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AN ORDINANCE relating to the provision of regional animal services, authorizing the executive to enter into an interlocal agreement, Enhanced Control Services Contract and Licensing Support Contract with cities and towns in King County for the provision of regional animal services.
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STATEMENT OF FACTS:
1. Ordinance16862, adopted by the metropolitan King County council on June 21, 2010, authorized the county executive to enter into an interlocal agreement for provision of animal services to cities under a new regional model that enabled the county and cities and towns to provide for better public health, safety, animal welfare and customer service outcomes at a lower cost than jurisdictions are able to provide for on their own. This was accomplished through properly aligned financial incentives, partnerships to increase revenue, economies of scale, a consistent regulatory approach across participating jurisdictions and collaborative initiatives to reduce the homeless animal population and leverage private sector resources while providing for a level of animal care respected by the community.
2. Beginning in November 2011, a joint cities-county work group began meeting on a weekly basis to develop an amended or successor agreement ensuring continuation of the regional animal services model beyond 2012. The work group included representation from King County and the cities of Bellevue, Clyde Hill, Covington, Enumclaw, Issaquah, Kenmore, Kent, Kirkland, Lake Forest Park, Mercer Island, Newcastle, Redmond, Sammamish, SeaTac, Shoreline, Tukwila and Woodinville.
3. On February 1, 2012, an agreement in principle developed by the joint cities-county work group outlining changes to the existing Interlocal Agreement, for regional animal services was provided to all contracting cities. The agreement in principle and supporting materials were shared with all cities through presentations to city managers and administrators, numerous city council meetings and through individual meetings with county and city officials and staff.
4. The work group developed a draft successor interlocal agreement for animal services based on the agreement in principle. The draft was distributed to cities on April 16, 2012. Through subsequent work of the cities-county work group, additional modifications have been incorporated into the interlocal agreement and distributed to all cities on May 17, 2012.
5. All cities and towns identified in this ordinance have formally expressed their interest in participating in a regional animal services model and are considering adoption of the interlocal agreement for regional animal services that is authorized by this ordinance.
6. The proposed interlocal agreement provides for a term of three years with an option to extend two additional years. The proposed interlocal agreement includes a cost allocation methodology that is based on system use and population and shares defined regional animal system costs between the county and all participating cities and towns.
7. The proposed interlocal agreement provides that, if some cities or towns decide not to participate and the costs are thus raised for remaining participants beyond specified levels, the agreement will not go into effect unless the provision is waived.
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF KING COUNTY:
SECTION 1. The executive is hereby authorized to enter into an interlocal agreement for the provision of regional animal services with the cities and towns of Beaux Arts, Bellevue, Black Diamond, Carnation, Clyde Hill, Covington, Duvall, Enumclaw, Issaquah, Kenmore, Kent, Kirkland, Lake Forest Park, Maple Valley, Mercer Island, Newcastle, North Bend, Redmond, Sammamish, SeaTac, Shoreline, Snoqualmie, Tukwila, Woodinville and Yarrow Point, or other cities that desire to enter into an interlocal agreement in substantially the same form as Attachment A to this ordinance.
SECTION 2. The executive is additionally authorized to enter into the Enhanced Control Services Contract and the Licensing Support Contract with such cities and towns as may so request, such as in the forms that are included as Exhibit E and Exhibit F to Attachment A to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. The executive shall develop a report containing information on all cities that have chosen not to participate in the regional animal services program of King County. The report shall include:
A. How each city is providing shelter services for animals;
B. Quantitative or qualitative measures of the level of care provided in the shelters including, but not limited, to the number of animals taken in by the shelter, euthanasia rates, the number of animals that die in care, the number and extent of disease outbreaks, the number of adoptions, the number of staff and volunteers in the shelters and cost of shelter care;
C. Annual costs or projected annual costs for each city to provide animal services independently compared with each city's cost when participating in the regional animal services program;
D. The service priority response times to events such as: an immediate threat to life, health or safety of humans; an immediate threat to life, health or safety of animals; an urgent potential threat to life, health or safety of humans or animals; and other events requiring an officer response;
E. The number of staff in each city providing animal services such as licensing and animal control officers; and
F. The number of complaints or compliments made to each city by residents regarding the level and quality of animal services provided by the city as well as a general characterization of the complaints and compliments.
SECTION 4. By January 15, 2013, the executive shall submit to the council the report required in section 3 of this ordinance in the form of a paper copy and an electronic copy for distribution to all councilmembers and the lead staff of the government accountability, oversight and financial performance committee, or its successor.