MONROE - The Public Safety Committee, after emerging from a closed session, voted unanimously Monday, March 18 to send its own drafted agreement with the Green County Humane Society for a vote by the Common Council in two weeks.
The humane society, which operates an animal shelter in Monroe, had presented a service agreement that mirrors the agreement it has with Green County to house stray dogs and cats. The city is currently not part of the county contract.
But City Attorney Rex Ewald told the committee that the society's agreement "has a lot missing" compared to the agreement the city had prepared, and he did not recommend the city use the group's agreement. Definition of terms was just one aspect of the society's agreement that Ewald noted was missing. Other contract information was not specified and amounted to "a statement of good faith," he added.
Last month, the humane society rejected the city's proposal to pay $130 per animal taken to the group's animal shelter. Tracey Pederson, vice president of humane society's board of directors, said the board did not want to work on surges of income each month.
The agreement presented Monday by the society, however, will cost the city the same amount - $35,000 for 2013 - whether it presents one animal or a couple hundred, said City Administrator Phil Rath. Rath was also concerned about a built-in clause for increasing funding but not services.
Committee Chairman Michael Boyce noted two phrases, "as capacity allows" and "if staff are available," do not appear in the county contract.
Paul Barrett, humane society board president, said the new facility has a capacity limit and other parameters set by the state, by which the society must abided. Also, the society has a limited staff whose priority is to care for the currently housed animals before picking up strays.
Boyce said the consensus in closed session was that committee members were more comfortable with the agreement drafted by Ewald because it included certainties. The committee modified its agreement by limiting pets to cats and dogs, expending the annual cost of $35,000 in monthly installments, and ending the agreement by Dec. 31, 2013.
The humane society, which operates an animal shelter in Monroe, had presented a service agreement that mirrors the agreement it has with Green County to house stray dogs and cats. The city is currently not part of the county contract.
But City Attorney Rex Ewald told the committee that the society's agreement "has a lot missing" compared to the agreement the city had prepared, and he did not recommend the city use the group's agreement. Definition of terms was just one aspect of the society's agreement that Ewald noted was missing. Other contract information was not specified and amounted to "a statement of good faith," he added.
Last month, the humane society rejected the city's proposal to pay $130 per animal taken to the group's animal shelter. Tracey Pederson, vice president of humane society's board of directors, said the board did not want to work on surges of income each month.
The agreement presented Monday by the society, however, will cost the city the same amount - $35,000 for 2013 - whether it presents one animal or a couple hundred, said City Administrator Phil Rath. Rath was also concerned about a built-in clause for increasing funding but not services.
Committee Chairman Michael Boyce noted two phrases, "as capacity allows" and "if staff are available," do not appear in the county contract.
Paul Barrett, humane society board president, said the new facility has a capacity limit and other parameters set by the state, by which the society must abided. Also, the society has a limited staff whose priority is to care for the currently housed animals before picking up strays.
Boyce said the consensus in closed session was that committee members were more comfortable with the agreement drafted by Ewald because it included certainties. The committee modified its agreement by limiting pets to cats and dogs, expending the annual cost of $35,000 in monthly installments, and ending the agreement by Dec. 31, 2013.