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OGT-16-01 @4:31 PM HIHS 8083294618 P.64 'To improve the budget process, HIHS agrees with the NACA suggestion (1-1) of clarifying non- Animal Control functions. I~ig believes 4his is an important step for all interested parties to have a better apprecfation of what is paid for by the Anignal Control Contract. Finally, we support NACA's recomattendationfhat the feld operations of Anirrtal Control be shifted ®o the police deparhrecnt. This would n®t®t mean that the existing police force would be saddled with ~n additional job. Rather, a separate division of animal contrrol would be established under the administration of the ponce d ent. This division would employee people trained in ar<irraal control, riot regular police ofD-leers. 'To quote from the report (p. 9-15); "Although many excellent animal control programs have long 'been privatised, problems have sometimes occurred when $overnments have failed to provide adequate fuaad~g for animal care and control servacea and Yelled or1 the local barrette society to carry the load, Overburdened local humane societies have b f®rced to curb their most essential :services-including education progs~tt~s and spaylneuter assistance programs---or shutdown :entirely, ~Vlaen this happens, local governments must ffiake last-minute fiandireg appropriations or worse, attempt to handle animal control using untrained staft'and a makeshift facFlity." The above paragraph accurately describes HMS's current dilemnna and sounds an alas~rn for our future. In spite of increased support from the current County administration, HIHS has neither the 3ta4~` nor farads to meet most of the recotntrtetadatior~s in this repar~ 'The increase in our funding fot PY2002 will only allow us to operate in the black for the first time in three ys~-it is not enough to ,increase staffing or expand services. While we have strived to build an efficient, innovative, and ,committed organi~tion, none of these virtues is a substitute for adequate facilities, staffing, and operating budget, °The Police I3epartrrlent has resources that we have no hope of acquiring in the foreseeable future, including centralized, island-wide corrarraunica4ions, 24-hr dispatchitsg, access to a criminal records database, and ad~uate vehicles. While HIHS would like do continue to contract with the County to provide anirraal s9aeltering, we feel fluff the expectati®ns for our field operations have exceeded the capacity of an understafTed non-profst. `fhe people and scnirrfals of I-lawaii County deserve the 1eve1 of anirrtal care and control owlined in .this report. ~e urge the County ~ heed the final recomancndation of this report and move swiftly to establish a separate animal control division within the Police 1?epartment, while continuing w contract with HII'IIS to rare the shelters. Since ly, Grayson l'Iashida executive Director