NYC's New Animal Care & Control Contractor: The First Five Years...
New Feature . . . WHISTLEBLOWERS FORUM:
Read statements from CACC insiders about what really goes on.Faith Elliott - former CACC Director of Public Relations
Jeff Piontek - former CACC Assistant Manhattan Shelter Director
Sandra Batalla - former CACC Volunteer Coodrinator
Lisa Brockingtom - former CACC Assistant Brooklyn Shelter Manager
and more to come...
According to insiders, CACC is still cooking the stats...
Adoptions and the CACC: The Numbers Speak for Themselves
Read CACC'S 1998-2001 Stats for animal intake/disposition
Read CACC's defense to an Internet Petition using junk facts
The Dec. 17, 2002 board meeting was void of any discussion of
the charges by four CACC whistleblowers after
board members refused to return their calls.
Interim Director Julian Prager merely doing Marilyn Haggerty-Blohm's
dirty work. It's the same old story... deny and smear the accusers.
CACC BOARD CONSPIRES TO WHITEWASH & COVER UP
DISMAL CACC CONDITIONS, ILLEGAL CONDUCT, AND
...CRUELTY TO ANIMALS
Federal DEA investigation launched.
City Hall is silent and SRAC will sue to throw out CACC's bylaws
and replace this corrupt board.
* * *
MARILYN HAGGERTY-BLOHM FIRED
...BUT STILL PULLING STRINGS AT CACC
SRAC has obtained, through a Freedom of Information request,
Mrs. Blohm's separation agreement with CACC.
The former Guiliani staffer, dog breeder, and defendant in a civil rights discrimination lawsuit is on a "paid leave of absense" until January 2, at which time she will receive six months severance pay (about $70,000) when she is terminated "without cause".
The CACC board has acted irresponsibly in a fiscal crisis, as there was suffiecent evidence to fire Mrs. Blohm for cause and save $100,000 for CACC's animals.
Mrs. Blohm maintains a special email address at her home and is in constant communication with her Staten Island neighbor and hand picked interim director, Julian Prager, about CACC day to day business, according to insiders.
On Friday, October 4, 2002, the CACC Board met at 7:30 am
and dismissed the controversial Giuliani appointee who ran
CACC for more than four years.
..or as The Daily News put it: Animal shelter chief told, 'Out!'
General counsel Julian Prager named interim director.
Board also voted on amended ByLaws for CACC, diminishing the
superior voting power of the City board members.
* * *
CACC Board Announces Search Committee
to find new Executive Director
On Wednesday, September 25, 2002, at its second board meeting of the year, the newly constituted CACC Board announced it was inviting Marilyn Haggerty-Blohm to reapply for her job if she wished to, but the seach committe to find her replacement would comprise of board members Dr. Larry Hawk, John M.B. O'Connor, John Doherty and Dr. Jay Kuhlman. SRAC applauds the board for its timely action. If you know of a qualified candidate, please forward the name and contact information to info@shelterreforn.org. We will forward it to the board.
The NYC Comptroller's Performance Audit Report
was released on June 6, 2002.
It confirms what we have been saying all along...
Read the Executive Summary and download entire report.
also read the Comptroller's Press Release
as well as the press coverage...
and let's not forget CACC's official Press Release
LATEST INFO OBTAINED THROUGH FREEDOM OF INFORMATION LAW....
CACC Exec Dir. Marilyn Haggerty-Blohm has spent more than $20,000 on the Park Avenue public relations firm of Stanton & Crenshaw to spin doctor the negative impact of this report -- while Mrs. Blohm still collects her $144,000 annual compensation package despite budget cuts and operating hours cuts . SRAC calls this a self-serving, gross misuse of scarce resources and demands new management be installed without delay.
How many animal could have been saved with that $20,000, Mrs. Blohm?
At the first CACC Board meeting of the year, held at One Police Plaza on Friday, August 16, 2002, Dr. Frieden was elected chairman. The new board members were introduced. Dr. Hawk was not attending in person, but was on speakerphone. The annual financial audit report was discussed, as was the renovation of the existing Manhattan shelter and the future construction of the Queens and Bronx shelters, which construction deadlines were extended until 2006 by the City Council. Marilyn Haggerty-Blohm, the executive director, gave her report. Then the board went into executive session for about 20 minutes. The entire meeting lasted about 2 hours in total. Some probing questions were asked, displaying an interest by most of the new board members in the details of CACC's operations and financials not seen in past board members. All in all an encouraging trend.
FIRST PROBLEM: Despite a number of statements and statistics cited by Mrs. Blohm with which SRAC takes issue of accuracy, the chair would not recognize SRAC to make a statement or give any member of the public the floor to address any CACC issue. AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT IS ESSENTIAL FOR CACC'S BOARD TO FUNCTION RESPONSIBLY.
SECOND PROBLEM: John O'Connor, Jay Kuhlman and Fred Patrick were cordial to SRAC. Dr. Frieden and John Doherty were not. Surprisingly, Sarah Hobel from the Park Rangers refused to provide SRAC with her contact information in a hostile rejection when asked for her business card. She seemed cozy with Mrs. Blohm and this may be a big problem if she fails to be responsive to outside input. As a City employee and member of a public board, Ms. Hobel will need to be educated about her public obligations. SARAH HOBEL HAS GOTTEN OFF ON THE WRONG FOOT.
