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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1997-06-23 City Council (42)TO: BUDGET, 1997-98 City of Palo Alto City Manager’s Summary Report HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL FROM:CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENT: POLICE AGENDA DATE: JUNE 23, 1997 CMR:285:97 SUBJECT:RENEWAL OF EMERGENCY ANIMAL CONTROL AND CARE SERVICE AGREEMENT WITH THE TOWN OF LOS ALTOS HILLS This is a request that Council authorize the City Manager to execute the attached agreement with the Town of Los Altos Hills to continue contracted emergency animal control and care services for another three years. In August 1993, Council approved an agreement for the Animal Services Division of the Police Department toprovide state-mandated and essential animal control and care services for the Town of Los Altos Hills. Staff recommends that Council authorize the City Manager to enter into the attached agreement that will allow for continuation of these services with the Town of Los Altos Hills for the period from July 1, 1997 to June 30, 2000. This agreement does not represent any change to existing policy. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY On July 1, 1993, Santa Clara County discontinued animal care services to incorporated cities in the County. A~er reviewing their options, the cities of Mountain View, Los Altos and the Town of Los Altos Hills preferred contracting with the City of Palo Alto for mandated animal control and care services. Staff developed proposals to provide limited or emergency services and calculated the service levels for each city, together with the impact on animal control services to residents of Palo Alto. As a result, a one-year agreement was signed with Los Altos Hills in August 1993, and has been renewed annually since then. CMR:285:97 "Page 1 of 2 The current agreement calls for the processing of 150 animals from the Town of Los Altos Hills. A shared increase in costs was sustained because of a significant increase in animals handled last year. As a result, staff’s ability to meet objectives related to response time was impacted. Staff anticipates that demands for service from Los Altos Hills will remain at the current level. Staff also believes that the service levels for the next three years should not escalate noticeably beyond what has occurred over the last three years. Based upon the actual experience over the last three years, staff has developed a better methodology to determine associated costs. Based on this new methodology, Los Altos Hills costs came in lower than the amount that was charged during this fiscal year. As a result, charges for the next three years will remain unchanged. The scope of services provided under theterms of the agreement would remain unchanged from the previous three years. FISCAL IMPACT The attached agreement represents full cost recovery for providing the services. Costs, including salary and benefits, equipment, utilities, and overhead, are pro-rated for each contracted city, based upon the projected number of animals handled and the amount of time provided by animal control officers. Total costs to provide these services are: $35,358 for each of the three years of the contract. This is not a project which an Environmental Assessment is required. Agreement for Period from July 1, 1997 to June 30, 2000. Exhibit A: Scope of Services Exhibit B: Cost Breakdown PREPARED BY: Sandi St~dler,Su~i~rinte~dent DEPARTMENT HEAD REVIEW: Chief CITY MANAGER APPROVAL: CMR:285:97 Page 2 of 2 AGREEMENT FOR EMERGENCY ANIMAL CONTROL AND SHELTERING SERVICES BETWEEN THE CITY OF PALO ALTO AND THE TOWN OF LOS ALTOS HILLS This Agreement for Emergency Animal Control and Sheltering Servihes is made this 4th day of June , 1997, by and between the ~City of Palo Alto ("Palo Alto") and the Town of Los Altos Hills ("Agency"). RECITALS WHEREAS, animal control and sheltering services specifically those associated with dogs running at large and with rabies prevention, are~ required by State Law to be provided by the incorporated cities; and WHEREAS,. Palo Alto has an established animal control and shelter operation; and WHEREAS, Agency. has no current facilities or ability to provide those required animal services, and has requested that Palo Alto provide animal control and sheltering services within the jurisdiction of Agency, and for the citizens of Agency; and WHEREAS, Palo Alto has the capacity to provide such services to Agency as are hereinafter described, and is willing to do so; NOW,~.THEREFORE, in consideration of the covenants, terms, and conditions, the parties agree: SECTION I.Term. following The term of this Agreement shall be for thirty-six (36) months commencing on July I, 1997, and shal! terminate on June 30, 2000. Any party may terminate this agreement by giving ninety (90) days’ prior written notice of termination at any time during the term of this Agreement. SECTION 2.Scope of Services. Palo Alto shall perform those services set forth in Exhibit "A", entitled "Scope of Services," attached hereto and incorporated herein by reference. SECTION 3.’ Aqency’s Obliqations. 