HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 07222008 - SD.1 • SD. 1
THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
Date July 22, 2008 Matter of Record
On this date, Federal D. Glover, Chair of the Board of Supervisors, invited the public to speak.
The following persons spoke:
• Ralph Hoffman, Walnut Creek resident, asked that all consent items under Appointments
and Resignations be removed. He requests in Supervisor's Piepho's absence that he be
appointed to the Mental Health Commission and also the at large seat for the Alcohol and
Advisory Board.
• Julie Linford, Martinez resident and President of Outcast Cat Helps voiced her concern
on the cat colony surrounding the County shelter. She felt the cat control issue was not
being resolved. Would like to propose Outcast Cat Helps to be allowed to assist in
trapping the stray cats. Supervisor Ulkema would like to recommend these concerns be
addressed with the County Administrator's Office and report back to the Internal
Operations Committee. Supervisor Ulkema would like to get an understanding of the
staffing with the shelter.
• Kris Hunt, Executive Director District CC Taxpayers Association, expressed her
gratefulness on the Supreme Courts decision in regards to the benefits assessment district
countywide for open space. She was thankful that this was defeated and thankful that the
Supreme Court decision was to throw out this tax.
• Rolie Katz, Business Agent PEIU Local I, informed the BOS of the passing of Bonnie
Hunt, longtime healthcare worker.
The following persons submitted comment via County electronic mail:
Julie Linford submitted proposal to control stray and feral cats
THIS IS A MATTER FOR RECORD PURPOSES ONLY
NO BOARD ACTION WAS TAKEN
J ul�ce,
sD. �
OUTCAST CAT-HELP
Proposal
Contra Costa County Animal Service
Departments Best Option to Control the Stray
and Feral Cat Population at the Martinez
Shelter
CCC Animal Services Cat Colony Control
Plan
• There is a growing and reproducing cat colony immediately surrounding the Martinez
animal shelter.
• Cats continue to enter the colony either by abandonment, birth or by escaping out of
the night drop boxes.
• Animal Services Director, Glenn Howell, is apathetic toward the issue, doing virtually
nothing to resolve the situation.
• Attempts by Outcast Cat Help since April 3, 2008 to get Animal Services Director,
Glenn Howell,to resolve the issue have been met with resistance despite Outcast Cat
Help's offer to help by trapping the cats.
• Animal Services Director, Glenn Howell, stated that he would not allow Outcast Cat
Help to perform any trapping because he has a staff that can do it.
• Shelter staff and volunteers are not officially allowed to humanely care for the cat
colony by feeding and watering the cats. This apparent willful deprivation of food and
water is an act of animal cruelty.
• Animal Services Director, Glenn Howell, anticipates construction of a new dog run in
close proximity to the current cat colony feeding area, but does not allow the feeding
area to be moved to another location.
• Animal Services Director, Glenn Howell, stated on April 3, 2008 that he knows of one
unsterilized female cat running around the property.
• Animal Services Director, Glenn Howell, downplays the problem believing that most
cats are friendly.
• Abandoned and escaped cats find their way to neighboring properties, including the
Central Contra Costa County Sanitary District.
• On April 23, 2008, Outcast Cat Help received five(5)orphaned kittens from a Contra
Costa County Public Works employee after they were discovered nested in a work
truck.
• The actual number of cats running around the shelter is unknown to Animal Services
Director, Glenn Howell.
• Outcast Cat Help monitored the cat colony on April 9, 2008 and observed ten (10)
adult cats that came to feed over the course of a four(4)hour time period. Outcast
Cat Help estimated at that time that there were probably another four(4)to five(5)
cats that::could come to feed only sunder the cover of darkness.
• Outcast Cat Help notified Animal Services Director, Glenn Howell, of their
observations and supplied a list to him on April 9, 2008 with descriptions of the
observed cats.
e
• Today, Outcast Cat Help estimates that there could be twenty(20)to twenty five(25)
cats running around the shelter as a result of birth, abandonment and escape.
• Outcast Cat Help will perform trapping for Contra Costa County at the Martinez animal
shelter at no charge until the colony population is under control.
• Contra Costa Animal Services will intake the cats just as they would any other cat. If the
cat is deemed adoptable the cat will be processed through the system. If the cat is
unadoptable due to socialization issues, the cat will be returned to the shelter property to
live out the remainder of its life.
• Outcast Cat Help will assist with moving the feeding station to a new location prior to the
beginning of construction.
• No animals will be euthanized.
• Outcast Cat Help will train at no charge staff on trapping procedures and care of a cat
colony.
• Outcast Cat Help recommends that Animal Services post signage notifying the public
about the illegality of animal abandonment.
• Outcast Cat Help recommends that Animal Services shut down the night boxes to
eliminate population growth through escapes.
2