Title
Resolution Authorizing Cooperative Service Agreement with the United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Wildlife Services (WS) (NTE $35,000)
Memorandum
Council is requested to authorize a Cooperative Service Agreement between the City of Ann Arbor and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Wildlife Services (WS) for deer culling.
Pursuant to Council’s August 17, 2015 decision to conduct a deer cull within Ann Arbor in Winter 2016, the recommendation is to contract with the APHIS WS. The recommendation is based upon research with communities that have implemented and successfully completed culling. The recommendation is for an initial (pilot) culling program in 2016. The City Administrator’s October 15, 2015 Deer Management Program Update, copy attached, provides in detail the reasons for staff recommendation for contracting with APHIS WS.
APHIS WS will coordinate with the City and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to inspect, propose and certify culling areas within City-owned property within wards 1 and 2 of the City. The cull will be conducted in accordance with the required permit from the MDNR.
APHIS WS will provide deer culling, assist in obtaining the MDNR permit, transport deer carcasses for processing, and other necessary actions of an approved MDNR permit and Work Plan.
APHIS WS will prepare and provide the City with a report identifying the number of deer culled, the locations of the individual deer shot, and other information required by the MDNR and the City. The report will provide Council with necessary information for decision-making on future culls or other wildlife management actions regarding the urban deer population within the City limits.
Approval of the resolution will authorize the cooperative service agreement with the APHIS WS for performing deer cull and cull associated tasks in FY 2016 for an amount not to exceed $35,000.
Budget/Fiscal Impact: Funding for deer cull and associated tasks is available in the approved FY16 General Fund budget.
APHIS WS has statutory authority (46 Stat. 1468; 7 U.S. C. 426-426b and 101 Stat. 1329-331, 7 U.S.C. 426c) to cooperatively work with local jurisdictions conducting wildlife management programs.
Staff
Prepared by: Sumedh Bahl, Community Services Area Administrator and
Mary Joan Fales, Senior Assistant City Attorney
Approved by: Steven D. Powers, City Administrator
Body
Whereas, On August 17, 2015, Council authorized a deer cull beginning in Winter 2016 in Wards 1 and 2;
Whereas, Council authorized the 2016 cull be not more than 100 deer;
Whereas, The United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Wildlife Services (APHIS WS) has statutory authority (46 Stat. 1468; 7 U.S. C. 426-426b and 101 Stat. 1329-331, 7 U.S.C. 426c) to cooperatively work with States and local jurisdiction conducting wildlife management programs.
Whereas, It is recommended contracting with APHIS WS for the initial culling program year based upon the recommendations of a number of communities that have implemented and successfully completed culling;
Whereas, APHIS WS has agreed to provide deer culling services and other tasks associated with culling such as assistance in obtaining MDNR permitting, identifying culling sites, transporting deer carcasses to meat processing and other necessary actions of an approved MDNR permit and Work Plan for a price not to exceed $35,000; and
Whereas, APHIS WS will prepare and provide the City with an after-action report identifying the number of deer cull, target location specifics for the individual deer shot and any other information required or required by the MDNR and the City which will provide the City Council with necessary information for decision-making on future cull and/or other wildlife management actions regarding the urban deer population within the City limits.
RESOLVED, That City Council approve a Cooperative Service Agreement with the APHIS WS to provide deer culling services and other tasks associated with culling under an approved Work Plan and subject to the approval and issuance of a permit by the MDNR for a price not to exceed $35,000;
RESOLVED, That the Mayor and City Clerk are authorized and directed to execute the Cooperative Service Agreement subject to approval as to substance by the City Administrator and approval as to form by the City Attorney; and
RESOLVED, That the City Administrator is authorized and directed to take all necessary actions to implement this Resolution.