KMXT 100.1 FM Public Radio in Kodiak, Alaska
It’s been a handful of years since animal control service was offered along the borough road system but it could be reinstated as early as this week.
During last week’s work session the Kodiak Island Borough Assembly discussed the animal control contract that will be voted on during Thursday’s regular meeting. Borough Manager Bud Cassidy said the contract is similar to the one the borough had in the past, meaning it will share the animal control service with the city of Kodiak.
“This contract is structured to where we split costs. Those costs involve the hiring of community service officers, the hiring and training of those officers, the truck and it’s maintenance, insurance, expenses to the Humane Society for operating the animal shelter.”
Cassidy said the new contract includes two officers and the goal is to patrol a longer portion of time than in the past.
“One officer will be working from 8”30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m, Monday through Friday, the other officer will be working from Saturday to Wednesday, from noon to 8 p.m. so the goal is really to try to get a response from a call within 75 minutes. And in the contract you’ll see where there is sort of a hierarchy of importance where emergency calls are going to be responded to a lot quicker than maybe a loose animal call, those kinds of things.”
Cassidy said the contract really only deals with dogs, cats and other small animals. He said the borough is currently looking at solutions for problems with larger animals like horses.
In the past the animal control contract cost the borough about $84,000 but on Thursday the assembly will vote on a $109,000 contract. Cassidy said the $84,000 was the amount used back in 2007 and the new figure is attributed to general increase of salaries and city overhead.