3.1 Agency hereby warrants that it has, by duly enacted legislation, designated Palo Alto to perform, on behalf of Agency, all the duties that Palo Alto has agreed to perform in Section 2. 3.2 Agency further warrants that Palo Alto’s designated animal control employees, as described in Section 2, may legally enforce those sections of Agency’s municipal code that they have agreed to enforce in Section 2. Such code provisions specifically include, but are not necessarily limited to, Violations of licensing provisions and violations of provisions prohibiting dogs from running at large. 3.3 -Agency acknowledges and agrees that it shall provide any legal sea-vices deemed necessary (in Agency’s reasonable discretion) to prosecute criminal actions commenced by Palo Afro’s animal control employees, as described in Section 2. 3.4 Agency shall process and carry out its obligations with respect to its own locally enacted requirements for administrative hearings with respect to impoundment, dangerous animals and other similar circumstances; provided, however, that Palo Alto will cooperate with and assist Agency, as set forth in Section 2. 3.5 Agency shall provide Palo Alto with a list of its duly established fees for the following services: Impoundment, Board, Disposal of dead owned pets, and Dog Licenses. Agency shall provide at least thirty (30) days written notice to Palo Alto prior to the effective date of any fee increase. 4.Compensation. 4.1 Agency shall pay to Palo Alto for all se~-vmces provided under this agreement, as follows: 4.1.1 For the first year (7/97-6/98), the amount of Thirty-Five Thousand Three Hundred Fifty-Eight Dollars ($35,358.00), payable in equal quarterly payments of Eight Thousand Eight Hundred Thirty-Nine and 50/100Dollars ($8,839.50) 4.1.2. For the second year (7/98-6/99), the amount of Thirty-Five Thousand Three Hundred Fifty-Eight Dollars ($35,358.00), payable in equal quarterly payments of Eight Thousand Eight Hundred Thirty-Nine and 50/100 Dollars ($8,839.50) 4.1.2. For the third year (7/99-6/2000), the amount of Thirty-Five Thousand Three Hundred Fifty-Eight Dollars 970519 sya 0042989 2 $35,358.00), payable in equal quarterly payments of Eight Thousand Eight Hundred Thirty-Nine and 50/100 Dollars ($8,839.50) The first quarterly payment shall be due within thirty (30) days after the date of execution of this agreement. The succeeding quarterly payments shall be payable on or before the last day of January, April, July and October of each year thereafter. Palo Alto shall submit~quarterly billing statements to Agency, as a courtesyreminder, but inadvertent failure or lateness of such billing shal! not alter Agency’s obligation to make any payment in a timely manner. In the event of early termination of this agreement in accordance with Section I, Palo Alto shall refund to Agency a prorata amount-of the quarterly payment made by Agency that covers the quarter during which such termination is effective. 4.2 A breakdown of the~ amounts owing by Agency is set forth on Exhibit "B", attached hereto and incorporated herein by reference. The costs described in Exhibit "B" include record keeping, forms and logs; citation filing; dispatching of calls to field units; telecommunication equipment; training of Animal . Control Officers; maintenance of office equipment; miscellaneous office supplies; overhead, including genera! City administrative costs associated with personnel, payroll and accounting. Pa!o Alto does not anticipate that this agreement will require any major capital expenditures for shelter improvements; however, if the increase in services exceeds the expected volume to such an extent that shelter improvements are thereby deemed reasonably necessary, Palo Alto shall have the right to require Agency to pay its prorata share of the costs of such future improvements, if such improvements are agreed to in advance by Agency. The amount of Agency’s obligations to pay for any capital improvements would be subject to further negotiation by the parties. 4.3 At the end of each quarter, Palo Alto shall pay to Agency any. fees it has collected from individual citizens in accordance with Section 2, for the following services: dog (but not cat) licenses, impoundment fees, board fees and services fees for disposal of owned dead pets. Payment shall be by check from Palo Alto and shall not be a set off or deduction from the quarterly payments owing by Agency to Palo Alto. SECTION 5.Indemnification and Hold Harmless. Agency acknowledges that it is required by law to provide some of qhe services set forth in Section 2, and that its citizenry desires provision of all services set forth in Section 2, but that it has no present ability to provide those services and has requested that Palo Alto provide such services° Therefore, Agency~ 970519 syn 0042989 3 expressly agrees to defend, indemnify and hold harmless Palo Alto, its officers, employees, and agents from any and all demands, claims, liabilities, !osses, charges, costs, or damages caused by or arising out of Palo Alto’s negligent acts or omissions in the performance of this agreement, except where the cause arises from Palo Alto’s sole negligence, wilful misconduct or criminal act. SECTION 6.Notices. All notices shall be submitted, in writing, and sent by the United States mail, certified and postage prepaid, by private express delivery service, by facsimile transmission followed by delivery of hard copy, or by any other process mutually acceptable to the parties to the addresses stated below or to any other address notice~ in writing. PALO ALTO : AGENCY: Superintendent of Animal Services 3281 East Bayshore Road Palo Alto, CA 94303 Jeff Peterson, City Manager 26379 Fremont Road Los Altos Hills, CA 94022 SECTION 7.Miscellaneous. 