Humane Society of Huron Valley director challenges proposed county contract cuts
The Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners is considering cutting funding in their service contract with the Humane Society of Huron Valley by 50 percent.
HSHV officials say they would no longer be able to perform the county's state-mandated services if the contract is cut. But some commissioners contend the HSHV isn't providing mandated services and still receives significant county resources.
A $500,000 service contract is in place between the HSHV and county, and the proposal would reduce that payment to $250,000. HSHV Director Tanya Hilgendorf stressed that the agency could no longer afford to provide near the same level of service and that it already uses money generated through fundraising efforts to support the county’s mandated services.
She said the cut would mean the county would have to run its own animal control operation, which she estimates would cost three times what it pays now.
“We’re already doing this for dirt cheap at about a third of the cost of what they would have to pay to run their own facility, and we’re already subsidizing it with donated money,” she said. “When you look at us in the budget you should say ‘Thank God’ instead of ‘This is a place to cut.’”
Conan Smith
• Stray and abandoned. • Victims of cruelty whose owners are being prosecuted. • Quarantined because of rabies or disease. • In the process of being deemed dangerous by the courts. • Brought in for other legal reasons.
But County Commissioner Conan Smith said there is a disagreement over the interpretation of the law stating what is mandated. He said the mandate is limited to dog licensing. The county treasurer is supposed to provide a list of unlicensed dogs that must be licensed, Smith said, but the treasurer doesn't provide that list so there is nothing the county is mandated to do.
The HSVS’s total operating budget, which covers a long list of other services Higendorf said are non-mandated, comes to around $900,000. The additional $400,000 is covered by donations and volunteers. Last year, stray animals Hilgendorf says the county is required to care for made up more than 4,500 of the 6,700 animals housed at the facility.
Additionally, about 500 animal cruelty cases are handled by the HVHS annually at no cost to the county. Hilgendorf also says that is the county's responsibility.
She said the agency already has a thin staffing margin at 70 full- and part-time workers and 70 percent of its employees earn less than $32,000 annually. The number of volunteer hours provided the agency equates to 17 full time employees.
She said their services are taken for granted and officials don't completely understand how much they are saving by contracting with the agency.
"There is no reason legally why I should be picking up a potentially rabid skunk or raccoon on the west side of Ann Arbor," she said. "We got involved in other ways to support our contract over time, and now that we provide that service for free it has become part of the challenge - I don’t think (the commissioners) lack humanity, I think they lack understanding.
"We've always been providing the service, so no one in the county understands what animal control is and isn't required to do."
Through all of its program, the HSHV provided service to around 12,000 animals last year.
The county has contracted with the non-profit HSHV to provide service for decades. In 2006, when the HSHV was planning to build a new facility, its funding level was at $200,000. HSHV officials met with then-administrator Bob Guenzel and the commissioners and told them that the county either needed to increase funding to a level that met the costs of mandated services or plan to build their own facility.
Hilgendorf said there was a strong consensus among the commissioners that it would be far cheaper for the HSHV to provide the services than for them to build and manage their own facility. The county has two animal control officers who cost a combined $180,000 annually and brought in 350 animals last year.
Hilgendorf said funding increased incrementally until it arrived at the agreed upon level of $500,000 in 2010, but the agency was to receive incremental "cost of living" increases for the next 10 years.
The county has broken that contract, Hilgendorf said, and the HSHV would have built a much smaller facility if it knew it would be receiving inadequate funding. She didn't rule out the possibility of a lawsuit.
The facility cost about $8.5 million to which the county contributed $1 million.
Smith said he believed the contract was actually a letter of intent. He also highlighted that the county supported the HSHV with bond financing for its facility, which saved them hundreds of thousands of dollars on its construction.
He said it's frustrating that the contributions to the facility's construction and other support aren't taken into account.
"We are contributing to the viability of the Humane Society every single day," he said.
In a written response to the proposed cuts, Hilgendorf said contracting with the HSHV saves the county an “immense expense and not a small amount of headaches.”
