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Montclair Council Votes to Join Animal Resource Center JPA, Commits $2M Upfront
Summary
The Montclair City Council approved joining the Animal Resource Center (ARC) joint powers authority, authorizing a $2 million upfront capital allocation and financing the remainder of the city's $4.3 million share over a multiyear schedule; council also appointed a primary and alternate representative to the ARC board.
Montclair — The City Council voted to approve Agreement No. 25-10 to join the Animal Resource Center (ARC) joint powers authority and committed an initial $2 million payment toward the city's estimated $4.3 million capital share.
Staff told the council ARC would provide animal-control, sheltering and canvassing services and is planning approximately $43 million in permanent facilities. City staff proposed paying $2 million from lease-revenue bond funds and financing the remaining $2.3 million over a 10-year schedule, with the option to extend payback to 15–20 years if additional agencies seek longer amortization.
Supporters said the JPA would give cities more direct control over animal-control services than the Inland Valley Humane Society (IVHS) model. Supervisor Kurt Hagman, appearing at the meeting, described the partnership as an effort to improve public-safety infrastructure and support Montclair's fire and police departments: "Public Safety is the top priority for the city of Montclair," he said.
Councilmembers pressed staff on cost scenarios. Under the ARC four‑agency model, staff estimated Montclair's annual contribution at about $500,000; if more agencies join, that per‑city annual burden could fall (staff cited a roughly $360,000 estimate under a six‑agency model). Staff also warned that remaining with IVHS could produce higher costs for Montclair, projecting fee increases of 15% this year and estimating that, absent a shared JPA, costs could rise in future years by amounts staff described as potentially reaching $700,000–$800,000 under some scenarios.
Council discussion covered service capacity, including shelter space and handling of large animals, and the ARC's plan for temporary warehouse‑based sheltering while permanent facilities are completed. Staff said ARC anticipates being operational July 1, 2025, with permanent facilities expected by July 2026.
A motion to approve the agreement and to appoint council representatives passed. The council approved joining ARC and designated the councilmember who moved the item to serve as the city's permanent board representative and named Councilmember Maru as the alternate (per the motion recorded by the clerk). The council adopted the item.
The council's approval obliges Montclair to the capital contribution framework laid out in the agenda report and begins the local implementation steps: paying the initial $2 million allocation and selecting the city's formal ARC board appointees. The council also directed that ARC-related assignments be added to the council's regular committee assignments.
Next steps will include executing the JPA agreement, formalizing the payment schedule, and staff follow-up on staffing and temporary-shelter operations as ARC hires an executive director and administrative staff.
