Rempp Calls for Immediate RFP to Place Salina Animal Shelter Under Private Management

Salina City Commissioner Doug Rempp called Monday for the city to immediately begin seeking a private organization to operate the Salina Animal Shelter, arguing that commissioners have repeatedly discussed the same shelter problems without reaching a long-term resolution.

“I’m guessing it won’t go anywhere, but this has been an issue since my beginning, and every meeting we go through the same thing over and over and over again,” Rempp said.

“Everybody has already made an argument about why we should do it. So my motion is going to be that we start an immediate RFP process to find a private entity to take over our shelter as soon as possible.”

An RFP, or request for proposals, would allow private organizations to submit plans explaining how they would operate the shelter, what services they would provide and how much the arrangement would cost.

Beginning the RFP process would not automatically transfer control of the shelter. Any proposal would still have to be evaluated, negotiated and brought back to the City Commission for approval.

Private Operation Has Been Discussed for Months

The possibility of placing shelter operations under a private contractor has been before city officials since early this year.

On Feb. 11, the Animal Control and Appeals Advisory Board voted to recommend that the governing body consider an RFP process for an independent contractor to operate the shelter. City staff said Prairie Paws had been identified as one possible operator, although officials did not know whether other organizations would be interested.

During a March 23 study session, commissioners considered two possible paths: immediately seeking proposals from private shelter operators or first hiring an outside consultant to conduct a full operational assessment.

Commissioners reached a consensus to conduct the assessment before considering an RFP for private operation. City staff said at the time that an RFP for an independent contractor could take approximately 60 days. Staff also cautioned that the city would need to determine how animal-control and enforcement duties would be handled if shelter operations were transferred to a private organization.

On May 11, commissioners voted 4-1 to hire Animal Shelter Services LLC for the assessment at a cost of $30,000. Rempp cast the only opposing vote.

The assessment was designed to examine the shelter’s physical facility, daily operations, animal care, veterinary practices, staffing, finances, data management, volunteer program and community relationships.

Shelter Has Been Under Parks and Recreation Since 2014

The shelter was previously operated through the Saline County Health Department.

In 2013, city officials considered whether the shelter should be placed under the Salina Police Department or the Parks and Recreation Department. According to the city’s historical summary, public input favored an animal-welfare and community-service approach instead of an enforcement-centered model.

Salina Animal Services was placed under the Parks and Recreation Department effective Jan. 1, 2014.

The shelter’s responsibilities extend beyond housing and adopting animals. Its services have included stray-animal intake, animal-control enforcement, bite investigations, emergency calls, lost-animal services, licensing, veterinary care, spay-and-neuter services and support for law enforcement.

State Inspection Renewed Scrutiny

Public attention intensified after a Jan. 12 Kansas Department of Agriculture inspection resulted in an unsatisfactory rating.

The inspection identified concerns involving food storage, water containers, euthanasia records, staff training, veterinary documentation and whether shelter employees were following approved euthanasia procedures. The state required shelter employees to stop performing euthanasia and directed that the procedures be handled by a veterinarian.

The shelter received a satisfactory rating following a March 17 reinspection. The city said previously identified problems had been corrected or were being addressed and that euthanasia was being conducted under veterinary authorization.

Two shelter supervisors were later charged with three misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty each in connection with the euthanasia of three puppies. The defendants have pleaded not guilty, and the charges remain unresolved.

Shelter Currently Operating With Reduced Services

Salina Animal Services is currently operating at a reduced service level because of staffing and space limitations.

The shelter’s website states that it is prioritizing emergency calls, essential animal care, bite cases, reclaims, injured animals, legal-hold animals, dangerous-animal incidents and law-enforcement support.

The shelter is not currently accepting owner surrenders, has limited stray intake and is not handling routine at-large complaints, wildlife intake or new volunteer applications. Walk-in adoptions are generally limited to Fridays and Saturdays.

What an RFP Would Need to Address

The city’s March presentation identified several issues that would have to be resolved before a private organization could assume shelter operations.

Those include:

Whether a private operator would manage only animal housing and adoption services or also animal control.

How emergency calls, bite cases, dangerous animals and ordinance enforcement would be handled.

Whether city employees, equipment and the shelter building would be included in the agreement.

How the operator would be paid and what performance requirements would apply.

What standards would govern veterinary care, euthanasia, adoptions, recordkeeping and public reporting.

Whether organizations other than Prairie Paws would submit proposals.

Rempp’s motion calls for those questions to be addressed through a competitive proposal process rather than through continued operation solely under the city.

As of Monday evening, the city’s online meeting record had not yet posted final minutes showing the formal disposition of Rempp’s motion.