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RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING EXECUTION OF AGREEMENT WITH HUMANE SOCIETY OF GREATER MIAMI TO OPERATE MOBILE ANIMAL CLINIC TO PROVIDE FREE SPAY/NEUTER SERVICES AND AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY MAYOR TO EXERCISE CANCELLATION AND CONTRACT EXTENSION PROVISIONS CONTAINED THEREIN

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WHEREAS, this Board desires to accomplish the purposes outlined in the accompanying memorandum, a copy of which is incorporated herein by reference,


NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA, that this Board authorizes the County Mayor or his designee to execute an agreement with the Humane Society of Greater Miami/Adopt-A-Pet to operate the Animal Services Department�s Mobile Animal Clinic to provide free spay/neuter services in substantially the form attached hereto and made a part hereof; and authorizes the County Mayor or designee to exercise the cancellation and renewal provisions contained therein.

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Date:



To: Honorable Chairman Bruno A. Barreiro
and Members, Board of County Commissioners



From: George M. Burgess
County Manager



Subject: Resolution Authorizing Agreement with the Humane Society of Greater Miami to Operate the Mobile Animal Clinic

STAFF RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the Board of County Commissioners approve the attached resolution authorizing execution of an agreement with the Humane Society of Greater Miami/Adopt-A-Pet to operate the County�s Mobile Animal Clinic (M.A.C.) in order to continue providing free spay/neuter services in the community.

Scope
The Humane Society of Greater Miami operates a shelter and a low cost clinic in Palmetto Bay providing spay/neuter surgery and preventive care. In an effort to continue to offer this much needed service in the community, qualifying low-income constituents will be eligible for free spay/neuter services on the M.A.C. unit when scheduled through the Humane Society of Greater Miami (HSGM). The term of the agreement is until September 30, 2008.

Fiscal Impact/Funding Source
The adopted FY2007-08 budget did not include funding for the operation of the M.A.C. due to budgetary constraints. However, since the M.A.C. unit is paid in full, the unit is still used for adoption and community events, and fixed costs associated with the bus, i.e. insurance, maintenance, etc. are reflected in the departmental budget projections. HSGM has received grant money to provide free spay/neuter surgeries to constituents who qualify as low income, and will be incurring all other costs associated with spay/neuter surgeries as per the agreement (attached).

The cost of running the unit is over $200,000 per year to operate which includes pharmaceutical supplies and staff. One Veterinarian, one Veterinary Technician and one Animal Care Specialist are needed to operate the unit. In addition to daily operational and personnel-related costs, operation of the M.A.C. unit had other impacts on the shelter resources. With the approval of this agreement, these 3 positions will be moved to the main shelter to provide much needed staffing, while allowing for continued free spay/neuter services for the community.

Track Record/Monitor
This is the first time that such partnership is being implemented. This agreement will be monitored by the Animal Services Department in collaboration with the Executive Director of the Humane Society of Greater Miami.

MANAGER'S BACKGROUND
The M.A.C. unit was purchased in 1994 and has since been predominantly used as a mobile spay/neuter clinic. The unit has been paid in full through the Vehicle Replacement Trust Fund. When Animal Services became an independent department in FY 2005-06, the unit was operational two days a week and 998 surgeries were performed. In FY 2006-07, 718 surgeries were performed; there was a decrease this year when the unit was removed from service due to budgetary constraints.


The proposed agreement will provide for the continuation of these critical services to the community. HSGM will also operate the unit two days per week, and shall use the M.A.C. to serve predominantly underprivileged neighborhoods. The agreement provides for minimum standards of performance, including reasonable efforts to perform at least 24 surgeries per day for a total of 1,300 spay/neuter surgeries within a 12 month period.

The Animal Services Department handles over 34,000 pets per year. The overpopulation crisis can best be addressed through low cost, high volume spay/neuter programs. This partnership is one example of the collaborative efforts the department has made with community organizations in order to more effectively address this crisis while within the resources available.



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Assistant County Manager