Linda Thai
From: Kathy Perez
Sent: Monday, October 9, 2023 1:10 PM
To: Claudia M. Frometa; Mario Trujillo; Hector Sosa; Timothy Horn Cc: City Clerk
Subject: Proposed Carpenters' Plaque at Furman Park
Dear Council Members,
Thank you for considering the creation and installation of a Carpenters' plaque at Furman Park. It was there, 60 years ago, that Karen joined her brother Richard onstage at a city -sponsored talent show and sang in public for the first time! She was only 13 years old! This happened just a few weeks after the family moved to Downey from Connecticut. As Richard recalls in the book, Carpenters - The Musical Legacy, after finishing his piano performance, "And then I prevailed on Karen to sing "The End of the World". She was only thirteen and not much interested in singing, but I thought she had promise, She sang all right. In tune. But the great voice hadn't shown itself yet." Of course, we all know where things went from there. Six years later, they signed their first recording contract and became one of the top musical performing artists of the 70's. Over the last 54 years, they have sold more than 100 million records worldwide making them one of the best-selling artists of all time.
While others may have left for other places after hitting it big, the Carpenter family stayed here and made our little city just as famous.
Fans from all over the world know Downey as "The Home of the Carpenters" and come here to remember and honor their legacy.
Creating and installing a plaque which commemorates their first public performance together will be appreciated by all and will become another stop on the tour of Carpenters' sites around Downey.
This is a wonderful opportunity for the city to show its pride in two of its most famous and talented hometown heroes! I encourage you to approve this project and any others that honor and promote their legacy! Thank you,
Kathy Perez
Linda Thai
From: Erin Gatlin
Sent: Monday, October 9, 2023 1:11 PM
To: City Clerk; Claudia M. Frometa
Subject: Carpenter's plaque placed in Downey
Dear Mayor Frometa,
I am a huge fan of the Carpenter's and a huge fan of Downey. I just wanted to show my support for a decision the city council will be voting on tomorrow night 10/10/23. 1 fully support placing a plaque in the Furman Park area or where the council decides to place it. The Carpenter's played a large role in tourism for Downey along with the large role they played in the entertainment industry through the 1970's. I myself have hosted several Carpenter's tours in Downey in 2017 and 2018 along with presenting Richard Carpenter the Proclamation for Annual Carpenter's Day that was given out at the Carpenter's 50th Anniversary in April 2019. My friend Kathy Crowe Perez and I then took a copy of the Proclamation and presented it to Richard in Thousand Oaks In May of 2019. 1 believe the Carpenter's deserve as much tribute as possible for all of their contributions to their fans, Downey and all of their accomplishments. I hope you will consider this. You have a beautiful city.
Very Sincerely,
Erin Gatlin
Linda Thai
From: cassandra.heredia www.polacat.org) , which supports the welfare of stray and feral cats. I recently found evidence that the Downey SEAACA (located at 9777 Seaaca Street) is not operating as required by local and state laws. I respectfully request that the City Council, the Mayor and the City Manager take action to investigate these concerns.
Specifically, California animal shelters are regulated under CDFA, its codes, and California Civil and Penal codes, which state, in part, that county and/or city/county animal control shelters and/or their agencies are mandated to provide "necessary and prompt veterinary medical care to animals housed in an animal control facility." Additionally, in the County of Los Angeles, all dogs and cats over 4 months of age must be spayed or neutered (with very limited exceptions).
There is evidence that these practices are not being satisfied or followed at the SEAACA location in Downey.
I have provided details of the issues encountered and my requested courses of action below. Please feel free to contact me with any questions.
Sincerely,
Cassandra Heredia
Executive Officer
POLACAT, LLC
www.Dolacat.orR
BASIS OF REQUEST.
1. DETAILS
Recently, a 2 year old black cat was taken to the SEAACA shelter on or around September 16, 2023. The cat received the first of two vaccines and was also intact (not neutered). The cat was diagnosed with mange, which is entirely treatable by administering either Revolution (topical, $20) or ivermectin (oral, $30) with a follow-up application three weeks later.
Instead, this cat was left untreated and then red -listed weeks later on October 5, 2023. After making contact to postpone the euthanization, and on the day one of our volunteers rescued him from being euthanized (October 7), the cat should have by that time had two doses of treatment to cure the mange, and, at a minimum, been given the necessary second vaccine already due, plus a voucher to be neutered at a later date. III cats cannot be vaccinated or spayed/neutered, so by withholding treatment for the mange, they avoided all steps of care and subsequent costs.
I submit that SEAACA intentionally limited treatment for this cat to cite his completely treatable medical condition as a reason not to fully vaccinate or neuter, and instead red -listed the cat for euthanization which is less expensive than providing care.
I also submit that this situation is not an anomaly but a standard practice at SEAACA to limit costs at the expense of animal welfare, which may constitute animal abuse, but at the very least does not satisfy its responsibilities under CDFA codes. This claim is also supported by an instance within the same 24-hour period (October 7) when SEAACA in Downey red -listed a 7 year old female cat with a treatable upper respiratory infection because she was underweight as soon as she was brought into the shelter.
2. REQUESTED ACTION
I respectfully request that Downey City Council, the Mayor of Downey and the City Manager, launch an investigation into the Downey SEAACA and its practices, including but not limited to: 1) review of its financial reports (indicating salaries to executive management and staff), and 2) veterinary expenses not including euthanasia, and 3) other operating expenses, as well as 4) an audit of disbursement of any funding provided to SEACCA by the City of Downey, and finally S) to make your findings available to the public within 90 days after completing your investigation.
Additionally, I respectfully request the City Council, the Mayor and the City Manager demand metrics on the following:
1) number of animals received at Downey SEAACA, 2) number of animals euthanized at Downey SEAACA broken into the following categories: (2a) under 1 year of age with treatable conditions (specifically malnourishment, mange, upper respiratory infection, urinary tract infection, eye infection or enucleation) and (2b) over 1 year of age with same medical conditions, and finally, 3) the number of animals released from Downey SEAACA without appropriate vaccinations or required sterilization. All veterinary records are required to be kept so the inability to provide these metrics is not allowable.
I recommend all records be reviewed by a third party or parties, to act as subject matter experts and compare against operations of other reputable and similar public sector or non-profit organizations. Examples could be Best Friends (Los Angeles chapter), the ASPCA or other reputable animal rescue non-profit, and/or board certified veterinarians and veterinarian administrative management, including those contracted or employed by County of Los Angeles Department of Animal Care and Control.
CLOSING
There have been numerous reports of inadequate treatment and procedural gaps at various SEAACA locations, with no conspicuous or effective oversight of their operations undertaken by other jurisdictions utilizing SEAACA for animal control. Jurisdictions are responsible for providing appropriate oversight to ensure ethical, appropriate and required veterinary treatment of animals in their shelters, and to act promptly when said jurisdiction has been apprised of substantiated concerns from any person or rescue organization. I am hopeful that the City of Downey will be diligent in investigating these concerns.
It is our hope that with follow up on these complaints and the help of the Mayor, City Council and City Manager, appropriate oversight and corrective actions can be instituted to stop these practices at the SEAACA location in Downey before additional animals suffer from lack of adequate, ethical and required care.
A copy of this request may be sent to other interested parties such as, but not limited to, the Downey Patriot, and we reserve the right to file complaints against SEAACA and its veterinary staff through appropriate agencies.
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