DATE: December 9, 2025
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: John Zanoni, Sheriff-Coroner-Public Administrator
Raymond T. Hunter, Director of General Services
SUBJECT: Sheriff Mounted Patrol Horse Boarding
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute the Retroactive Lease Agreement with the City of Fresno to provide horse boarding services, effective October 1, 2025, not to exceed five years, total not to exceed $100,000.
REPORT
Approval of the recommended action will permit the Sheriff-Coroner-Public Administrator’s Office to board the horses for the Sheriff Mounted Patrol. The rent at the location is $450 per horse plus the cost of feed and included the storage of Sheriff vehicles and trailers related to the Sheriff’s Mounted Patrol Unit. This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
You Board may direct staff to pursue other facility option for the Sheriff’s operations, which would require a month-to-month lease at the current location until an alternate space is located.
RETROACTIVE AGREEMENT:
The recommended lease agreement is retroactive to October 1, 2025, as a result of extended negotiations and is being brought to your Board in accordance with the agenda item processing timelines.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended action. Approval of the recommended action will allow the Sheriff Mounted Patrol unit to board four (4) horses, up to two (2) horse trailers and two (2) vehicles plus the cost of feed not to exceed $100,000 over the entire potential five-year term of the proposed agreement. Sufficient appropriations and estimated revenues are included in the Sheriff-Coroner-Public Administrator’s Org 3111 FY 2025-26 Adopted Budget and will be included in future budget requests. As of November 7, 2025, there are no pending invoices.
DISCUSSION:
The City of Fresno leases property adjacent to the Fresno Yosemite International Airport (Airport) to the Airport, and the Airport then subleases the subject property to the City of Fresno for use by the City of Fresno Police Department. Approval of the recommended action will permit the Sheriff’s Office to board the horses, which includes horse stalls and a tack storage area. The Sheriff’s Office are allowed to board four (4) horses and storing no more than two (2) horse trailers and two (2) vehicles owned by the Sheriff’s Office at the premises. If horse(s) require grain or corn feed, the Sheriff’s Office shall pay the City of Fresno an additional $100.00 per bag, subject to the maximum license fee as stated in the proposed agreement.
The recommended agreement includes the City of Fresno’s Hold Harmless and insurance provisions, which are non-standard for the County. The Sheriff’s Office believes that the benefits of the recommended agreement outweigh any potential risks and recommends approval of the agreement as a prudent business decision.
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk - Lease Agreement
CAO ANALYST:
Fine Nai