| Recap of the September 28, 2010 Board Meeting of the AC&C |
The Department of Health Boardroom was filled. It was standing room only.
Health Commissioner Farley had a few surprises for the public attendees. Spotting individuals with video cams, Farley
said that the Board would be devising “rules” about taping, and until those rules were announced, no one would be
allowed to record any meeting. (People have previously taped meetings without restrictions.)
Dr. Farley pointed to a large electronic timer, warning that public speakers would be limited to 3 minutes each, and that
the public session of the meeting would end promptly at 4 PM.
The Directors present were: Commissioner Farley, Dr. Kuhlman, Bruce Doniger, Patrick Nolan, and Lt. David Colon
(the newest Director, representing the Police Department). Absent were Commissioner Adrian Benepe (the Parks
Commissioner, who has not been seen at board meetings for years) and John O’Connor. (A gentleman named Mike
Dockett was sitting in for Commissioner Benepe.)
The meeting began with the Board moving to approve the minutes of the previous meeting. (The Board will not read
the minutes, or post them on the AC&C website.)
A representative of BTQ Accounting reported on the AC&C’s budget. He said that the AC&C was able to balance both
the 2009 and 2010 budgets despite reductions in monies from the DOH. He explained the AC&C was able to balance
the budgets by, in large part, reducing employee benefits. (The AC&C reduced employee benefits by reducing the
number of employees; it is our position that the AC&C was already underserved by qualified staff; and that these
reductions in staff were directly at the expense of the animals’ wellbeing.) The accountant also explained that the
AC&C saved money by cutting down on medical supplies and services. (We don’t believe that reducing medical
services for animals is an acceptable cost-cutting solution.) The Board accepted the accountant’s report without
question or discussion.
Executive Director Julie Bank gave a 15 minute presentation of the accomplishments she described the AC&C has
made since June 2010 and the challenges that still lay ahead. CLICK HERE FOR A RECAP OF HER SPEECH. She
ended her presentation, assuring the audience that she is “open to good, solid ideas that are constructive advice.”
Dr. Farley then opened the meeting to public comments, again warning about the 3-minute rule.
Esther Koslow, a former AC&C Volunteer and currently on the Board of Shelter Reform, was the first to speak. Ms.
Koslow offered as her constructive advice that the AC&C Board resign. Experts agree that the success of any public
charity depends on the quality of its Board of Directors. If the Directors are not committed, innovative, proactive, and
loyal to the charity, the charity will fail. On paper, the AC&C is a public charity, and it has a record of failure throughout
its entire existence.
For Ms. Koslow’s full statement (which she was unable to finish within 3 minute deadline), please click here.
The next speaker was Mary Jo Tobin, former AC&C Events Coordinator. Ms. Tobin is the Founder and Event Planner
for “Love Wanted Adoptions.” She challenged the suitability of any AC&C Director who could not point to a record of
extraordinary work, innovative ideas, personal visits to the AC&C shelters, and individual effectiveness in improving
shelter conditions, raising funds and increasing adoptions. If a Director couldn’t cite those accomplishments, she
asked for his resignation. (For Ms. Tobin’s full statement, please click here.)
Rita Ba’Or, an AC&C volunteer, asked why the Volunteer Program has been dead in the water for months, while AC&C
animals suffered. She pointed out that dogs are kept in cages, for 24 to 48 hours. She also asked why animals are
padlocked in their cages and what would happen in case of emergency, such as a fire. Ms. Bank answered that the
AC&C needs to protect its animals against being stolen. She assured the audience that the AC&C is working on an
emergency evacuation plan.
Another speaker asked why New York Cares Volunteers are no longer allowed to handle animals. Ms. Bank explained
that most of the bite incidents and lost animals involved NY Care volunteers who need better training and supervision.
NY Cares Volunteers can continue assisting at the shelters on an “episodic” basis, but if they want to handle animals,
they must receive formal training as an AC&C volunteer.
An AC&C cat foster asked why all the cats are so sick and what can be done to prevent them from catching colds. Dr.
