Roseville amends dangerous-animal hearing-officer language to allow impartial appointee or retained hearing officer

The Roseville City Council unanimously adopted an amendment to City Code section 501.15 that changes who may serve as the hearing officer for appeals of dangerous-or-potentially-dangerous animal determinations.

Commander Steinberg of the Roseville Police Department explained the change, saying the city previously named a specific organization (the animal humane society director or designee) as the hearing officer but that the animal humane society has informed the city it will discontinue its inbound housing and investigative services at year-end. Staff and the city attorney recommended revising the code to permit an impartial employee appointed by the city or an impartial person retained by the city to act as the hearing officer.

"We thought now was the time to kind of look at who we designate as our hearing officer," Steinberg said, describing the change as a best practice to ensure a fair, transparent and impartial process. Council members asked clarifying questions about whether elected officials should serve in the role and confirmed the change was intended to allow contracting with an outside impartial hearing officer.

Council Member Schroeder moved to adopt the ordinance amendment; Council Member Grama seconded. The council voted unanimously to adopt the ordinance amendment and later approved the ordinance summary resolution required for publication; staff noted a supermajority is required for summary publication and that the vote met that threshold for the five-member council.