Minutes - 20021028 - Laserfiche WebLink

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unaccounted for. He said that shelter records should be public records. He asked the County Commissioners to assert the full power of their authority and require the APS to be held accountable for its actions and be responsible and open to its membership, the public, and the animals. Lin Schmoldt, Administrative Manager of APS from September 2001 to May 2002, said that her job was mainly organizing paperwork and supervising front desk and data entry staff. She worked with shelter data on a daily basis. She found a lack of well thought out and clearly stated goals and procedures. She expressed some concerns - 1. Decline in accountability and that the public does not have access to adoption data. 2. Concern that data provided to the County would be late and incomplete. 3. Quick firings, demotions, shifts in titles and duties put staff under excessive pressure. By late spring it was apparent that there were not enough rabies vaccinators. 4. Confusion over adoption guidelines. Beverly Rockhill, faculty member of the Department of Epidemiology at the School of Public Health, said that she began volunteering at the APS in 1994 in graduate school. She recently moved back to the area and has volunteered for the past year. She has current concerns about secrecy of decision making at the APS. The APS exists to bring justice and compassion to homeless animals. Most of the staff cares deeply about the animals. She said that positions of management and the board of directors at the APS should be positions of public service. She said that she has donated over $15,000 over the last decade to the APS. She was challenged by the board this week to prove her membership. She spoke about infectious disease outbreaks and excess euthanization at the shelter. She said that the County must take up this issue. She urges all members to come into the shelter during kitten season and see how many animals are put down. Finally, she is dismayed at the report prepared by the two vets for the County on disease control at the shelter. The two vets hired run animal experimentation labs. She hopes that the external reviewers will add much better advice. Patty Courtwright spoke about an experience that she and her daughter had with APS. She and her daughter met a Cocker Spaniel named Casey. Laura, her 12-year old daughter participated in Kids and Critters camp that APS held in August. At the camp, Laura met Casey and she wanted to adopt the dog. They went back to the animal shelter to meet Casey, and it was clear that he recognized her. While they were there, a woman and her son came by and this woman was also interested in adopting Casey. The next day, her daughter said that she got to bathe Casey. They found out a couple of weeks later through an article in the newspaper that APS had determined that Casey was unsafe to adopt and was euthanized. In a following article, it said that the dog that was euthanized was not the same dog named Casey. She said that there was only one dog named Casey. She is concerned that the APS officials were not up front in explaining to the public why this dog was euthanized. She thinks the taxpayers deserve to have honest answers to questions about APS and its operations. Pat Beyle, President of APS Board of Directors, said that the Board of County Commissioners will hear many APS advocates tonight. She wants to see the APS recognized for the work it does. She would like to see positive support and involvement from the Board of County Commissioners and she invited at least one County Commissioner to attend one of their board meetings. She would like to see the wildlife program backup and running by baby season at no cost to the County. She said that the building in question that has been used for five years has been used for both wildlife and spaylneuter. The building is closed for renovations because the Vet Board wants