MONROE - The City of Monroe is bracing for higher prices for animal control services next year, when the Green County Humane Society doesn't need the city building currently provided to house the animal shelter.
The city negotiates an agreement with the society, separately from the county's agreement, and the City of Monroe Common Council approved the final revisions to the 2012 agreement with the Green County Humane Society Tuesday.
The city had been operating under its 2011 agreement, pending the resolution of additional costs for emergency euthanasia cases and bite orders incurred by the city.
The city's 2012 budget provides for $22,500 to the society, up $7,500 from 2011.
GCHS officials had requested a total $30,000 for 2012 and advised the committee that it would seek $45,000 in 2013, saying the city has a high percentage of stray animals turned in to the shelter compared to other municipalities. They had also requested an informal meeting with city leaders to negotiate their contract for animal control services.
City Administrator Phil Rath undertook those negotiations, following discussions between members of the Finance and Taxation Committee and GCHS during budget preparations in October.
In addition to paying the annual base fee of $22,500, the city will pay for euthanasia costs ordered by the Monroe Police Department. It will also foot the bill on costs associated with bite orders, in which an animal is required to be held for a length of time.
Monroe Police Chief Fred Kelley said ordered euthanasia is "quite rare," and did not expect the city to incur much cost for either bite order holds or euthanasia cases.
Kelley pointed out that the city does not have an animal control program and that the local humane society is not an animal control organization. However, the agreement between the city and humane society obligates GCHS to provide many services tending toward control, including care for stray cats and dogs.
As part of the new agreement's explicit wording, GCHS is not required to take in feral cats or dangerous dogs, which are considered "untamed" and pose a safety risk for GCHS staff, other people or animals.
GCHS will continue to retrieve and receive stray cats and dogs under restraint during the hours of 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
GCHS agreed to take up the costs of utilities and waste disposal this year at the shelter, located in a building owned and provided by the city. The city had intended to keep a portion of the total fee to fund those costs.
But those building responsibilities may soon be coming to an end; Green County Humane Society is preparing to build a new shelter this year.
A new 13,824-square-foot shelter is being built on 8 acres at the Pleasant View Complex on Wisconsin 81 just north of Monroe. The organization hopes to move into its new home before the end of the year. With an expanded capacity for 66 dog runs and 175 cat runs, GCHS also hopes enough space to accept surrendered pets.
Without being its landlord, the city may become just another client of the humane society, and Rath said he will confer with the county about incorporating the city's needs into the county-wide agreement.
The city negotiates an agreement with the society, separately from the county's agreement, and the City of Monroe Common Council approved the final revisions to the 2012 agreement with the Green County Humane Society Tuesday.
The city had been operating under its 2011 agreement, pending the resolution of additional costs for emergency euthanasia cases and bite orders incurred by the city.
The city's 2012 budget provides for $22,500 to the society, up $7,500 from 2011.
GCHS officials had requested a total $30,000 for 2012 and advised the committee that it would seek $45,000 in 2013, saying the city has a high percentage of stray animals turned in to the shelter compared to other municipalities. They had also requested an informal meeting with city leaders to negotiate their contract for animal control services.
City Administrator Phil Rath undertook those negotiations, following discussions between members of the Finance and Taxation Committee and GCHS during budget preparations in October.
In addition to paying the annual base fee of $22,500, the city will pay for euthanasia costs ordered by the Monroe Police Department. It will also foot the bill on costs associated with bite orders, in which an animal is required to be held for a length of time.
Monroe Police Chief Fred Kelley said ordered euthanasia is "quite rare," and did not expect the city to incur much cost for either bite order holds or euthanasia cases.
Kelley pointed out that the city does not have an animal control program and that the local humane society is not an animal control organization. However, the agreement between the city and humane society obligates GCHS to provide many services tending toward control, including care for stray cats and dogs.
As part of the new agreement's explicit wording, GCHS is not required to take in feral cats or dangerous dogs, which are considered "untamed" and pose a safety risk for GCHS staff, other people or animals.
GCHS will continue to retrieve and receive stray cats and dogs under restraint during the hours of 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
GCHS agreed to take up the costs of utilities and waste disposal this year at the shelter, located in a building owned and provided by the city. The city had intended to keep a portion of the total fee to fund those costs.
But those building responsibilities may soon be coming to an end; Green County Humane Society is preparing to build a new shelter this year.
A new 13,824-square-foot shelter is being built on 8 acres at the Pleasant View Complex on Wisconsin 81 just north of Monroe. The organization hopes to move into its new home before the end of the year. With an expanded capacity for 66 dog runs and 175 cat runs, GCHS also hopes enough space to accept surrendered pets.
Without being its landlord, the city may become just another client of the humane society, and Rath said he will confer with the county about incorporating the city's needs into the county-wide agreement.