CLARIFICATION: While Burien CARES animal control officer Ray Helms is scheduled on duty at the CARES shelter 40 hours per week, he is also on call for emergencies 24/7 and many times has responded to 911 calls after hours and on days the shelter is closed.
“I want to reassure Burien residents that local animal control is available to them on an emergency basis at all times,” Helms said. “Part of the increased funding referred to in your article is to cover the salary of an additional part-time, nationally trained animal control officer to provide back-up coverage at times when I am out sick, on vacation, or otherwise unavailable. This was one of the improvement recommendations made in the recent audit report.”
HERE IS OUR PREVIOUS COVERAGE:
Burien lawmakers on a 4-3 vote have extended to May 30, 2016 the Burien CARES animal services contract and increased its funding from $120,000 to $170,000 per year.
Animal services has been discussed by Burien council members for a long time and is a contentious issue in the current council election races.
The Burien Community Animal Resource and Education Society (CARES) is a nonprofit group, headed by Discover Burien events manager Debra George, which the city contracts for animal control and services.
Denise McVicker, deputy director of the Tacoma, Pierce County Humane Society, made several recommendations for improvements by CARES after she conducted an audit. With the extension, CARES will be required to implement some of those recommendations.
On April 15, Sean Bouffiou, King County Records and Licensing finance administrator, told lawmakers he estimated Regional Animal Services of King County RASKC) would charge Burien $418,000 per year minus Burien pet licensing fees for a net cost of $332,000 annually.
RASKC has two animal control officers and a sergeant on duty at all times to cover the southern district Burien would be part of.
Besides Burien, the RASKC district would include SeaTac, Tukwila, North Highline, Skyway, Vashon Island, Enumclaw, Black Diamond, Kent, Covington and Maple Valley. The district covers about 1,100 square-miles.
CARES has one animal control officer who covers Burien and is on duty 40 hours a week.
Of the $170,000 annually to CARES, approximately $60,000 will come from Burien pet licensing fees and the remainder from the city’s general fund.
On May 20, the council deadlocked 3-3 on extending the contract. Mayor Brian Bennett and council members Rose Clark and Gerald Robison voted for the extension. Deputy Mayor Lucy Krakowiak and council members Bob Edgar and Jack Block Jr. voted against. Councilmember Joan McGilton was absent.
At the July 15 council meeting, McGilton cast the deciding vote to extend the contract at the increased funding level.
Block argued the increased animal services expense would be almost half what the city pays for human services. He said the city should increase its efforts to collect more licensing fees and expand the number of Burien outlets where pet licenses can be purchased.
He also suggested the city hire a professional animal control officer. Des Moines and Normandy Park share an animal control officer who is part of the Des Moines Police Department. Block said Des Moines spends approximately $125,000 a year on animal services.
Robison said the only alternatives to CARES are RASKC, which costs twice as much, or to offer no animal services.
McGilton said hiring a professional officer raises liability issues for the city. She noted Des Moines was sued for the killing of a Newfoundland dog named Rosie by city police officers. McGilton noted CARES as a nonprofit carries its own liability insurance.
Block countered that police officers, not the animal control officer killed the dog.
The July 15 meeting also marked the final Burien council meeting for city manager Mike Martin. He will become the city administrator in Lynden, a small town near Bellingham.
Mayor Bennett said Martin did a good job of carrying out the policies of the council majority even when he didn’t agree with them. He also said Martin left the city in great financial shape and with an excellent staff.
“Thank you for your service and we wish you well in your future endeavors,” Bennett declared.
Martin said, “This is a really good community with a bright future and a high-performing staff that is getting more high-performing all the time.”
