County Delivery of Animal Care Services*

- Organizational separation of Animal Control and Animal Care has led to discord between the two factions resulting in delivery-of-service problems. The Board of Supervisors disagrees wholly with this Finding. Animal Care and Animal Control work well together and strive to improve their ability to provide outstanding services to the citizens of this County at every opportunity.

- The Shelter physical plant is not properly maintained. The Board of Supervisors disagrees wholly with this Finding. The Board of Supervisors agrees with and adopts the response of the H&HSA director to this Finding.

- The overcrowding has a very serious effect on staff morale and is severely detrimental to the well-being of the animals. The Board of Supervisors disagrees wholly with this Finding. The Board of Supervisors agrees with and adopts the response of the H&HSA director to this Finding.

- The relationship between the management of the two organizations has become acrimonious hindering the possibility of meaningful dialogue. The Board of Supervisors disagrees wholly with this Finding. The Grand Jury presents no evidence in its report that supports this finding. The two organizations work well together and there are no complaints that there is a lack of communication between the two organizations.

- Senior managers lack formal management training, including contract writing, negotiation, and implementation. The Board of Supervisors disagrees partially with this Finding. The Board of Supervisors agrees with and adopts the response of the H&HSA director to this Finding.

- The budgeted line item 861031 (County Contribution to unemployment insurance for the employees of the Shelter) for 2013-2014, adopted at $0, is an unexplained deviation from prior years. The Board of Supervisors partially disagrees with this Finding. The Board of Supervisors agrees that budget line item 861031 is zero for 2013-2014. Mendocino RESPONSE TO GRAND JURY REPORT TITLED: COUNTY DELIVERY OF ANIMAL CARE SERVICES County is self-insured for unemployment purposes. The amount budgeted is based on the amount of money paid on claims by the County. Based on the reserve balance in this fund, no departments were required to contribute for fiscal year 2013-2014.

- The budgeted line item 862130 (Maintenance to structure and improvement to grounds) and line item 864360 (Structure/improvements) for 2013-2014 both show adopted at $0. This gives the impression that the Board of Supervisors request to add $20,000 for kennel repair is a misrepresentation because line item 865802 added an operating transfer out of funds, thereby negating the appropriation. The Board of Supervisors partially disagrees with this Finding. The cost for the kennel repairs ($20,000) is reflected in the net County cost for this budget unit. If the department was going to have an outside vendor preform the kennel work, an appropriation would have been placed in the line item 862130 and the vendor would have been paid directly. However, because the work was done by the County's General Services Agency per Fund Accounting rules, the department must budget the transfer amount in line item 865802 (which was done) and then transfer (expend) it to General Services Agency when the kennel is completed.