REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
September 10, 2024
FROM
JOSHUA DUGAS, Director, Department of Public Health
SUBJECT
Title
Employment Contract with Dr. Naomi Chow, D.V.M. for Veterinary Services and Veterinarian Master Employment Contract Template
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Approve Employment Contract with Dr. Naomi Chow, D.V.M. for the position of Veterinarian, to provide veterinary services, for the total annual compensation of $290,222 ($205,775 salary and $84,447 benefits), for the period of September 21, 2024 through September 20, 2027, with the option to extend for two one-year periods.
2. Authorize the Director of the Department of Public Health to execute amendments to extend the term of the Employment Contract with Dr. Naomi Chow, D.V.M. for two successive one-year periods, subject to County Counsel review.
3. Approve Veterinarian Master Employment Contract template, effective September 10, 2024 through September 9, 2027.
4. Authorize the Director of Public Health to execute Veterinarian Employment Contracts with individual employees, effective upon the date of full execution with a flexible end date, not to exceed September 9, 2027, subject to County Counsel review.
5. Direct the Director of the Department of Public Health to transmit amendments to the Employment Contract with Dr. Naomi Chow, D.V.M. to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors within 30 days of execution.
(Presenter: Joshua Dugas, Director, 387-9146)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Promote the Countywide Vision.
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
Pursue County Goals and Objectives by Working with Other Agencies and Stakeholders.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item will not result in the use of additional Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The cost of the employment contract with Dr. Naomi Chow, D.V.M (Dr. Chow) is funded by the current Discretionary General Funding allocation with the Department of Public Health (DPH) Animal Care Division and revenue generated from fees collected for animal licenses and adoptions.
The Veterinarian Master Employment Contract template (Template) identifies a compensation range of $68.94 to $98.93 per hour for services, equivalent to Range 87C, of the Exempt salary schedule. The Template also provides certain benefits equivalent to a County employee performing the same duties. Adequate appropriation and revenue have been included in the 2024-25 DPH budget and will be included in future recommended budgets.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The recommended employment contract with Dr. Chow enables DPH to retain a licensed veterinarian to provide veterinary services in County animal facilities, which include the Mobile Veterinary Clinic, Devore Animal Shelter, Big Bear Animal Shelter, and as needed, the Big Bear Alpine Zoo or other County animal care sites. Services include spay and neuter surgical procedures, diagnosing illnesses and injuries in animals, developing treatment plans, prescribing and/or administering medications, performing other surgical procedures when necessary, and implementing disease prevention measures.
As demand increases for veterinarian services throughout the region, the recommended Template will allow DPH to quickly secure interested Veterinarians to provide services and meet the growing demands of the Animal Care Division, as well as improve the well-being of animals in need.
PROCUREMENT
During the last three years, the County has struggled to competitively procure veterinary services, receiving no proposal submissions for previously released procurements. On September 18, 2023, an informal Request for Applications (RFA) was released to professional agencies to provide veterinary services. No responses were received. On October 16, 2023, a second RFA for the same services was released, with no responses received.
On December 1, 2023, formal Request for Proposals (RFP) No. DPHE24-ACC-5182 was released for mobile veterinary services but did not result in any bids. DPH then conducted a targeted recruitment campaign, posting employment flyers at local veterinary schools, websites and through other veterinary associations, resulting in a single full-time contract veterinarian position.
Based on her skills, expertise, and experience, DPH recommends an employment contract with Dr. Chow as a contract DPH Veterinarian for a total annual compensation of $290,222. Either party may terminate the contract at any time without cause upon 14 days prior written notice to the other party. The County may terminate the contract immediately for just cause.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Richard Luczak, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on August 19, 2024; Human Resources (Gina King, Assistant Director, 387-5560) on August 26, 2024; Risk Management (Gregory Ustaszewski, Staff Analyst II, 386-9008) on August 19, 2024; Finance (Iliana Rodriguez, Administrative Analyst, 387-4205) on August 26, 2024; and County Finance and Administration (Robert Saldana, Deputy Executive Officer, 387-5423) on August 26, 2024.