Monroeville may consider outsourcing of animal-control duties

Monroeville leaders as a cost-saving measure plan to consider privatizing municipal animal-control services.

Mayor Greg Erosenko recently called on council to consider alternatives to relying on a public works employee. He said the municipality would save most of the annual expense - more than $150,000 - by contracting with a private company.

“It's killing us,” Erosenko said. “We've always had our own animal control, but the cost is going through the roof.”

Many communities rely on companies for the service of picking up stray pets and issuing citations as a lower-cost approach.

Municipal manager Tim Little is preparing a request to seek proposals from private companies. Monroeville's $31.8 million proposed budget for 2015 has set aside $119,000 for in-house animal-control services next year. Manager Tim Little is projecting no revenue shortfall in 2015.

Animal-control officer Mike Strom declined to comment. He was paid more than $70,000 last year.

Strom's duties include dealing with stray dogs, lost cats and animal carcasses, according to municipal budget documents. He also handles calls about dead animals and issues citations for offenses such as animal cruelty.

The municipality maintains a volunteer-run animal shelter located outside the public-works building on Starr Drive. It's unclear whether the shelter would continue to operate if Monroeville does hire an outside firm, Little said.

“I don't know what that does to the cost structure and revenue structure of someone who puts in a bid,” he said.

The municipality spent about $115,900 on Strom's department. Much of that — about $50,100 in regular pay and another $20,700 in overtime — went toward Strom's salary.

Costs not included in the department budget, such as vehicle costs and other long-term costs, drive the bill north of $150,000.

Monroeville's neighbors spend a lot less.

Plum spends less than $8,000 a year on animal control. The borough relies on Delmont-based Hoffman Kennels for dog-catching services. Manager Michael Thomas said the borough pays owner Gary Hoffman $350 or $400 a month.

Plum also has a small “kennel,” or dog-holding, area at the borough building on New Texas Road that is used as a temporary drop-off for dogs until Hoffman can pick them up, Thomas said.

“If a motorist or the police see a dog, they can drop it off (at the holding area) until the dog catcher gets there,” Thomas said. “It does get used.”

The borough pays another private company less than $3,000 a year to remove deer carcasses, Thomas said.

In Westmoreland County, Murrysville also has a contract with Hoffman Kennels. Murrysville chief administrator Jim Morrison said the municipality spends about $5,000 a year on animal control, and the state reimburses the municipality for three-fourths of these costs.

Monroeville officials haven't approached him about negotiating a contract, Hoffman said.

Hoffman said he has contracts with more than 20 municipalities in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties. In addition to picking up stray dogs and cats, he also issues citations as part of what he described as a mission to educate pet owners.

His staff includes a veterinarian, who spays and neuters animals, and four other employees.

He said he wasn't aware of any other specialized companies in the area that deal with animal-related calls on the scale his does.

“I cite people. I'm in court every day over dog violations,” Hoffman said.

“We're set up pretty much the same as a fire department or a police department.”

Gideon Bradshaw is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 412-871-2369 or gbradshaw@tribweb.com. Staff writer Karen Zapf contributed to this report.