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Home My WebLink AboutITEM V-EMemorandum WASHINGTON TO: Councilmember Bill Peloza, Chair, Municipal Services Committee Deputy Mayor Sue Singer, Municipal Services Committee Councilmember John Partridge, Municipal Services Committee CC: Mayor Pete Lewis Denise McCollum, Temporary Contractor Animal Services Coordinator FROM: Kevin Snyder, AICP, Director, Planning & Development Department DATE: December 8, 2010 SUBJECT: INFORMATION & DISCUSSION: Animal Services Licensing Program Please Note: This memorandum has been updated to reflect new information received from King County Regional Animal Services on December 6, 2010 and presented below under Licensing Sales Results to Date. BACKGROUND: In June 2010, the City of Auburn entered into an Animal Services Interlocal Agreement with King County for the provision of animal control, sheltering and licensing services. On August 16, 2010, the City Council passed Ordinance No. 6323 approving Budget Amendment No. 7 that authorized funding for pet licensing marketing services inclusive of a temporary contract animal services coordinator, temporary direct marketing personnel and associated marketing and sales efforts. In late August 2010, the City hired Denise McCollum as the Temporary Contract Animal Services Coordinator to facilitate the City's pet licensing marketing and sales program. LICENSING SALES RESULTS TO DATE: Exhibit 1 was provided by Regional Animal Services of King County and shows pet license issuance activity for the City of Auburn through October 13, 2010. This is the most recent report the City has received from King County. We anticipate an update to this report by the end of November. Please note that the report is for less than half of October 2010. Further, King County has advised that the numbers for the first 13 days of October are underreported as they were a significant number of licenses that did not get entered into its licensing system during that period because of staff resource limitations. The report indicates that through October 13, 2010, a total of 5,128 licenses have been sold for pets within the City of Auburn generating licensing revenue of $126,431. Please note that significant increase in licensing activity during September 2010 - a total of 916 licenses and $23,355 as compared to 623 licenses and $14,812 in August 2010. Staff believes that at least part of this increase can be attributed to the marketing efforts initiated by the City in September 2010. The other primary reason for the increase is likely King County's aggressive public awareness campaign for its pet licensing amnesty program that ended September 30, 2010. The following information was provided by King County Regional Animal Services on December 6, 2010 January 2010 to October 2010 Pet Licenses Sold Volumes: Jan Feb Mar Air May Jun July Amu Sept Oct 394 442 550 482 451 462 514 623 916 1,360 Total: 6,194 January 2010 to October 2010 Pet Licenses Revenues: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun July Aug Sept Oct $9,587 $11,287 $13,899 $12,264 $10,315 $12,032 $12,950 $14,812 $23,355 $34,855 Total: $155,356 (please note: all revenues are remitted to King County not the City of Auburn) MARKETING EFFORTS TO DATE: Direct Sales: ■ Temporary Contract Sales/Marketing Personnel- In September 2010, recruited, hired and trained 4 temporary contract sales/marketing persons to conduct door to door pet license sales. In the first month of activity (October 2010), over 300 licenses were sold by these individuals. ■ Sales Outlets - Expanded to include Permitting and Parks & Recreation; Worked cross divisionally with department heads to ensure staff training was completed, and accounting and IT adjustments were made to allow pet licenses to be sold at these additional locations which began Sept. 27. Direct Advertising: The following direct advertising actions have been taken to date: ■ Establish City branded pet license message - "Love Your Pet? License Your Pet!" [Exhibit 2] ■ 3 print ads in the Auburn Reporter - September 10, September 24, 2010, October 1, 2010 ■ SuperMall Signage - 6 22" x 28" framed posters displayed throughout the mall for a total of 6 weeks during October-December 2010 with handouts at information desk ■ City Website - 1St update in August 2010; 2nd Update in October 2010 ■ Banners - 13 total prominently displayed