Stephanie Janeczko (the AC&C’s Interim Operations Manager) explained that all shelters throughout the U.S. have to
deal with upper respiratory infections (URI). [NOTE: The Shelter Medicine Program at U.C. Davis states “some shelters
and catteries clearly suffer less from URI than others. Although URI can never be totally eradicated, the frequency and
severity of cases can be greatly reduced through a systematic management strategy. Reduction of overcrowding,
effective cleaning, adequate ventilation, stress control, and good preventive medicine are the cornerstones of URI
control in feline populations.” http://www.sheltermedicine.com/portal/is_feline_upper_res.shtml ]
Dr. Janeczko added that animals also fall ill because they are stressed at being at the shelter. She said the AC&C
couldn’t prevent illness and there simply aren’t enough fosters to get cats out of the shelter fast enough before they fall
ill.
A former employee of the Parks Department noted her disappointment at Commissioner Benepe’s absence at the
meeting. She described how enthusiastic the Parks Department Board meetings are, with employees and volunteers
expressing pride at their accomplishments. She hoped that the AC&C Board meeting would one day have a similar
camaraderie.
Another member of the audience politely asked if it were true that dogs weren’t being walked. Crying out in unison,
several volunteers said “yes.” Julie Bank said that the AC&C didn’t have enough employees, but the AC&C was
grateful for volunteers who did come and walk dogs. When pressed further by an audience member who said dogs
were sitting in cages for a day or two at a stretch, Bank acknowledged that dogs aren’t walked “as much as they should
be.”
An audience member asked if the AC&C Board would be opened to new Directors. This question took Commissioner
Farley and his fellow directors by surprise. Dr. Farley said that they would look at the various members’ respective
terms to see if anyone planned on giving up his seat. (NOTE: For years, various people and organizations have
unsuccessfully petitioned the DOH and Mayor Bloomberg to open up the Board to qualified directors.)
And so, another AC&C Board Meeting concluded, and we were left dissatisfied with the Directors’ continuing refusal to
demonstrate how they fulfill their fiduciary duty to the AC&C.
Read more about the people on the AC&C Board.
Health Commissioner Farley had a few surprises for the public attendees. Spotting individuals with video cams, Farley
said that the Board would be devising “rules” about taping, and until those rules were announced, no one would be
allowed to record any meeting. (People have previously taped meetings without restrictions.)
Dr. Farley pointed to a large electronic timer, warning that public speakers would be limited to 3 minutes each, and that
the public session of the meeting would end promptly at 4 PM.
The Directors present were: Commissioner Farley, Dr. Kuhlman, Bruce Doniger, Patrick Nolan, and Lt. David Colon
(the newest Director, representing the Police Department). Absent were Commissioner Adrian Benepe (the Parks
Commissioner, who has not been seen at board meetings for years) and John O’Connor. (A gentleman named Mike
Dockett was sitting in for Commissioner Benepe.)
The meeting began with the Board moving to approve the minutes of the previous meeting. (The Board will not read
the minutes, or post them on the AC&C website.)
A representative of BTQ Accounting reported on the AC&C’s budget. He said that the AC&C was able to balance both
the 2009 and 2010 budgets despite reductions in monies from the DOH. He explained the AC&C was able to balance
the budgets by, in large part, reducing employee benefits. (The AC&C reduced employee benefits by reducing the
number of employees; it is our position that the AC&C was already underserved by qualified staff; and that these
reductions in staff were directly at the expense of the animals’ wellbeing.) The accountant also explained that the
AC&C saved money by cutting down on medical supplies and services. (We don’t believe that reducing medical
services for animals is an acceptable cost-cutting solution.) The Board accepted the accountant’s report without
question or discussion.
Executive Director Julie Bank gave a 15 minute presentation of the accomplishments she described the AC&C has
made since June 2010 and the challenges that still lay ahead. CLICK HERE FOR A RECAP OF HER SPEECH. She
ended her presentation, assuring the audience that she is “open to good, solid ideas that are constructive advice.”
Dr. Farley then opened the meeting to public comments, again warning about the 3-minute rule.
Esther Koslow, a former AC&C Volunteer and currently on the Board of Shelter Reform, was the first to speak. Ms.
