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CONSIDERATION OF AUTHORIZATION FOR THE PURCHASE OF A TRAILER FROM JACKSON CREEK MANUFACTURING, INC., IN THE AMOUNT OF $44,173 TO BE USED FOR PET ADOPTION/DISASTER RESPONSE FOR THE ANIMAL WELFARE DIVISION OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND BUDGET APPROPRIATION FROM THE ANIMAL WELFARE DONATION ACCOUNT.
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UPDATED INFORMATION: City Council postponed this item in its meeting of January 26, 2015, to the February 23, 2016, Council agenda to allow the Animal Welfare Oversight Committee (AWOC) an opportunity to review the information. The AWOC is scheduled to meet on Monday, February 22, 2016, and staff will provide an update at the Council meeting on February 23, 2016.
BACKGROUND: On November 25, 2014 the Norman City Council accepted the donation of $62,398 from the Gans Charitable Trust. The Gans family did not designate any conditions or restrictions on the charitable donation.
DISCUSSION: The Norman Animal Welfare Center has a long term goal listed in the Center’s Strategic Plan to have an Adoption Trailer/Disaster Response trailer. The trailer would be used for off-site adoption events, community events and during a disaster as an emergency drop-off/collection area. The Gans family was contacted and they support the use of the donated funds for this project.
The bid specifications were written for the trailer to be specifically designed to be used for off-site adoption events within the community and to be deployed during natural disasters as a medical screening and temporary housing area for displaced community pets. The trailer can be pulled to a location and setup using vehicles currently in use by the Animal Welfare Center.
The Animal Welfare staff believes the use of the donated funds for the purchase of an Adoption Trailer/Disaster Response trailer would provide a long term proactive benefit to the Norman Animal Welfare Center and provides the best utilization of the donated funds and would meet the spirit of the Gan family’s vision of assisting the Norman Animal Welfare Center long term.
Quote requests were sent to four (4) vendors who build animal adoption trailers. Two of the companies declined to bid. The low quote of $44,173 was received from Jackson Creek Manufacturing, Inc. (Denton, NC) with the second bid from Jones Trailer Company (Woodson, TX) in the amount of $53,751.
Two additional items will be purchased for the trailer. One item is a fold-up examination table which will be permanently attached to the trailer wall. The exam table will be purchased by the City and shipped to the trailer manufacturer for direct installation while the trailer is being constructed. We have talked to Jackson Creek Manufacturing and, if the City provides the exam table, they will install it during construction for no additional cost. The Animal Welfare Center will purchase the fold-up exam table from Shore-Line (Kansas City, KS) for a cost of $1,250 and have it drop shipped to Jackson Creek Manufacturing.
Once the trailer is received, a vehicle “wrap” will be applied. The wrap will indicate the trailer is equipment of the Norman Animal Welfare Center and will include graphic artwork. In addition, to recognize the Gans family for their generous donation, a statement in the graphics will include a statement that the purchase of the trailer was made possible by the donation from the Gans Charitable Trust. Working with the City Fleet Department, the estimated cost to have the trailer fully wrapped is $6,000. This price includes the graphic design and installation.
RECOMMENDATION 1: It is recommended that Council approve the purchase of the trailer as outlined above.
RECOMMENDATION 2: It is recommended that $51,423 be appropriated from the Norman Animal Welfare donation account 010-0000-227.24-31 and distributed in the Animal Welfare Service Equipment/Trailers account; 010-6070-441.50-10 for the purchase of the trailer and accessory items.