Sumpter Twp. board accepts new FMAR agreement for $41,000

At its regular meeting on Nov. 28, the Sumpter Township Board of Trustees was informed that Friends of Michigan Animals Rescue has proposed a contract rate that was lower than the $230,000 it first wanted and the new agreement would be on the Dec. 12 agenda.
FMAR is a no-kill, dog and cat rescue that is located on Arkona Road in Sumpter and has been taking care of the township’s strays.
On Nov. 28, Township Manager Anthony Burdick informed the board during its workshop that the township was approached by FMAR about four to five weeks earlier. FMAR said it would cancel the current contract it has for taking care of Sumpter strays in 90 days. The new contract would be $230,000 a year.
Burdick said FMAR said they couldn’t support the program for Sumpter strays without that amount.
He said now, however, FMAR has reconsidered and says it can settle for $1,000 a month and $500 per dog if there are more than a total of 40 dogs.
Burdick said $41,000 a year is a lot better than $230,000. He said the board was asked to approve a contract with Brownstown Township at its last meeting because of the new price from FMAR.
He said Brownstown was Plan B and would cost just under $75,000 for that contract. He said the FMAR contract would be on the Dec. 12 board agenda for consideration.
“It’s a new and interesting world out there, folks,” Burdick said.
Public Safety Director/Police Chief Eric Luke said he reached out to Romulus and found their price was about the same as 10 years ago and was too much. He said he didn’t want officers running to other jurisdictions with dogs because he feels that is not a good use of the officers’ time.
They have considered reopening the former dog pound, but it would have to be recertified and they would have to hire someone to run it or try to get volunteers. And, then you have to decide what to do with the dogs at the end.
“It’s a new day,” Luke said. “You no longer can give a person $50 to take care of a dog.” He said FMAR was the best route for the township to go.
Township attorney Rob Young said Brownstown was backup for several years. He asked how often Sumpter had to use Brownstown and Director Luke said it was very rarely used. Luke said it was Plan B for overflow to FMAR.
“We just didn’t use the agreement with Brownstown, so we let it expire,” Luke said. He said there are usually 50 to 60 dogs a year.
Burdick said he and Director Luke and Finance Director Scott Holtz talked of some options, including having a liaison on the FMAR board to see how FMAR was looking going forward.
He said it doesn’t assure the township that it won’t be in the same situation eight months down the road. Burdick said these days the types of breeds they are picking up are the types nobody wants to adopt.
At a previous meeting he said the bully dogs are most prevalent.
At the Dec. 12 board meeting, the board approved an amended agreement with FMAR for Jan. 1, 2024 through Dec. 31, 2025 for about $41,000 annually.
Burdick said the current agreement that is being superceded is $2,500 a year and the initial proposal to continue the agreement at $230,000 was basically a “Hail Mary” proposal. He said it was like a contract maintenance fee because they keep the dogs in perpetuity because they are no-kill.
Trustee Matthew Oddy said they need to check to see if there is enough “bite” in the township ordinance to properly assess fees to owners who lose their dogs and the dogs are taken to FMAR for care. He said the township has to make sure they have an ordinance in place to help pay for this 20-fold increase in the yearly cost.
Burdick said the dog ordinance has fines for dog owners that go directly to the township.
Trustee Oddy noted the dog ordinance has been in place since 1967.
Burdick said once the new agreement is signed, the township will do reviews of the ordinance in place.
When the agreement was approved by the board, Oddy asked that the board direct the township attorney to review the dog ordinance.