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Regular Agenda Item 4. A.

Regular BOS Meeting

Meeting Date:	12/15/2020
Submitted For:	Michael O'Driscoll	Submitted By:	Marian Sheppard, Clerk of the Board
Department:	Clerk of the Board of Supervisors

Information

Request/Subject

To move forward with canceling the Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) between Star Valley and Gila County Animal Control and begin the process by sending the required 30-day notification to the Town of Star Valley.

Background Information

On July 10, 2009, the Gila County Board of Supervisors approved an Intergovernmental Agreement between the Town of Star Valley and Gila County Animal Control to provide the Town of Star Valley with certain animal control services. The Gila County Sheriff's Office has been providing law enforcement for the Town of Star Valley since 2009. Also, since 2009 the Gila County Animal Control and Gila County Sheriff's Office have worked together to provide animal control services to the Town of Star Valley which included the Sheriff's Officers responding to after-hour calls, on weekends, and holidays. Since 2009, there has been no service fee charged to the Town of Star Valley to respond to these calls by the Gila County Sheriff's Office.

Between January 1, 2018, to September 2020 the Gila County Sheriff's Office has handled 184 animal control calls for after-hours, weekends, and holidays.

In September 2020, the Town of Star Valley contracted law enforcement services with the Town of Payson Police Department ending the contract with the Gila County Sheriff's Office. In October 2020, the Gila County Animal Control Manager was notified by the Payson Police Department that they will not be dispatching officers to after hour, weekend, and holiday calls.

On December 1, 2020, this item was presented to the Board of Supervisors by Michael O'Driscoll, Health and Emergency Management Department Director. In learning that the Town officials had not been previously informed about canceling the contract, the Board asked Mr. O'Driscoll to contact Timothy Grier, Manager/Attorney for the Town of Star Valley, to find out if the Town officials would be interested in negotiating a new contract with different billable rates and terms or cancel the current Intergovernmental Agreement which is due to expire at the end of December 2020.

Evaluation

On December 7, 2020, Mr. O'Driscoll sent Mr. Grier a letter regarding the County's intention to cancel the existing contract and to request input from the Town Council on whether the Town would be interested in entering into a new contract with the County.
Having the Gila County Animal Control staff begin to respond to all after hour, weekend, and holiday animal control calls in the Town of Star Valley would continue to have a negative impact on the Gila County Animal Control budget. This would require additional funding to cover the added overtime and weekend coverage to provide animal control services to the Town of Star Valley. Therefore, it is the opinion of the Gila County Health & Emergency Management Director that it makes good fiscal sense to cancel the current IGA with the Town of Star Valley to provide animal control services.

Conclusion

Having the Gila County Animal Control staff begin to respond to all after hour, weekend, and holiday animal control calls in the Town of Star Valley would have a negative impact on the Gila County Animal Control budget. This would require additional funding to cover the added overtime and weekend coverage to provide animal control services to the Town of Star Valley. Therefore, it is the opinion of the Gila County Health & Emergency Management Director that it makes good fiscal sense to cancel the current IGA with the Town of Star Valley to provide animal control services.

Recommendation

It is the recommendation by the Gila County Health & Emergency Management Director to have the Board of Supervisors begin the process of canceling the Intergovernmental Agreement between the Town of Star Valley and Gila County Animal Control and send the required 30-day cancellation notification to the Town of Star Valley.

Suggested Motion

Information/Discussion/Action to authorize the cancellation of an Intergovernmental Agreement between the Town of Star Valley and Gila County Animal Control which includes sending the required 30-day cancellation notification to the Town of Star Valley. (Michael O'Driscoll)

Attachments
Letter to Town of Star Valley Manager/Attorney 12-7-20