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. . . people who cannot afford to have veterinarians take care of their animals. That e way the animals would stay healthy and the children would stay healthy. There being no further testimony, the public hearing was closed. Councilor Hamel said he would prefer to turn the spay neuter business back to the veterinarians and turn over the clinic and that sort of thing on a leased basis to the Humane Society and get it out of the City budget. Councilor Lindberg said he shares the concerns of the person who testified on behalf of the animals. He said he and staff had considered these options very carefully and share completely the policy objectives of public health, safety, and protection of animals that the speaker presented. If this service cannot be provided on a break-even basis, the council may in the future need to consider its own policies in terms of whether this is an enterprise that should be subsidized out of the general fund. An effort is being made to improve the clinic's relationship with the veterinary community. Councilor Schue said the position of the council is that this is a service that will be provided if it pays its own way. That was the understanding when it was set up. In order to continue that objective, it is obvious that there .have to be some adjustments. It may be that in the future this is a service that is worthy of some tax dollar subsidization. That is not an issue to decide right now, but to operate this program at the present time demands a price increase to cover the cost. Councilor Ball asked if the possibility of dropping the rate and expecting a e higher volume of low-income vaccination requests had been considered. Dr. Ann Samsell, veterinarian at the Spay Neuter Clinic, said she had been at the Spay Neuter Clinic six months and the clinic had been under some turmoil in the last year. A $3,300 deficit was incurred this year. Running a business is a gamble in this day and time. She said an estimate of expenditures is about $129,000, and if that is true there will be a deficit next year. If prices were raised according to the resolution, the proposed expenditures could be met. If the volume goes down because of raised prices, the proposed expenditures would not be met. The Spay Neuter Clinic's only drawing card is that prices are lower. No other services are offered, so if prices are raised and business drops enough, money would be lost. She said she would prefer not to see as much of a raise as from $4.75 to $6; maybe just to $5. Even $6 a vaccination is still quite a bit less than the local veterinarians charge. Mayor Keller said the key issue could be to follow closely the progress on a monthly basis and if that curve seems to have tendency to want to drop off, that would be an indication to reconsider. Councilor Lindberg said the most important priority is the policy objective, and it is watched on a month-to-month basis. A market analysis will identify who is being reached and if the incentives are working. He said as market research is done, he hoped the Spay Neuter Clinic would touch those who not only may be low-income but, most importantly, are the owners of unlicensed dogs or are irresponsible and do not have their own pets neutered and vaccinated. e MINUTES--Eugene City Council July 28, 1982 Page 7