HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes_ANSAB_07.08.2021City of Georgetown Animal Shelter Advisory Board
Meeting Minutes
July 8, 2021
The Animal Shelter Advisory Board met virtually Thursday, July 8, 2021.
Regular Session — To begin no earlier than 6:00 pm.
(This Regular Session may, at any time, be recessed to convene at Executive Session for any purpose authorized
by the Open Meetings Act, Texas Government Code 551).
The City of Georgetown is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). If you
require assistance in participating at a public meeting due to a disability, as defined tinder the ADA, reasonable
assistance, adaptations, or accommodations will be provided upon request. Please contact the City Secretary's
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Members Present: Ned Atkins, Laura Klein Plunkett, Amanda Parr, Melissa Sheldon, Sarah Vigil
Members Via Zoom: Louise Epstein, Bill Gregory
Absent: None
Staff present: Jack Daly was present
Meeting called to order at 6:01 PM by Melissa Sheldon
1. Discussion on how this hybrid meeting will be conducted, to include options for public comments and
how the public may address the Commission —April Haughey (Board Liaison)
a. April detailed the rules for the hybrid meeting and ways the public can engage with the meeting.
2. Welcome and introductions — April Haughey (Board Liaison)
a. April introduced our new board member, City Council Member Amanda Parr, and Amanda and
other board members introduced themselves to the group.
3. Presentation of Animal Services Statistics for May and June 2021 —April Haughey, Animal Services
Manager (Board Liaison)
a. April presented separate statistics for both May and June.
b. The shelter continues to receive a high percentage of puppies and kittens, with 71 kittens received in
June alone.
c. April presented a new Kennel Tracking Report, which shows shelter kennel utilization by type and
the number of animals in foster care per day, broken out by dogs, cats, and other.
d. Return To Owner percentages were low, averaging 9% for the two month period.
e. LOS for cats continues to increase, with a high in June of 11.24 days. An average of 21 cats were in
foster care in May and 37 in June, many of them kittens.
f. Online license applications are increasing. Online submissions for May were 49 and for June, 63.
g. Total intakes for May were 138, and for June, I50, with June the highest intake numbers this calen-
dar year.
h. LRR for May was 95.6% and for June, 96.9%.
6. Presentation of current staffing updates — April Haughey, Animal Services Manager (Board Liaison)
a. The new ACO has completed training and is working out well.
b. ACOs have tactical bite stick training scheduled. Once certified, officers will have a defensive, non-
lethal tool for dealing with dangerous or aggressive animals.
c. The second candidate for the ACO position withdrew and instead applied for and was hired into the
open Animal Shelter Technician position. The part-time tech is ready for orientation.
d. The new part-time office assistant started work this week.
e. The new part-time veterinarian started work one month ago. She has already updated the surgery pro-
tocols, preventive care has increased, and the consensus from staff is that overall animal care services
have already improved.
f. Two interns from the Georgetown Project have been productive and welcome additions to the shelter
operations. They will be missed when their assignments end.
7. Recognition of shelter supporters and staff — April Haughey, Animal Services Manager (Board Liaison)
a. The shelter receives regular donations from community residents but in the last two months, two
significant donations from community members were received. A local couple, Michelle and Roy
Peck, came to the shelter and presented April with a $20,000 check. Ellen Bunch donated $14,000
to the shelter thus far this year. The shelter and the staff greatly appreciate the generosity of these
and other Georgetown residents.
8. Presentation of annual Veterinarian Inspection for Animal Shelters and Rabies Quarantine Facilities
as required by the state — April Haughey, Animal Services Manager (Board Liaison)
a. The inspection, conducted by Dr. Sarah Vigil, contained no surprises, highlighting issues already
scheduled for correction, including food storage in the pet food pantry, rusted kennel doors, ele-
vated and unsafe drains, and worn/chipped floors. The shelter received a Satisfactory rating.
9. Presentation of facilities project updates — April Haughey, Animal Services Manager (Board Liaison)
a. Staff discovered dogs could open the kennel latches so latches were repaired.
b. Repairs to the malfunctioning dryer would cost over 75% of the price of a new dryer, so a new dryer
has been ordered.
c. Rust treatment and repainting of the kennels will be done July 13 to 15.
d. Floor recoating date TBD.
e. Temporary kennel installation is delayed due to the need for professional consultation on drainage
plans.
6. Presentation of current status of Emancipet partnership — April Haughey, Animal Services Manager
(Board Liaison)
a. Emancipet held a successful vaccine clinic on June 8. Drive -by patients were accommodated. Feed-
back has been good. The voucher program is still being planned. Spay -neuter surgeries will also be
available.
6. Presentation of Animal Services 2021 Business Plan — April Haughey, Animal Services Manager (Board
Liaison)
a. April presented the board with the 2021 Business Plan, including the current org. chart, key perfor-
mance indicators, SWOT analysis, action plan and process improvement initiatives. Highlighted
initiatives include increasing low-cost options and resources to improve pet health, increase RTO;
decrease owner surrenders; increase community engagement through social media and events; de-
crease length of stay and increase RTO percentages; and increase public education and license com-
pliance.
7. Presentation of Animal Services FY 2022 budget requests — April Haughey, Animal Services Manager
(Board Liaison)
a. April is requesting a Community Engagement Supervisor position with supervision over donations,
public interactions, pet food pantry requests, and other public -facing operations, and an Animal
Health Technician.
b. April noted that the ACO and Animal Health Care rabies pre -exposure vaccination series, which
costs $1800 per employee and was formerly listed under Lab Services, should be a planned expense
accounted for in the budget.
c. The budget for 2022 includes revenue of $60,000 and expenses of $98,000, with recurring expenses
targeted at $30,000. An additional main gate and sidewalk, kennel drains, memory bricks, and cat
room improvements are included in the budget.
8. Presentation of current status of our volunteer program and recruiting plan — April Haughey, Animal
Services Manager (Board Liaison)
a. Post COVID volunteer training and refresher training has resumed, with online orientations sched-
uled. Volunteer software has improved the scheduling process. An online tab for Better Impact will
be implemented in August.
9. Public wishing to address the board — Melissa Sheldon, Board Chair
a. No one signed up to address the board.
10. Consideration and possible action to approve minutes from April 2021 — Melissa Sheldon, Board
Chair
a. Board members signified that they had read the minutes and had no corrections. Motion to approve
the minutes for May and June as presented, Ned Atkins. Seconded, Sarah Vigil. Motion passed
unanimously.
With no further business or discussion, Laura Klein Plunkett made a motion to adjourn. Motion was seconded
by Ned Atkins, and approved by all.
Meeting adjourned 7:35 P.M.
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