foreign
[Music]
thank you
Welcome to our March Animal Services
board meeting I appreciate that you're
here we have a sort of a
full chamber today thank you for being
here
why don't we stand and say the Pledge
stands one nation under God
liberty and justice for all
thank you
I'm Cassandra Gandara Vice chair for the
animal services board our chair is not
here today I think it's still spring
break and maybe there are folks away
with kids and vacationing and so I call
this meeting to order Becky can you
deter determine if we have a quorum
please remember de Leon
here former Ward present former Flores
is absent board member Weir
board member Quran
here board member Shayla Hernandez here
and vice chair Gandara who is chair
today here thank you you have a quorum
thank you
okay next on the agendas there's some
changes to the agenda
first before I
motion to make those changes do we have
anybody from cipp we do
contactor executive director Yes Man
Vice chair we do we have four Hots four
Hearts Four Paws
here to talk about their animal rescue
efforts okay very good
that made me note of that
and what we'll need is a motion
um to
change the agenda and remove action item
B all together it'll need to be tabled
Becky do I do that now okay so can I get
a motion with an amendment to remove
action item B resolution
2023-02 so moved Corinth okay second
shelter Hernando okay thank you motion
made by board member Quran second by
Michelle Joe Hernandez
Becky please call the role board member
Weir
present I need a yes or no please yes
ma'am thank you sorry board member Quran
yes former Michelle Hernandez yes
thank you pass okay now I need a motion
for the entire agenda with the amended
note with the amended with the noted
Amendment
I moved to approve the agenda with the
amendment that we just approved thank
you hi second okay
um Becky board member Weir
yes former Quran yes former Michelle
Hernandez yes
yes okay
so next is the I need a motion to
approve the minutes for the regular
ascmv board meeting held January 26 2023
so moved
motion made by board member Hernandez
so move seconded by Bitcoin second by
current
former Weir
yes former Quran yes board member Shayla
Hernandez yes chair Contra yes thank you
thank you okay moving right along we're
in the section of reports and
presentations and the recognition of
vaccination clinic participants Clint
thank you for doing this I know it was
such a huge success I felt it necessary
to bring your people and all the folks
that are behind the scenes trying to
make this happen
um and I so I so appreciate it so thank
you not a problem this is awesome yeah
so in uh starting in 2019 this is
pre-covered we came up with this schemed
idea to do drive-through vaccine clinics
I had seen it done once before while I
was on a business trip in Louisiana
um and I thought you know this could
work at other places
so when I came here we we devised this
plan and uh it taken off we in our first
spot we totally ran out of vaccines we
caused an accident because the line was
backed up
onto the main road uh it was quite a
trip and then we had to move venues to
be bigger I mean we grew each time and
so
with the conclusion of the February 19th
drive-thru Clinic we have done a total
of over 4 000 rabies vaccines we've done
3 397 dhpp vaccines which is the dog
distemper hepatitis parvo vaccines
microchips we've implanted over two
thousand
feline vaccines was 491 and Bordetella
1627. the big ones I want to point out
are those first two the rabies and the
dhpp we have so much sickness diseases
coming into the center every day from
Individual areas and this continues to
grow the first time we had it we had
zero volunteers it was all staff and
this time in last February we had more
volunteers than we know what to do with
it was amazing and it keeps getting
bigger and better so I would like to
invite if we could have a picture taken
with the board and also all of the
employees that were able to come today
from the ascmv
come up and get a picture with you and
then you could officially recognize them
for their efforts that they've done
Clyde do you have names of each of them
that you can they don't go by names no
yes
that would be really nice to go by their
name and get the recognition especially
because it's live on CLC TV I just I
can't express how grateful I am to each
and every one of you
that puts forth that kind of effort I
know what it takes to make that kind of
event
successful and I I want you to know how
grateful I am and the board is for
everything that you do so Clint take it
away okay great
would you like to come up and I'll
introduce you as you come up
so first we have Curtis herring
he's coming up we have Christine's our
Curtis is our assistant kennel manager
and then we have Christine for an office
we have Jeanette for an office this is
really testing my skills here
uh we have our front office manager is
Michelle our incredible veterinarian
medical directors Dr Hadden we have gay
who is our front office we have Vanessa
who's going to have a baby in April but
she's also our foster coordinator we
have Amy who does amazing work there so
our rescue coordinator Kim Works in our
front office area
we have Danielle's restaurant office and
we have Bernice who's our operations
manager one person that is not here that
is really the driving force behind it
but she won't admit it is Elizabeth
Seeley
she's our other rescue coordinator she
does all the scheduling for the Field of
Dreams and by the way Field of Dreams if
you know how Big Field of Dreams is
we cover both parking lots it's
ginormous it's a huge effort there that
we take on another person that does a
lot of work there is our supervisors our
building maintenance supervisor is Paul
Reeves
he delivers all the heavy stuff from the
barrels of water and the cones and all
that so we also want to give a thank you
to Carol Petrie Foundation they gave us
a grant a couple years ago that we could
purchase all of the things that really
make this work awnings and cones and we
even got a trailer we're able to put it
all in so we just hook up the trailer
and go so we appreciate all their work
there are as you see from the picture
that's on the board there are many there
that were not able to come specifically
our kennel crew because they wanted to
stay and take care of the animals there
at the center
but a special thank you to everybody
there appreciate it
[Applause]
and I also want to point out um Yoli
Geraldo she is our
our volunteer coordinator and she does
amazing work getting these people from
everywhere
so she even thought about doing a bureau
College because they have experience
with with vaccinations so it's just a
different kind of patient is all it is
and they're also required to do to do
volunteer hours
so it works out really well I love it
thank you so much what a beautiful
beautiful we're going to go
down
wherever they want us
yep let's come up in the front
Tom would you be willing to take a
picture
that's great I would love to take the
picture but they said I have to be
standard sure
squeeze in a little bit
can you come over here
right here
there we go
all right
got some
sanitizer in the way okay a three one
two three one more for good luck
I if I remember right I think the board
you guys said you wanted to buy us
Donuts or something is that is that what
I heard
sure
thanks for that anybody have anything to
add to that
okay see none
um okay who's here for the four Hearts
