County to hire animal control officer

Clark County will temporarily hire an additional animal control officer, filling what county staff described as a desperate void.

The Clark County council on Tuesday voted to pull a staff request for extra funding to animal control. That will allow County Manager Mark McCauley and Animal Control Manager Paul Scarpelli to use salary savings and general fund contingency reserves — money set aside to cover unforeseen costs — to hire a fifth animal control officer through the end of the year.

Scarpelli originally requested an additional $37,000 in funding to support the hire this year, plus $113,000 in the next biennium. The council instead opted to pull the request, and referring it to the county manager instead. Scarpelli will return to the board to request an additional staffer for the 2017-2018 biennium — which will likely be a challenge given the county’s looming $20 million general fund budget deficit.

Scarpelli described a department that has struggled to keep up with increasing workflow as the human population — and therefore its pet population — has increased in Clark County. The four animal officers are showing “all the characteristics of burnout,” he said, and are refusing overtime and running higher-than-average sick leave rates.

“We have managed a crisis, but have now reached catastrophe,” Scarpelli said.

Adding to the challenge, one animal control officer was hurt on the job last year and has been off work recovering ever since. Last week, a second officer was injured.

“We are sick, injured, run huge overtime rates, are burned out and frustrated,” Scarpelli said.

Scarpelli said the job will pay about $22 an hour plus benefits, and information and applications will be available on the county human resources website later this week.