BY DEREK MOORE
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
Sonoma County’s Animal Care and Control Division will be under new management on Friday after three county supervisors on Tuesday approved the timing of the transfer.
The board previously approved County Administrator Veronica Ferguson’s request to move animal control from the Agricultural Commissioner’s Office to the Department of Public Health.
That request was sparked by Ag Commissioner Cathy Neville’s controversial decision on July 12 to fire Amy Cooper, animal control’s former director.
On Tuesday, Neville sat in the audience alongside Rita Scardaci, director of the county’s Department of Health Services, as Supervisors Valerie Brown, Shirlee Zane and Efren Carrillo gave final approval to the transfer.
Supervisor Paul Kelley excused himself from the room prior to the vote and Supervisor Mike Kerns was absent.
Still unresolved is whether Cooper will be asked to return to her old position, as animal care employees have sought since her firing.
Cooper’s attorney said those discussions were on hold until the outcome of the transfer decision.
Scardaci, who will oversee the hiring of a new animal care director, said after Tuesday’s meeting that she’s yet to determine that process.
“I’ll be meeting with human resources and following the county process,” she said.
