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DASAB Minutes 06/16/2020June 16, 2020 MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF COLLIER COUNTY DOMESTIC ANIMAL SERVICES ADVISORY BOARD Naples, Florida, June 16,2020 LET IT BE REMEMBERED, that the Collier County Domestic Animal Services Advisory Board in and for the County of Collier, having conducted business herein, met on this date at 6:00 PM in REGULAR SESSION at the BCC Boardroom, 3'd Floor, W. Harmon Tumer Building, Collier County Govemment Center, Naples, Florid4 with the following members present: CHAIRMAN: Daniel Rheaume (via Zoom) VICE CHAIRMAN: Jim Rich SECRETARY: Mary Baker Sarah Baeckler-Davis Marjorie Bloom Dr. Michael Gordon Cpl. James A. Spartz (Excused) I. Call to Order Vice Chairman Jim Rich called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. il. Attendance A quorum was established. III. Approval of Agenda Dr. Gordon made a motion to approve the agenda, there was a second and the motion passed 6-0. fV. Approval of Minutes ALSO PRESENT: Darcy Andrade, Director, DAS Kellie Carroll, Administrative Assistant, DAS I 3.A.3 Packet Pg. 32 Attachment: Animal Services Meeting Minutes - June 16, 2020 (signed) (12991 : Animal Services Advisory Board - July 21, 2020) June 16, 2020 Mary Baker made o motion to approve the minutes of the January 21, 2020 meeting, there was a second and the motion passed, 6-0. V. Public Comments Darcy Andrade advised the Board that Domestic Animal Services has remained open with reduced services through the pandemic. Animal Control Offrcers are responding to nuisance calls (barking dogs, sanitary nuisance) via mail and using Facetime to release quarantined animals. DAS has tried to reduce the number on incoming animals because the trustees are not available to assist with cleaning. Shelters are not supposed to be performing spay/neuter. Ms. Andrade thanked Danielle Somerville, the Program Services Coordinator at DAS for getting over 200 animals into foster care. DAS is looking at options other than the trustees for cleaning in the future. She also notified the Board that DAS is starting to add back services. Darcy informed the Board that Kathy Rheaume was named Volunteer of the Year by the Florida Animal Control Association. Ms. Andrade told the Board that because the Fourth of July is on a Saturday, the County observed holiday will be on Friday, July 3'd. She also stated that it makes no sense for DAS to be closed on the 3'd and open on the 46, so DAS will remain open on Friday July 3'd and closed on Saturday, July 4th. Darcy thanked Dr. Gordon for volunteering his time to perform veterinary services while DAS was without a veterinarian on staff. Ms. Andrade also thanked Humane Society Naples for providing relief veterinary services since mid-May. Ms. Andrade advised the Board that the new Shelter Veterinarian, Dr. David Robinson is starting on Monday, Jtrr.e 22,2020. VIL New Business A. Veterinary Services Dr. Gordon stated that he was on the panel for the Shelter Veterinarian interviews. Dn Gordon made a motion to recommend that DAS hire a second veterinarian, funded through the Animal Sterilizalion Trust Fund, there was a second and the motion passed 6-0. Dr. Gordon asked ifthe trust fund could cover the salary for another veterinarian. Darcy Andrade provided some background information on the fund and a previous recommendation to hire a part-time veterinarian. Dr. Gordon stated that he doesn't want the community or DAS to be in the position of not having a veterinarian ever again. Darcy advised that the fi.rnd should be self-sustaining. 2 There were no public comments. YI. Director's Report 3.A.3 Packet Pg. 33 Attachment: Animal Services Meeting Minutes - June 16, 2020 (signed) (12991 : Animal Services Advisory Board - July 21, 2020) June 16, 2020 B. At-Large (DAS Volunteer), Veterinari&n, and HSN Represetrtative Darcy Andrade reminded the Board that on January 24,2014,the Board voted to hold one At-Large position as a volunteer seat on the Board. Dan Rheaume stated that he would like to talk about Humane Society Naples (HSN) taking over the veterinary clinic at DAS. He further advised that he spoke to and communicated via email with the County Attomey and the County Manager about the possible conflict of interest. Mr. Rheaume read the emails that he sent and received. The HSN seat on the Board exists by ordinance. He advised that in the second email from April, the County Attomey wrote 'we are all aware of the conflict with respect to this matter.' Mr. Rheaume stated that he believes that there is a conflict and made a motion to remove the HSN seat from the Board and to revise the ordinance to make it an At-Large position. Dan Rheaume asked if there is any potential for HSN to assume any of the responsibilities currently being done by DAS. Mr. Rheaume stated that he is not part of it and is not aware of it. Ms. Baeckler-Davis advised him to ask Darcy Andrade about it because she knows more about it than Sarah knows. Dr. Gordon told the Board that he received an email asking him to participate in a Work Group but was later informed that it had been cancelled. Jim Rich asked Darcy Andrade if she sees a conflict of interest, but Ms. Andrade declined to ans*er. Dan Rheaumc made a motion to chonge the ordinance to eliminnte the Humane Society Naples seat ftom the Animal Services Advisory Board and add another At- Large seat, there was a second and the motion passed 4-1. Ms. Andrade resumed discussion about the current At-Large position and gave candidates the opportunity to address the Board. 