Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0054.008 2000-2002 i=' = •01 F~~ ~ P~ 1 u6 HAWAII ISLAND r'~ SO@IE'IY January 31, 2001 Dear Councilman Chung, On January 23, the Finance Committee met to consider a resolution for a technical performance evaluation of the Hawaii Island Humane Society (HIIiS) Councilman Tyler pointed out that the Legislative Auditor's report on animal control had fingered the County as culpable for most of the inadequacies of animal control, and he wanted the evaluation to focus on the County rather than HIHS Action on the resolution was deferred for two weeks As President of the HIHS Boazd of Directors,l would like to amplify on our testimony before the com?mttee First, the board of dvectors supports the three major recommendations made by the Auditor, including the recommendatton that we undergo a performance evaluation of our contracted services by an unbiased and creditable animal welfare organization We view this as an opportumty to receive an oblecnve evaluation and recommendations from experts in our field And, we support Councilman Tyler's suggestion that the evaluation include the County's role in animal control We would like to point out, however, that any new study of animal control is going to stazt by spending more money to re,dentify the problems already documented in the Legislative Auditor's report Why not fix those problems before initiating further evaluation Please consider the following 1) It doesn't take a technical evaluation to figure out that ~f the County believes the solution to animal control Ges in giving more citations, then they must immediately address the lack of cooperation from the County Prosecutor's Office in getting our humane officers badged To cite just the latest example, six of our employees have been waiting to be badged for over suc months, when the entve training could be completed in one day Currently, there aze no badged officers in Konal 2) It doesn't take another evaluation to respond to our long-standing appeal to revise the ammal control laws that we operate under 3) It doesn't take another evaluation, nor does the County have time to wait for another evaluation, to realize that we are severely underfunded HIHS cannot subsidize the county contract again with our own funds as we have in this fiscal year At the end of last fiscal yeaz, we were overtaken by huge increases in employee benefits, in the price of fuel, and in repair costs for our aging fleet of trucks Rather than lay off employees and cut sernces mid-way through the year, we aze spending over $100,000 that should be going to our other programs We are a nonprofit, and we cannot afford to do this again C Comm. No, ? _ F31fe NTo~. ANI 745225 Queen Kaahumanu Hwy • Kadua-Kona, HI 96740 • Telephone (808) 329-1175 • Fax (808~3f9-T l:s Fr Q 5 ~l~~l Keaau (808) 966-5458 • Kamuela (808) 885-4558 Ref. Date 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 Executive Dvector (and probably many other people) Members of WHHS testify against HIIIS, and a group that includes former WHHS employees seeks the contract October 20, 1991 The HIHS Board of Directors wntes to the mayor "We support the County rn ?ts efforts to revise the ordinance governing animal control. However, the way that this action was initiated, by stripping our employees of them police badges without first having a new ordinance rn place, has created an unnecessary crisis. It has been more than a month since this happened, yet we have received »o rna6cahon that a new ordinance is being drafted In the meantime, the animal control officers no longer have the authority Jo pursue stray animals onto private property, issue citations, or seize dangerous or abused animals. The County's irresponsible actions have severely undermined the morale of Humane Society workers Our employees perform a d~crrlt, stressful, and often dangerous service for society Summarily stripping the animal control officers of their badges carries the imphcahon that they have abused their specs! deputy status. This rs not the case. We do not want an adversarial relationship with the County. The Humane Society exists to help animals and people who acre having problems with animals We do not want to waste our limited resources on fighting poletrcal battles. We provide a valuable service for the County, a»d rn return we are now being asked to perform our contractual duties with both hands tied behind our back. " Apri16,1992 In a letter to the Mayor, Corporation Counsel, Police Cluef, and Councd Chair, the HIHS board comments on the new proposed ordinance that removes the authority to issue citations from the humane society 'i1Mr. Matsukawa (the Corporation Counsel) is looking out for the county, but the Humane Society must also worry about lrabil~ty. As we all know, this whole issue began with Janet Srhn's allegations of misconduct on the part of cinrmal control officers. Her accusations were investigated, and the animal control officers were cleared of the charges by the Corporation Counsel's Office Even so, the county legrtimrzedMrs. S~lva's complaints both by rescinding the special deputy status ojthe animal control officers and by conirmirng to consult with her out of obvious fear that she would sue. By such actions the county has created a climate wherein we must seriously consider our own lrabthty Given these conditions, we are questioning whether rt makes sense for us to continue to provide animal control services for the county " Throughout 1993, the Corporation Counsel works on a new ordinance, eventually producing one that is essentially the same as the original January 11, 1993 minutes of the HIHS Board of Directors meeting "Ordinance: Pat (Gorman, H1HSExecutive Director) hasn't been able to get a hold of Matsukawa. The Police Dept has been moving slowly on providing the training necessary for getting the badges back Training rs now set for 1-15 to Htlo rnrd I-29 in Kona. After training, the animal control officers have to have background checks, then everything goes to Finance Dept for final approval " 3 September 1993 HIHS Minutes "Badges.