Animal control should be re-named "Crestwood animal adoption!" (click here for the story,)
The new name was suggested to me in a post below but I hesitated to do that until I saw this in the "TIMES" yesterday. Now I am all for assisting in the placement of lost or unwanted animals (I have had several over the years,) but not with any tax money!
I requested the call report's of the animal control officer and received two recap. reports with nothing to substantiate them at all. From what I was given (vs what I asked for,)it seems animal control works from memory when she fills out the monthly recap.report (one to two weeks after month's end.) Also there are no vehicle reports, nor are any report's for mileage, fuel, or repairs given.
From what I can tell from what I have requested animal control operates with NO supervision, and in the "NRN" (no report necessary) mode, and we are budgeting $150,000.00 for this duplicate service (don't we deserve a call report after each call for the money we pay her!) I have no idea why daily report's are not required. nor do I see the need for 129 hours of "overtime" as it is reported that 23 calls were handled by our Police department!
Clearly we must DE-FUND this "hobby group," and use the money where it will be more effective, as we can no longer afford to pay for an "animal adoption service" or the related Vet, bills that go with it.
The Nation is on the verge of a depression and full blown hyper inflation and if Crestwood is to survive we must start using common sense in our budgeting! I challenge the Board of Alderman to make the right decision for Crestwood (don't Wait till the election is over,) and cut this from the budget now!
Tom Ford
NO. 714
posted by Crestwood Independent at 07:56
49 Comments:
The amount budgeted for animal control officer is about $50k. The amount budgeted for maintenance on the building, not upgrade of the deplorable conditions of the adoption agency, is about $13K.
Although the amount is less than $150K I am in agreement with elmination of the subsidy.
4:50 PM blogger: That's true until you start adding up the cost of bringing the building into code, and ADA compliance, When you add the funds for that (including correct ventilation) the cost's go to between $140-$150,000.00.
What ever the cost it is still not worth the liability exposure brought on by non compliance and the "Volunteers."
Tom Ford
Don't forget all the man-hours being paid to the police department when the officers are out handling animal calls during "off peak" hours. Didn't someone say that animal control's voice mail tells folks to call our police?
If animal control were absolved, our officers would be freed up to do the things we pay them to do instead of catching dogs.
I checked out one of their arm patches recently. I'm quite sure I did not see the words animal control anywhere on them.
Originally the City budgeted $150,000. Among other things it included a new vehicle.
After the discussion started, they moved the vehicle out a year or two. They also delayed some other things. But, if they continue animal control they will need to spend that or more very soon, and no doubt a salary increase too.
The most dangerous thing I see moneywise, is that the facility is in violation of several codes, and the new vehicle, and the liablity for the City for the volunteers doing a hazardous job. AND..the risk of a Police Officer being injured doing a job they should not be doing, with lost time when the Police are being reduced in force.
Here is something else to check out.
There is an "animal control vehicle" owned by the City. Does that stay in the City? Or is it used as a personal vehicle?
John, I requested the vehicle report's via a FOIA form. There are none!
Would the Mayor's wife (or anyone else) RUN A BUSINESS THIS WAY?
Let's ALL show up Tuesday night and tell the committee just how we feel about this wasteful spending!
Tom Ford
Using poor Norman as a poster child. Shame on you!
8:48 PM blogger: "Poor Norman" is a "virtual Beagle," the product of a deranged mind in Indiana!
Tom Ford
"virtual"? I'm right here in front of this computer typing this. I shall harass you Thomas!
" Norman said...
"virtual"? I'm right here in front of this computer typing this. I shall harass you Thomas!"
9:38 PM, January 20, 2010
Well there you have it folks, he thinks were going to believe a Beagle can type!
Poor deranged soul, sigh!
Tom Ford
Tom,
The dog in the above mentioned story was caught by Crestwood Police. Not animal control.
The police department will have a report for it.
2:50 PM blogger: Yes they will, but how does it get into the paper that the Crestwood "animal adoption agency" was responsible for the "rescue." seems to be the hero?
A further embarrassment, now they give the paper a trumped up story when in fact they were not in on the "rescue?"
From now on the volunteer's should volunteer to stay out all night if necessary to effect the save! What happened here ladies?
Tom Ford
Tom Ford
Sounds like "Ellie Light" works for the Crestwood Animal Control service as their head of P.R.
The dog in the paper's story was caught by a citizen who lives in that neighborhood, actually.
9:32 AM blogger: That's Even worse yet! Why wasn't the home owner credited with saving the animal?
To what extent will this hobby group (AKA, Crestwood animal adoption) go to feather their own nest (with our money!)
Tom Ford
the homeowner, the police, animal control, and many of the animal control volunteers were involved. I live near there and saw it play out for days and days. It was 5 degrees and there were many people tracking through yards, leaving food out, opening garage doors, all trying to get the dog, especially after it was reported he had been hit by a car.