7.1 This Agreement shall be governed by. and construed in accordance with the laws of the state of California. 7.2 This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be an original, but all of which together shal! constitute one and the same instrument. 7.3 Palo Alto shall not be deemed in default on account of any delay or failure to perform any obligations in accordance with Agency laws, the laws of the State of California, the Paio Alto Municipal Code, and the terms of this Agreement, which directly results from an Act of God, including, without limitation, the act of a superior legal authority or an occurrence of nature. 7..4 The headings are not a part of this Agreement and shall have no effect upon the construction or interpretation of any part of this Agreement. 7.5 This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties concerning its subject matter, and there are no other o[al. or written agreements between the parties not incorporated in this Agreement. 970519 syn 0042989 7.6 This Agreement shall not be modified, unless the parties first agree to and approve of such modification in writing. 7.7 If a court of competent jurisdiction finds or rules that any~provision of this Agreement is void or unenforceable, the unaffected provisions of this Agreement shall remain in effect. 7.8 The prevailing party in any action brought to enforce the terms of this agreement may recover from the other party its reasonable costs and attorneys’ fees expended in’ connection with such an action. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement in P~Io Alto, County of Santa Clara, California, on the date first above stated. "PALO ALTO" CITY OF PALO ALTO Mayor ATTEST: City Clerk APPROVED AS TO FORM: Senior Asst. City Attorney APPROVED: "AGENCY" MaYor City Clerk . APPROVED AS. TO_ EORM: Ci t yljAt t orney City Manager Police Chief Acting Director of Administrative Services 970519 syn 004298h 5 EXHIBIT "A" SCOPE OF SERVICES .Palo Alto shall provide emergency~ animal control and sheltering services to Agency, as hereinafter set forth. The services to be provided are described as Animal Control Services, which are essentially State mandated services, and Animal Care (sheltering) Services. i. Animal Control Services.. Palo Alto shall provide Animal Control services to cover the enti~e incorporated jurisdiction of Agency, as follows: a. -Palo Alto shall .schedule an Animal Control Officer to provide regular field coverage, on a "request for service" basis, seven days per week, between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. After hours services shal! be provided by one on-call officer, who will’service Agency’s entire service area. b. Palo Alto shall investigate all animal bite incidents according to section 1920 of the California Health and Safety Code. An Animal Contro! Officer shall respond to the scene of the bite, capture the biting anima! (if it is running at large), impound and transfer the animal to Palo Alto’s Animal Services Center where the animal shall be held for rabies observation (quarantine). The officer shall contact the victim to investigate the circumstances of the bite and shall.contact the animal’s owner, if known, to determine whether the animal is vaccinated or licensed. At the conclusion of the quarantine, both. the animal’s owner and.victim shall be notified by the officer. If Agency’s local laws require or provide for an administrative hearing in connection with impoundment, dangerous animals, or other circumstances, the Animal Control Officer will act as a witness and otherwise cooperate with Agency in carrying out its administrative obligations under its own laws. c. Palo Alto shall provide for the control of rabies through quarantine and testing of animals suspected of rabies, in a manner consistent with provisions of the California Health and Safety Code. If ananimal becomes sick or dies during quarantine, the Animal Control Officer shall euthanize the animal if not dead, and shall decapitate the animal and transport the specimen to the Santa Clara County Health Department~ for rabies testing. The pet owner and victim shall be promptly notified of any animal that becomes sick or dies during the quarantine period. Palo Alto shall be responsible for filing an Annual Report of Local Rabies Control Activities and Statement of Enforcement with the California State Department of Health Services. ~ d. Palo Alto shall provide the residents of Agency a dog license program and rabies vaccination clinic. Components of the dog license program shall include: 1 970519 svn 0042989 I.Availability of dog licenses either in person