December 6, 2024
Dear City Manager,
I am addressing this letter to you, and copying the City Council, because you have the power to make changes in employment and the City Council needs to support you in the clearly needed changes.
After reading the audit and listening to public comment at Tuesday’s Council meeting I hope you have no further doubts that what the community has been saying for over 2 years is an accurate depiction of what is happening behind closed doors at the Shelter.
What the audit and community, as well as former employees and volunteers, continue to point to is the management at the Shelter is ineffective and even worse, is not following proper protocol as related to medical care and operating an animal shelter.
Management has created a whistleblower environment and has been able to hide their failures in a fear environment. The lies that Shelter management was hiding behind are now out in the open and all of City Hall and City Council are now clearly aware of them. And the decisions you will make are being watched closely and will be scrutinized.
You currently have a situation where all upper management at the Shelter, including the Medical Director, have failed in their responsibilities. Their management skills are lacking. Their inability to follow policy and procedure, even medical procedure, is unacceptable. The conditions at the shelter are inhumane. A blind eye can no longer be turned. Change must happen now, not reassessed in March. A ship cannot be righted if the captain(s) do not understand how to steer.
I would like to strongly re-propose that the Shelter be moved out from under Public Works and be placed under the umbrella of PRNS. Having all of your animal programs within the same department will allow for easier collaboration and shared resources. Public Works is well situated to handle construction/building related issues, but not animal related issues.
I would like to strongly suggest you begin the interview process for upper management before the end of 2024.
Management who understands proper care of animals, how to follow policy and procedure and have a track record of humane care of animals. Management who understands the value of and how to engage rescue partners, volunteers and the community. Management who understands how to work within a budget to effectively run a multi million dollar shelter.
The conditions at the shelter cannot continue in a “we are giving management time to work on implementing changes” mode. Many of the issues the audit brought to light were also found in the Maddie’s Fund audit and yet, 2 years later, changes have not been made. Shelter management has proven an inability to make the changes for one reason or another. We need a management team that sets the correct tone, a tone that we are here for the animals and the community we serve.
I look forward to your proactive changes that put the animal’s welfare first.
Kindly,
Kelsey Colson