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MAY-01-01 04:40 PM HIHS 8083294618 P.01 MAWAI l ISLAND r, , ~ , April 24, 2041 1 Jaynes Y. Arakaki Pax # 961-8912 Dear Mr. Arakaki: Thank you for your supgbrt and interest in the Animal Control Contract. As [mentioned in the previous Finance Com[nittee Meetang, the Hawaii Island kiurnan~; Society is actively negotiating with the Dspartmenq of Finance for an appropriate allocation of funds for Animal Control in 2001.2002. Enclosed is a budget whiclrl I ha~~e submitted to tl~e I~epartnient of Finance for the next fiscal year. This budget is wl~.t I Della "growth budget" and wa's our original submission to the »epartment of Finance. There has not been a sig~'iFicant increase in the animal control budget in many years, acid I feel that this growth budget realistically reflects the needs of animal control in Mawai~. County. Over the years, dve have experienced major increases in fixed salary expenses {FICA, SUfA,1"Iealth Insurance, Workers Comp insurance and T'1)I) for which the animal control budget was never adjusted. Due to additional budget constraints, PIIKS has also been unable to replaco the aging and increasial$iy unreliable vehicles used for animal control. Our trus~ks are old and break down more and more often, resulting in numerous repair bills. °Ihese v®hicles are also not fuel efl'dcient, and the very high cost o~f fuel also results in incre~esed operating expenses every year. This year, we face a further challenge due to Fire regulations which state that the Keaau shelter requires the installment of a fire hydt~ant. Early estimates for this project start at around 525,000, The growth budget also proposes the addition oftwo humane officers, one for West l~lawaii and ors foe East Hawaii. The need f®r ~ese additional officers is a result of tl'~e population growth I~aws•~ii County is experiencing and a higlt,Iy increased demand for services by the public, a~ld I feel that it is imperative to add these offFacers in order to meet the animal control and pablic safety needs of our communities. Finally, based on the recommendation of the Legislative Auditor's report, the growth budget also reflects a Spay TTeuter program allocation of $166,000, Research nationwide firanly supports that an ei~ective and significantly funded spay/neuter program cart make a tremendous in?pact on animal overpopulation problems. / 1 / ~ • IH°ile No. ~ ~tef. Tot Ref. Date ~A~ ~ - 74-5225 Queen Kaahumanu Hwy • Kailua-Kona, HI 96740 • '1"slephone (808) 329-1175 • Fax (808) 32S~-~r.616 Keaau (808) 966-5458 • Kamuela (808) 885.4558