Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Animal Control topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
County manager authorized to negotiate animal-control operations agreement with Heart of the Foothills
Summary
The board authorized the county manager and county attorney to negotiate a contract with Heart of the Foothills Animal Rescue to operate animal-control services and to prepare a July 1 transition plan tied to a new county facility.
Rutherford County commissioners authorized the county manager to negotiate the terms of an operations agreement with Heart of the Foothills Animal Rescue to manage county animal-control services, with the goal of executing an agreement in time for a July 1 service transition.
County Manager Garrison described ongoing discussions with Karen Parker of Heart of the Foothills and county staff; staff supplied a draft agreement for the nonprofit to review and asked the board for authorization to continue negotiating terms. “We have a good sense of what you do,” Garrison said, adding that staff toured the facility and drafted terms for legal review.
Nut graf: commissioners voted to allow the county manager and county attorney to negotiate terms and to authorize county officials to execute documents necessary to effect a July 1 transition, while preserving flexibility to work through operational details.
Karen Parker, representing Heart of the Foothills, said the organization already performs many functions like those in a government-run shelter and that earlier certainty about operations would help with staffing and planning. Commissioners emphasized the desire to finalize terms so the nonprofit can begin recruiting and staffing ahead of the transition and that a ribbon-cutting for the new facility is expected once remaining site work is completed.
Ending: The board approved the motion and asked staff to continue contract negotiations and bring final documents forward for approval and execution prior to the new fiscal year.
