BASS Rescinds Bid, Discussion to be Held Tuesday

The has taken the first step in possibly negotiating an agreement with the by rescinding its bid on a that would have given them $31,500 per year.

On Tuesday, the Bloomingdale Council will discuss how they would like to move forward with animal sheltering services for the borough and if they would like to negotiate with BASS during an executive session.

"We recieved notice that they rescinded their bid and wish to sit down and speak with the governing body to negotiate," Mayor Jonathan Dunleavy said. "The governing body will discuss the issue in executive session on Tuesday, how they wish to proceed."

At the council's Borough Attorney Fred Semrau told the council and public that BASS has requested several material and non-material changes to on Dec. 30 and the lease agreement for the animal shelter facility.

Since the material changes would require an increase in the amount of money the borough would have to provide the donor-funded BASS, Semrau advised the council to negotiate the contract if the council so chooses. However, since BASS bid on a contract that does not include the changes they would like, Semrau said BASS would first have to rescind their bid in order to negotiate.

The changes BASS is requesting include the borough paying utilities for the facility, the borough paying for repairs or a new building in the event the facility is damaged due to flooding and the ability to keep fixtures installed in the building by BASS.

BASS is also for time the shelter serviced the borough but was not under contract, something the council already agreed against. BASS President Ellen Ribitzki has argued that since the borough brought on additional towns to the shelter's responsibilities through shared services agreements, the costs of operating the shelter have become too much for the organization to handle without the borough's help.

Ribitzki said Friday that BASS is still hopeful that they can negotiate with the borough and that in the past six years of asking the borough for a contract, she feels this is the closest the organization has come to getting one that the organization can agree on. But Ribitzki also said BASS is continuing to look for other locations in case things do not work out with the borough.

"We can't hold on forever. It has been almost impossible to never know if we're going to be there for the next week," Ribitzki said.

Only a few days before the Feb. 21 meeting, BASS employees the Brandt Lane facility, leaving only two dogs and about 14 cats that Ribitzki said could not be safely placed in foster homes at the shelter. While Ribitzki said volunteers would continue to care for those animals at the shelter, Dunleavy said all remaining animals were removed on Feb. 24.

Since then, the borough has taken on the responsibility of sheltering animals that are brought in through the Animal Control Office (ACO) until it is decided whether the borough will move forward with an agreement with BASS, with another sheltering organization or operate the shelter in-house.

"The shelter is being managed just fine," Dunleavy said Friday. "Our ACO and staff are running the shelter. The borough has received numerous calls from volunteers offering their services.  Since Feb. 20 to date (March 1), there have been no, zero, new animals brought into the shelter."

But Ribitzki feels the borough would not be able to offer the same sheltering services if BASS does not continue to service Bloomingdale.

"Nobody wins if we leave," she said.

The council will be meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday openly, but will be discussing the situation in closed session following the open portion of the meeting.