Koslow offered as her constructive advice that the AC&C Board resign. Experts agree that the success of any public
charity depends on the quality of its Board of Directors. If the Directors are not committed, innovative, proactive, and
loyal to the charity, the charity will fail. On paper, the AC&C is a public charity, and it has a record of failure throughout
its entire existence.
For Ms. Koslow’s full statement (which she was unable to finish within 3 minute deadline), please click here.
The next speaker was Mary Jo Tobin, former AC&C Events Coordinator. Ms. Tobin is the Founder and Event Planner
for “Love Wanted Adoptions.” She challenged the suitability of any AC&C Director who could not point to a record of
extraordinary work, innovative ideas, personal visits to the AC&C shelters, and individual effectiveness in improving
shelter conditions, raising funds and increasing adoptions. If a Director couldn’t cite those accomplishments, she
asked for his resignation. (For Ms. Tobin’s full statement, please click here.)
Rita Ba’Or, an AC&C volunteer, asked why the Volunteer Program has been dead in the water for months, while AC&C
animals suffered. She pointed out that dogs are kept in cages, for 24 to 48 hours. She also asked why animals are
padlocked in their cages and what would happen in case of emergency, such as a fire. Ms. Bank answered that the
AC&C needs to protect its animals against being stolen. She assured the audience that the AC&C is working on an
emergency evacuation plan.
Another speaker asked why New York Cares Volunteers are no longer allowed to handle animals. Ms. Bank explained
that most of the bite incidents and lost animals involved NY Care volunteers who need better training and supervision.
NY Cares Volunteers can continue assisting at the shelters on an “episodic” basis, but if they want to handle animals,
they must receive formal training as an AC&C volunteer.
An AC&C cat foster asked why all the cats are so sick and what can be done to prevent them from catching colds. Dr.
Stephanie Janeczko (the AC&C’s Interim Operations Manager) explained that all shelters throughout the U.S. have to
deal with upper respiratory infections (URI). [NOTE: The Shelter Medicine Program at U.C. Davis states “some shelters
and catteries clearly suffer less from URI than others. Although URI can never be totally eradicated, the frequency and
severity of cases can be greatly reduced through a systematic management strategy. Reduction of overcrowding,
effective cleaning, adequate ventilation, stress control, and good preventive medicine are the cornerstones of URI
control in feline populations.” http://www.sheltermedicine.com/portal/is_feline_upper_res.shtml ]
Dr. Janeczko added that animals also fall ill because they are stressed at being at the shelter. She said the AC&C
couldn’t prevent illness and there simply aren’t enough fosters to get cats out of the shelter fast enough before they fall
ill.
A former employee of the Parks Department noted her disappointment at Commissioner Benepe’s absence at the
meeting. She described how enthusiastic the Parks Department Board meetings are, with employees and volunteers
expressing pride at their accomplishments. She hoped that the AC&C Board meeting would one day have a similar
camaraderie.
Another member of the audience politely asked if it were true that dogs weren’t being walked. Crying out in unison,
several volunteers said “yes.” Julie Bank said that the AC&C didn’t have enough employees, but the AC&C was
grateful for volunteers who did come and walk dogs. When pressed further by an audience member who said dogs
were sitting in cages for a day or two at a stretch, Bank acknowledged that dogs aren’t walked “as much as they should
be.”
An audience member asked if the AC&C Board would be opened to new Directors. This question took Commissioner
Farley and his fellow directors by surprise. Dr. Farley said that they would look at the various members’ respective
terms to see if anyone planned on giving up his seat. (NOTE: For years, various people and organizations have
unsuccessfully petitioned the DOH and Mayor Bloomberg to open up the Board to qualified directors.)
And so, another AC&C Board Meeting concluded, and we were left dissatisfied with the Directors’ continuing refusal to
demonstrate how they fulfill their fiduciary duty to the AC&C.
Read more about the people on the AC&C Board.
| Shelter Reform Action Committee (SRAC) ShelterReform.org: Everything you ever wanted to know about the AC&C, but were afraid to ask. |