HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0069.002 2000-2002
FROM : Nature Walk GiFts PFghE NO. B08 322 5641 Jan. 23 2001 07:54AM Pl
DATE: Jan. 22, 2001
Td: Mr. Aaron Chung, Chair
Finance Committee
Hawaii County Council
FROM: M. Ross Sheldon
77-350 Ainananl St. _
Kailua-Kona 96740
Fax: 322-5641 _
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Number of pages: 2 - -
Members of the Finance Committee:
Please consider the following written testimony when discussing the
Legislative Audit from Constance Kiriu regarding the Special Study on the
Status of Animal Control In the County of Hawa!! at your January 23 meeting.
As a private businessman and volunteer board member of the Hawall Island
Humane Society, I would like to use this opportunity to discuss my reactions
to the legislative audit completed by Ms. Klrlu.
In general, I concur with most of the conclusions made by tht auditor. It was
a relief to finally read the actual report which fairly reviewed the relationship
between the county and the Hawaii Island Humane Society. In particular, I
think some of the more important conclusions were as follows:
That animal overpopulation is more serious on the Big Island than on the
other islands relative to the number of people living here. Yet spay-neuter
funds fall behind other comparable communities.
That the county needs to take a more active role In animal control.
HIHS is given an inadequate amount of funding annually and then sent away
until the next year. In the meantime, no one In the county is interested in
animal control problems.
That the staff of HIHS are "performing capably under the
circumstances,° given that the county continues to underfund us while the
general public expects us to do solve all their animal control problems.
Comm. No. ~ ~TT'
I31e No. ~ Ni
Ref. 1bs
Res. ns~ JAN 2 3 2001
FROM Nature Walk G~fte PFIOrE NO. :808 322 5641 Tan. 23 2881 O7:55AM P2
Fax transmission continued -page 2 of 2
DATE: Jan. 22, 2001
T0: Mr. Aaron Chung, Chair FROM: M. Ross Sheldon
Finance Committee 77-350 Ainanani St.
Hawal'I County Council Kailas-Kona 96740
These genera) conclusions led the auditor to make the following three
recommendations, all of which 1 and the other members of the board of
directors support:
1. That the county conduct a performance evaluation of HIHS by a
professional independent animal control organization. However, the county
should limit the scope of the work to the way in which HIHS contracts with
the county to perform animal control seMces. (I might add that the Humane
5ocfety of the United States is probably the best single organization to
conduct such an evaluation.)
2. That the county consider a split between animal control and animal
sheltering that would give the pdk:e department animal "control"
responslbiNtles whNe the Humane Society would continue to shelter animals,
provide bw cost spay-neuter, return lost animals, provide public education,
and adoption programs. This idea is at least worth exploring further. The
choice far the county is to eRher create its own division for animal control
or to adequately support the Humane Society in that endeavor.
3. Lastly, that the county revise the laws pertaining to animal control.
The executive director of HIHS has provided the auditor with a list of the
changes that we feel are necessary to make the county code both more up-
to-data and more enforceable. The review and revision of animal control
Paws is long overdue.
l am pleased that this audit has been completed and that the Hawall Island
Humane Society has now been vindigted by the findings of the report. I
welcome continued discussions with the county government and I look
forward to the performance evaluation. If I can be of any assistance or if
you have any questions of rrre, please call 322-4310, send a tax transmission
to 32P-5641 or a-mail me at hayduke~hawall.rr.oom
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