Deltona officials move to issue RFP for citywide TNR program; volunteers and residents urge aggressive approach

City Manager and staff said July 28 that they will prepare a request for proposals and work with the commission on ordinance and contracting language to put Deltona's Trap-Neuter-Return program (TNR) out to bid, using the city's $60,000 annual budget and specified contract terms as a starting point. Public commenters and several commissioners urged stronger enforcement of the city's feeding ban, higher sterilization targets and preference for trusted local nonprofits.

The commission workshop drew about 11 public commenters and lengthy discussion among commissioners, city staff and animal-welfare volunteers about how to standardize reporting, monitor colonies and ensure a contracted provider can run the program day-to-day. The action needed now, city staff said, is an RFP plus clearer code language so the program has measurable objectives and enforceable rules.

City staff presented draft contract terms that would: require all cats served to live within Deltona city limits; require a dedicated phone and email for citizen requests with a two-business-day acknowledgement; produce monthly written activity reports and quarterly presentations to the commission; list registered colonies and prohibit formation of new colonies in certain sensitive locations; set a minimum of 130 cats spayed or neutered per quarter (about 10…