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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - 2013.09.24 - 36751BILL DWYER Chairperson MIKE BOSNIC Vice Chairperson HELAINE ZACK Minority Vice Chairperson September 24, 2013 Chairperson Dwyer called the meeting of the Public Services Committee to order at 11:3 0 a.m., in Committee Room A, Commissioners’ Wing, County Service Center, Pontiac, Michigan. COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT : Bill Dwyer, Helaine Zack, Shelley Taub, Michael Spisz, Gary McGillivray COMMITTEE MEMBERS ABSENT WITH NOTICE: Mike Bosnic OTHERS PRESENT : PUBLIC SERVICES Mark Newman, Director ANIMAL CONTROL Bob Gatt, Manager Joanie Toole, Administration Supervisor SHERIFF’S OFFICE Kevin Banycky, Sergeant Clay Jansson, Captain Joe Quisenberry, Captain Wendy Reyes, Lieutenant Ann Russell, Corrections Administration Lori Seaman, Contract Coordinator Robert Smith, Major Chuck Snarey , Major ALL ABOUT ANIMALS Catherine Garrett, Director of Dev. & Marketing Amber Sitko, President HURON VALLEY HUMANE SOCIETY Tanya Hilgendorf, CEO MICHIGAN PET FUND/MADDIE’S FUND Christie Keith MICHIGAN PET FUND ALLIANCE Chris Anderson, Board of Directors Debbie Schutt, President Jeanne Towar, Secretary OAKLAND PET ADVOCATES Vickie Krigner, Trustee Carrie McGowan, Trustee PAWS FOR LIFE RESCUE Courtney Protz -Sanders, Executive Director OTHERS Brenda Carter BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS Marcia Gershenson, Commissioner Chris Ward , Analyst Jim VerPloeg, Administrative Direc tor Tracy Stolzenfeld, Committee Coordinator PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE OAKLAND COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS 1200 N. TELEGRAPH ROAD, PONTIAC, MI 48341-0470 Telephone (248) 858-0100 FAX (248) 858 -1572 PUBLIC SERVICES COMMITTEE Shelley Taub Michael Spisz Gary McGillivray PUBLIC SERVICES COMMITTEE Page 2 September 24, 2013 APPROVAL OF THE PREVIOUS MINUTES Spisz moved approval of the minutes of September 10, 2013, as printed. Supported by McGillivray. Motion carried on a voice vote. PUBLIC COMMENT None. AGENDA ITEMS 1. SHERIFF’S OFFICE – OCCMHA AGREEMENT AND CONTINUATION OF EXPANDED JAIL ALLIANCE WITH SUPPORT FOR INMATES (JAWS) AND RELATED POSITIONS -2014 The Sheriff’s Office is requesting approval of an a greement with the Oakland County Commu nity Mental Health Authority (OCCMHA) for funding of a full-time Inmate Caseworker and one part-time Inmate Substance Abuse Technician in the Corrective Services Division. $128,626 from the Byrne Grant will be provided. Oakland County Sheriff’s Department and Community Mental Health have a relationship better than any other Michigan county. A training program regarding the mentally ill was given statewide to police departments. Ann Russell will be leaving the Sheriff’s Office. Zack moved approval of the attached suggested resolution. Supported by Spisz. Motion to amend carried unanimously on a roll call vote with Bosnic absent. 2. SHERIFF’S OFFICE – CONTINUATION OF OCCMHA AGREEMENT AND INMATE CASEWORKER POSITION-2014 The Sheriff’s Office is requesting approval of an agreement with the Oakland County Community Mental Health Authority (OCCMHA) for partial funding of a full-time Inmate Caseworker Technician in the Corrective Services Division. $64,468 will be provided and this funding has been ongoing for many years. Spisz moved approval of the attached suggested resolution. Supported by McGillivray. Motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote with Bosnic absent. 3. SHERIFF’S OFFICE – FISCAL YEAR 2014 AUTOMOBILE THEFT PREVENTION AUTHORITY (ATPA) GRANT ACCEPTANCE The Sheriff’s Office is seeking approval of the grant acceptance for 2014. The funds will allow the continuation of programs to help fight crime. Over $2 million worth of stolen property was recovered in 2012. County residents save $51 per person o n insurance policies because of the program’s success. The Detroit Police Department has been cooperating with the County in auto theft cases; this effort is evident especially in the county’s south end and into Detroit. Taub moved approval of the attached suggested resolution. Supported by Spisz. Motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote with Bosnic absent. PUBLIC SERVICES COMMITTEE Page 3 September 24, 2013 4. EXPERT TESTIMONY ON ISSUES RELATED TO POLICIES AT THE OAKLAND COUNTY ANIMAL CONTROL SHELTER/PET ADOPTION Chairperson Dwyer made an opening statement and welcomed the speakers . Commissioner Zack introduced the following panel members: Debbie Schutt, President, Michigan Pet Fund Alliance; Tanya Hilgendorf, CEO and President, Huron Valley Human e Society; Amber Sitko, President, All About Animals; and Christie Keith, Michigan Pet Fund representative and Maddie’s Fund. The following testimony was given by the speakers: • Michigan has ten counties that practice a no-kill policy • 60% of Oakland County households have a pet • Owosso County was the first registered county to become no -kill • 75% of pet owners have their pets spayed or neutered ; some cannot afford the procedure • Animal advocates throughout Michigan have contacted their commissioners and are having these type of hearings, not only Oakland County • The 1919 dog law was written when stray dogs were feared and rabies was a threat • Over time the general thinking shifted from animals being a public health threat to animal welfare, saving the animals and adopting out • Many animal shelters were