SUBJECT/RECOMMENDATION:
Title
Approve Equestrian Patrol Equine User Agreement among the City of Clearwater (City), Nancy Miller and Deborah Storey (owners) for the use of the two horses for a period of three years and authorize the appropriate officials to execute same. (consent)
Body
SUMMARY:
City and owners previously entered into Agreements for the use of horses owned by Nancy Miller and Deborah Storey for the purpose of forming a Clearwater Police Department (CPD) Equestrian Patrol.
Examples of the Nancy Miller’s costs in providing transportation of both horses to law-enforcement related activities connected with the CPD Equestrian Patrol are as follows:
• Heavy Duty Truck for towing a horse trailer - Approximate cost $25,000.
• Truck Maintenance - Approximately $1010 yearly (washing, vacuuming, oil changes, regular maintenance, tires, etc.).
• Horse Trailer - Approximate cost $12,000.
• Trailer Maintenance - Approximately $350 yearly (Replace mats, jack, wiring & light replacements, cleaning, shavings, etc.).
• Storage - Location where it will be accessible, safe and not in the way; and
Both horses will be boarded on real property owned by Nancy Miller.
Examples of the owners’ yearly costs to maintain two horses are as follows:
• Vaccinations annually - ($100 per horse X 2 times per horse X 2 horses) $400.
• Ferrier annually - (About 9 times a year at $35 a visit per horse) $630.
• Feed, hay, supplements annually - $4512.
• Grooming supplies, fly spray, hoof meds annually - $720.
• De-worming annually - $80
During the period that the CPD Equestrian Patrol has been in operation, the City has derived the following benefits from the below listed deployments:
• Uniformed patrol of areas that are not accessible by traditional methods due to inaccessibility to cruisers or officers on foot - narrow bridges, tall weeds, insects, snakes, etc.
• Public Relations/Outreach - The officers on horses are literally chased down by people to see the horses and touch them, take photos of/with them, etc. Many people that would not otherwise talk to a uniformed officer will approach the mounted riders to talk to them. This aids in public relations and to open communication with the residents in patrolled neighborhoods.
• Special Events - National Night Out, Christmas time patrols of mall, children’s events, etc.
• Field Search Capabilities - Missing Person/Child in wooded settings.
• Mutual Aid - Other agencies needing mounted units.
This User Agreement will be for three years, beginning on August 18, 2017, and ending on August 18, 2020.
APPROPRIATION CODE AND AMOUNT:
Investigative Cost Recovery, 181-99329, $3600.00
USE OF RESERVE FUNDS:
N/A