But the county faces economic challenges, and the proposed reduction is part of a $1.2 million in funding to outside agencies that is on the block. Those include a cancellation of the county’s membership in the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments, a regional planning agency, at a savings of $125,000. The county also would eliminate funding for groups like LAWNET, the Neutral Zone and the Huron River Watershed Council, among others.
Smith said the board determined its priorities at the beginning of its budgeting process and everyone across the board has taken a hit with few exceptions.
"People’s fundamental needs have to come first - that was the board's priority," he said. "This is not to denigrate at all the work that the Humane Society does. I think it's incredibly valuable to community. But with limited resources, it does, frankly, fall a little lower on the priority list."
Rolland Sizemore Jr. said he thought the county had some mandated services it would have to pick up if it cut funding all together, but said the HSHV still has $250,000 to work with.
"I love my animals and I have two cats and a dog, but on the other hand I also love kids," he said. "And if you're going to ask me 'Do you cut here or do you cut there?' I'm going to cut there for the animals before I make cuts for kids."
It’s also the only place animals receive taxpayer dollars, and it provides a health and safety service to the community, Hilgendorf said.
“Obviously, what we’re doing is providing compassionate care to animals adding to health and safety of human community, so you cant segregate those two,” she said. “This is the one place where tax dollars go to animals … in need, and there’s no way you can take this one contract and compare it to other services the county provides.”
According to data provided by Hilgendorf, the county already spends less per citizen on animal control at $1.44 than Jackson, Macomb, Livingston, Oakland and Macomb Counties.
Additionally, the euthanasia rate of 18 percent is far below that of neighboring counties and the lowest in the state. Of the neighboring counties, Monroe has the highest euthanasia rate at nearly 78 percent, but spends $2.66 per resident on the same services through its County-run program and facility.
Comments
aataxpayer
Tue, Oct 11, 2011 : 5:25 p.m.
According to the HVHS minutes, they were proposing a 5% raise for staff during a time where many lost their jobs, had no raises or agreed to concessions. They don't need additional help from the taxpayer.
julieswhimsies
Thu, Oct 6, 2011 : 8:20 p.m.
This is just convoluted and nonsensical. I don't know of any other way to describe it.
Lisa
Thu, Oct 6, 2011 : 7:11 p.m.
If you haven't already, you should really read Tanya Hilgendorf's entire response, posted on HSHV's website: <a href="http://hshv.convio.net/site/DocServer/Final_Letter.pdf?docID=881" rel='nofollow'>http://hshv.convio.net/site/DocServer/Final_Letter.pdf?docID=881</a>. She addresses a lot of the issues people are asking about in the comments.
andralisa
Thu, Oct 6, 2011 : 4:08 p.m.
I am not sure that HSHV is really doing what they say - and the county has to make tough choices too
Michael-David BenDor
Thu, Oct 6, 2011 : 3:45 p.m.
"The county treasurer is supposed to provide a list of unlicensed dogs that must be licensed, Smith said, but the treasurer doesn't provide that list so there is nothing the county is mandated to do." If this is an accurate quote, I'd like to ask what law he is referring to. How on earth could anyone be expected to provide "a list of unlicensed dogs?"
arborani
Thu, Oct 6, 2011 : 3:16 p.m.
Good luck with the "list of unlicensed dogs". Door to door checks? Search warrants? Sidewalk and park patrols? This is the kind of idiocy you can't make up.
Go Blue
Thu, Oct 6, 2011 : 3:12 p.m.
One word - V O T E !!!!! Long overdue that the funds the commissioners owe are paid up. Isn't it just peachy that cuts are made but those that owe money decide they can ignore the debt, go on their merry way, and then slash and cut funding wherever they feel it is appropriate? Starting to sound like Robin Hood in reverse - cut the vulnerable and give to.......
jns131
Thu, Oct 6, 2011 : 2:37 p.m.
