Genesee County moves to reorganize Animal Control in midst of overcrowding crisis - MLive.com

GENESEE COUNTY, MI -- The county is in the process of tearing up the playbook for running its Animal Control Department shelter and the changes are expected to cost the county's general fund more than $700,000 during the next three fiscal years.

The county Board of Commissioners gave initial approval to a reorganization plan for Animal Control during a committee meeting on Wednesday, March 22, waiving a county government hiring freeze to make the changes, including the creation of new positions and agreeing to hire a recruitment firm to find candidates to fill a permanent veterinarian position.

"The current configuration has shown to be inadequate to our shelter needs and has contributed toward a crisis in our census," Director of Administration Joshua Freeman said in a memorandum to commissioners. "Due to the strain on the current millage funding, this request will include a general fund appropriation."

Although the county makes bond payments for a shelter expansion that was completed in 2019 from its general fund, the cost of operating the facility has been covered by a 0.1994-mill property tax until now.

The reorganization will change that financial balancing act -- at least in the short term.

Wednesday's action comes one month after the county temporarily stopped accepting most stray dogs and cats at its shelter due to issues including what Director Jay Parker has called "extreme over-capacity" and lack of available staff.

The reorganization calls for peeling away responsibilities from a volunteer coordinator position, leaving that employee with the responsibility for coordinating all efforts around volunteer recruitment and management, and creating a social media specialist job and a foster rescue coordinator position. It also calls for hiring an additional animal control specialist to work directly with animal care and for creating an additional vet tech position.

Animal Control officials are also requesting funding to continue working with a staffing company to provide two temporary front-desk workers and to contract with a recruitment company to find a permanent veterinarian -- a job that's been filled by an assortment of vets recently.

To make the personnel changes, commissioners are being asked to approve up to $240,000 from the general fund for the remainder of the fiscal year that ends Sept. 30. Adding the new positions would require up to $353,000 from the general fund in the next fiscal year and up to $180,000 in the 2025 fiscal year.

The reorganization comes after an assessment of the county shelter by Maddie's Fund, a family foundation established to revolutionize the status and well-being of companion animals.

County officials said the changes could save money over time once the new structure is in place but Freeman told commissioners, "it's not going to be zero cost right now."

Commissioner Beverly Brown, D-Flint, was among board members who supported the reorganization plan Wednesday.

The plan could be given final approval next week.

"The recommendations (seemed) really sound and really needed in order to help the animals just be in a more peaceful place," Brown said.

The county's West Pasadena Road shelter located at 4351 Pasadena Avenue in Flint Township was expanded by 10,000 square feet in 2019, creating better living conditions for dogs and cats, fresher air circulation inside the building, and new exercise areas outdoors.

But even with that additional space, the shelter was 200% over capacity in February, Parker said, with more than 180 animals in the shelter or in foster care.

Read more at The Flint Journal:

Capacity issues lead Genesee County shelter to stop many new animal intakes

Flint water settlement moves ahead with approval by Genesee County judge

Company wants to fill holes in unfinished Flint Township subdivision with 3D printed homes

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