HomeMy WebLinkAbout20222465.tiffMariah Higgins
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Karla Ford
Thursday, August 18, 2022 12:19 PM
CTB
Scott James; Steve Moreno; Perry Buck; Lori Saine; Mike Freeman; Don Warden; Ryan
Rose; Cheryl Pattelli; Jennifer Oftelie
Weld County Humane Society Letter to the Weld County Board of Commissioners
Weld County Commissioners Fee Negotiation letter.docx
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Please put this on an upcoming agenda item under communications. Thank you.
Karla Ford $
Executive Assistant & Office Manager, Board of Weld County Commissioners
1150 O Street, P.O. Box 758, Greeley, Colorado 80632
:: 970.336-7204 :: kford@weldgov.com :: www.weldgov.com
**Please note my working hours are Monday -Thursday 7:00a.m.-5:00p.m.**
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From: Nick Gilman <ngilman@weldcountyhumane.org>
Sent: Thursday, August 18, 2022 12:14 PM
To: Karla Ford <kford@weldgov.com>
Subject: Letter to the Weld County Board of Commissioners
Ms. Ford
I am sending you this letter addressed to the Weld County Board of Commissioners.
If I should be sending this letter to them individually, let me know. Otherwise, I believe you indicated in a
previous email that I should work through your office to reach the Commissioners.
Thank you so much for your efforts in scheduling tours and for helping to disseminate this letter to the
Commissioners. If you have any questions, let me know.
Cot j vn;cO,+;on5
2022-2465
Thanks, again.
Best,
Nick
Nicholas Gilman
Executive Director
Humane Society of Weld County
ngilman@weldcountyhumane.org
cell: 720-576-3045
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Weld County Board of Commissioners
Weld County, Colorado
August 18, 2022
Dear Weld County Board of Commissioners:
For more than 60 years, the Humane Society of Weld County has served the people of northern
Colorado with animal care and protection services. For much, if not all, of that time we have contracted
with local governments to provide humane housing services. These services include returning stray
animals to their owner, providing adoption services, administering emergency veterinary services,
answering questions from the public, and providing daily care and feeding seven days a week to the
animals brought to us.
Such contracted public/private services are very common in animal welfare. Perhaps half of the
established humane societies in the U.S. have contracted services for housing and/or field work.
The Humane Society of Weld County is proud to provide such contracted services and is determined to
be the best possible vender for local governments. When it comes to animal care and control issues,
our community wants to enjoy strong customer service as well as quality humane care for the animals in
our shelter. Because of that, the Humane Society of Weld County has made dramatic improvements
over the past three years to meet the needs of the animals, the taxpayers, and the communities we
contract with. We hope you are able to recognize the significant improvements we've made.
The Humane Society of Weld County has three main sources of income: 1) adoption and return -to -
owner fees, 2) charitable income, and 3) from contracts with local governments.
The first two of these income sources allow the Humane Society to provide excellent customer service
and animal care for the animals that do not come in by contract. However, since the contracts have not
been analyzed until recently, they are not providing the revenue necessary to compensate the Humane
Society for the expenses that come with animal housing. This shortfall in revenue results in the Humane
Society spending more to maintain the contracts than the contracts bring in.
The International City/County Manager's Association (ICMA) says that it should cost a given local
government about $4.00 per capita to run an animal care and control program. That recommendation,
cited in the "Animal Control Management — A Guide for Local Governments" was published in 2001.
Adjusted for inflation, that amount would increase to $6.70 per capita todayl.
Indeed, the Larimer Humane Society is charging the City of Loveland approximately $7.50 per capita this
year and will increase in 2024 to approximately $10 per capita.
Currently, the Humane Society of Weld County is receiving between .80 cents per capita to $3.00 per
capita depending upon the contract. The Humane Society cannot financially sustain this level of
shortfall. We would be willing to accept a phased -in agreement over a period of three to five years that
would bring the contracts to a level consistent with what our actual costs, ICMA recommendations
($6.70 per capita), and other local shelters are charging for housing services.
' According to usinflationcalculator.com
In the meantime, we are asking that we meet with local government representatives to make mid-term
contract adjustments to meet the $4.00 per capita level (or per animal compensation of $400 per
animal) in the immediate future for the Humane Society to continue to provide contracted services. All
the contracts allow for either an immediate or a 60 -day notice of termination of the contract. This letter
must serve as notice of a 60 -day termination option exercised by the Humane Society. We are confident
that we can come to equitable agreement before that time. The date of cessation of contracted services
would be October 18, 2022 absent good faith efforts at fee negotiation.
Again, we are proud to be a trusted and valued local business whose mission is to care for and protect
local animals. We look forward to continuing a long-standing relationship with the County and cities
that benefits the animals, and the citizens of Weld County.
Best,
Nicholas Gilman
Executive Director
Humane Society of Weld County
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