For Paws presentation
good morning how are you I'm fine how
are you please state your name for the
record it's Susan Peterson and it's
actually
oh I'm sorry no no it's all right two
hearts for pause Refuge yes and we get
called you know like you know four
hearts two paws Hearts I mean we get
called everything so it's okay sometimes
we just get a picture of a heart a two
and a heart
and a four and a that's cute yeah yeah
for the veterinarians
so uh yeah so anyway I just wanted to uh
talk a little bit
um
for those of you who might be new we're
a small 501c rescue up in Radium Springs
and it's my sister Deborah and I somehow
we do it
um
we've got about five acres we have yards
we have indoor outdoor kennels and so
most of our work has been in the
community Strays
um
issues with dogs dogs have been run over
hit by a car and no one claimed them and
and so we did all the vet work and saved
them so we have a that's why we're a
refuge a lot we have a lot on site but
last year I think I I think it was last
year I have no concept of time but I
think it was last year I was here and I
had said how we wanted to try to help
the shelter
with taking out dogs and transport and
so I'm I'm thrilled to say that we're
finally able to do that so it's slow but
we've been we have a network of people
now
so uh and I taught I called the shelter
pull an animal or two or three and then
they go to foster care and transport it
out to other rescues all around the
country we've taken animals to
Maryland Illinois Missouri
Colorado Wyoming you know there's just
they don't have the animal population we
do and so to get them out of the shelter
and moved is is wonderful and I have to
say that the Foster coordinators Amy and
Liz have been a joy to work with they
are so accommodating they help so much
they I mean they're wonderful to work
with so I just wanted to give kudos to
them and everyone else that I talked to
when I call in they've always been
nice and polite and helpful so it
it's wonderful it just makes it easier
[Music]
I don't
I'm not as statistical to statistical
person so I don't have a lot of numbers
for you but I know we've pulled
mostly little dogs but like uh
12 to 15
since we started in the first of the
year it's not in many but it's something
and we'd like to try to pull the larger
dogs when we have a network for them but
as long as we can help because it's so
overcrowded and the
educating the people is so hard but we
don't give up and we help our community
is whenever we can with vet bills and
spay and neuter shots you know we just
try to help everybody so um
so that's our job that's what we do
and I'd also like to say that um
uh I'm picking up a dog today that's
going to be transported to another
rescue and I don't know if you keep up
with the horrors that happen but
some poor excuse for a human being
dropped off the mom and dad and 10
puppies at a local rest area
well we've been so distraught so I'm
picking them up tomorrow and they'll
come out to my place
I have a big fenced in several fenced in
yards with kennels and so they'll have a
place to stay and then we'll move them
on to I believe big mutts another rescue
so we try to do whatever we can to help
so and I also wanted to say that um
since some of animal control is here
I hear a lot of people complain that
they call and no one ever comes but
every time I've ever called
they come
so I don't know what's going on with
other people but I have to to say how
grateful I am that
when I have a dog that's been run over
or there's a deceased dog or there's
issues with neighbors and things that
they always come out and it it's not
always able to be resolved but they come
so I just
wanted to express my gratefulness to how
everybody helps us and I know other
rescues are pulling from the shelter too
so that's a big plus
so that's what we want to do is try to
work together
and save these animals so
any questions any questions yes I just
want to say thank you for coming out
here again and following up on what we
talked about last year but but thank you
and your sister so much for what you do
I know that it's it's a lot in your
world and also I I you talked right now
about some of the parts of it that are
not part of the dream life but at some
level I feel like you're living the
dream life at least that you get to be
helping animals and that's your life
experience so I'm so grateful that
you've chosen that path and helped
support our community so thank you oh
thank you thank you yeah it's a it's a
joy it did labor of love it
so um thank you board member Karen
anybody else yeah I've seen them we
really appreciate you being here and
giving us an update on continued luck
and
gratitude from us to you and your sister
well thank you we both thank you and we
thank everyone here that we can work
with so thank you thank you
thank you
okay next up is the city and county ACO
reports and do you draw straws and you
got the
shorter or longer I don't know okay
oh
maybe there it goes
good morning Madam Vice chair and board
my name is Brian Hulsey I'm the case
worker for donana County Animal Control
here to present the February 2023 animal
report
for
February we had 257 reported stray
animals out of the reports three animals
we were able to pick up 186 stray
animals
76 of those were cats and 110 were dogs
we ended up picking up five sticker
injured animals four cats and one dog
and for the first time in since I think
I've had this position we only had two
owners surrender animals and it was two
dogs usually we're in double digits so
I've I was very shocked to see that we
only had two I even triple checked it
just to make sure
this is our reported straight animal
calls for the last four years since
we're starting a new year it's going to
be pretty blank for for this year until
we start getting higher up in the months
this is our four-year filled return to
owner comparison chart so for those of
you that are new
um when our officers out are out in the
field and they're able to identify the
an owner to a dog and they're able to
give the dog back they do it out in the
field that's what this is for
um so for February we had 34 return to
owners so that way they didn't end up
going to the Animal Service Center in
Mesilla Valley
for additional animals that we picked up
we had no owner surrendered cats we had
two owners surrender dogs the five
sticker injured animals we had three
welfare holds
welfare holds are if a sheriff unit or
State Police or border patrol they end
up arresting someone they have animals
we come and pick them up and do a
welfare hold of those animals
we had no neglect or cruelty we had tin
shelter quarantines we had five home
quarantines
we had two dogs for the court hold for
cases that involved livestock attacks
um
we currently at the at the time of the
slide we had five live evidence
animals being held at our facility but
now we have four as of today
um we had one rabies submission and the
new slide that we have is diverted
intakes so we started keeping statistics
on how often our officers are able to
divert animals from going to the shelter
or from us having to pick them up giving
them options for rescues things like
that and so we had 50 diverted intakes
this month or
for February
these are districts I'll keep that up
there for
for everyone to see for a moment
and these are stray animals picked up by
District district one we had a total of
nine animals District Two we had 24.
