At the August 9 meeting, the Lucas County Commissioners approved a waiver of the redemption and citation fees for first-time lost or stray dogs that enter the Canine Care Center wearing current license tags. Under the Lucas County Canine Care and Control’s Homeward Bound Initiative, owners will not be charged redemption and citation fees if their dogs are picked up or taken to the canine care center and are wearing current licenses.
The fee waiver, effective immediately, only applies to first-time dog impounds. Dog owners with previous violations are not eligible.
Director Kelly Sears said the purpose of the initiative is to reunite lost pets with their families more quickly and to encourage owners to purchase annual licenses. Ohio law requires dogs three months of age or older to be licensed. Stray dogs continue to enter animal shelters at alarming rates throughout the United States, while the number of licenses purchased by pet owners is declining and reclaiming numbers remain low. The vast majority of dogs who come into the center do not have any identifying information, making it difficult for staff to return lost or stray ones to their owners.
In other business, the commissioners:
•Approved a change order of $8,587 with Buck Pavement Restoration LLC for the 2022 crack sealing program, bringing the total to $93,667.
•Reappointed county prosecutor Julia Bates to serve as Sylvania Township’s law director at a cost of $105,000.
•Hired several personnel following a brief executive session. They are Angela Ruiz, full-time budget analyst in the office of management and budget, $28.59 per hour; Ryan Sedlock, parttime support services specialist for the department of emergency services, $25 per hour, and Andrew Thomas, full-time canine care technician in the department of canine care and control, $15.88 per hour.
•Entered into a professional services agreement with the East Toledo family Center for community detention services at a cost of $272, 051.
•Accepted a Byrne Discretionary Community Project grant award of $2 million from the U.S. Department of Justice for the sheriff’s department. They also entered into an agreement with Toledo Bikes of $20,745 for the juvenile court positive youth justice program. Both agreements run through June 30, 2023.
•Awarded a contract for the demolition of the former county jobs and family services building, 3210 Monroe Street and 1819 Canton Street to Klum brothers Landscaping LLC of Holland for $1.1 million.
•Authorized the repair and fabrication of kennel gates and associated lock systems for the canine care and control at a cost of $41,860.
•Amended a food service operating agreement with Aramark for the juvenile detention center and youth treatment center for $325,000. The agreement extends the renewal option for Aramark through July 1, 2023, and increases the meal prices.
•Agreed to use a portion of the state and local fiscal recovery funds to support audio-video improvements in the commissioners chambers and to upgrade technology for live streaming and archival video of meetings.
•Approved an agreement with Fishbeck of Perrysburg for the 2022 sanitary sewer evaluation survey and model development at a cost of $154,000.
•Entered into an agreement with Jones & Henry Ltd of Toledo for grit chamber repairs at the water resource recovery facility at a cost not to exceed $97,000,
•Amended agreements with Inland Waters Pollution Control, Inc. of Detroit for interceptor sanitary sewers as part of the Wolf Creek siphon rehabilitation in Monclova, two, for $13,299, $60,703 and one in Springfield Township to Crestline Paving for $162,594.
~Jane Maiolo