built for catch and kill of animals and not designed for cats who can become stressed, sic k and aggressive • Huron Valley Animal Shelter was once a high-kill shelter before taken over by the Humane Society • The catch and kill cycle is not a benefit to the community and wastes money with one cat being euthanized to make room for another, it is not reducing the cat population • Alternatives to euthanizing cats for space exist, although many shelters are still euthanizing cats while the dogs are adopted out • Free spaying and neutering of pitbulls was offered in Ypsilanti Township and was effective • Huron Valley has a 50% reunification rate for lost dogs and their owners • Pet adoption is similar to basic retail sales and customer service • Some marketing avenues are free, like website ads, Facebook and PetFinder. • Successful shelter management was compared to running a business • PetPoint Animal Management System software helps with shelter manage ment, it is free and has over 2,000 users in the United States w ith that number increasing • All About Animals rescue started in 2005 and now has three locations, one is in Auburn Hills • Oakland County Animal Shelter was trained in the spay and neutering process by the rescue • All About Animals rescue has mobile surgical uni ts and have sent vans all around Michigan including the Upper Peninsula • The mobile units focus on c at spaying and neutering a nd about 700 animals are seen on site per year • The rescue sees about 20,000 pets for wellness and also runs vaccine clinics • A vaccine clinic was held at Oakland County Parks and Recreation • The rescue can handle up to 25,000 animals per year at full capacity • 65 to 100 surgeries are done per day at the rescue • Since 1990 there has been a rise in funds to help fund animal programs • Funds have been used for shelter medicine, veterinarian education and research • Shelter medicine is believed to soon become a board-recognized discipline • Shelter, neuter and return program has been implemented in Macomb County • The Trap, Neuter and Return (TNR) example was given that out of three cats, if you have PUBLIC SERVICES COMMITTEE Page 4 September 24, 2013 one neutered and return ed, less kittens will be born • Cats mainly eat rodents (83% mice and rats) • A University of Wisconsin study shows that if cats are given a place to hide , it reduces the incidence of upper respiratory infections; • Most shelter cat crates have no covering for cats to hide in their cages and dogs are nearby, creating a stressful situation for the cats • Stressed cats may develop upper respiratory infection and urinary tract disease • Sick cats usually die in shelters • Research has shown v accinations help animals fight disease s and can boost nonspecific immunity within minutes of administration by stimulating their immune system • Sheltered animals may be come healthier by simple low-cost improvements, like raising cat cages off the floor • Proper identification between a frightened pet cat and a fera l cat and also proper dog breed identification is helpful in the adoption process • Simple ways to identify a pet cat from feral includes how many times a c at will blink when looking at them • When a shelter takes a cat in, it has a 2% chance of the owner coming for them before they are killed; the same cat left on the street has a 60% chance of going home The question-and-answer session provided additional information. Ms. Schutt announced that the Michigan Pet Fund is hosting their annual No Kill Conference on Friday, September 27, 2013, at the Livonia Embassy Suites with speaker Kat Albrecht. It is an all-day workshop on strategies how to reunite lost dogs and cats with their owners. 5. MR #13058 – BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS – SUPPORT OF THE OAKLAND COUNTY PET ADOPTION CENTER AS A “NO KILL” ANIMAL SHELTER Miscellaneous Resolution #13058 was set aside for discussion a t the next meeting. Spisz moved to set aside the attached suggested resolution. Supported by Zack. Motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote with Bosnic absent. 6. MR #13059 – BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS – ADOPTION POLICY REFORM OF THE OAKLAND COUNTY PET ADOPTION CENTER Miscellaneous Resolu tion #13059 was set aside for discussion a t the next meeting. Spisz moved to set aside the attached suggested resolution. Supported by McGillivray. Motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote with Bosnic absent. COMMUNICATIONS A. Sheriff’s Office – FY 2014 Secondary Road Patrol and Traffic Accident Prevention Program Grant Application B. Circuit Court – FY 2014 Urban Drug Court Initiative (UDCI) Program - Grant Application C. Circuit Court – 2014 Michigan Mental Health Drug Court Grant P rogram - Grant Application PUBLIC SERVICES COMMITTEE Page 5 September 24, 2013 Spisz moved to receive and file the communications. Supported by McGillivray. Motion carried on a voice vote. OTHER BUSINESS/ADJOURNMENT Representatives from the Oakland County Animal Control Shelter/Pet Adoption Center wi ll have an opportunity to speak at the next Public Services meeting scheduled for October 8, 2013 . There being no further business to come before the Committee, the meeting was adjourned at 1:12 p.m. _____________________________________ ___________________________________ Tracy Stolzenfeld Jim VerPloeg Committee Coordinator Administrative Director NOTE: The foregoing minutes are subject to Committee approval.