A citizen contacted the police because they saw a stray dog in an area. Animal control was closed as it was late evening. The police searched in the freezing temps for the dog, caught the do and then took him to crestwood animal control.
So if you count the Police dropping off the dog at animal control, I guess animal control was involved... but I think thats a bit of a stretch.
Tom, Can you get the report? It might clarify the circumstances. Also, the paper could correct their mistake.
I'd suggest that if a citizen is so concerned about a stray animal that they keep it in there backyard until crestwood animal control opens or better yet call St Louis county animal control.
Unless the dog is a public threat it is not a police issue.
2:35 PM blogger: I will ask for the report tomorrow. You will please notice that the dog catcher was off, and apparently not sufficiently motivated to try to save the dog!
And all this (which the Police did anyway) for a measly $51,000.00 plus expenses! Great job "dog catcher?" (I doubt if you could catch a cold!)
Tom Ford
Tom,
I saw the article in the TIMES, but I can't find it now. The issue posted is the new issue, but I couldn't find the article. Maybe they did take it off (or I don't know how to find it). Did anyone make a copy? As I recall, it didn't credit the Police at all. It was all about animal control and had a cute picture too.
Is the city admn responsible for the animal control officers job performance? He makes a tidy salary and should be first to mention facts that would help aldermen make decisions. Such as, why does she need a new car, and $51,000 a year? Why can no one ever find her? What does she do actually? In a town of 4 sq miles why is this position not more thoroughly scrutinized? Why is this position not answerable to anyone? Appears there are more questions than answers regarding this animal control matter. Nothing ever gets decided if it become a hot potato that is simply pitched from hand to hand. How about a totally thorough review by 8 aldermen on this matter asap. This animal control person needs to do some convincing.
From what I could find, animal control used to be under Parks and Recreation, and Is now under Public Works.
Apparently, there has been minimal supervision, and record keeping on anything related to animal control.
I wonder if Public Works keeps any kind of records on all their trucks, and other vehicles. I would hope there are records of trips, time, and mileage, and purpose.
I cannot fathom why the Mayor, several aldermen, and a group of volunteers (are they Crestwood residents?) can support an operation that keeps few, if any, records, is often unavailable, requires frequent coverage by our Police, is a duplication of County service, plants false information in the paper, AND IS PAID FOR BY OUR CITY TAXES!
John, the story (photo and all) is available to view by clicking on the header of this subject right above the Beagle pup picture.
Tom Ford
I'd like to offer a first hand commentary on the dog rescue that happened late January 8th. I am the person who actually put the leash on the dog and handed the dog to the police to take to the shelter. Rescuing the dog was the result of the efforts of many people organized and directed by the Animal Control Officer.
I had sighted the dog several days before and as soon as I looked at him he had run away. The next day when I was out shoveling snow with my neighbor a volunteer drove by asking if we had seen the dog. My neighbor said he had just seen him. Suzie Sutton, the Animal Control Officer, arrived shortly thereafter and gave me some history on the dog - where he'd been sighted, what had been tried to get close enough to catch him, and that there was a report he had been hit by a car. The volunteer followed the fresh tracks, but could not find the dog. The next day I had a message on my answering machine from Suzie telling me that the dog had recently been sighted in the area of my house and asking me to leave the gate to my yard open hoping that we could get him into an enclosed area. Later that night my neighbor called me to tell me the dog was in his back yard and had just left. I called the police who kindly came and drove around the neighborhood while my neighbor and I followed the dogs tracks. Finally, we found the dog huddled in a vacant car port. Because of the information I had gotten from Suzie I knew what approaches had previously not worked and so I approached the dog very cautiously and slowly, not looking at or facing him. I sat on the ground and threw food until he started eating and then came to me. I then slipped a leash around his neck and my neighbor called the police who came and took him to the shelter.
As you can see the rescue of this dog was the result of a concerned group of people who were coordinated and directed by Suzie. If she had not kept me informed, I would not have known that he was still in the area and exactly how to approach the dog. The dog was gotten to the shelter before the coldest night in ten years. He was injured and got medical attention the next morning. He has already been adopted.
This is a success story that is the result of a dedicated Animal Control Officer, many caring citizens who called to report the dog, and a group of volunteers who were actively looking for the dog and talking to people in the neighborhood. I just happened to be the person he finally came to who had a leash.
I have given you all the details I know in the hope that the record will be set straight - this was a animal rescue success story because we, in the City of Crestwood, have a dedicated knowledgeable Animal Control Officer and many residents who care enough about animals to take action.
5:12 PM blogger: Thank you for the response, and I really thank you for saving the dog! I also am an animal lover, in fact I have two kennels in my back yard complete with houses, and a fenced in top (I lost both dogs to old age recently.)
