- October 13, 2024
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Due to some council members expressing concern about significant increases regarding services contracted with the Halifax Humane Society, the Volusia County Council unanimously voted on Tuesday, Jan. 17 to postpone approving its contract with the animal shelter to allow staff to continue negotiations.
The $110,000 contract was part of the council meeting's consent agenda, and was pulled for discussion by County Commissioner Troy Kent, who said he had "major issues" with the proposed increases, which range from 36% for three-day impoundments of dogs or cats (from $88 to $120) to 186% for impoundment of other domesticated animals (from $35 to $100).
While he said he is supportive of the humane society, the increases caught his attention.
"I looked at some of the contracts in the consent agenda below this [item]," Kent said. "The increases were nowhere near this amount."
When asked about how the contract is broken down, Animal Services Director Adam Leath explained that there are a number of services that are included in a blanket contract that Halifax Humane Society has with other jurisdictions in the county that the county doesn't utilize. He cited veterinary services as an example; the county already has two full-time veterinarians in its Animal Services division.
He also added that the increases are due to the fact that the Halifax Humane Society has not changed its individual daily rate for the last five fiscal years.
"I will say that the percentages are quite significantly dramatic here in that there hasn't been any change in their overall amounts in a long period of time as compared to Southeast Humane Society who actually has had changes in their contractual rate in the last five fiscal years," Leath said.
The contract with the Southeast Volusia Humane Society, approved via the consent agenda, costs the county $52,000.
Commissioner Danny Robins was still not convinced on what he described as "wild increases."
"We need to tighten this up a little bit," he said.
Kent said that he would be in favor of small increases yearly, and that he struggles to explain large increases such as the ones proposed in the contract to constituents, which he feels aren't justified simply because the organization didn't ask for increases in years prior.
"That's a huge change," he said of the 186% increase for impoundment of domesticated animals other than dogs and cats. "And it's hitting the taxpayers in a big way."
