RICHMOND, Ind.— The city will now take stray or confiscated animals to New Castle.
The Board of Public Works and Safety approved Thursday a $40,000 contract with the Henry County Humane Society to provide animal shelter services. The contract covers 400 animals for 2022.
Richmond Police Department Chief Mike Britt told board members the shelter will provide the "best possible shelter service we can get."
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Richmond had contracted with HELP the Animals during 2020 and 2021, but Britt said HELP notified the department it was no longer interested in providing that service. Those annual contracts were $38,000 for 390 animals.
Before contracting with HELP, the city used Animal Welfare League but found there was often not enough shelter space for the city's animals. Animal Welfare League contracted with both the city and county, and remains the county's contracted animal shelter service.
Britt told board members Animal Welfare League, Second Chance Animal Rescue and Animal Care Alliance were not interested in assuming the city contract. He also reached out to Winchester, Connersville and Liberty facilities without success.
Finally, Henry CountyHumane Society agreed to help. Britt said the Henry County facility was offered the same contract as HELP, but itcountered with the $40,000-for-400 proposal.
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"I visited this facility and found it to be very clean, professional and well-managed, and (it) also had on-site veterinary services," Britt said.
Delivery of animals will be about a 31-mile drive, Britt told board members. Animal Care Alliance has agreed to provide temporary housing for the city's animals when necessary until they can be driven to New Castle.
Human Rights Commission
During Thursday's meeting, the board also approved a $75,000 contract with Professional Consulting Associates LLC of Columbus, Ohio, to help the city restart its Human Rights Commission.
"This group will work with the local task force on reestablishing the Human Rights Commission, looking at best practices, community input and putting the framework together for that entity," said Beth Fields, the city's director of strategic initiatives.
PCA's framework will utilize a decision flow chart on best practices to establish the commission "as a pivotal community advocacy group," Fields wrote in a memo to board members.
A 1968 city ordinance formed the commission that heard resident grievances, including landlord-tenant issues. Richmond Common Council in 2010 voted to remove funding for the commission in the 2011 budget, indicating the state provides the same services.
The commissioncontinued through 2013, when it celebrated its 45th anniversary and its then-volunteer director left for another job, then it faded away as more commission members resigned.
Mayor Dave Snow has included revitalizing the Human Rights Commission among his goals since he first ran for office and won the 2016 election. Snowsaid late in 2020 that progress reestablishing the commission was slowed by COVID-19's financial impacts. He said the reestablished commission needed to be sustainable.
Make My Move
As part ofrecruiting remote workers to relocate in Richmond and Wayne County, the board approved a $140,000 contract with TMAP LLC of Indianapolis.
"There will be data collected to help us target and market ourselves to remote workers who are looking to take their jobs with them to another location," Fields said. "So this will provide us with the opportunity to reach out to those targeted individuals."
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TMAP will develop and execute a remote worker strategy, generate a pool of qualified applicants and recruit those individuals to the Richmond and Wayne County.
The city, county, Economic Development Corporation of Wayne County, Wayne County Foundation and Reid Health are partners in this project, Fields said.
Other actions
In other actions Thursday, the board:
- Approved the $106,960 contract with Flatland Resources for the removal of Weir Dam.
- Approved a contract enabling Richmond Fire Department to sell an out-of-service 2000 Braun Chief III Ford chassis ambulance to the Abington Volunteer Fire Department for $1.
- Approved a contract with Mikesell Excavating for $6,950 to remove the house, garage and barn at 908 N. Eighth St. that have been deemed unsafe by the Unsafe Building Commission.
- Awarded the bid for removal of properties at 201 S Seventh, 212 S. 10th, 433 S. Ninth, 441 S. 11th, 920 S. 23rd, 620 S. 13th, 44 S. 18th and 334 S. Lincoln streets to Mikesell Excavating at $80,400. B&B Construction bid $93,500.
- Opened a bid of $1,526,506.25 from Milestone Contractor, which was the only bidder, for the city's Community Crossings road projects that include 35 street portions. The bid was taken under advisement.
- Opened bids of $12,920.26 by Richmond Carpet Outlet and $11,685 by Ryan's Flooring for floor replacement at the senior center. The bids also were taken under advisement.
