating data in Chameleon software; or
b. actual costs charged to the County by the County’s vendor for mailing and processing of citations and issuing any required licenses; generating email notifications to the City’s staff with PDF files for further collections and appeals; receiving communication from City staff regarding citizen appeals when necessary; and receiving updates from the City regarding customer data to be updated.
To the extent that such services are not provided by the County and/or the County’s vendor, the County will not be responsible for collections or processing administrative appeals from automated citations. The City will be solely responsible for collections and for processing any administrative appeals once automated citations are issued to animal owners.
20 City of Simi Valley
PART TWO: SPECIFIC SERVICE REQUESTS AND APPROVALS
The County will provide the City with the services authorized below:
Animal Care Services:
□ The City authorizes the County to provide animal care services for animals originating within the boundaries of the City during fiscal year 2025/26 according to the terms and conditions set forth in Part One of this Agreement. The budgeted cost of animal care services for the City will be $780,956.91 for fiscal year 2025/26. In addition to the budgeted amount, as more fully set forth in Part One above, the City will also pay the County, according to rates and fees approved by the County Board of Supervisors for:
(1) animal care services associated with County shelter stays of more than fifteen (15) days; (2) for County employee time expended in connection with petitions brought by the Director of Animal Services to determine whether dogs residing in the jurisdictional limits of the City are potentially dangerous or vicious, and (3) for County employee time expended in connection with any appeals from such determinations. In addition, if an administrative hearing officer is not a County employee, the City agrees to reimburse the County’s costs for administrative hearing officer time at the administrative hearing officer’s customary hourly rate. Consistent with Section 8.3 of the parties’ Animal Services Agreement, the County shall credit the City with revenues paid by City residents toward amounts owed by the City for services provided.
Field Services:
□ The City authorizes the County to provide budgeted field services during fiscal year 2025/26 of $241,280.00; with field services budgeted at 32 hours per week , to be provided by the County to the City, according to the terms and conditions set forth in Part One. If it appears that the City may exceed its budgeted cost and hours for field services: (i) the County will continue to provide additional state-mandated services to the City, and the City agrees to pay for those additional state- mandated services according to the rates and fees approved by the County Board of Supervisors, and (ii) the County will only provide further field services that are not state- mandated to the City upon receipt of City written approval for such services, and the City agrees to pay for all such services authorized in writing by City personnel. The City hereby agrees to the County’s enforcement of the City’s municipal code provisions in providing field services.
□ The City authorizes the County to provide field services only for emergency calls (requests for an animal services officer by law enforcement or fire personnel, aggressive animal at large threatening the public, wild animal at large in City area, livestock at large and in sight, stray animal bite with the animal at large or confined by a non-owner) at a not to exceed amount of ________ hours for the fiscal year. This 21 City of Simi Valley
level of service is intended to provide emergency response on an as -needed basis from the County on behalf of a City that employs its own field services when requested by the City and the County is able to respond. The City hereby agrees to the County’s enforcement of the City’s municipal code provisions in providing field services.
□ The City declines to have the County provide field services.
Animal License Processing:
□ The City authorizes the County and/or the County’s vendor to provide animal license processing services for the City during fiscal year 2025/26 according to the terms and conditions set forth in Part One.
□ The City has adopted the license fees set forth in Animal Services’ approved schedule of rates and fees.
□ The City has adopted the following license fees that differ from the license fees set forth in the Ventura County Animal Services approved schedule of rates and fees:
Specify:
Current City license fees were adopted by the City on ______________, 20_____.
□ The City declines to have the County provide animal license processing.
Automated Citation Service:
□ The City authorizes the County and/or the County’s vendor to provide automated citation processing services for the City during fiscal year 2025/26 according to the terms and conditions set forth in Part One.
□ The City declines to have the County and/or the County’s vendor provide automated citation processing services.
22 City of Simi Valley
CITY OF SIMI VALLEY COUNTY OF VENTURA
Signature: ____________________ Signature: ____________________ Samantha C. Argabrite, City Manager Esteban Rodriguez, Director of Animal Services
Date: ________________________ Date: ________________________
23