Borough Will Shift Animal Control Issues to Public Safety Committee

STONE HARBOR – The meeting of Stone Harbor Borough Council Feb. 2 marked the introduction of a new format proposed by Council President Karen Lane.
The first meeting of each month will consist of a work session largely devoted to council’s public discussion of issues facing the borough, and that are likely to result in formal action in the future. The format was well received by residents with positive comments made concerning it during the public comment period.
Council member Judith Davies-Dunhour, appointed this year as chair of the Public Safety standing committee, proposed a move of animal control from the portfolio of the Natural Resources Committee to Public Safety. Council member Joselyn Rich, who chairs Natural Resources, supported the proposal.
Davies-Dunhour led off by arguing that the proposed relocation of animal control would enhance the ability of the unit to enforce borough ordinances.
“Enforcement is easier if animal control has an established relationship with the police department,” Davies-Dunhour said. She pointed out that the current arrangement has residents call the borough outsourced contractor, Shore Animal Control, for animal control issues.
The borough has no ability to readily see data resulting from such calls and no ability to engage in some form of initial triage of calls to determine if immediate response is necessary, she said. The arrangement can result in higher costs to the borough without necessarily producing better service.
Davies-Dunhour suggested that the move of the function to Public Safety would allow police dispatch to decide on the best form of response, and result in the more efficient use of the animal control contractor.
The model is used in Middle Township where the animal control function is provided by a township employee under supervision of the police department.
The proposed move would split animal and pest control, leaving pest control functions in Natural Resources.  “The two are separate activities,” Rich said.
Discussion focused on control of wildlife nuisances, which occupies a significant portion of animal control activity.  The main culprits are skunks. The borough’s effort differs from that of Middle Township where the public concern is more on domestic animals, mainly dogs.
However, Davies-Dunhour pointed to borough goals for licensing domestic pets and ensuring appropriate inoculations as further factors that will be helped by a move to Public Safety.
Recent expressions of dissatisfaction with the function’s performance in Middle Township did not enter into the discussion in the borough. There, a group of animal welfare activists used a township committee meeting as a forum for requesting better service. 
Davies-Dunhour later said that issues facing the two municipalities are very different.
The animal control function in Stone Harbor had been part of a shared services agreement with Middle Township until two years ago when the township decided to concentrate its resources solely on municipal animal control.
As the borough works out the best way to utilize its relatively new outsource function, Davies-Dunhour argued that control of the function and data on its performance within the borough is best served by the proposed shift.
Discussion on the proposal was positive and it is likely that the borough will address the proposal as an item for action at a future meeting.
To contact Vince Conti, email vconti@cmcherald.com.