Loading...
112519 Randolph County Office of the County Manager 725 McDowell Road Asheboro, North Carolina 27205 www.randolphcountync.gov Animal Services Advisory Board Minutes November 25, 2019 The Randolph County Animal Services Advisory Board met in a rescheduled regular session at 6:00 p.m. in the Randolph County Office Building Meeting Room A, 725 McDowell Road, Asheboro, NC. Commissioner Darrell Frye, Commissioner David Allen, Lisa Sparks, Cynthia Grantham, April Wilburn, Misty Hinshaw, and Jason Balder were in attendance. Lou Wilson entered where noted. Also present were Ex Officio member County Manager Hal Johnson, Clerk to the Board Sarah Pack, and Elma Rae Greene, who will become the new Animal Services Director. Sgt. Lawrence Albright and J.R. Beard were absent. The Veterinarian seat is vacant at this time. Call to Order and Opening Comments Commissioner Darrell Frye called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. and welcomed the Board members. Jason Balder made a motion to adopt the minutes of the October 17, 2019, meeting and was seconded by April Wilburn. The Board unanimously approved the minutes. Public Comment Period Pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 153A-52.1, Commissioner Frye opened the floor for public comment and closed it after everyone wishing to speak had done so. There were no public comments. Animal Services Director Introduction Commissioner Frye introduced Elma Rae Greene to the Board members and complemented her extensive and varied experience with Animal Services in multiple counties. He said that she came highly recommended. Hal Johnson said having the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Board of Commissioners and the County Manager on the Animal Services Advisory Board showed the commitment of the Commissioners to the success of Animal Services. He reminded the Board that the transition to a standalone department was no reflection on Public Health; rather, Public Health has done so much to help keep the transition smooth and lines of communication open. The County wants to take Animal Services to a new level, so the search for a director was a nation-wide effort. He said the interviewing panel was searching for a professional with experience who knows how to manage people, values working with the community, and understands how to manage animal-employment nd with the County would be December 2 and that she would be visiting the Animal Shelter on November th 27 to start becoming familiar with the staff and facility. He addressed Ms. Greene, saying that she is not alone; she is part of the organization of County government. He said the common goal is to be successful, and a year from now, Ms. Greene would look back at the decision to work for Randolph County as the ments and over Telephone: 336-318-6300 employment that Board members received upon arrival to the meeting. Ms. Greene thanked the Board for generously giving their time to help the organization. Her background includes animal services, veterinary medicine, and law. She is from the west coast and has worked with reptiles, avians, and the San Diego Zoo. She has worked for several veterinary practices, including Duke. She finds the animal services field to be fascinating and ever-changing and said there is always something to learn. She enjoys working with the public. She said that everyone she has met that is involved in Animal Services with Randolph County has been open, friendly, and ready for change. She said it is refreshing to have an advisory board of this size. It is important to hear people in situations such as this. She thanked the Commissioners for their support and said she is looking forward to what people have to say. She was impressed by the resources available in Randolph County and was appreciative of the members serving on the Board. Mr. Johnson asked Board members to introduce themselves individually for the benefit of Ms. Greene. cats. Ms. Hinshaw confirmed that some domestic cats get very large, and said that she has a 24.6 pound orange cat who is larger than her dogs. She also has a Savannah cat who has been a challenge to house. have cat people like Ms. Hinshaw. Ms. Hinshaw said she does a lot of animal transportation and has had some of her fosters for over two years, as they do not leave any cats behind. Lou Wilson entered at 6:14 p.m. Jason Balder is a zookeeper at the North Carolina Zoo. At this time, he is working mostly with giraffes, lions, chimps, and gorillas. He also owns an animal education business that takes exotic animals to schools, senior programs, birthday parties, etc. He is happy to be a part of the Board and said he is new to the animal shelter world. looking forward to building a positive relationship between Randolph County Animal Services and the North Carolina Zoo. Ms. Wilson said that her family owns several assisted living centers. Her interest involves getting exposure for the animals that are housed at the shelter and making sure the staff is highly trained. Ms. Greene asked if any animals are ever brought to visit the assisted living homes. Ms. Wilson answered yes, and noted also that she owns two dogs and a cat. She also said that she worked as a lobbyist for legislature for thirty years. Cynthia Grantham retired after 31 years as a public health nurse. She worked with Animal Services during her time with the County and enjoyed her work. She has had small animals and horses. She said accountability are important to her. She pointed out that April Wilburn had taken over her previous duties at Public Health, and Ms. Wilburn is very forward-thinking. Ms. Grantham is retired but still loves to work and assist and will do all she can to be available to Ms. Greene and the Board. Ms. Greene suggested a partnership between Ms. Wilson and Ms. Grantham. Ms. Grantham confirmed that she and Ms. Wilson had a longstanding relationship and they knew each other well. Lisa Sparks is the Director of the Happy Hills Animal Foundation, which is a non-profit shelter licensed by the state. She has worked with Happy