I called about a stray in Detroit. I was told to call animal control after calling the HS and told they do that or this. Then you call animal control and end up getting into a loop or told they don't subscribe to your cell service and can't leave a message. No wonder Detroit is such a mess. Here in Washtenaw county at least you can leave a message. Very sad when children and animals have to fend for themselves because the big wigs want to keep their salaries.
Joe Zurawski
Thu, Oct 6, 2011 : 12:40 p.m.
About 2/3 of the way down the article says: "The county has two animal control officers who cost a combined $180,000 annually and brought in 350 animals last year." Animal Control Officers are Sheriff's Deputies, just like the ones who perform road patrol. So SOMEONE PLEASE explain how Road Patrol Deputies can cost twice as much as Animal Control Deputies? I can understand a little more due to the equipment required in the patrol vehicles but this would be only something like about $10,000 each NOT $90,000 each. "Creative accounting" at it's best!
Jimmy McNulty
Thu, Oct 6, 2011 : 11:15 a.m.
"He (Conan Smith) said the mandate is limited to dog licensing. The county treasurer is supposed to provide a list of unlicensed dogs that must be licensed, Smith said, but the treasurer doesn't provide that list so there is nothing the county is mandated to do." How exactly does the county treasurer compile a list of unlicensed dogs? It's not as if a dog is registered with some other agency and you can cross-reference. That's a confusing statement and I believe the county is mandated to provide more services for stray animals than just that, as Hilgendorf states. Am I the only one who thinks that photo of Conan Smith resembles the guy Leonard on the TV show The Big Bang Theory?
cinnabar7071
Thu, Oct 6, 2011 : 11:08 a.m.
Everyone is getting cut. Fact!
A2comments
Thu, Oct 6, 2011 : 10:45 a.m.
Maybe Mr. Smith should repay the money he owes us... If the Treasurer isn't providing something that is required by law, why is that allowed?
Gloriagirl
Thu, Oct 6, 2011 : 10:37 a.m.
It is always easy for bureauocrats to cut funding from the most vulnerable in our society, those who cannot stand up for their interests, children, animals and the elderly. Did we ever get reimbursed the money county commissioners had to repay after an audit found these expenses did not qualify? How about publishing all the salaries of county employees that make above 75,000 and what about publishing county expenses and budgets that include reimbursibles for operations including executive perks. Maybe it's time to stage our own protest again politicians that have lost sight of the real values of the people they represent.
Dog Lover
Mon, Oct 10, 2011 : 9:16 p.m.
Here's a link for the county salaries. Why do they need so many psychiatrists? <a href="http://www.annarbor.com/news/top-50-highest-paid-workers-in-washtenaw-county-government-all-have-six-figure-salaries/">http://www.annarbor.com/news/top-50-highest-paid-workers-in-washtenaw-county-government-all-have-six-figure-salaries/</a>
bedrog
Thu, Oct 6, 2011 : 10:22 a.m.
If the county ( and for that matter country and world!!) were run as competently and compassionately as the HSHV we'd all be better off. I support reinstatement of at least the bulk of the $$.
ypsicat
Thu, Oct 6, 2011 : 4:14 a.m.
The only good news in this article is that LAWNET is to be cut off. No more searching people's trash for roaches, yay. What an incredible waste that is.
johnnya2
Thu, Oct 6, 2011 : 4:07 a.m.
Ok, if Conan Smith believes they are not under contract with the HSHV, I suggest Ms Hilgendorf tell him that they will not provide the service they are asking for at $250k. Mr Smith can not complain since there is no contract to perform ANYTHING for the county. They are not a public facility. Employees of HSHV are NOT government workers. Tell Mr Smith to figure out the animal issues himself. Each entity within the county will be required to fend for themselves. If he thinks he can do it for $250k then go for it. I hope when a rabid skunk, raccoon, or bat is in his neighborhood that he is going to tell the voters that they will need to deal with it themselves and call someone who cares. It obviously isnt him
tom swift jr.
Thu, Oct 6, 2011 : 3:13 a.m.
