HISTORY:
Following the recommendation of the Neighborhood/Community Affairs Committee at its May 19, 2017 and July 28, 2017 meetings, to find an alternate, suitable and proper location to conduct cat surgeries; to consider allowing a pilot program to install environmentally friendly feeding stations; to provide formal registration and credentialing for registered volunteers, and to install educational signage by feeding stations, the City Commission made a motion to approve this item via resolution No. 2017-29993 at its September 25, 2017 meeting (Attachment 1).
In October of 2017, the City, in partnership with SoBe Cats Spay & Neuter, Inc., began a pilot program incorporating log-like feeding station placements. The program utilized City-designed signs and also registered volunteers to track and monitor cat colonies while 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 Streets.
The cost for the pilot program over a six month period is $3,000. This includes 22 log planters, sinage, badges and retrofitting of the feeding stations by City Staff. Expanding the program to an additional 100 feeding stations would result in an annual budget increase of approximately $10,000. Expanding the program City-wide would require a progressive implementation as this program relies heavily on volunteers.
In light of positive feedback from staff and community members, this item has been referred to the Finance and Citywide Projects Committee (Attachment 2) to consider a permanent implementation of the credentialing for registered cat feeders citywide, additional feeding station areas, as well as an extension of the current pilot program.
| | |