Hills for 20 years. They pull and transfer as many animals as they can, mostly dogs. They are licensed to perform holds through the state and they abide by the Animal Welfare Act. Ms. Sparks said that she is a stickler for policies. She is excited to work with Ms. Greene and and there was a gas chamber still in use. The shelter has made many positive changes already. Ms. Greene thanked her for being a member of the Board. April Wilburn is the Director of Nursing at Public Health. She works in communicable diseases and handles the human side of rabies investigations and treatments. She works with Animal Services daily and deals with human exposure to rabies. Ms. Greene asked if she had read any literature regarding read much on the subject, but she understands the risk. Ms. Greene said she was very interested in the public health side of foreign animal imports and asked Ms. Sparks if Happy Hills takes imported animals. Ms. Sparks said they do not; most of their intakes are from out in the county. Many are strays off the street, but some intakes come from the Liberty Police Department. Ms. Greene said that we are all on the same team. Sarah Pack introduced herself as the Clerk to the Animal Services Advisory Board and said that she was happy to assist in any way needed. Mr. Johnson said that J.R. Beard was unable to be at the meeting due to a conflict with a Liberty Town Council meeting. Commissioner Allen added that Mr. Beard is a retired fire chief. Mr. Johnson said that Sgt. Lawrence Albright, who was also absent, has an extensive law enforcement and animal control background. Mr. Johnson said that the benefits of an advisory board with this background is that Ms. Greene will have a sounding bhear Board will help to bridge that gap. Ms. Greene said that there is extensive talent on the Board. Mr. Johnson said there is a lot of experience on the Board and all of the members are committed. He said there are opportunities in the budget, but the County has been waiting for the right person to join the team as a Director and make recommendations. He said that the Animal Services staff has a tough job, but they have a passion for animals and he has a lot of respect for them. Animal Services Subcommittee Update Mr. Johnson gave a brief update on the Animal Services Advisory Board Subcommittee. Members of the Subcommittee include Commissioner Allen, Lisa Sparks, Misty Hinshaw, April Wilburn, and Lou Wilson. Also present at the first Subcommittee meeting where Ex Officio member Hal Johnson, Clerk to the Board Sarah Pack, Information Technology Director Michael Rowland, and Public Safety Specialist Sheri Martin. Mr. Johnson stated that the purpose of the Subcommittee was to meet with the Information Technology Department to explore the capabilities of the Animal Services website, the ShelterPro software, and determine how to get information to the public. The Information Technology team was appreciative of software. That type of input was needed in order to best utilize the tremendous capabilities of the software. Mr. Johnson asked the Board if they would like to meet in December or January for an overview of the website and software. The Board unanimously agreed to cancel the December meeting and reconvene in January to review the website and software. but with this Board, good publicity is probable. Ms. Greene asked if the County had friends in the press and Mr. Johnson answered yes. Ms. Greene said that she is familiar with ShelterPro and it is her favorite software. She described the real-time updates the software is capable of and said that Information Technology just needs to know what we want. Mr. Johnson said the Subcommittee meeting went very well. Ms. Hinshaw agreed that the program is amazing. Mr. Johnson said that he was glad the Board members had the chance to meet Ms. Greene. He said th that the press release that Board members had been given would be sent to the media on November 26 th and would likely print on November 27. Commissioner Frye asked the Board for their help in finding interested vets to fill the Board Veterinarian seat. He said that he knows how busy most veterinarians are and that has been a challenge in finding a vet who will agree to sit on the Board. He suggested contacting Paws and Claws Veterinary Hospital in Archdale and speaking with their vets. Ms. Hinshaw said she was familiar with that practice and had worked with them for spays and neuters on several occasions. She said she would be happy to share her opinions as she becomes more familiar with the practice. She said it is often difficult for vets to make a 6:00 p.m. meeting as many are still working. Ms. Greene suggested seeking a retired veterinarian. Commissioner Frye knew of two vets at Paws and Claws and said he had thought about stopping in to speak with them about the vacant Board seat. Ms. Hinshaw said she would send a text message to her contact regarding the Board seat. Ms. Greene suggested an announcement of the vacancy. Commissioner Frye said it was important to get the position filled. Mr. Johnson said that it would be good to have a new person taking the Board Veterinarian Seat. Commissioner Frye said that this is an opportunity for a fresh start. He said he was glad that Ms. Greene would be a part of the team. Ms. Grantham said that establishing credible communication is very important. Ms. Greene agreed and said that communication is key. She suggested having a vet attend Board meetings via webcam if in- person attendance was too difficult. Commissioner Frye said that is something to keep in mind as long as the vet has Randolph County ties. Commissioner Allen said that some vets are working from the back of a truck, and if they are too busy to attend a meeting they may be too busy for webcam attendance as well. Ms. Greene thanked the Board again and said that everyone had been so friendly and down to earth. Adjournment th Mr. Johnson confirmed that the next meeting of the Board would be on January 16 at 6:00 p.m. Having no further business, Commissioner Frye adjourned the meeting at 6:45 p.m.