At the Aug. 19 meeting the council heard a presentation on community cats and trap‑neuter‑return (TNR) from Carrie Spivey, director of the ABC spay‑neuter clinic. Spivey told the council TNR is an internationally recognized best practice to reduce reproduction and nuisance behavior, and she described the clinic’s operations and past partnerships.

Spivey said ABC provides high‑volume spay and neuter services and has been running TNR work in the region since 2007. "Trap and return is spay neuter vaccination and tippy of the left ear," she said, explaining that the ear‑tip is a visible marker to show a cat has been sterilized without requiring recapture. Spivey told the council ABC conducts roughly 352 surgeries per week — about 70 per day — and that sterilizing outdoor cats reduces roaming, fighting, yowling and spraying, which are the behaviors that most often prompt neighborhood complaints.

Residents and volunteers described local experience with TNR. Michelle Watts, a Surrey Ridge resident and volunteer, said she trapped 31 cats in Surrey Ridge over three weeks and estimated dozens more remain; she said the population would grow rapidly without sterilization and that volunteers would assist with trapping and transport. Watts said sterilized cats typically “stabilize” and do not generate the reproduction‑driven complaints neighbors report.

Council members discussed funding options and models several municipalities use. Spivey cited examples of municipal contributions mentioned during the meeting (for example, one nearby community provides about $26,000 per year for spay/neuter support; another smaller jurisdiction contributes a modest annual amount) and described partnerships in which the animal shelter and volunteer networks reduce municipal operating costs.

After discussion the council directed staff to explore implementation details and informally agreed to set aside a pilot allocation of up to $10,000 to support an initial TNR effort — focused on Surrey Ridge as a test area — subject to final budget authorization. Councilmembers emphasized that the Aug. 19 conversation was a discussion and that any formal appropriation would need to be reflected in the budget process or a future council action. Staff and volunteers said they would coordinate outreach, volunteer trap banks, transport, and potential fundraising to stretch the municipal contribution.

Next steps: staff will return with implementation options, cost details and an education/outreach plan; volunteers and ABC offered to assist with trapping and public education, and the council said it will consider a formal allocation once staff provides a recommended program plan.