With SVACA's very existence in question, board members last month directed the authority's general manager to enter into discussions with the Humane Society of Santa Clara Valley about a possible long-term sheltering contract for the authority as a whole. The board also decided to review the organization's goals and objectives beginning in January and to redefine the role of the authority's technical advisory committee to possibly allow it more oversight powers.

And following a recent independent financial analysis conducted by the cities of Sunnyvale and Cupertino and the town of Los Gatos, the board granted members additional time to determine whether to continue participation in the authority.

Normally, the cities of Saratoga, Monte Sereno, Campbell, Cupertino, Santa Clara and Sunnyvale and the town of Los Gatos have until Dec. 31 of each year to notify the authority if they intend to pull out, but in light of the new developments, the board, with permission from the seven city and town councils, has extended the deadline three months for just this year.

The financial analysis yielded concerns from member cities over the cost of service per animal, the rising costs of building a new shelter, the staffing ratio per animal and other policy issues.

According to the report, the average cost of service per animal through the Humane Society and shelters in Fremont and Palo Alto was $135, whereas the average cost through the authority was $208 per animal during the 2001-02 fiscal year.

The financial analysis also found that though Monte Sereno paid the least dollar amount for the authority's services last year ($7,078), it also used the services for only eight animals, thus averaging $884.75 per animal. Sunnyvale contributed the most dollar amount ($439,239) but averaged $375 per animal. Saratoga and Los Gatos spent $318 and $196, respectively, on average per animal.

In addition to comparing the cost of service per animal, the analysis also looked at the hours of operation. Whereas shelters in Fremont and Palo Alto operate 36 hours per week, the authority's shelter is projected to be open 59 hours per week.

The higher cost of service per animal and extra operating hours come as a result of SVACA's original mission to provide a higher level of field and shelter service—a mission identified when the seven-member Joint Powers Authority formed in 2000.

But given the recent news that the Humane Society could now provide similar service at a lower cost per animal, the authority has decided to reevaluate its original goals and mission statement to see what can be scaled back. Contracting with the Humane Society would also save the authority the $8 million it would otherwise have to pay to build and run its own facility.

"What we're all committed to is working to find the best and most cost-effective way to provide quality services for our community, but that's not to say that some of those things that were envisioned early on might not be rethought," said Los Gatos Town Manager Debra Figone.

As all the cities and town mull over future participation in the Joint Powers Authority, at least half of the members seem to be leaning toward keeping the group together. Joining Saratoga's support to keep the joint powers board intact are the cities of Campbell and Santa Clara, according to Saratoga Councilman and SVACA Chair Stan Bogosian.

Los Gatos Councilman Steve Glickman also expressed a desire to keep the Joint Powers Authority together.

"A lot of well-intentioned effort was put into forming the JPA and bringing it to where it is," Glickman said. "We have to be fiscally responsible, but nonetheless we hope that it can be made to work."

The thread binding the seven-member authority first began to unravel last summer when SVACA received word that the original plan of constructing a $6.5 million shelter could actually cost much more than anticipated. Since that time, the city of Sunnyvale, which would contribute the most money, has considered contracting with the city of Palo Alto for services. Sunnyvale has also received an offer from the Humane Society for shelter services running at $129 per animal.

While the member cities consider whether it wouldn't be more cost-effective to simply contract with the Humane Society now, the authority has not ruled out the possibility of purchasing an existing building to serve as a shelter, rather than constructing a new one, so that the cities can continue to have more say over services.

"When one gets beyond the convenience and cost, there's the philosophy of how animals are handled," Glickman explained. "It's not just dollars and cents. The cities and town in the JPA want a say in not just how much it costs but how things are done. For anyone who cares about animals, that's very important."