|| BULLETIN BOARD ||
MAYOR & ANIMAL CONTROL DIRECTORS
SUED OVER CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
Health Commissioner Accused of Double Dealing
June 1, 2006 -- A watchdog group that has followed the City’s animal management policies for a decade has filed a lawsuit to remove the Mayor and three other city officials, including the Health Commissioner, from controlling the board of directors of the nonprofit corporation that the City contracts to operate the animal shelters and perform animal control duties.
Animal Care & Control of NYC Inc. (AC&C) was formed by the Giuliani Administration in 1994 to replace the ASPCA which relinquished the municipal animal control contract after 100 years (1894-1994). Although AC&C was formed as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation, its critics claim that it operates as a city agency, with the Mayor appointing its board members along with three City commissioners as permanent members.
“This arrangement is fraught with conflicts of interest and loyalties, and ultimately it’s the animals who suffer as a result,” says Marie Mar, an attorney and co-chair of the Shelter Reform Action Committee (SRAC), which is the plaintiff in the lawsuit against the City and AC&C.
“New York City underfunds the animal management contract by providing less than half of what is recommended by humane professionals,” said Gary Kaskel, SRAC’s other co-chair. “The City of Los Angeles spent $15 million last year when we spent only $7.2 million.” Kaskel adds.
ACC’s annual budget allocation is a line-item on the Department of Health & Mental Hygiene’s budget and the contract renewal is not subject to City Council approval. “The chronic underfunding is allowed to happen because the NYC Health Department sits on both sides of the bargaining table at contract time with no oversight or accountability,” complains Kaskel. “There’s no money for proper vet care or medications or paying living wages for staff. It’s the animals who ultimately suffer,” says Kaskel.
ACC’s current contract expires at the end of June and the lawsuit seeks to invalidate such contract, order a “fee for services” contract be awarded at proper funding levels, and remove the current board and the Mayor’s right to appoint its members.
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Read SRAC's Summons & Complaint
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Scandal ousts another CACC board member!
Police Official Is Charged With Fraud
That leaves TWO CACC board seats vacant...
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CACC hires Ed Boks from Maricopa County, AZ
as part-time acting executive director for 6 months
Mayor's Alliance Press Release
"Pet Shelter's Beastly Situation" - NY Post 6/19/03
...still no move to expand Board of Directors
to include community members. Will CACC ever become
a real charitable organization?
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The CACC Stats through 2002...
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City Council slams Health Department
for failing to communicate on CACC
read Health Committee Chair Christine Quinn Letter
Four years later, still no Queens or Bronx shelters in the pipeline.
Oversight Hearing announced for fall 2003.
Confirms what SRAC has complained of for years...
bureaucratic arrogance, foot-dragging and indifference.
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Mayor Bloomberg's budget cuts do affect
animal management... despite what mayor says.
Drastic cuts to animal shelter budget reduces hours and services,
while City Hall claims city services have not been affected by cuts.... WRONG.
AND AT THE SAME TIME, THIS MAN
Deputy Mayor Marc Shaw --
the animal policy point man at City Hall
who refuses to return phone calls or answser letters
-- get a $30,000 salary raise (3/1/03)!
The billionaire Mayor needs a REALITY CHECK.
let's look at his record . . .
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Mayor Mike stirs brouhaha
with remarks about budget cuts to shelter hours.
Draconian measures justified by Bottom-Line Bloomberg.Read about it in the Daily News series, "Death to poochies"(9/26), "Tough luck, puppy"(9/27) and "Bad dogs, says mayor"(9/28)
call the Mayor at (212) 788-3000 and tell him what you think.
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Mayor's Budget Crisis Management...
Act 1: Cut animal shelter hours and programs
Read how the Mayor Bloomberg and City Council snuck in a bill
to reduce CACC's operating hours and adoption programs,
while Giuliani-appointed exec. dir. Marilyn Haggerty-Blohm still
rakes in her $144,000 annual compensation package.
Bloomberg Bill Signing
Will Changing City Rules Help or Hurt Animals in its Shelter? (WABC-TV report)
No Shelter Open to Take Dogs at Night (Staten Island Advance)
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SRAC's open letter to Mayor Michael Bloomberg (Dec 2002)
Read what the NYC Bar Association has to say to the new Mayor
about the state of NYC's municipal animal policies.
WHY WON'T THE MAYOR LISTEN?
HANDS-OFF MANAGEMENT STYLE IS A DISASTER.
THERE'S STILL NO ACCOUNTABILITY TO THIS CONTRACT.
UPDATE:
LARRY HAWK RESIGNS Feb. '03
Former ASPCA Prez goes to MSPCA for even more $$$...
SRAC CALLS FOR THE RESIGNATION OF DR. LARRY HAWK
AND JOHN M.B. O'CONNOR FROM CACC'S BOARD,
CITING CONFLICTS OF INTEREST, COLLUSION AND INDIFFERENCE
TO THE WELFARE OF SHELTER ANIMALS
more
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CACC whistleblowers go public
about dishonest recordkeeping, euthanasia mistakes and cover-ups.
CACC responds with usual denials; lays off workers.
The Daily News reports the story: Furor over rabies mixup
Read the internal Memo of the CACC employee who went public.
SRAC pledges legal action to stop CACC corruption in '03.
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Read Gimme Shelter 2002 by Sarah Stebbins -- a fresh look at our old problem.
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Mayor's Allliance for NYC's Animals
formed to apply for multi-million dollar Maddie's Fund grant.
CACC to be a major participant. Coalition of shelters and rescuers
will work toward making NYC a no-kill city.
(Apply to be a participant on line.)
Progressive animal management plans DO exist elsewhere.
Read about No-Kill goals from other parts of the country.
Should New York have a law like California's Hayden Law ?
Read the successful methods used by the Tompkins County SPCA
as headed by Nathan Winograd