District 3 we had 53 we saw a big uptake
in dogs for some reason in District 3
for February we had a lot of dog
activity in District 3.
in District Four we had 34 in District
Five we had 32 District Six we had 11
and District Seven we had 23.
these are our Stray Cats picked up for
our year to date for 2023
and again these are the ones for the
dogs
as you can see you can see that big
spike for district three that went up
for the dogs
and then these are two animals for owner
surrenders uh we had one the owner just
wasn't able to take care of the animal
it kept escaping the yard it kept having
issue so the owner surrendered the
animal and then we had one for a
livestock attack
and at that I'll stand for any questions
thank you any questions
yes
board member Mary Lou
it's not a question it's more of a a
statement I guess just on the Brian can
you go back to the
field rtos slide
just looking at the the field rtos so we
had 34 in February and if you can look
in 2020 we had 62 so we're looking we've
been short on officers so of course our
numbers are going to be lower and the
more officers we have in the field we
anticipate more animals we can be
releasing back to the owners safely so
we're hoping those numbers will go up as
we can get more officers out in the
field
thank you board member word
anybody else seen none thank you so much
for your presentation
going
good morning good morning welcome thank
you uh I'm officer Torres with the city
of Las Cruces Animal Control I am
filling in for supervisor Jimenez and
Lieutenant Weedle and unfortunately they
couldn't make it today
um
okay
and I'll go ahead and begin I will be
presenting the numbers for February
so these are the reported straight
animals uh 476 reported stray animals
for February 215 were gone upon arrival
uh 261 straight animals were apprehended
222 straight impounded at the shelter
108 of those were dogs 114 cats 39 were
successful field returns 10 unsuccessful
attempted field returns uh due to
later on we'll figure out why that
happened a total of 49 identifiers
identifiable stray animals
this is the reported stray animal calls
three-year comparison
for 2023 so far we are at 886 reported
Strays
um
seems to be kind of across the board for
this time of year
then the three-year field RTO comparison
um February we are we were at 39 field
rtos compared to 51 last year and the
previous year 31.
Community cap program
um 200 and I mean for 2023 we've got
107.
calls for cat and traps we released 12
of those
they had either the microchip ear tip
release those right in the field uh cats
in trap calls sometimes that's
just requesting a trap to be delivered
but we've got 55 of those and then
Community cats were released three for
2022.
reasons for owner releasing animals we
had 12
um
one was mom dog with a litter of six
plus another litter of five
seven dogs due to aggression
five of those uh landlords would not
allow them to keep those dogs on the
premises
three dogs were they were unable to care
for them uh one decided to surrender
because of a bite
one sick or old one strong uh too strong
for the elderly owner and then one
injured cat
reasons for unable to field RTO seven of
those chips were not updated and three
no contact by phone or residence
um sometimes we don't they won't answer
those unidentified calls restricted
numbers what not uh or knocks at the
doors you know success getting a hold of
any owner
and I'll stand for any questions thank
you officer Torres yes I'm board member
Karen thank you thank you for your
presentation can you go back to the
community cat one real quick please and
I'm just curious you mentioned so what
actually I didn't know that this the
calls
um includes all the people asking for a
trap right
um
we're trying to separate everything
through central dispatch to specifically
say for the ones but we still get some
of those mixed in there
um but they should be under cat and trap
specifically but some of those we do get
calls that they just they're requesting
a trap which they can pick up from the
office on Thursdays and can you just
tell me what happens if the cat isn't
released so the others that were there
were taken to the shelter because they
were not ear tipped I didn't know what
what group they were from but
in the future ideally those would be
ear tipped and returned right ideally
the ideal yes and that's what we push
out there is you know I explained to
them when I'm picking up a cat I let
them know what the possibilities that
they might see that same cat back with
that ear tip and knowing that it's
microchipped vaccinated in spata remoter
and do people how do people receive that
um I get a mix
of responses
um like I tell them you know they serve
a purpose
and I will say to a certain extent
um but but that's the point of TNR I
tell them you know to keep those numbers
start to go down and and eventually
they'll see that if everybody just
start to trap
I encourage them to tab neighbors go
pick up a trap too you know because
usually I hear all of us are upset about
it and I was like well multiple traps
can be lent out to multiple people
okay thank you I appreciate that
thank you
any other questions thank you officer
Torres for being here you did
wonderfully thank you I appreciate it
appreciate it I will be stepping out I
don't mean to be rude and leave but I do
have to get on Call Of course you all
have a very good day you too bye-bye
okay next up is
um Clint with shelters statistics ah I
was having a tongue-tied moment there
and activities
thank you Mountain Vice chair Clint
Thacker executive director of The Animal
Service Center Mesilla Valley here to
talk to you today about February numbers
current animal count in the center this
is as of Thursday I'm sorry that's today
as of Wednesday is 419.
