Please place on the May 16, 2018 agenda, a referral to the Finance and Citywide Projects Committee to consider the permanent implementation of the cat volunteer feeder badging system and an extension of the feeding station pilot program.

Following the recommendation of the Neighborhood/Community Affairs Committee on July 28, 2017 to install environmentally friendly cat feeding stations, educational signage and to provide formal registration and credentialing for registered volunteer cat feeders, in October of 2017, the City in partnership with SoBe Cats Spay & Neuter, Inc. began a pilot program. The program incorporated log-like feeding station placement, utilized appropriate City-designed signs and registered volunteers to track and monitor cat colonies by providing fresh water and food to draw community cats away from high-traffic areas inside North Beach Oceanside Park between 87th Street and 79th Street and Allison Park between 67th Street and 64th Street.

In light of positive feedback from staff and community members regarding the registration and the visible badging of the volunteers, I would like to request the permanent implementation of the credentialing for registered cat feeders citywide.

Additionally, due to a long delay in the marketing of the program (placed on our City websites, bus shelter signs, posters, public service announcement for trolleys, social media, local government television and movie theater PSAs) and a slow start to the placement of the feeders fueled by trial-and-error installation and vandalism events, in order to have ample time to accurately evaluate its success I would also like to request an extension of the feeding station placement component.

As there is a necessary length of time for the cats to become accustomed to a new feeding location and taking advantage of the marketing strategy now in place, it may also prove beneficial to implement the pilot to additional specific areas of Miami Beach plagued with community cat concerns.

I would also like to highlight the interest surrounding communities including the cities of Surfside, North Bay Village, Boco and West Palm Beach have shown in our initiative with considerations to implement in their own municipalities.

For additional information, please contact my office at extension 6437.