ABOVE: Danville City Council Public Services Committee at start of Tuesday, November 25th meeting.
Since 2014, the City of Danville’s contract with the Vermilion County Animal Shelter has not been adjusted. But Tuesday evening (Nov 25th), the Danville City Council Public Services Committee voted 5-1 to recommend proposed fee updates from the county on to the full City Council.
This, however, is only the beginning. Shelter Director Ryan Goodner addressed the committee before their vote, with some fee updates than would be for now. Two examples would be monthly kennel rent for animals taken in from Danville would go from $25 to $75, and impoundment fees would go from $20 per animal to $35 per animal.
But there are other categories the shelter would like the city to pay for that they haven’t had to before because the specific data was not available. Two examples there would be owner surrenders of pets to the shelter that involve Danville, as well as pick up and disposal of deceased animals within Danville’s boarders. So the plan right now is for the current proposed fee changes to be passed now; and a complete new contact between the city and county to be passed in about six months, once adequate data for the new categories is collected.
Danville Director of Public Works Dave Ruwe believes this can be done as planned, with the new data in place.
AUDIO: After speaking to them; and, they’re going to be adding that to our invoices, to where we can see those numbers grow ourselves as well. So, we should have that data at that time to be able to make some good educated decisions.
Vermilion County Animal Shelter Director Ryan Goodner addresses the Danville City Council Public Services Committee at Tuesday’s meeting.
The contact between the city and county in 2014 said changes would be made when costs change, but that didn’t take place. Shelter director Ryan Goodner says the obvious way to do it from here on, once a new final contact is passed down the road, is to have annual adjustments.
AUDIO: I think it should have an inflationary increase per year.
But there are still some cost questions. The immediate fee increases forwarded to the City Council will increase monthly costs to the city from about up to $13,000 to about up to $25,500. And even though $450,000 for payments to Vermilion County Animal Control is listed in the proposed new Danville budget, anticipating what the final new contract in six months could be; Alderman Jon Cooper stated that his vote was “no” for now, because he wants more information. For instance, now much COULD Danville actually have to pay annually once that new data on pickup and disposal, and those other new categories, is finalized?
AUDIO: We’re not including picking up deceased animals, which could be another $100 – $150 thousand per year. So, I just want to discuss where that money’s going to come from.
The full Danville City Council is scheduled to meet Tuesday, December 2nd, at 6 PM. Meanwhile; on Monday, December 1st; at 3 PM in the City Council Chambers, there will be a study session on the proposed new budget; scheduled to be passed along with the new tax levy sometime in December.