our February intake continues to climb
this is very similar to pre-covered
numbers so I believe that we're right
back where we were 727 was our intake as
you see it's 489 dogs and 231 cats and
seven others
and this is where they're coming from as
you can see 59 was acos 19 19 and a half
percent by Strays in the public and then
12 by owner surrenders
uh the owner surrenders as always you're
going to see in a later slide uh we do
talk to them provide information try to
divert that intake as much as possible
and same with the Strays as well with
the Strays we give them recommendations
Strays by the public and so they come in
say I found this animal we give them
recommendations what they can do go for
a walk knock on doors
for that and just for the ones that are
willing to you know if they're not
willing to then we take the animal
our returns we had 11 dogs and two cats
that were returned and you can see the
reasons there health issues behavior
problems lifestyle change and again we
always try to mitigate this by offering
uh donana County Humane Society has a
great program where they allow us to
recommend some type of animal training
with them and if they just they don't
want to then of course we take it back
this is the slide I was speaking of this
is our diverted intakes or front staff
most of whom you saw today that were
here did does an excellent job in
talking to individuals about the animal
that they're returning and some things
they can do to help with those problems
so it's dogs go in the bathroom in the
house well have you tried this and this
and this and this and they said no I'll
give it a try so that counts as a
diverted intake or I found this dog
where are have you tried walking around
the neighborhood knocking on doors no
are you willing to yes okay so that's a
diverted intake so 261 were diverted
and this is how the animals left the
center
so we had 17 percent leave via adoptions
13 reclaims 27 rescues Community cats 17
and we had a 25 euthanasia rate so a
live release rate is the percentage of
the animals that Left Alive was 74.7
percent
there's another way our animals leave
the center as you just saw 197 came or
left out of transfers or to rescue
groups again two hearts to pause Refuge
as two hearts Four Paws
say that correctly 12 Dogs is what they
took so I appreciate them and their
efforts in February
action program for Animals again taking
10 there they're great for cats Halo
animal rescue has always been a great
help for us they're established in
Phoenix but 45 dogs and 16 cats we'll be
doing another transfer next week for
those for them as well we also have a
resolution on the agenda to talk about
them
and you see some others there that just
do amazing work and help for us
this is our euthanasia reasons the
number one reason for dogs right now it
comes out as respiratory signs
a non-treatment in other words they're
not treated which means they were not
given a treatment of antibiotics because
it was clinical science was so far along
that it was recommended euthanasia via
the medical director we also have
aggressive behavior aggressive dog is
right up there with it these are animals
that cannot be housed with another dog
and unfortunately with our numbers that
we have that they just have to be we
can't have a single dog in a cage
uh so there's that reason and then also
space medical those are dogs that would
otherwise they were euthanized because
we needed the space but they would
otherwise be seen for medical reasons
but because of our space issue we have
to well we had to lower our numbers and
euthanize them number one for cats is
space Behavior we had a large influx of
cats come in Via traps
we're only able to do so much we don't
like to end with our limited
veterinarian capabilities we don't we we
cannot do sterilizations every single
day so cats can only be in a trap for so
long so if it's longer than three days
or I'm sorry we like to keep it under
two days but if it goes to the three day
then we have to start thinking about
euthanasia for these cats and they're
all feral cats also another reason is if
they're within certain the miles in the
county of the river then the only option
right now for those is euthanasia and
Distributing the numbers really quick so
yeah those are that's the top one
here to date surgeries they've done 655
296 was done in February so as you see
trap need to return the community cats
is the number one reason for surgeries
if you look at other that is any any
surgery that needs to happen ablation a
uh
amputation follow-up surgery any of
those needs to be done
but adoption could be that could be a
rabbit it could be a dog or a cat any
animal is up for adoption
our volunteers right now total hours we
had in February was 843 which is
phenomenal that counts our vaccine
clinic is one reason why it's so high
or our volunteer coordinator does an
excellent job in engaging all aspects we
have kids that are 16 all the way to
senior citizens that just knit blankets
and tie blankets for us for the cats so
she does an excellent job engaging all
aspects for that
our visitors for February dipped just a
little bit
but nothing that we are concerned
worried about is still there at the 1479
individuals and that is that's total so
somebody had three people in the group
they would write down three let me put
that on there
our website page views
is right in with that median in fact a
little bit high so we're excited about
that we push a lot of people to our web
page to view the animals that we have
both as stray and also available for
adoption so that's really starting to
show that people are going there
and then the Facebook views again are
clear up there we really love the jump
that we've seen because of our mass
media uptakes are really popular things
that happened on Facebook and those
people are continuing to be there and to
view our page and that's really exciting
that they're there that means that
there's more people being active on
social media at four on behalf of the
ascmv they're sharing more things it's
getting out to more people
some of the things that we have coming
up in March I hope this number is up
there as well because we've we've had
some issues not issues but some high
profile animals come in that have really
caused some stir so I hope to see that
that number is up there as well
and then we have some upcoming events
icebox Brewery concert on April 15th
will be a lot of fun the Petrie adoption
event on April 8th and then our animal
care and control appreciation week is
April 12th through the 18th and our
volunteer coordinator is working really
hard to get something on each day of
those it's really focus on our
appreciation for our fellow co-workers
both in the center and out of the center
for our acos so
that's my presentation any questions
thank you Clint any questions
for Clint
Clinton seen none but I do want you to
talk about the presentations you're
doing specifically
um on Zoom to city council
okay great yeah so we were asked by
councilor Canada to develop a
presentation that presents not only the
pet of the week but like an information
to and it's really short maybe two
minutes is all they're doing and I've
test our rescue coordinator Amy she does
or she was doing the pet of the week
anyways and we recognized her yesterday
in our staff meeting for this above and
beyond job and so we appreciate all that
she's doing but this week or I'm sorry
this month has been spay and neuter so
last time she talked about the
advantages of spay and neuter and the
health benefits that come from it I know
she has the next one coming up she's
going to talk about you know the number
of animals that a cat can or a number of
Offspring cat can have just within one
year and also she's also going to talk
about cost those types of things that
really show what we need to do to help
our to get down our spay neuter numbers
so those presentations I feel are both
informative for the council and also for
the individuals that are watching as
well hopefully they're like maybe I
should get my animals sterilized
and that's what we've been saying all
along so thank you for that great
thought for having us do it thank you I
I just know that mayor and others have
commented to me about them the
information and some of the information
has been
um like wow I wasn't aware it wasn't and
this Monday was I thought really good