Now as to the story in the Times, it never mentions the Police at all, only the Animal control officer and her group. This is a bit mis-leading to say the least, no?
The problems we face in Crestwood are many and varied, but one thing is for sure, we can no longer afford the luxury of an Animal Control officer at $51,000.00 per year, (plus.)
Volunteers are just that. A volunteer is a person who does the job for the love of it, and not it's monetary value. I applaud the entire volunteer group for the job they do, and I certainly wish them well. However I really want (and need) Police officers and Firefighters to watch over me, and I do not want them cut to provide for a duplicate service.
I hope you can understand that this is not personal, but a business decision that must be made if this City expects it's citizens to ever have faith in the elected officials again.
Tom Ford
I will add to the first hand account offered by the previous anonymous poster. I am the neighbor that tracked the dog the night we caught him. It was my yard that he was in when I called her.
There is no need to mention the police in the story. They had nothing to do with catching the dog. As a matter of fact, when we called the police and he came by, he specifically said he could not get out of his car to go looking for a dog, which I agree with. He did circle back around the neighborhood behind just in case he could find the dog, but he did not.
Any story any person heard about the police catching the dog is flat out false. Once we had the dog on a leash, I called the police and the same officer came by to pick him up. He asked why we weren't calling county so that the dog would get seen sooner since he was injured and only using 3 legs. He had dispatch call county who informed them that the dog would not get seen by a vet until Monday (all of this happened on a Friday night).
So, he transported the dog to animal control and left him there overnight. The next day, Suzie spent over 2 hours on the phone trying to find a vet who would see the dog. She persisted until he could get seen that Saturday morning. He had ligament damage and frostbite, which is understandable since he got hit by a car and it was one of the coldest weeks that I can remember (it was near zero the night we got him).
Had Suzie not kept the neighborhood informed and organized, that dog may not be alive right now.
As for duplicate service, I challenge you to prove that anyone at county would have done the same thing. We both know that they wouldn't have, and the dog would have had to wait in pain for another two days to be seen by a vet.
You claim it's not personal and that may be true. However, in the future you may want to make sure you have your own facts straight before you start accusing someone of distorting them.
Amen, Tom!
Its a DOG!! do you know there are some homeless people who stay in the industrial park? too bad the citizens aren't so concerned about their well being in the freezing weather... I suggest if they are so concerned they take any found pet to the APA who will give the animal care and adopt it. Or are you not THAT concerned?
THE CITY IS BROKE PEOPLE!!! it is time to prioritize.
And what will happen the first time some kid gets bitten by a stray dog? All of you will be criticizing the city for eliminating the animal control officer because county was too understaffed to handle it. Keeping citizens safe from humans and stray animals IS prioritizing.
The city can't be all that broke given that the city administrator has stated on more than one occasion that within 3 years the city will be out of debt.
ALthough any person bit by an animal is not good please remember that neither the police nor the dog adoption agency in Crestwood can prevent the incident. These services only react after the fact. Only you can be responsible for prevention.
From the Times article:
"Crestwood Animal Control, with the help of Crestwood residents, rescued this yellow lab mix from the extreme cold last week"
From the posts above it sounds more like several concerned citizens, and the Police, with a little advice from animal control, rescued the dog, and then animal control got it treated at the city's expense.
It's hard to tell the exact cost because there seems to be a lack of records and info on Animal Control. I'll bet there is a police report though.
Originally $150,000 was budgeted for Animal Control this year (including a new vehicle). This has been shuffled around, and other areas (like street repair) have been cut.
I have nothing against the Animal Control person, or having our own Animal Control, IF TIMES ARE GOOD! But look around...the mall is empty, the strip malls are empty. All up and down Watson stores are empty. I doubt many people in Crestwood are "rolling in dough".
I am SHOCKED that some people are fine with reducing our Fire and Police departments, and street repair, and not using county animal control that we pay for, just to have our 'very own animal control'.
No, animal control does NOT react after the fact. If that were true, no effort to find this particular dog would have been made until he had either died or hurt someone. Suggesting that animal control doesn't have an effect on animal-on-human incidents is silly.
And, as a previous post stated, if it's true that the city will be out of debt in 3 years, then what is the concern? Without animal control it may be 2 yrs 10 mos. Big deal.
It's also obvious that anyone who says that the dog was rescued with a "little help" from animal control has a predetermined notion to not want animal control to get any credit. If it weren't for animal control, this dog likely would not have been caught. He would have either died or gotten more desperate which would have forced him to start taking more chances, putting the safety of citizens at risk.
"There is no need to mention the police in the story."
"we called the police and he came by, he specifically said he could not get out of his car to go looking for a dog,"
"I called the police and the same officer came by to pick him up"
"So, he transported the dog to animal control and left him there overnight."
