REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: GEORGEANNE A. WHITE, City Manager
Office of Mayor & City Manager
BY: ALMA G. TORRES, Deputy City Manager
Office of Mayor & City Manager
SUBJECT
Title
***RESOLUTION-Adopt the 4th Amendment to the Position Authorization Resolution (PAR) No. 2022-153 adding (2) full-time positions of Community Coordinators in the General City Purpose Department, Animal Control Division (Subject to Mayor’s Veto)
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that Council approve the adoption of the 4th Amendment to the Position Authorization Resolution (PAR) No. 2022-153, adding two (2) full-time positions of Community Coordinators in the General City Purpose Department, Animal Control Division.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City of Fresno contracted with Fresno Humane Animal Services (FHAS) to provide legally mandated animal control services in the newly constructed Animal Center which opened to the public on July 1, 2022. The 14-month contract allows for the gathering of data reflective of the operating needs and activity levels at the animal center. It has become evident that in order to mitigate the high levels of animals coming into the center, dedicated staff is necessary to provide information and outreach to the citizens of Fresno while allowing the operator (FHAS) to focus on the critical operational work necessary to ensure the safety and welfare of the animals in its care at the center, while the animals wait to reconnect with their humans or while they find temporary or forever homes. The two (2) new full time Community Coordinator positions will be fully dedicated to all media messaging and will attend community events that inform the citizens of the services and resources that the Fresno Animal Center provides.
BACKGROUND
In May of 2022 the Council approved a 14-month contract with Fresno Humane Animal Services (FHAS) for the operation of the city’s animal center. The contract allows for the gathering of operational data that will inform and guide future contracts based on the activity levels and the findings of the operations. One of the key findings is that over 95 percent of the animal intake at the facility, specifically dogs, are friendly and enjoy human interaction, indicating that they have had an owner at some point in time. Unfortunately, the rate of reclaim and adoptions is lower than the rate of intake of animals and this misalignment creates a continuously high population at the center. FHAS’s partnerships with other animal organizations helps with ensuring that many of these animals find forever homes sometimes locally, many times outside of the county or even the state. However, the City’s goal is to first attempt to reconnect these animals with their families locally in an effort to help stop ongoing animal over-population in the city and surrounding communities.
Staff recommends Council approve the addition of two (2) full-time Community Coordinator positions to provide dedicated informational outreach services about the center and its animals to the community. The dedicated positions will allow the operator (FHAS) to focus on the day-to-day activities that maintain the care, safety and overall well-being of the animals at the center. The positions will be responsible for ongoing dissemination of information to the public thru the creation of content in social media, radio, television, mass mailers, and through attendance at community events informing the public of the existence, resources, and services that are provided at the Fresno Animal Center.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
By the definition provided in the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines Section 15378 this item does not qualify as a “project” and is therefore exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act requirements.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local preference is not implicated because this item does not involve public contracting or bidding with the City of Fresno
FISCAL IMPACT
The FY 2023 Budget for the Animal Center has sufficient appropriations to cover these salaries for the remainder of the Fiscal year in the General City Purpose Department
Attachment: 4th Amendment to the Position Authorization Resolution (PAR) No. 2022-153