MONROE - The Green County Humane Society and the City of Monroe will be coming together in about four to six weeks to determine the costs of animal control in the city.
Mayor Bill Ross and the Public Property Committee asked members of the society, including Humane Society President Paul Barrett, Tuesday to provide the cost per animal, as well as to discuss the current and possibly future service agreements, at a meeting yet to be scheduled, in a effort to get a jumpstart on the city's budget planning.
Ross called the meeting Tuesday "a good starting point for the next step" in the budgeting process.
Committee members also had questions about the society's future plans to move into new facilites.
The Humane Society board in February approved a 99-year lease with the county for about eight acres of land to build a new shelter northeast of the Government Services Building at the Pleasant View Complex. No timeline has been set for construction.
The city currently provides a building on Wisconsin 69 South near 15th Street for use as an animal shelter; maintains the building exterior, heating and air-conditionsing; and contributes to the cost of water, sewer, garbage pickup and trash bags, in exchange for housing, food and medical care of stray animals picked up within the city.
The city budgeted $2,000 for 2009 utility services and "office supplies" expenses at the shelter, and went $2,600 over budget for the year. The city paid $800 toward utilities and about $1,350 for garbage bags. Much of the remaining expense went toward exterior maintenance and furnace repairs.
As of April 30, the account for 2010 was about $125 from going over its $2,000 budget. In March, the furnace was replaced at a cost of about $1,300.
Public Works Director Kelly Finkenbinder said costs for the shelter have gone over budget in the past three years.
At the meeting Tuesday, City Clerk Carol Stamm also provided extra cost information on property insurance, about $76 per year, and submitted an estimated cost for snow removal of $1,000 per year, if the city were to return to doing the job. The Human Society currently removes the snow.
Barrett indicated a need also for updating the wording in the lease and service contract with the city. The present recurring lease was last updated in 2000.
Alderman Mike Rivers said he is concerned with long-range future agreements with the Humane Society, in view of the society's efforts to build a new shelter.
"We are in the early stages of a capital campaign," said John Baumann, a member of the society's Building Committee. "We have a lot of homework to do yet."
The current lease and service agreement would eventually become just a service agreement with the city, said Steve Jacobson, who is also a member of the society's Building Committee.
"We can give broad stroke numbers of what the future holds," he said. "The thing is, is to be prepared."
All other communities are served under the Green County budget for animal control, except the City of Monroe, Barrett said.
Green County provides about $4,000 per month to cover animals picked up in the county. Lafayette County pays for the animals it brings to the Green County shelter.
In 2009, Monroe had 144 stray dogs picked up and taken to the shelter, more than half of the 259 dogs the humane society brought in that year, according to the organization's records online.
Mayor Bill Ross and the Public Property Committee asked members of the society, including Humane Society President Paul Barrett, Tuesday to provide the cost per animal, as well as to discuss the current and possibly future service agreements, at a meeting yet to be scheduled, in a effort to get a jumpstart on the city's budget planning.
Ross called the meeting Tuesday "a good starting point for the next step" in the budgeting process.
Committee members also had questions about the society's future plans to move into new facilites.
The Humane Society board in February approved a 99-year lease with the county for about eight acres of land to build a new shelter northeast of the Government Services Building at the Pleasant View Complex. No timeline has been set for construction.
The city currently provides a building on Wisconsin 69 South near 15th Street for use as an animal shelter; maintains the building exterior, heating and air-conditionsing; and contributes to the cost of water, sewer, garbage pickup and trash bags, in exchange for housing, food and medical care of stray animals picked up within the city.
The city budgeted $2,000 for 2009 utility services and "office supplies" expenses at the shelter, and went $2,600 over budget for the year. The city paid $800 toward utilities and about $1,350 for garbage bags. Much of the remaining expense went toward exterior maintenance and furnace repairs.
As of April 30, the account for 2010 was about $125 from going over its $2,000 budget. In March, the furnace was replaced at a cost of about $1,300.
Public Works Director Kelly Finkenbinder said costs for the shelter have gone over budget in the past three years.
At the meeting Tuesday, City Clerk Carol Stamm also provided extra cost information on property insurance, about $76 per year, and submitted an estimated cost for snow removal of $1,000 per year, if the city were to return to doing the job. The Human Society currently removes the snow.
Barrett indicated a need also for updating the wording in the lease and service contract with the city. The present recurring lease was last updated in 2000.
Alderman Mike Rivers said he is concerned with long-range future agreements with the Humane Society, in view of the society's efforts to build a new shelter.
"We are in the early stages of a capital campaign," said John Baumann, a member of the society's Building Committee. "We have a lot of homework to do yet."
The current lease and service agreement would eventually become just a service agreement with the city, said Steve Jacobson, who is also a member of the society's Building Committee.
"We can give broad stroke numbers of what the future holds," he said. "The thing is, is to be prepared."
All other communities are served under the Green County budget for animal control, except the City of Monroe, Barrett said.
Green County provides about $4,000 per month to cover animals picked up in the county. Lafayette County pays for the animals it brings to the Green County shelter.
In 2009, Monroe had 144 stray dogs picked up and taken to the shelter, more than half of the 259 dogs the humane society brought in that year, according to the organization's records online.