COM 0054.008 2000-2002 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

To return to item 1), it is important for members of the new administration to realize that the current flap over citation numbers, which is reflected in the amount of space devoted to the subject in the Legislative Auditor's report, is driven by the West Hawau Humane Society (WHHS) You might note that almost all the complaints about animal control come from the west side Ginger Towle, the head of WHHS, implies that we do a poor lob on the west srde because we are really an East Hawaii organization On the contrary, since 1993, our administrative offices have been in Kona and our executive director has lived in Kona or Waimea Our boazd is composed of directors from all azound the island and rotates meetings between Kona, Waimea, and the east side The citation issue is doubly ironic, because for three years, from 1991-1994, the County refused to allow HIHS to issue airy citations (see history below) At first, HIHS was very concerned about losing that authority, but by the time we finally got our badges back, our officers had adapted, and we had evolved into an organization that put more emphasis on education and mediation During those three years, there was no increase in the number of complaints about animal control I strongly urge you to take few minutes to read the following summary of HMS's relationship with the county since 1990, when, at the County's request, we took over the animal control contract for the whole island As the saying goes, "Those who cannot remember the past aze condemned to repeat rt " A short hiatory of HIITS's partnership with Hawaii County July 1990 Hawau County asks the Hawaii Island Humane Society (HIHS), which until that time had the animal control contract only for the east side of the island, to take over the contract for the entire island in September 1990 We agree Ginger Towle, director of the West Hawaii Humane Society (WHITS), had refused to sign new contract, and was quoted in the Hawaii Tribune Herald of July 27, 1990, "The (West Hawarr) Humane Society will have nothing more to do with the pound facrhty here, "Towle Bard "I 'm not going to do rt anymore no matter what the county does. " In a letter to the Council dated August 5, 1990, Cringer Towle stated that among other reasons for rejecting the contract, she could not keep the Kona and Waimea shelters open Monday-Saturday from 9 00 a m -3 30 p m "This request is physically impossible to meet with the limited staff and a nonexistent labor market " (Note that our similaz difficulty in keeping both shelters open six days a week is one of the many faults she finds with us ) September 1990 Cringer Towle launches anon-stop cazeer of hazassmg of HIHS and county officials September 1991 The Corporation Counsel abruptly strips HMS's officers of their badges, in response to a Puna woman's assertion that HIHS officers had no right to come onto her property to investigate a complaint that she was starving her horse Tlus action precipitates a senes of Council hearings These are particularly unpleasant, because the Finance Comrruttee is dominated by several men who are unbelievably rude to the HIHS 2