DOG POUND REFORMS STIR 3-YEAR PACT GLENDALE POISED TO RESUME A LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIP.

Byline: Helen Gao Staff Writer

GLENDALE - After seeing substantial reforms and change of leadership at the Glendale Humane Society over the last year, city officials are poised to sign a new three-year contract with the animal shelter.

Under the proposed contract, the city would pay the Humane Society $695,328 per year - an increase of $155,328 - or 28.8 percent - compared with prior years.

In addition, the city would adjust the funding each year according to the Consumer Price Index.

In exchange, the animal shelter would be subject to greater accountability. It would be required to submit quarterly operations reports, keep a record of complaints and undergo an audit every three years by the Humane Society of the United States.

City Councilman Bob Yousefian, who was one of the most vocal critics of the Humane Society, said Monday he believes the contract is sound because of the added safeguards.

``This contract is a very fair contract. The amount is higher, but if you want good quality, you've got to be willing to pay for services,'' he said.

According to research by city staff, cities typically pay $3 to $5 per capita per year for animal control services. Glendale, with a population of about 200,000, would have to pay $600,000 to $1 million per year.

To help the city fund the new contract, Yousefian said he will propose licensing fees for cats. The city now charges $11 for licensing a spayed or neutered dog and $22 to license an unaltered dog.

The City Council will vote on the contract at 6 p.m. today at the City Council Chambers, 613 East Broadway.

For the past 11 months, the animal shelter has operated without a contract and received payment only month to month from the city, as it went about fixing problems identified in an internal audit released last September.

The audit revealed five dozen problems at the shelter, ranging from substandard animal care to questionable use of public funds.

Since then, the Humane Society has resolved 56 of the 60 issues, according to city staffers who have been conducting periodic inspections. The remaining issues that have not been dealt with relate to the Humane Society's need to build a new facility.

As part of the reforms, the shelter has also replaced most of its staff and board of directors.

Councilman Dave Weaver said he is prepared to support the contract, noting what the city is going to pay is still toward ``the low-end'' of the cost spectrum.

``When I was first elected, I got down there and heard stories that they just didn't have enough funds to do things - the things we required,'' he said.

According to the city staff report, underpayment in the past by the city meant the Humane Society had to subsidize city services through interest and dividend income from its investments.