throughout the City in the following locations: Banners on City Park Fence Lines - (15' x 2.5' with grommets) 5 total: • GSA Park (1) • Sunset Park (1) • Scooty Brown Park (1) • Folmer Park (1) • Roegner Park (1) In Park Banners - (15' x 2.5 with sleeves) 2 total Bicentennial Park ( 2 banners) Stormwater Facility Fence Lines - (15'x 2.5 with grommets) 1 total: • Lea Hill Stormwater Facility, 312th street with the nearest cross street of 112TH (1) Right-of-Way - (30' x 4' with grommets) 3 total: • Railroad Trussel - Auburn Way South (2) • Main Street (1) Buildings/Structures: Sounder Station (38' X 6' with Grommets) 1 Total Portable Banner for Display Tables (6X2.5' 2.5' with Grommets) 1 Total Direct Communications: ■ Updated City standard phone message to include pet licensing information ■ Distributed city wide staff e-mail to provide information and training on city's pet licensing program. Public Information Marketing: City produced posters [refer to Exhibit 2] and handouts have been distributed to the following businesses for display and distribution: Veterinarian Clinics: • Auburn Valley Animal Clinic • Forest Hill Veterinary Hospital • Green River Veterinary Hospital • Auburn Veterinary Hospital • Auburn S. Veterinary Hospital • A Valley Animal Hospital Groomers/Pet Stores: • Dell's Feed Supply • Primo Pet Care • Tiki Tails Dog Salon • Pet Pros Lakeland • Petco- Bonney Lake (please note - we were advised that a significant number of Auburn residents shop at this store and determined it would be a good marketing location) • Petco - Covington (please note - we were advised that a significant number of Auburn residents shop at this store and determined it would be a good marketing location) • Auburn Pet Grooming • Petosphere • Muddy Paws Other Retailers: • Auburn Licensing Agency • Starbucks (6 locations) • Auburn Public Library • Safeway • Fred Meyers • Albertsons • Top Foods • Lowes (staff break room only) • Super Wal-Mart • SuperMall • Cinema 17 at the SuperMall (staff break room only) Public Facilities: • City Hall Lobby • City Hall Annex - 2nd Floor Customer Service Center • Parks & Recreation Administration Building • King County Library Special Events: The City's Temporary Animal Services Coordinator has participated or will participate in the following special events: ■ Farmers Market Display Booth - September 19 and 26, 2010 ■ Chamber Luncheon Display Booth - September 20, 2010 ■ Mayor's Office Neighborhood Meetings - Presented at 8 scheduled meetings to date ■ Canine Cancer Walk Display Booth - November 2010 ■ Magical Night of Giving/SuperMall Display Booth - November 14, 2010 ■ Santa Parade - December 4, 2010 Special Mailings: The City has conducted the following special mailings to increase public awareness for pet licensing: ■ Utility Billing Inserts - Inserted September 15-30, 2010 and December 1-31, 2010. ■ Provided 2,200 handouts to Auburn School District for distribution to students ■ Submitted newsletter article to Homeowners Associations Presidents for use and distribution ■ Article in Auburn@Play - approximately 8,000 copy distribution in November 2010 ■ Article in 2011 Winter Recreation Guide - December 2010 Publicity: Through press releases and coordination with King County Animal Services, the following news reporting has occurred: ■ Auburn Reporter - August/September 2010 ■ King 5 News - September/October 2010 - the news reporting was primarily on King County's pet licensing amnesty program NEXT STEPS: Staff will continue with the direct marketing and sales efforts and public awareness activities specified above through the remainder of 2010 and anticipate continued pet licensing successes. The Departments intends to continue its outreach to existing businesses throughout the community and possibly to the church communities. In addition, the Department is currently looking at acquiring and distributing to some of its business partners stand alone kiosks that can be placed in high volume traffic areas and have handouts and licenses for citizens to take with them. The Planning and Development Department, pursuant to the City Council's recent approval of the 2011-2012 Budget, has continued funding for the City's pet licensing marketing efforts inclusive of the Contract Animal Services Coordinator position, temporary contract marketing and sales personnel and associated marketing and sales efforts.