For City Council Meeting [June 12, 2018]
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
APPROVAL: Robb R. Steel, Interim City Administrator
FROM: Mark P. Kling, Interim Chief of Police
Title
Request City Council to Approve a Contract with the County of Riverside Department of Animal Services to Provide Animal Shelter Services in the Amount of $303,017 for Fiscal Year 2018/2019.
(ACTION)
Body
BACKGROUND:
The Rialto Police Department currently contracts with the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health, Animal Care, and Control Department for animal shelter services. A separate contract is utilized by the City for veterinary services so injured animals can receive care and treatment as required before they are impounded in the shelter.
ANALYSIS/DISCUSSION:
The current contract with the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health, Animal Care, and Control Department, in the amount of $303,078, began on July 1, 2014 and expired on June 30, 2015. The secondary costs for veterinary services associated with animal shelter services have fluctuated slightly from $33,000 to $35,000 annually.
We are currently operating under Amendment No. 3 of the original contract. There was a slight increase in the contract amount of $309,139 up from $303,078. This contract amendment began on July 1, 2017 and extended the original contract to June 30, 2018. For fiscal year 2017/2018, the City estimates veterinary costs will remain the same at $33,060. The total costs related to animal shelter services for FY17/18 is estimated at $342,199.
A request by the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health, Animal Care and Control Department to amend and extend the original contract a fourth time has been received. Amendment No. 4 represents an increase in previous contracts with the new amount requested set at $327,687 and a proposed effective date beginning on July 1, 2018 with an expiration date of June 30, 2019. For FY18/19, the City estimates veterinary costs will remain the same at $33,060. The total costs related to animal shelter services for FY18/19 is estimated at $360,747.
The cities of Rancho Cucamonga and San Bernardino operate animal shelters but do not provide a contract option for animal sheltering services at this time. The County of Riverside, Department of Animal Services operates an animal shelter and does provide an option for contract animal sheltering services to other cities. Staff visited the Riverside County Animal Shelter and found the shelter to a viable facility to provide animal sheltering services for the City. One noticeable difference is the Riverside County Animal Shelter has veterinary services on site, which would nearly eliminate our need to contract veterinary services separate from the animal sheltering services contract with the County of San Bernardino.
Staff solicited a proposal from the County of Riverside, Department of Animal Services to provide basic animal sheltering services for the City of Rialto. The proposal submitted by the County of Riverside, Department of Animal Services would begin on July 1, 2018, and expire on June 30, 2019, with the option of an additional two one year extensions. The proposed amount of the service contract is $303,017, which includes animal sheltering, facility operation and maintenance costs. The proposal also states; “All animals impounded into the Western Riverside County/City Animal Shelter receive immediate prompt and necessary veterinary care and husbandry by our highly trained staff in accordance with state law and the veterinary medical board guidelines.” This on-site veterinary service will greatly benefit the impounded animals, which will receive timely medical assistance and reduce the amount of time our Animal Control Officers are out of service transporting injured animals to and from contract veterinarians to the animal shelter. Currently the County of Riverside, Department of Animal Services does not charge cities any fees when deceased animals are brought into their facility.
If approved, the contract for animal sheltering services with County of Riverside would save the City $57,730 when compared to the operating costs projected for animal sheltering and veterinary services in FY18/19.
The County of Riverside, Department of Animal Services provides animal sheltering services to the cities of Colton, Fontana, and will start providing animal sheltering services to the City of Grand Terrace on July 1, 2018. Representatives from the cities of Fontana and Colton were contacted and stated they are very pleased with the animal sheltering services provided by the County of Riverside.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT:
The proposed action does not meet the definition of a project as defined by Section 15378 California Environmental Act (CEQA). A “Project” means the whole of an action, which has a potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment, and excludes the following:
1) Continuing administrative or maintenance activities, such as purchases for supplies, personnel-related actions, general policy and procedure making
2) Organizational or administrative activities of governments that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment.
GENERAL PLAN CONSISTENCY:
The City of Rialto has outlined key goals and objectives relating to public safety. The contract services with the County of Riverside, Department of Animal Services, is consistent with meeting these objectives.
Goal 5-8: Provide effective and comprehensive policing services that meet the safety needs of Rialto.
LEGAL REVIEW:
The City Attorney has reviewed and approved this staff report.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Operating Budget Impact
Funding in the amount of $303,017 will be proposed in the Fiscal Year 2018/2019 Budget in Animal Control Contract Services Account No. 010-500-6283-2011 for an annual contract with Riverside County, Department of Animal Services for animal shelter services.
Capital Improvement Budget Impact
This is not a capital improvement, therefore there is no immediate impact to Capital Improvement Budget.
Licensing
The Rialto Police Department will be transporting animals to Riverside County, Department of Animal Services, located in the City of Jurupa Valley, California. A business license is not needed from this vendor because services will be performed outside the City of Rialto by a public agency.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council Approve a Purchase Order in the amount of $303,017, issued to County of Riverside, Department of Animal Services for basic animal shelter services for fiscal year 2018/2019 with the option of an additional two one year extensions for the coverage of services through June 30, 2021.