at the Animal Services Center, by mail, or by phone or fax. Palo Alto will accept payment by Visa and Mastercard, as well as cash. ii. Licenses received by mail shall processed within five working days of receipt by Palo Alto. be iii.Dog owners may choose licenses with varying effective terms, from six months to three years, depending upon the effective term of the rabies vaccinations. iv.Renewal reminder notices shall be mailed prior to the expiration of the license and again on the .deadline of the license, if not previously renewed. v.A complete owner name (alphabetically arranged) and address printout of all licenses issued within Agency’s jurisdiction shall be provided annually by Palo Alto to Agency. vi.Palo Alto shall provide one clinic for dog owners residing within Agency’s jurisdiction where they can receive an "actual" cost rabies vaccination for their dogs. Palo Alto shall report annually to Agency and to the State of California Department of Health Services the number of "actual cost" public vaccination clinics provided and the number of animals vaccinated and licensed at the clinic. The cost of "actual cost" rabies vaccinations shall be dictated by the State of California. vii.Palo Alto shall .provide owners of lost pets with information about animals impounded by it in accordance with section 32001of the California Food and Agriculture Code. Palo Alto shall maintain records on public display at the Animal Services Center of all animals impounded, including those animals impounded dead on arrival. viii.Upon receiving a call for ~ervices, Palo Alto shall convey abandoned, injured or sick dogs and cats to a veterinarian for care. Upon receiving a call for services, an Animal Control Officer shall respond to the scene of any sick or injured dog or cat and transport the animal to medical attention for care and treatment. ix.Upon receiving a call for sea-vices, Palo Alto shall pick up dead, unclaimed dogs and cats from public property or streets. x.Upon receiving a call for services, Palo Alto shall relocate wild animals whidh are known to present a hazard to human safety (e.g., bobcats, rattlesnakes, etc.), with the exception of mountain lions. 970519 syn 0042989 2 2. Animal Care Services. Palo Alto agrees to accept and house animals received from residents of Agency, as well as those animals picked up by its Animal Control Officers within Agency’s jurisdiction, at its Animal Services and Placement Center ("Center"). Palo Alto agrees to receive and care for up to 150 live animals annually, under the following terms and conditions: a. The Center will be open to thepublic Monday through Saturday.during hours which are convenient to the public. b. Palo Alto shall accept cash, check or Visa or Mastercard for all services and products. c. Fees for impoundment, board, disposal of owned dead pets, and dog (but not cat) licensing shall be at the rates established by-Agency. All other fees for services under this agreement shall be at the rates established by Palo Alto. d. Palo Alto shall provide all necessary forms to receive animals and will take responsibility for compiling records from these impound records. e. Palo Alto shall provide kenneled animals with adequate room for the animal to move around and exercise. f. The Palo Alto Animal Control Officer shall be responsible for kenneling the animals delivered to the Center~ g. Palo Alto shall provide, and Animal Control Officers shall administer, vaccinations to each tractable live dog or cat that is brought to the Center. Dogs shall receive a combination Canine Distemper-Infectious Hepatitis-Leptospirosis-Parainfluenzao Parvovirus .vaccination, and cats shall receive a Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis-Calici-Distemper vaccination before the animal is kenneled. h. Palo Alto shall provide medical supervision of all housed animals. Any animals exhibiting symptoms of disease shall be isolated by Palo Alto staff in an isolation ward and treated by either the Palo Alto City Veterinarian or a veterinarian under contract with the City of Palo Alto. I. The Palo Alto City Veterinarian shall provide supervision of Agency’s animal health, hygiene.~and nutrition programs to ensure the well-being of all sheltered animals. All animals shall be fed once each day an adequate and balanced diet. j. Palo Alto shall provide secure and isolated kennels and cages for animals suspected of having rabies. These quarantined animals shall be examined by either an animal control officer or the City Veterinarian at the conclusion of. their quarantine to certify the animal is not rabid. 970519 syn 0042989 3 k. All cages and kennels shall be cleaned and disinfected on a daily basis by Palo Alto staff to prevent transmission of disease. 