The New York Times finally chimes in with an Op-Ed selection...
Problems at the Pound
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
CACC top lawyer is a dog breeder!
CACC General Counsel, Julian Prager,
a Staten Island neighbor of Exec. Dir. Blohm,
breeds bull dogs. Check out his website
www.resolutebulldogs.com
Mayor & CACC management just don't get it....
THEY ARE PART OF THE ANIMAL
OVERPOPULATION PROBLEM
They breed while CACC kills!
* * *
NYC POLICE KEEP THE PUBLIC LOCKED OUT
OF CACC BOARD MEETING
Fred Patrick, the police and the CACC
* * *
PETA exposes recent CACC inhumane treatment of poultry
Despite CACC's budget being doubled since Marilyn Haggerty-Blohm was installed by City Hall, CACC's euthanasia rate remains unimproved, and is three times higher than San Francisco's.
Tim Minton's investigative report on WNBC-TV July 23, 2001
City Renews CACC contract for 5 more years.
Fiscal Year now begins in July to conform with City's.
Original FY 2002 operating budget of $8,875,391
(approx $1 per New Yorker per year) now cut by $645,000.
On March 15, 2001, CACC's board of directors voted to renew Exec. Dir. Marilyn Haggerty-Blohm's employment contract for 3 more years, despite a record of mismanagement and deceit, which has been well documented (see SRAC letter to the CACC board -- 3/6/2001).
Action of the Board violates the Not-for-Profit law by overriding a prior 4-0 vote to table this vote with a 3-1 vote (3 City commissioners against 1 "independent" board member). The Fund For Animals' Lia Albo and Brooklyn Republican Dr. Daniel Ricciardi no-shows again.
SRAC makes pledge to mount court challenge to board actions.
Still fighting for access to CACC records.
Wrapping up Y2K. . .
CACC's do-nothing Board of Directors closes 2000 with just another pro-forma wink and nod to Giuliani-appoined Executive Director
Health, Police and Sanitation Commissioner board members turn backs on request for public comments.
CACC Board flaunts bylaws -- holds two meetings within a month and STILL no annual meeting.
Police Dept's Yolanda Jiminez holds on to board chair for almost two years.
Worst attendance member Dr. Daniel Ricciardi a no-show again.
Exec. Director announces long delayed Manhattan Shelter renovation will begin next year -- may need to use money allocated for Queens shelter. Delay caused by CACC and Health Dept. apathy and incompetence.
Next CACC Board meeting:
To be announced
Notice of meetings are also be posted by CACC on the bulletin board located at the public entrance to
52 Chambers Street in Manhattan, just north of City Hall.
For more info on prior meetings, click here
SRAC informs board its intention to petition IRS to revoke CACC's 501(c)3 charitable status -- cites single-source funding violation and bylaws mandating ex-officio board members and mayoral control over board.
Charitable mission will never be met so long as this bunch is in charge.
Controversial Exec. Director, Marilyn Haggerty-Blohm, a former member of the Giuliani administration, is apparently attempting to position herself beyond Giuliani's term. Wants two-year option renewal on her employment contract -- without proper job evaluation. Tries to hoodwink board members by asking for lawyers' proxy power to negotiate contract. Move was hidden from public by board's "executive session" discussions. Will she get her way? We will be following this development and report the results here.
CACC needs experienced managers from the humane community, not bureaucrats with an agenda to protect City Hall from controversy. The current team cannot be trusted. Exec. Director Marilyn Haggerty-Blohn has a record of deceit and manipulation. Gen. Counsel Douglas Mansfield thwarts examination of CACC policies and conduct. We say, "Mr. Mayor, It's time to replace these two and put humane professionals in charge."
Will the "New Rudy" see the errors he made with CACC?
Let him know what you think.
tel 212-788-3000 fax 212-788-2887 or email giuliani@www.ci.nyc.ny.us
CACC Board learns Queens shelter site selection falls through.
Queens Boro Prez Claire Shulman won't sign off on Springfield Gardens location (145-58 167th St.) after more than three-year search. Once again, NYC shelter animals get the short shrift because of careless public officials.
NYC ANIMAL LAW SIGNED INTO LAW
New law effective Nov. 2000 mandates a full-service shelter in every borough
and mandatory spaying/neutering of all shelter and pet shop dogs and cats.
But with the Health Dept. and CACC to implement and enforce, will it be effective?
Intro 567a
CACC BOARD CONTINUES TO TRADE SEVERANGE PAY FOR SILENCE WITH EXITING EMPLOYEES.
Despite resistence from CACC upper management, SRAC obtains documents under Freedom of Information showing coercive language in "separation agreements" to silence ex-CACC employees.
Giuliani-appointed board again turns deaf ear to unethical and perhaps unlawful tactics of Exec. Dir. and Gen. Counsel (goverment agencies may not demand such agreement of employees).
Conduct may become issue in lawsuit.
NY Daily News 8/5/99
"Rudy: Dog deaths cop error" -- NY Daily News 8/6/99
"Cops to cage dogs" -- NY Daily News 8/7/99
"NYPD has new animal-moving rules" -- NY Daily News 8/20/99
CACC Board Member Resigns
citing failure of Board to represent best interest of animals
read Todd Davis resignation
The Mayor still fails to fill vacant board seat after more than a year and a half.
Will NYC's animals EVER get shelter board members who actually CARE?