Middle Opts for Aunt Jane’s Kennel, Co. Animal Shelter’s Bill: $110,000

COURT HOUSE – An impasse over contract negotiations between Middle Township and the Cape May County Animal Shelter has reached the point where the shelter will no longer accept animals from the township. 
At the June 20 Middle Township Committee meeting, Deputy Mayor Jeffrey DeVico said the county’s bill for service at the shelter went from $71,000 last year to $110,000 this year. Along with that increase came a requirement to use the county for a mandatory spay-and-neuter program for an additional $20,000.
According to DeVico, the township ran the same program through a local veterinarian last year for half that amount.
“If you add those together, we are facing a one-year increase of $50,000,” DeVico said.
Committee Member Timothy Donohue said the township wants to stay with the county shelter, “But we have an obligation to our taxpayers.” The county contract also requires the township to sign up for a five-year period with escalating costs each year. “They are holding a gun to our head,” said Mayor Michael Clark.
The impasse has existed for about six months. The new contract offer from the county appears to have come in December, and it has been an issue of contention since then.
In a recent letter, the township was told to turn in its keys to the shelter as of June 17. Animal Control Officer William Candell says that is exactly what he did.
Several members of the public attended the meeting to remind township officials of what things were like before the county shelter started in 2004. 
“When the township used private-sector firms, it was just awful,” said one shelter advocate. “There were poor facilities, animals denied medical care, animals denied food,” she added.
The county shelter, at the Crest Haven Complex, is a shared facility serving all county municipalities except Ocean City.
Up until this year, the formula used to charge municipalities was largely based on population size.
A new methodology is in use. Township officials have been told it is based in large part on usage, although usage data is difficult to obtain. 
How this change in formula could account for such a large increase was unclear.
The county, according to township officials, also added the requirement to sign a multi-year contract and to use the county’s mandatory neuter and spay program even if an alternative program would be cheaper.
The total package and the new costs were too much for the municipality.
After a closed session, the committee returned to public session and tabled the shared services agreement with the county.
An agreement with Aunt Jane’s Kennel, Dias Creek, for animal shelter services was adopted.
DeVico said it is a temporary measure and that the township is still willing to negotiate with the county on a long-term relationship.
“We have to have a plan B,” said Donohue. “It is our intention to stay with the county system,” he added.
The anger over the impasse and the requirement to turn in the keys to the county complex means that the distance the township and the county have to cover in their negotiations is substantial.
Donohue said that the township is a major customer of the shelter and should have some voice in its future direction. “If you are 30 percent of a business, shouldn’t you have some say?”
Other Business
Clark provided no details when he reported on a recent meeting with school board officials over pilot program funds.
A payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) from the developer of the township’s low-income housing project was retained by the township during the formulation of the 2016 budget.
Based on discussions with Donohue, before changes in the composition of the township committee, school board officials had been expecting a portion of the funds to cover additional costs to the school system arising from the low-income housing.
Clark said he had a “good meeting” with board officials and that there was “progress.” What he meant by such enigmatic statements was left open.
The committee also approved the acquisition of dash cameras for the police department. Donohue noted that the technology involved with the dash cameras is shared with the body cameras already approved.
Donohue also said that Police Chief Christopher Leusner had been in Trenton earlier that day testifying for a bill that would create a new class of police officer, Class III.
The idea behind the new classification would be to use retired police officers to work with resource officers in the school systems.
“Many of these officers retire while still relatively young and they have a lot of experience,” he said.
Donohue was careful to note that Class III officers would not replace school resource officers. He urged the public to support the legislation.
To contact Vince Conti, email vconti@cmcherald.com.