• Pat called the Director of Finance's secretary who rs currently trying to frrd out from the Corporation Counsel what the delay is. The Corp Counsel told Pat earlier that all the paperwork would be ready by July. " March 12, 1994 HIHS Minutes "use of badges rs awaiting the state's printing of the violation handbooks" Juue 25, 1994 HIHS Executive Director's report `After meeting with assistant police chief Todd and writing follow up letter to the Clerk of Court, Gtahon Books were finally returned to HIHS " Almost three years after badges were removed! May 14, 1997 Pnvatization Fats HIHS is informed by a top official in the last administration that the County contract is null and void as of the end of the day Furthermore, since the Kona and Waimea shelters are County property, our Executive Dvector, Lisa Fowler, is told that we might have to vacate the premises "What about the animals "she asks, and is amazed at his airswer. "Turn them loose. " HIHS is subsequently deemed an essential service, and we are allowed to keep operating May 17, 1997 At an HIHS board meeting, heated discussion ensues over whether the contract is worth fighting for While all agree that it would be satisfying to tell the County they can have the contract and welcome to it, the board reaches a consensus that we will fight to keep it The reasons Based on what we have seen of the County in action vis-a-vis animal control, we doubt the County's ability to run a humane animal control or sheltering operation, even given a period of training and transition June 1997 Joining with other non-profits to restore our contract, we incur $10,000 in legal expenses that are never reimbursed by the County 1998 Ginger Towle begins a campaign to win back the animal control contract for West Hawaii, and gets put on the Council agenda An unmense amount of our Executive Director's time in 1998 is spent responding to allegations put forth by WHHS May 4, 1998 I~HS Board member's testimony before the County Council "In closing, let me point out a frustrating trend Last year we were threatened with the closure of al! three shelters during the pnvatrzatron crisis. This year we must divert our energy to counter the groundless allegations brought by the Kona group. It rs dishecntening that after serving the county and our community to the best of our abihty for years, we must divert so much of our energy and financial resources to these absurd side issues. Yet we will persist to fight for the contract, because we know that we can do the~ob more humanely than any other group on the island Our bottom line rs not money, or status, or polities Our bottom tine rs the animals We would appreciate the support of the county council so that we may return our full attention to doing the work that we were contracted to do and have done very ably for the last eight years " The County Council Finance Committee concludes that there is no need to split the animal control contract between east and west Hawaii 4 June 1998 At the behest of WHHS, the County decides to rewrite the animal control contract and put rt out for bid Finance Director Harry Takahashi informs our Executive Director that the County will not pay us ow monthly reimbursement in July, because once the new contract is finished, it will be put out for bid, and he doesn't know who will get it After meeting with our Executive Director and attorney, the Finance Director concedes that he should continue to pay us, since a new contract will not be completed before January 1999 Meanwhile, we operate with no contract February 1999 Our proposal for the animal control contract is accepted July 1999 The County still hasn't let us sign a contract, pending an appeal by Ginger Towle Appeal subsequently denied When the contract is finally given to us to sign, it consists only of our proposal for wntract Our attorney offers to draft a real contract, but the Finance Director deems it unnecessary Contract extends to June 2002 August 1999 At the insistence of WHHS, a resolution was introduced to the County Council Finance Committee to request a legislative audit of animal control At a public hearutg on this resolution, HMS's attorney, Shawn Nakoa, points out in her written testimony "Although the HIHS does not necessarily object to a special study of anrmal control, rt is important to recognize that the impetus for such a study comes from the West Hawaii Humane Society--an organization which attempted unsuccessfully to obtain the anrmal control contract As many of your commtttee members are aware, several years ago, Ginger Towle and the West Hawarr Humane Society launched what can only be described as a hate campaign against the Nawan Island Humane Society When the County contract was awarded to the Hawaii Island Humane Society, the West Hawarr Humane Society appealed the County Admrnrstratron's decision. Said appeal was denied In add~hon, rn response to the marry, marry frivolous accusations by members of the West Hawaii Humane Society, County officials have followed up Absolutely no specific failures on the part of the Hawaii Island Humane Society were ever verified " November 2000-present The Legislative Auditor's report is completed, after much presswe is brought to bear by Ginger Towle Needless to say, WHHS is not pleased with the Legislative Auditor's conclusion that HIHS has performed capably, and has seized on the recommendation that an outside technical evaluation needs to be performed Ginger Towle is trying to bias the outcome of that audit by influencing the County's decision as to which organization should perform it Craven her transparent motives, it would be nonsensical for the Finance Committee to give serious weight to her opinions Every humane society in the country has its Cnnger Towle, and we have learned to accept that What is harder to take is the legitimacy that the county has lent to a witch-hunt, by continumg to acquiesce to her demands If you seek outside professional advice on the subject of a technical evaluation or any other aspect of animal control, we suggest you consult Pamela Bums, Executive Director of the Hawaiian Humane Society on Oahu Ms Burns has an international reputation as the leader of an innovative and highly successful humane society She has kindly offered 5 to answer any questions from the County, ether by phone (808-946-9067) or in person (And I recommend that the next time you're in Honolulu, you v~s~t then facility, to see what swell-funded organization can accomplish ) It wdl come as no surprise, given our grueling history with the County, that we support the Legislative Auditor's recommendation that animal control be transfereed to a new division within the Police Department The only alternative is for the County to coconut itself to working with us, rather than against us, in a way that it never has in the past Sincerely, Christina Hehker President, Board of Directors Hawaii Island Humane Society cc Mayor Hany I{im, Executive Assistant Andy Levin, Finance Dvector William Takaba, Legislative Auditor Comue I{inu, and the County Council 6