information about
um
you know spayed and neuter and how it
helps you know the reduction of disease
it just lots of different things
lifespan it increases lifespan for the
animals and it was a really great
presentation and I just want you to know
that Amy's a gem thank you yes she is
I'll pass it on yeah please do thank you
okay next up is our finance our
committee reports and first up is
finance Barbadian
thank you so much
um so we will be having our quarterly
Finance report next month as we
determine at the last board meeting to
to adopt a new interval for reports to
the board instead of monthly finance
will be coming on a quarterly basis so
we'll see Josh saffold next next month
but in the meantime
Finance is Distributing the monthly
report to the finance committee and this
month the budget parameter was just
under 67 percent of revenues and
expenditures that we would expect to be
seeing at this time eight months into
the fiscal year both the revenue and
expenditures were under that parameter
Revenue was just a hair under it
expenditures are standing at I believe
50 59 60 percent
um of of the budget and then just one
final note that the current unassigned
fund balance for the Animal Service
Center is 440
000 so you will receive a full report
next month but at this point uh after
reviewing the information that there are
no concerns on on my part I didn't see
any comments from Animal Service Center
staff either but those just so you know
the reports will be still distributed
monthly but we'll be bringing them to
you as a board on a quarterly basis
thank you thank you Barbara for that any
questions
any from the audience okay and next is
the executive committee report and since
chair Sanchez isn't here I will give
that report and basically we spent our
time speaking to the preparation of the
budget
um
work sessions we've had a couple of
those since then
um Clint proposed a budget and with some
of the changes that we asked they've it
changed the numbers some
and so we've asked for Clint and staff
to go back and look at those numbers and
speak to
both City staff and County staff and I
think those have happened
we spoke about the facility the new
facility the population there we spoke
about vacancies and how we manage those
vacancies specifically
do we at the end of one's employment are
we giving
sort of evaluations if and Clint does
that and is able to Garner
many times why one is leaving and mostly
the the resignations have been because
people have gotten better jobs I think
um and also a move if you will but I
think this is something that's really
important to Clint is really harnessing
those evaluations to be able to recruit
and retain folks and long-term at the
center we talked about our Retreat and I
know we owe Clinton evaluation so we
need for Manny and I and chair Koran
to come together and get that
accomplished and and we will do so
um and the jpa is in the process it's
being looked at reviewed
um and and we're hoping that that will
come to us quickly as folks re recall we
have a jpa between city and county for
the Animal Services Center and it hasn't
been updated for several years so we are
wanting that update and I see Barbara's
Mr Leon's light so miss de Leon thank
you so much yes so we did have the
opportunity to meet at to discuss the
current GPA last week I think it was and
one of the things that we decided is to
structure the
um
agreement in such a way that we can have
the the jpa is separate from the
um schedule of services if you will that
will be provided by the Fiscal Agent and
that way those Services provided by the
Fiscal Agent can be updated more easily
through an mou between the Animal
Services Center and the city so one of
the things and that that this follows
the template for other jpas for example
we just adopted the mou for South
Central Solid Waste Authority in
September so we're going to be looking
through the jpa to extract the portion
of that document that pertains to the
Fiscal Agent Services into a separate
mou and that's one of the things that
I'm I'm helping with about right now so
just an update on that good thank you
thank you Mr Leon for that and then
lastly we spoke of when we did all the
improvements to the old facility there
was a mural and
we spoke of
just because it came very interesting to
me the artist called me in relation to a
a an issue that occurred with her and a
roaming dog and she made mention of the
art that she had put together years ago
and I started thinking wow did we do
anything to honor her and the mural that
was placed there did we have any
dialogue with her about what to do next
and we hadn't and so Clint has been
working on that and you will see later
on the agenda what we'll be doing to
honor that the muralist and the artist
if you will and just memorializing the
work that she did all those years back
and so with that I will turn it back
over oh no it's facilities so you get to
hear me again
you know again we talk about the pop
population and issues surrounding the
old facility different things that the
city and and Animal Services Center are
working on there's been some concern
about that air and I'll move into we
also talk about the new facility as well
and sort of the
the list of things that should be should
be completed and whatnot and there's an
area there and Clint did you bring am I
seeing folks from the that could speak
to the new facility that was what we
thought we would do is to update the
board on the new facility and the
challenge there with
um funding to update that area that is
of concern
yes thank you madam Vice chair at
Clinton executive director yes I have
Tom Gallagher here from the city of Las
Cruces he's a project manager over the
new center and he'll just speak to us
about the updates or updating us on the
new center where we're at with it some
delays we're having why those delays and
so on
thank you Clint
good morning Ms
an update we are anticipating anxiously
awaiting this new facility so you are on
hello
good morning yes please state your name
for the record my name is Tom Gallagher
I'm project manager with Public Works
um
didn't have a presentation set up but I
I know you want to know where we're at
and we are really really close
to finishing this project
the the biggest issue holding us up
right now
um and keeping the facility from opening
is the kennel cages that get installed
inside the facility and the cages fences
inside the dock Kennels
and the the issues behind that were
started
way back in early 2022
[Music]
um
we're trying to Value engineer the
project get the best price
and we had a lot of a lot of back and
forth with the submittals and had had to
get get additional pricing which takes a
lot of time so we
the additional pricing we got in was
much higher than than what we received
from the original price
so
um we we ended up sticking with the
original contractor or manufacturer
and we we finally got approved
submittals
back in December of 2022
the manufacturer required us to
provide a 50 percent down payment
which they received in early January
2023 and we've been pressuring the
contractor to provide a
ship date
from from the manufacturer and we had
been unable to attain that until last
week they finally gave us a date
a firm date and that is May 5th
so that's
that's we're still trying to push them
to do better but that's that's what
they're they've given us at this point
so what's involved in that is they'll
they'll have to ship and then we'll
we'll have to install the the equipment
and I imagine that'll take a few weeks
to complete
okay now I understand there is an area
that has been value engineered
um out that has to do with help me Clint
uh the ponding area no the area where
the the the
acquainted areas they get acquaintances
please speak to us about that because
we're really concerned about that area
of not having the right proper material
to clean off regularly and and whatnot
so
um the
yeah
the facility
requested to have
concrete pads installed
and and they would require uh
um
some some sort of
they want to prevent the disease from
spreading so it there needs to be a
coating over the concrete that that
essentially doesn't allow the concrete
to absorb
the the disease
so we
we've had some issues with that we
really the the main issue with with that
is the cost was still too high
and we've
we've run