Every time I see Conan's smiling face here on AA.com, I know he's proposed something absurd.
slave2work
Thu, Oct 6, 2011 : 2:30 a.m.
Let's see.. since Ypsi township has passed it's vicious dog ordinance, the spay and neutering. What do you do with that?.. and any person they hire is gonna to cost at least 100,000... with insurance and benefits.. how do you add all that up?. a building also?
Dark Dichotomy
Thu, Oct 6, 2011 : 2:18 a.m.
I believe Tanya Hilgendorf is right, the Humane society has been around for decades here and they have always gone above and beyond when it comes to compassion for animals. While they have just build an expensive new facility they do bring jobs and services to the county, I belive they need to be supported as much as possible. My family has gotten several wonderful pets from them over the last several decades. Rolland Sizemore Jr. said: "I'm going to cut there for the animals before I make cuts for kids." Yet they want to cut funding for the Neutral Zone as well? That is cutting animals AND kids. The Neutral Zone is a great community program that keeps kids on the right path and away from drugs and crime. They should be supported and I am suprised that AnnArbor.com is not highlighting their plight with a seperate article. It is clear in our economy that cuts need to be made but we should not make them in such positive productive benificial services.
rosy12
Thu, Oct 6, 2011 : 1:49 a.m.
"I love my animals and I have two cats and a dog, but on the other hand I also love kids," he said "and if you're going to ask me do you cut here or do you cut ther? I'm going to cut there for the animals before I make cuts for kids." Really? Why does it have to come down to kids or animals? Why is it that these are the only 2 options when it comes to cutting back??? The City of Ann Arbor just spent 750K on art. YES thats right - ART. We are so lucky to have the Humane Society of Huron Valley and the incredible job that everyone does - its just a shame its taken for granted. Who do you think takes care of all the abandonded, neglected, abused, starving pets that humans just disregard?? Who takes care of the animals wandering your neighborhoods? Stop taking it for granted that is just a free service. The people that work there certainly don't do it for the money. They do it because they love animals and they care. Washtenaw County does not have a 'dog pound' like most other counties - this is a State mandated service. Everything goes to HSHV. They are there 24 / 7 for abandoned animals, victims of cruelty (hoarder cases, animals that come from puppy mills because they are no longer of any use). How is it that they think the job they do can be done with 50% cut???? Tell me Mr. Smith, when there is a loose pit bull running around your neighborhood, who ya gonna call????
cinnabar7071
Thu, Oct 6, 2011 : 11:10 a.m.
Smith and Wesson.
slave2work
Thu, Oct 6, 2011 : 2:22 a.m.
Ghost busters?????????
bandl
Thu, Oct 6, 2011 : 1:30 a.m.
I don't think this is people against animals. I think this is about what makes sense and the County is not making sense here. Whether you're an animal person or not, the the County's Animal Control needs a place to take in stray animals. If they don't take them to HSHV, where will they take them? Would they build a facility and how would they staff it? How much would it cost? How much would they spend on food and daily care? What is the cost of the alternative plan if HSHV refuses to agree to this slashed contract? I imagine that it would cost ALOT more than the 500k they pay HSHV to provide these services annually. In that case, people (kids included) will eventually lose because the County will be spending a lot more money trying to solve this problem rather than keeping thier contract with a place that's already providing this service for a reasonable cost.
jcj
Thu, Oct 6, 2011 : 1:07 a.m.
"When you look at us in the budget you should say 'Thank God' instead of 'This is a place to cut.'" That's what they all say! Hilgendorf said, "and the HSHV would have built a much smaller facility if it knew it would be receiving inadequate funding." When is the last time ANY agency run with mostly public money built a "smaller facility"? Rolland Sizemore Jr. said "I love my animals and I have two cats and a dog, but on the other hand I also love kids," he said. "And if you're going to ask me 'Do you cut here or do you cut there?' I'm going to cut there for the animals before I make cuts for kids." Finally a public official expressing some common sense!