1. Palo Alto shall provide a veterinary medical facility in Palo Alto where injured dogs and cats can be delivered for emergency treatment 24 hours each day. For the purposes of this agreement, "Emergency treatment" shall be defined as treatment of shock, control of bleeding, stitching of open wounds, splinting of broken bones, the administration of medicine to fight infection and stabilizing the animal until the pet’s owner can be’located. m. Palo Alto shall hold stray domestic animals for a "stray holding period" of five (5) days, not including the day the animal is impounded or days when the facility is closed to the public. - n. Palo Alto staff shall attempt to trace any identification on any impounded stray animal in order to contact the pet’s owner. o. At the conclusion of the stray holding period, stray animals may either be placed up for adoption or destroyed at Palo Alto’s discretion. Palo Alto staff shall keep clear and detailed records concerning every animal destroyed including the reason for euthanasia, the person who authorized the destruction of the animal and the date the animal was destroyed. p. Palo Alto shall provide for the disposal of all dead animals by rendering. Individual arrangements may be made with the owner of pets for private or communal cremations at cost to the owner. q. Palo Alto shall ask all prospective pet adopters to complete a pre-adoption application to ensure that the pet will be adequately cared for after adoption and will not be allowed to become a public nuisance. Upon request Palo Alto shall provide information on the disposition of all animals delivered to the Center by residents or officers of Agency. r. On the fifth day of each~ month a statistical report shall be provided to Agency listing the number of animals received by Palo Alto, how.the animals were received (stray vs. surrender, officer vs. citizen) and the disposition of these animals (dead on arrival, adopted, returned to owner, euthanized, released). The report shall be detailed by type of anima! (dogs, ~cats and other). s. No animals, whether dead or alive, handled by Palo Alto shall be knowingly released or sold for any type of experimental purposes. ~’ t. Humane box traps in assorted, sizes shall be made available to residents of Agency for rent for the capture, of cats. The traps shall be rented from and returned to the Center in Palo. Alto. The cost of this service shall be paid by the resident 4 970519 svn 0042989 u. Palo Alto shall provide information on responsible pet ownership, care, training and health. v. Educational tours of the Center shall be available free of charge to the public by appointment. w. Palo Alto shall provide two published telephone numbers tO the public. One of these numbers shall be equipped with a "roll-over" line, designed to avoid busy signals. 3. Facilities. Animals cared for under this agreement shall either be housed at the Center, 3281 East Bayshore Road, Palo Alto, or at a veterinary facility contracted by Palo Alto to care for injured or quarantined animals. Livestock animals may be housed at~ a facility contracted for by Palo Alto, which has suitable facilities for-boarding livestock. 4. Personnel. Animal Control Officers are employees of Palo Alto. They are uniformed officers charged with the responsibility of enforcing state laws and city ordinances related to the care and protection of animals and property. Each officer is a graduate of both the California State Humane Officer Academy and the Humane Society of the United States Animal Control Academy. Officers shall receive four hours of advanced enforcement and customer relations training from Palo Alto each year. Supervision of the Animal Control Officers, Kennel Attendant and supplemental office istaff is the responsibility of the Supervisor of Animal Services. This full-time employee is responsible to the Superintendent of Animal Services, and together with the Superintendent, shall assure responsive supervision seven days a week. The Superintendent shall address policy issues of interest to Agency officials and staff, and act as liaison with Palo Alto staff and officials,, and shall be responsible for overall contract compliance. Under this agreement, Animal Control Officers shall respond to emergency service, and shall endeavor to arrive at the scene within thirty (30) minutes. Palo Alto shall provide the necessary personnel to service Agency as set out in Section 1 of the Exhibit° 5. Equipment. Palo Alto shall provide its staff use of an animal control vehicle, fully equipped with a mobile radio, cages and safety equipment, designed for animal control and transportation. The door and hood of each vehicle shall be clearly marked with the words "ANIMAL CONTROL." The vehicles used shall be three- quarter ton trucks, with specially built caging areas separate from the officers’ compartment. The officers shall be equipped by the City of Palo Alto with radios which can transmit to and from the home base~’and Palo Alto Communications, as necessary for immediate response to service requests and emergencies. 970519 syn 0042989 5 In addition to vehicles and radios, Palo Alto shall provide the Animal Control Officers with essential~ safety equipment, such as animal control sticks, bird nets and stretchers. 6. Extension of Agreement. This agreement constitutes an extension of an existing agreement; and service shall continue so long as the agreement is executed prior to July i, 1997. 970519 syn 0042989 6 EXHIB IT TOWN OF LOS ALTOS HILLS FISCAL YEAR 1997--98 FISCAL YEAR 1998-99 FISCAL YEAR 1999-00 $35,358 (12 months)$35,358 (12 months)$35,358 (12 months)