By Mark Wineka
mwineka@salisburypost.com
The city of Salisbury and Rowan County have agreed to consolidate their animal control operations.
Rowan County’s Animal Control office will essentially absorb the city’s operations, including its existing animal control officer and the equipment and truck used by that officer.
Salisbury City Council approved Tuesday an animal control agreement making the merger effective July 1.
The Rowan County Board of Commissioners approved the same agreement Monday.
Rowan County has been been performing animal control duties for all municipalities in Rowan except Salisbury.
Salisbury’s animal control officer ó part of the Police Department ó already relies on the county animal shelter, taking an average of about 50 animals a month to the shelter.
Deputy Chief of Police Rory Collins said the agreement will give the city around-the-clock coverage by the county animal control office.
By employing the existing officer from the city, Rowan Animal Control will have six full-time officers.
Beyond normal working hours, officers take turns being on call and available, Collins said.
“I certainly feel good about having six officers,” Salisbury Mayor Pro Tem Paul Woodson said.
Under terms of the agreement, Salisbury will pay Rowan County $60,000 toward animal control operations during the first fiscal year; $30,000 during the second year; and up to $15,000 for the third year to help pay toward the price of a new truck for the additional officer.
Collins said the current city truck has a useful life of two more years, and the city will pay half the cost of a new one.
The county assumes all funding responsibilities after the third year.
Collins said the consolidation began as a goal of the Rowan County Board of Health, then a proposal from the Health Department staff.
The Board of Health approved the merger April 14.
City and county personnel will work together to develop a single set of animal control regulations, and those will be adopted by council and the county commissioners.
Collins said he, Doug Paris, Teresa Harris and Evans Ballard represented the city in its discussions with the county.