incredibly low on our remaining funds
for the project
so at this point we can't we don't have
enough to do
that work
unfortunately that work
it is is preventing us from finishing
the other remaining portions of of the
back area the the enrichment area and
the get acquainted areas
because we've been holding off on that
because they have to bring in cement
trucks and that's that's going to be the
easiest and cheapest way to to get
concrete in that back area
what is the estimate estimated cost what
do you have specifically for that um
for that project and what what are what
is
what is the remainder right the total
amount that would it would require to
complete that project piece
um so we received a price uh it was uh
over three hundred thousand dollars
and what we have remaining for the
project is around 80
000 dollars
is there any other options that we could
look at that would
help
any other options that it's cheaper but
that would help us sort of move this
project along this piece of it along
I don't know what that would be you're
an engineer I'm not so yeah I'm not
actually an engineer oh okay whatever
project manager I'm sorry project
manager okay
um yeah we've been looking at other
Solutions but
um it seems like uh
nothing's really going to work for for
completing it other than what they
actually need installed at the site okay
so it involves some specific drainage
and
um
it's
it's just a costly item that we couldn't
foresee way back when
well the extreme costs of everything
that we've had to sort of overcome over
the few years I think is what I'm
hearing happening okay thank you Mr
Gallagher for being here I appreciate
your input is there yes
um
board member Ward board member Koran I
just have a quick question
um
in regards to the concrete pads and the
cost for Disease Control since that's so
expensive can you lay the concrete pads
first and then later on come and treat
that concrete for the Disease Control is
that something that can be done at a
later date since it's so expensive
um
it really all needs to be done at once
um they can't really separate the
portions of of the work so they can't
lay it on top later on it's
it's complicated because
there needs to be the drainage portion
which is
a huge amount of the cost
um and the pads need to be laid down and
the the coating is is not the largest
portion of the cost of
of that work got it thank you
thank you board member word board member
cran I just had a separate question and
I think that this is not your project
but
um just to follow up we had sort of
conflated the dog park and the ascmv
together because they were both part of
the Geo bond process and and you're
you're not with the dog park yes I am
you are yeah and I understand that the
electrical is the last thing outstanding
so I've actually asked for us to
separate the two and have like a grand
opening for the dog park so we can open
that sooner so we're not waiting on
things that are really held up with the
yeah with the ascmv and the dog park can
actually get moving because it is much
closer right I think uh it is very close
um we we finished out some some
remaining items that needed to be done
um before we wanted to open uh mainly
the the fencing and Gates that were
installed and separation between the the
large and the dog the smaller dog we
were worried about
maybe little dogs getting into the large
area also there was a fence on the
Rinconada roadside that we were worried
about dogs slipping underneath the
fencing so we were getting the
contractor out there we had to set some
concrete underneath the the gate
and we've actually added some additional
wire mesh
to to block from from prevent the
smaller dogs from escaping
um
but at this point I think that was that
was the main thing that we were worried
about and that was holding us up so at
this point I think we are able to
actually open the park we do have a date
finally from El Paso Electric to come
and perform their work that's end of
February it's our end of April
um
so it things are finally happening with
this to help us finish it so but it
still won't be till past April
it sounds like for the electrical yeah
um
they should their work is is minimal
they should be done in a day
honestly and then our electrical
contractor will come in and make the
final connection probably another day
and it should be done
okay so thank you but I do hope that we
can move as quickly as possible in terms
of opening the dog park so thank you for
working on that I appreciate it I agree
more member current Clint do you have
something to say about that specifically
okay yes I do Quinn Factor executive
director so two things one I want to to
back up Tom on the electrical with El
Paso Electric that has a you're at that
Mercy for connecting and with we had to
wait for the connection and wait for the
connection for the ascnb building it was
a major delay for that as well so it's
that they are issue and hard to work
with for that the other one I wanted to
bring to the board's attention is just a
reminder that the ascmv really has
nothing to do with that dog park we get
asked quite a bit of when it's opening
um you know who's going to be in charge
of it and I just the the city is in
charge of it and it just grouped
together on the a the go Bond question I
had one person comment that because the
ascmv is not completed then the the dog
park won't be completed or won't be
opened until it's done and I said for
that I'm not 100 certain I just know
that they're not done yet with the dog
park
so
we get asked and we tell them we just
try to educate people that we don't have
anything to do with it but it's hard
because it's right next to us yeah
yeah actually the person who brought
this up to me about the dog park works
is my parks and my person on the parks
and rec board which is where they were
having this conversation and works for
epe so I'll follow up with him and see
if we can pull any strings because
that would be helpful so but yes that's
partly my hat ask of the question is so
that we can make sure that you guys
aren't tied to that and getting Flack
for the dog park not being opening open
so thank you thank you board member cran
and maybe this is a piece that could be
done on Monday Clint and the reporting
that you're doing not only on the pet of
the week but a snippet of kind of
updating folks so you get quite a few
people that that watch
um the meetings so that might be a way
to get that information out and it's
being said where staff is here and
listening in and and I I think could
give us some updates on on that
Miss de Leon
thank you so much I just wanted to make
a comment regarding the information that
went out on the cement costs for the
getting acquainted areas and I did see
an email come through from board member
Macias asking if the amount could be
covered he termed it from the Surplus
but I'm assuming that that's from the
fund balance that is available at the
for the Animal Service Center and so I
didn't know if that was part of the
discussion that we were going to have
here today or not but I just wanted to
bring that forward
thank you for the reminder yes I
remember the email and I was going to
ask Clint if there is
um budget from vacancy savings or or
since we're getting closer to the end of
the year what what would that look like
Clint and how can we accomplish that the
executive director Clint Thacker I I did
receive that email I was hesitant to to
answer yes or no because the board's
been presented with the request to have
112th
budget or fund balance
um and if I if I received some guidance
from the board or whether we want to do
the 112th or not if we don't then yeah
with the financial presentation today we
have that 400 000 a little bit plus that
we could move forward with
um but I just I didn't want to do
anything against the board what the
board wanted to do
with those funds of the 112th so
okay maybe what I would recommend that
we do is we bring it forward to have the
conversation next month
Clint
um
we're I think you're proposing a work
session
to go over the budget issues right and
the and have answers to the board
members questions from this last work
session related to the budget and maybe
this is something that is also an item
that we have the discussion on because
it has to do with the budget and and
then we can give you some guidance and
