Mission has agreed to begin contracts with five neighboring cities to provide them animal control services.
In the wake of the dissolution of the Northeast Animal Control Commission earlier this year, Mission plans to provide animal control services to the cities of Fairway, Mission Woods, Roeland Park, Westwood and Westwood Hills. Those year-long contracts begin Jan. 1.
City administrator Laura Smith, who presented the prepared contracts for the Mission councilmembers during their finance and administration committee meeting Dec. 12, had indicated that Westwood Hills planned to participate in a contractual agreement. That agreement came up for approval in time for the council meeting Dec. 19.
Mission has already taken steps to hire two community service officers for the Mission Police Department; these two positions will be dedicated to animal control for Mission and the other cities and will also handle non-essential police functions such as parking complaints, traffic control for accidents and walk-in reports.
(Read more: Shawnee Mission Post – Community news and events for northeast Johnson County)