Minutes - 20030828 - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

Commissioner Gordon asked about the report and where it is. Kate Pullen said that they have the report and there are multiple copies. They are happy to send it out. She thinks that it might not benefit anyone to get into specifics because the bigger broader questions might be helpful. Commissioner Halkiotis thanked Kate Pullen for saying this. He thinks it is important for all parties to step back. He was glad not to have the report beforehand and he thinks that it was a good idea. He thinks it is important to read this report in a calm environment. Kate Pullen said that they do it this way because it works and not because they are afraid of anything that is in it. She said that the HSUS Animal Services Consultation Program is available to Orange County, the task force, and APS however they choose to move forward with this. They also have regional offices around the country and the regional director far the central states, which includes North Carolina, is Phil Snyder. He is in Naperville, Illinois. He communicated with her that he is available to help Orange County. Commissioner Gordon asked how many Commissioners the HSUS interviewed. Kate Pullen said that she interviewed Chair Brown, Commissioner Gordon, and Commissioner Jacobs in person. The other two interviews were done by telephone. She pointed out that she has never had every single County Commissioner want to talk about this except in Orange County. She was impressed by this. Board of Health: Mel Hurston, Chair of the Board of Health, asked about the greatest change that could be made to improve operations and if the report would help the task force be able to discern this. Kate Pullen said that she believes so. She said that strengthening the SOPS (Standard Operating Procedures) was the single most important theme seen in the report. Mel Hurston asked if a building replacement is necessary, then if the report would help us decide how to better use the facilities between now and the time that funding is received for construction. Kate Pullen said that in the preliminary report they tried to convey how the agency could be run in a building that does not allow it. She gave some examples. They did not take any space away from APS, but they said to use it in a different way and manage the animals so that a healthy population is ensured. Mel Hurston asked if the task farces would report directly to the County Commissioners ar if they would work directly with the other boards. Kate Pullen said that they start off with this concept of the task force at the beginning of the report. They generally recommend that the makeup of the task force be one or two representatives from each party (the facility, the Board of County Commissioners, the boards, the community, etc.}. They also recommend same rules and regulations and an MOU for the task force. Mel Hurston said that some were anxious about how we compare to other shelters around the country. He asked how the HSUS would grade our program compared to others that they have seen - from a scale of 1-10. Kate Pullen said that she understands the desire to know where you stand but they do not do that. She cannot give a 1-10 because she does not think it would be fair. She said that the scope of the program that is offered by APS is up there with effort and desire. They are saying to scale back those programs that are not so essential right now and get some things structured in a business plan.