hopefully by the end of April when we
meet it will be a resolution
okay whatever way that's going to look
like okay
all right
is that okay with everybody board member
cell Joe Hernandez did you have
something okay all right now next up is
the discussion items portion of the
agenda and we are at a mou between Halo
animal rescue and the ascmv Clint thank
you Clinton Factor executive director
again this is uh it's a simple mlu I've
had our
uh
I'm sorry I had our attorney for the
scmv I had him look at it and he
approved it it's basically saying that
Halo is going to pay us for for some of
the fees or I'm sorry first the animals
that are being taken they're in
agreement with it
um the
the board gave me some authorization to
sign it so this is more or less of a
information
that that we that were moving forward on
this memo of understanding with Halo
with the blessing of our attorney as
well
yes any questions feedback seeing none
any on the and the audience Casey Nelson
next
old ascmb building mural recognition
thank you so under the direction Vice
chair we I did reach out to our media
slash advertising company Wilson Binkley
they've been great to work with this is
the mural if you remember on the old
Center that was up above the entrance to
the adoption side along the top of the
building we're able to get a vector
image we sent it off to Wilson Binkley
they worked on this this is going to be
an acrylic a Keurig so it's clear all of
the the checkerboard that you see it
will not be there and we've reached out
on Monday to the mural artist and she
has not responded yet that we know of
but she is we so we asked if there's any
backstory any inspiration on this
so we can possibly put that on and then
also it will have her name on it and it
will be on it will be in the new Lobby
kind of as a from here or from then to
now kind of presentation with it the
plaque is 24 by 6 so 24 inches by six
inches and it stands off the wall about
an inch so we did something very similar
with our old logo that we had that when
we switched to our new logo
a same acrylic and it stands off the
wall and it's actually in our in our
lobby for the existing Center and it
looks really good so this was the idea
from our marketing department
any feedback
questions concerns Clint thank you this
was really important to me like I said
it was an unusual way that it got to me
um but um I think art and all its forms
is a very important
priority for Council as it is for
commission I I believe and
um to to honor folks especially someone
who took the time and energy right can
you please remind me of her name and so
we can say that publicly yeah you're
smiling because
I'll have to look it up real quick I'm
sorry yeah but thanks for for
um all the energy and time that it has
taken and for being so open
um both Clint and Bernice thank you for
doing
um um this this will be a highlight and
I love the idea of a kind of a time this
was then and now
um especially for our new facility and
we'll do a big ribbon cutting and really
honor her and the work and the plaque as
it stands now we'll do a big deal
because it is a big deal so
um it's Tracy Jameson Tracy Jameson the
original artist for the mural she's a
lovely woman
um very
um
um easy to speak with and just has such
passion for Animals as well and you see
it I'm here and on on this plaque or
soon to be plaque so appreciate that
okay
next up is our action items and I will
need a motion for resolution
2023-01 except the 2400 hsus Animal Care
Expo scholarship Grant
move to approve
second a motion made by come board
member Quran second by Xiao Joe
Hernandez
and
Flint
like where are you going and I thought
it was just going to go right through no
problems so before he was resolution
202301 this is a resolution for a grant
we received from the Humane Society of
United States for some of our employees
to attend the Animal Care Expos
um
convention that they do we have two
individuals that are going by they're
going to attend they're going to fly
there and then we have two individuals
who one was approved to go by their
supervisor but will not fly and driving
was a little bit a lot more money that
was not going to be covered but Humane
Society the United States has a mobile
or a zoom option to attend so we're
going to be paying for her to do that
and since we found out that that out
we're going to have another person
attend via that Zoom option as well so
we're excited Humane Society United
States is a huge big player in the
animal industry they cover best best
ethics and efforts that are currently in
the industry and we're excited that they
recognize we had to apply for this and
again this is something that our grant
coordinator got us and we're excited
that we were chosen out of many hundreds
of others that applied for it
great thank you Clint
Clinton audience seeing none Bernice
excuse me
that's okay we're all good well remember
we're yes board member Koran yes former
Shayla Hernandez yes chair Gandara yes
thank you Pastor
resolution passes okay next up is our
public input I'll start on my left is
there anybody that has public input
yes sir please come to the podium and
state your name
uh-huh and I'll give you two minutes sir
thank you oh two minutes oh thank you so
much thank you well actually I have a
issue that I just wanted to bring it up
but it has it has a very close relation
to the pets that is which is mined and
I'm going through a heavy process right
now to take to get back my pet from
those people that I gave it to them uh I
there is a law
in our State statue
it's could you please state your name oh
I apologize I apologize but it's my
first time please forgive me being in
front of a city console and we have a
New Mexico statue law
55-2-201 my request from this honorable
city council is
please find a way or
Implement that in our city that
a person like me
within few hours
I had a change of heart
I wanted my pet back
and now I'm going through a huge process
of lawsuit
from magistrate court now appealing to
the district court to just get things
that I gave it away but in few hours I
had a change of heart but unfortunately
those people had a very cold heart and
didn't want to do that and let me tell
you what indicates this law
it says that the gift
remains legally invalid
and improperly execute executed which
warrants the legal reversal of the same
if if the gift is more than 500 dollars
if you had a change of heart
you want that gift back
any human beings in this planet would
have given back to you because your
blessing is not in that gift
I came here I just saw your website last
night and I just thought maybe it would
be opportunity for me to go voice it out
to our city council and maybe they can
bring it the same law
to be in effect because when I called
the police I want my cat back
they said it's a civil matter you have
to go to court and I'm going to do
through that process my appeal hearing
is July 25th
now I'm three months away from my pet or
I I should say my baby it's that
important I I hope you all have a pet in
your home it's so important they become
part of your life I was moving out of
Las Cruces I was going to East Coast to
live close to my family and I thought
maybe it would be a good idea someone
else can take care of him here but then
I had the change of water I I can't
leave him behind I gotta take him with
him thank you and I would appreciate if
you can consider or you can tell me who
should I talk to that we can bring this
matter to implement this law that is
existing our statue thank you for thank
you for that
um just to clarify we are the Animal
Services Board not city council we are
made up of city and county officials
but thank you for that and I don't know
that we could help you and if police or
codes has it's a civil manner but we
appreciate you being here and and
letting us know of of your your
situation because you are sitting at the
city council chamber that's where I
thought you are we meet on Mondays well
sorry for myself no worries no worries
thank you sir no thank you but I would
just say Yes concert current sorry if
that's okay of course of course I just I
just want to say I I feel and understand
your your change of heart and the way
that you're thinking about that and even
though we don't make the the policies
related to city or ant or or County
Animal Control as a board we each of us
