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Humane Society may be nearing deal with city
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MONROE - Green County Humane Society (GCHS) could have a new contract with the City of Monroe by April 19, more than six months after the organization began seeking an increase in city funding.

The 1-year contract goes to the Common Council next week for what should be an easy final approval, but the council now has five new members, none of whom were part of the contract negotiations or city budget meetings.

The new contract gives GCHS $15,000 for 2011, as approved in the city budget. The city budgeted $2,000 for GCHS in 2010.

With the hefty increase, council members said at budget meetings last fall that they wanted increased animal control services from the organization and an updated contract with GCHS. The present recurring lease was last updated in 2000.

"It's a good contract for both parties," said Alderman Jan Lefevre, chairman of the Public Property Committee involved with contract negotiations. "It's one we can both live with. The city is dedicated to seeing that the Humane Society provides a valuable service for the community."

The GCHS board approved the new contract April 13, GCHS President Paul Barrett verified Thursday.

City committees negotiating the details approved the contract April 6.

Barrett and other GCHS representatives have been negotiating with the city's Public Property Committee and Public Safety Committee since November to get the entire $15,000 paid to GCHS. Some city committee members intended to retain a portion of the funding to pay for costs incurred by the city for the animal shelter building, which the city owns. As part of the new contract, GCHS is now responsibility for the costs of furnace repairs or replacement, plastic trashbags and snow removal, which the city provided previously.

The city will maintain repairs on the animal shelter building, but not as a part of the organization's funding.

GCHS established an impound limit of three animals from any one household. In extreme cases where the city must seize numerous animals, GCHS will negotiate as a separate billing.

GCHS told the Finance and Taxation Committee Oct. 6 that it is seeking substantial funding increases over the next three years to cover more of the costs of caring for animals that come from the city of Monroe.

It plans to request $30,000 for 2012 and $45,000 for 2013, and then a 3 to 5 percent annual increase thereafter. Monroe impounds are about one-third of the total number of animals coming into the shelter annually. Other communities are served under the Green County budget for animal control.