The Holts Summit Board of Aldermen on Tuesday discussed a potential agreement with a local veterinary service to provide an animal shelter for the city's Animal Control Department, setting up final approval of a contract in the future.
As part of the agreement, Holts Summit would pay Summit Veterinary Services $2,300 a month until the end of 2021 for use of an animal shelter attached to a new clinic being built this year. Summit Veterinary would be responsible for maintenance and staffing of the shelter, as well as providing services such as animal care.
The city currently contracts with Summit Veterinary to provide veterinary care.
Holts Summit has been searching for a new location to house animals since an investigation into the city's former kennel found cases of animal neglect in July. The animals in that facility were transported to Fulton's Grabb Animal Shelter as part of an emergency agreement, which has continued since.
Holts Summit currently is paying Fulton $2,000 a month for use of its shelter, $300 less than the proposed contract with Summit Veterinary. However, with its own shelter, Holts Summit would maintain control of animals brought in by the police department.
Under the city's current agreement with Fulton, Holts Summit relinquishes that control and loses out on potential adoption fees.
The aldermen heard from city staff during a meeting Tuesday on the merits of the agreement, holding a first read over the proposed contract. A second and final reading likely will be on the agenda for the aldermen's March 14 meeting.
"With this agreement, we have 24/7 access, we have our own little entrance door to the facility," acting City Administrator Hanna Lechner said.
Summit Veterinary's shelter would include an adoption room and a containment area for rabies watch. Holts Summit's monthly payment also would cover supply costs, such as food.
"So while we're paying a little more money on a monthly basis, there's a number of additional costs that we're saving, to where we're coming out ahead and it's more convenient for (the police chief) and his staff," city attorney David Bandre said.
Mayor Landon Oxley voiced support for the agreement, saying he thought it would "be good for the city."
Dean Bates, the veterinarian who owns Summit Veterinary, said construction on his new facility should be finished by the end of the year.
"I think it will be a good working relationship," he added.
Also Tuesday, the aldermen passed an ordinance appointing Michael Colona as alternate municipal court judge to serve whenever Judge Curtis Hanrahan is absent.
An ordinance to sign a letter of agreement with Jefferson City Public Schools for a sewer connection to Holts Summit's main line was read a first time. The letter establishes the city's intent to agree on a project but does not include a contract.
Five resolutions were passed during the meeting, including the purchase of a new payroll, web time and human resources management system with Paylocity. Lechner said the city was paying two companies more than $650 a month for services Paylocity can handle for $671.50 per month.
The cost could be slightly higher in the long run, Lechner added, but poor customer service with previous companies caused regular issues. Paylocity also offers additional services, calculating vacation, sick and comp time, which had been done manually by city staff.
The aldermen also approved an agreement to switch to Dawn Berhorst Insurance as a health insurance broker of records. Lechner said Berhorst Insurance is based locally and should provide better services. The change was necessitated by the city switching to Paylocity, she added, as the previous broker was provided through one of the companies it replaced.
Other resolutions included authorizing the purchase of a vac truck for the sewer department for around $95,000, approving the sale of the previous vac truck, and accepting responsibility for roads in the Serenity Subdivision.