do so each jurisdiction has those and
the state of New Mexico has has state
laws as you've alluded to which preempt
our city laws generally speaking so we
can't necessarily change the state law
ourselves
um but I think that you bring up
something that we all care about and
actually would like to see changed in
our state law that is that animals are
considered property and they're viewed
in such a way that they are objects
rather than rather than beings and I
think that philosophically our state is
behind the national sort of trend of how
we view animals and I think that that is
deeply problematic you've pointed to one
one aspect of this or one dimension of
this that makes animals property and I
think it's an evolution that we have to
work with our state legislature to to
change that doesn't help you at all but
I would say that you do point out that
animals are not property despite what
our state laws suggest
um
they are beings and treating them as
property often creates a lot of
repercussions and lack of accountability
in many cases to their to their
beingness I would argue so I think that
that's something that we all care about
and probably with our slate legislature
we could potentially change this
sometime in the future but but it's it's
going to take a lot of conversations and
and work on our part so thank you for
bringing it up and and
reminding us of that thank you thank you
so much thank you for your time thank
you thank you thank you board member
Karen anybody else on my left
any on my right
seeing none we are on to the chair and
board comments and I'll start on my
right
board member Michelle Hernandez
I have no comments but um saying that is
Oakland actually I do have a comment now
that I say that um I would love to
connect with you and go toward the new
facility I have yet to do that as a new
board member
um so I'll reach out and get that
planned out so we can go up there so
maybe I know what I'm talking about a
little bit more being a new board member
here thank you
thank you board member board member
Karen uh you have to bring donuts when
you go just doesn't know gotta bring
donuts yeah for sure this is a friendly
yes
um
I don't have any comments uh except to
say that we are in the city
um initiating a long process that we'll
be looking at all of our animal
ordinances and and we're sort of making
that thinking about how that works and
how that fits into all of these things
and so just as a note it's part of our
ongoing conversations and things that
will be coming up I say I would say it
will take us a year or something like
that to to really get there but just as
a note we're really thinking about how
we can
huh change things using our policies so
that's it thank you board member
um we are right yes good morning
um no specific comments um but thank you
to Clint and the other staff who
presented um the presentations are
informative for me as a new member to
the board so thank you
thank you board member we're board
member Ward
I have nothing thank you
board member de Leon
thank you I I also wanted to thank the
Animal Service Center for providing the
excellent information at our Council and
work session meetings through pet of the
week and also want to just pass along
thanks to your staff member for doing
such a great job of providing us with
the information thank you
thank thank you board member de Leon um
I just want to say and bring up get an
update Clint from you specifically on
our efforts to recruit a second
veterinarian I know we had made
so many efforts
consistent efforts in the past and
um you know
if you could give us an update and maybe
it be a standing agenda item for our
executive team to talk about because it
is something that will prevent us from
moving forward especially in the new
facility with the older facility and the
vision that we have for both of those
facilities and just reducing the pet
population frankly
yes thank you the so the position you're
speaking of was actually allotted to the
ascmv is a new position I believe it was
two years ago efforts to fill the
position via announcements via the
efforts with the city posting it on
several different uh animal industry
boards we went to agricultural schools
posted on their boards we even paid in
my mind a substantial a lot it was I
believe it was worth 500 to have it
posted on an actual veterinarian board
we also did efforts in sending a
postcard out regionally
talking about the benefits of living in
Cruces and the benefits of the job and
what we do we have we had two applicants
for the position one of them was just
starting veterinary school
and the other one was a had been retired
for some time and preferred not to do
surgery
so both of those were of course not
eligible for the position
so talking and it's interesting we bring
this up because about two weeks ago I
talked with our medical director Dr
Hadden she is going to be she's taking a
master's course right now with the
University of Florida on a shelter
um on shelter medicines and one of those
things we're talk they're talking about
right now is Recruitment and ways that
you say things and so she is meeting
with an individual to come and talk and
and more friendly way of putting
the job description together so it it
reads better of a come work with us more
of what the a is seen about is instead
of focusing just purely on what you're
going to be doing because as you read
that it's a lot of work on that job
description you know surgery all day
long and from what Dr Hadden said is
nobody knows no surgery no surgeon just
wants to do surgery all day long nothing
but
so she's in the efforts of rewriting it
but I I do like the idea of having as a
standing item on the executive committee
so we can continue to report that and
updates as well thank you so much Clint
I've been thinking a lot about that and
I've gotten a few comments on people who
instant message me and say you know it's
really preventing us from doing really
what we'd like to do around the cat
population the you know just so on and
so forth and so I thought I'd bring it
up I do want the public to know that
we've even talked about incentives we've
even talked about like the pipeline
right to Workforce starting maybe pain
considering paying for one's education
or portions of that I mean we have tried
a lot of different ways to entice folks
to come to to work for
a as CMV and now that we have these two
beautiful facilities frankly and all the
work that you've done to recruit and
retain and just change the system there
I think it would benefit us greatly so
um
let's continue the dialogue and the
discussions if board members have
anything that they like to share or add
to that this is one of of the most
important I think priorities coming into
this next year especially that we're
opening a new facility maybe it means
speaking to dacc and New Mexico State
University in in coordinating and
collaborating and maybe identifying
someone that has that interest and how
we can I don't know but I think we're
willing to look at that creatively Madam
chair that is one question I get a lot
is why does why does MNSU not have a
veterinarian program yeah and I don't I
don't know who to talk to or who to you
know advise on that so some connections
Clint and
um I have a form a niece who started off
at NMSU specific to the animal
I don't know what the
to animal science thank you board member
award she loved it right she loved it
and but then she got a bug for political
stuff so she's like out doing her you
know political career um frankly so but
um I think there's something there that
we really should
um tap into
in terms of either folks who were animal
science Majors or really enticing the
university to look into a program I
don't know it's worth a shot I don't
know I know Council Quran is like I
don't know about that
but it's really preventing us from
advancing like we want to so anyway
enough of that thank you
um can I get um I don't see I don't is
there any other comments or okay very
good thank you um why don't we get a
motion to adjourn
so moved motion made by
um board member saljo Hernandez that's a
mouthful
can I get a second
Ed by corn second by Corin and Becky
please call the roll
remember where
yes former Koran yes former Shayla
Hernandez yes
yes thank you
we are done thank you everybody have a
great day great rest of your month and
see you next month