TITLE
Recommendation to authorize City Manager to execute an agreement with Los Angeles County for dog license canvassing for the period of July 1, 2008 through June 30, 2009, for an amount not to exceed $116,487, and if mutually agreeable with the County and the City Manager, to execute amendments for three one-year extensions. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
The Department of Health and Human Services (Health Department) is responsible for ensuring that all dogs over the age of four months are licensed with the Animal Care Services Bureau (the Bureau). Licensing ensures that a dog has a current rabies vaccination and promotes responsible pet ownership. Licensing fees also provide an important source of revenue that pays for public safety and enforcement activities. While the Bureau's efforts to educate the public on the dog licensing requirement has met with some success, many residents are still unaware of the requirement or are unwilling to comply, which can pose a threat to public health.
The Bureau budgets and staffs several part-time license canvassers. However, these few canvassers are responsible for a five-city area covering more than 600,000 residents. In addition to the City of Long Beach, the canvassers also dedicate time and energy to the cities of Cerritos, Signal Hill, Seal Beach and Los Alamitos to fulfill the City's contractual obligations for dog license canvassing in these contract cities.
To provide seasonal support to canvassing efforts, the County of Los Angeles Animal Care and Control (County) has provided effective dog license canvassing for the City of Long Beach on a contract basis in the past. The Health Department seeks to enter into a one-year agreement with the County for dog license canvassing that may be extended by mutual agreement for three separate, consecutive periods of one year.
Under the proposed agreement, the City of Long Beach agrees to pay Los Angeles County $55.47 per hour for up to 2,100 hours of canvassing work, for a t...
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