3 Sarah Baeckler-Davis stated that her understanding is that the County Attomey determined that there is no conflict. Ms. Baeckler-Davis advised the Board that she had spoken with Darcy Andrade's boss (Steve Carnell, Public Services Departrnent Head) and he told her and Darcy there is no conflict. Ms. Baeckler-Davis stated that she believes that this subject is not under the purview of the Board. She also stated that she understands that there may be a perception ofconflict, but categorically disagrees that there is any conflict of interest. Ms. Baeckler-Davis stated that there is no takeover happening. Ms. Baeckler-Davis again stated that there is no takeover. She advised that there is an HSN-DAS Work Group being plarured and told Mr. Rheaume that he should be aware of this because he is part of it. 3.A.3 Packet Pg. 34 Attachment: Animal Services Meeting Minutes - June 16, 2020 (signed) (12991 : Animal Services Advisory Board - July 21, 2020) June 16, 2020 Marjorie Bloom gave a brief description ofherself, noting that she has been an active volunteer at DAS for 1 1 years in addition to being a foster and stated that she would like to remain on the Board. Lynda Lategano also provided a brief description, stating that since 201 1, she has been a DAS volunteer and a foster and that she has attended most Advisory Board meetings. John Johnson stated that he is a 19-year Collier County resident, an animal and wildlife-oriented person and that he volunteers at The Conservancy. Dan Rheaumc made a motion to recommend the reappointment of Marjorie Bloom to the Advisory Board, lhere was a second and the motion passed 5-0. Iim Rich made a motion to recommend the reappointment of Dr. Michael Gordon to the Advisory Board, there was a second and the motion passed 5-0. Jim Rich asked what would happen if the Board of County Commissioners votes to retain the HSN seat on the Advisory Board, ifthe seat would be filled by Sarah Baeckler-Davis or by someone else. Ms. Baeckler-Davis informed the Board that HSN has discretion on who the HSN representative would be and that it would continue to be her. Jim Rich advised the Board that they should vote to fill the HSN seat until the Board of County Commissioners decides on the ordinance revision. lim Rich made a motion to retain Sarah Baeckler-Davls on the Board, there was a second, and the motion passed 3-2. VII. Old Business There was no old business. IX. Advisory Board Member Comments Sarah Baeckler-Davis advised that she has no comment Mary Baker stated that she believes that DAS and HSN do so much work for the community. Dr. Gordon stated that the DAS staff is fantastic. He said that his heart goes out to the volunteers and fosters, he has seen how much they care and that is why he is adamant that DAS needs a second veterinarian. Marjorie Bloom stated that Danielle Somerville is amazing and thanked the staff at DAS. 4 3.A.3 Packet Pg. 35 Attachment: Animal Services Meeting Minutes - June 16, 2020 (signed) (12991 : Animal Services Advisory Board - July 21, 2020) June 16,2020 Dan Rheaume stated that he has seen the amazing job Darcy Andrade and her staff have done and that the numbers certainly seem to show it. He said that he would hate for another group to take over. Jim Rich wanted to recognize the gross negligence to animals during the pandemic. He stated that when people started losing their jobs, he was concerned about people's ability to keep their pets. He advised that For the Love of Cats ryorks with Daily Bread and they have passed out 10,000 lbs. of food. Mr. Rich also advised that Tom Kepp and Saving Grace have also distributed pet food and thanked DAS for supplying it. He also stated that he has lost respect for I)r. Julie Levy, from the University of Florida, for recommending that rescue groups do not do any spay/neuter surgeries until after the pandemic. Mr. Rich thanked Dr. Eisle for keeping his clinics open to perform spay/neuter surgery. Mr. Rich Made a motion to adjourn, there was a second and the motion passed 6-0. The next regularly scheduled Advisory Board Meeting will be on Tuesday, July 21, 2020 at 6:00 p.m. in the Domestic Animal Training Room, Davis Blvd., Naples, Florida. There being no further business for the good of the County, the meeting was concluded at 7:01 p.m. COLLIER COT]NTY DO SER\rICES Chairm Rheaume These minutes approved by Board/Committee on amended 2t as presented or as 5 3.A.3 Packet Pg. 36 Attachment: Animal Services Meeting Minutes - June 16, 2020 (signed) (12991 : Animal Services Advisory Board - July 21, 2020)