After months of study and collaboration, North Branford’s Town Council voted on July 18 to move its animal control services and shelter municipal agreement from Branford to East Haven. Branford had provided the services to North Branford through a municipal agreement first initiated in 2005.

The council’s decision is anticipated to save the Town of North Branford approximately $40,000 annually, said North Branford Town Manager Michael Downes.

Reached for comment on the change, Branford First Selectman Jamie Cosgrove told Zip06/The Sound, “The Town of Branford was interested in continuing the relationship with the Town of North Branford.”

Cosgrove noted other municipal relationships between Branford and North Branford include a wastewater pollution control agreement tying a portion of North Branford wastewater disposal into Branford’s system; sharing the same probate court (District 35), which is housed in Branford Town Hall; and services provided by East Shore District Health Department.

“Over the years, and through many different services, we’ve had an engagement. It’s unfortunate that they opted to change, but that was a decision that their council made,” said Cosgrove.

Cosgrove stressed the change is no reflection on the highly regarded services and programs of Branford’s Dan Cosgrove Animal Shelter.

“The Town of Branford and the Dan Cosgrove Animal Shelter will continue to be a leader in animal control and the welfare of pets and animals throughout the state of Connecticut,” said Cosgrove.

As previously reported, East Haven officials made a public presentation to North Branford’s Town Council in April, which reviewed the potential agreement meted out between the Towns of North Branford and East Haven.

According to July 20 Town of East Haven press release, the new agreement sets the cost of services to North Branford at $135,000 annually for the first two years, then increases by 4% annually. It also stipulates an agreement between the two towns to review call volume to North Branford after the first year of the agreement, and assess if the services are accurately reflected in the charges. As previously reported in April, the assessment of call volume was brought into the arrangement as the review process encountered some difficulty in nailing down actual past call numbers.

The agreement also stipulates that it is a service-only contract, so there is no obligation for North Branford to assume any costs or percentage costs associated with East Haven shelter facility improvements or expansion.

In the North Branford-Branford municipal agreement, North Branford paid approximately 30% of annual operations as well as being responsible for approximately 30% of capital project costs. The arrangement became a point of discussion among the Town Council members following the Town of Branford’s 2020 decision to renovate and expand the shelter, located at 749 East Main Street.

The project, originally bonded at $2,895,000 by the Town of Branford in September 2020, was hit with a $1.7 million cost increase due to market and supply chain issues, causing Branford to increase project bonding to $4,595,000 in July 2021.

As previously reported, in July 2021, Branford sent North Branford a proposed capital cost provision amendment to the original municipal agreement. The amendment offered a capital expense cost share savings to North Branford by allowing for payment of one-third of capital project expenses based on net project costs, after all fundraising. Without the amended language, North Branford's costs for the shelter expansion/renovation project, as estimated in July 2021, would be approximately $1,816,444 spread out over 15 years. The proposed amendment was forwarded to North Branford’s finance committee for review.

Branford’s project broke ground in September 2021. The new shelter began operating this January and celebrated its official ribbon cutting May 8. A CosgroveSavingLives capital campaign raised approximately $1.8 million in fundraising to help offset the shelter’s final $4.895 million shelter expansion and renovation project cost funded by the Town of Branford.

Following the North Branford Town Council’s decision on July 18 to award the municipal contract to East Haven, the Town of East Haven issued a press release praising the award, the new partnership, and the additional revenue the arrangement generates for East Haven.

“We are pleased to begin this new partnership with our neighbors in East Haven,” Downes stated in the release. “This move will keep North Branford in the hands of a top-notch, professional animal control operation that highly values animal welfare and care, and the North Branford Town Council’s approval of this agreement will save North Branford taxpayers over $40,000 per year.”