"I challenge you to prove that anyone at county would have done the same thing."
Can you prove the Police were not involved?
It is very questionable that there was a post on here that mentioned knowledge of homeless people living in Crestwood. I ask this poster...have you called the authorities? Have you been there, helped out with sandwiches, blankets? Have you called any churches to get the numbers of those who are set up and equipped to help these people? If you are aware of a need that great and have done nothing, then that says a lot about you as a person. I hope that is not the case. I hope that the person who posted that is taking action to help those in need.
MS. Sutton's new title:
Crestwood Keeper of Stray Dog's History.
It's just common sense when it comes to handling a lost dog/cat. Other animals are "game" and should be treated as such.
It never fails to amaze me what gets resident shorts in a knot.
How many years have we been aware of the loss of retail revenue and the vacancies in our business district? Quite a while, right. Seems back then would have been a brilliant time to beging some serious belt tightening. NOPE, we had to depend on about 10 residents going door to door with a petition to STOP the building of a 14.5 M.$ city hall.
WHERE WERE ALL YOUR VOICES THEN? We were on a Bank Letter of Credit and city hall and public works were collateral. Yes, WHERE WERE YOUR VOICES THEN? WHERE WERE THE MINDS OF YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS THEN???
Where was your outrage when we paid off BIG TIME 2 city administrators and lawsuits during this time of our descending finances? Not to mentions all the change orders and architect fees that were wasted and LEGAL FEES?
Where were the city voices when a private pool was allowed to be built smack dab amidst resident backyards. Imagine the noise, and lack of privacy and outrage. Never mind that city officials and members of this pool were on Board of A and on Planning and Zoning.
When was the last time you asked how many police cars we need and how many white shirts we have in the police Dept. and how many Dept Heads and Indian Chiefs the city has for 4 sq miles and 12,000 people?
When did you offer to fill a seat on a comittee or attend an alderman meeting or call your alderman with a concern or question? Or, ask to be put on the agenda so you can speak at a meeting? Animal Control is not the only problem. Notice I didn't even bring up ineffectual officials.
One has to wonder about priorities in this city. Some of you are distrubed about the animal control controversy, some more sensitive of you find this department one of the pluses of our unique city.
More importantly, resident voices are important, but WHERE THE HECK HAVE THEY BEEN? May I suggest the voices that are so compelled to pounce on just certain concerns, open their minds to all concerns.
9:45 PM blogger: YES, animal control does act after the fact (unless your going to tell us that she is psychic and for saw the runaway dog.)
Let's face it folks ALL emergence service personnel react to a visual siting, a radio call, or a citizen call / complaint! What are the odds of Ms. Sutton "just being there" when that dog ran away? 0%, that's what.
As long as were "challenging," just how did "Susie" organize their neighborhood? Were there "patrol's," or was a phone tree set up? Why wasn't a "reverse 911" phone call made? Face it friend, she REACTED, that's her job!
Now as to County, did anyone call them ? No they didn't, did they. And that said was Ms. Sutton sufficiently motivated to come at once to save the dog ? No, she was not,was she as the Police had to take it to the shelter until Ms. Sutton arrived back at work.
One thing you have a point on, and that's "duplicate service." As I reflect on it, County has the service 24/7/365, where as we have it 8/5/351 (unless she is Ill, or has further days off. "Duplicate service?" Well your right, we have no "duplicate service" as county beats us hands down!
I said it before, and I repeat, "this is not personal," so try and remove the emotional part of your argument and look at the hard fiscal facts for a change!
Tom Ford
I guess i am to "heartless" not to consider a poor animal more important than a human being, but the truth is I don't!
The day after Christmas my wife fell and broke her hip. We did not call 911 (but I could have in a second) as I have been trained in emergency response, and handled it (the hospital trip) with the aid of my son's.
I report this because I want you all to know that Crestwood had to abandon the ambulance a while back due to staffing requirements, and we now have EMT / Paramedics on every fire truck.
A fire truck cannot transport obviously so we have Abbott Ambulance under contract to transport to the hospital.
So what you say, well, a full blown pumper truck is a heck of a lot slower than an ambulance (suppose you have a heart attack?), and while well equipped, is not as comfortable!
This brings me back to the dog scenario, you see I want humans saved before animals! Sorry but it's just my nature, and I do not wish ANY of my tax money used for animal control until, or when we can put the ambulance back in service, and then we will see if we can afford animal control, simple, no?
Tom Ford
Excellent points Tom. Please answer this question all posters. The BOA is not there to decide who is hired and fired. According to the charter hiring and firing is the city administrators job. Why is the BOA even involved? Hey BOA!!! Give the decision back to CA where it belongs. To the coward city adminstrator.
it seems there are an awful lot of personal attacks from those who insist it isn't personal.
"WHERE WERE ALL YOUR VOICES THEN?"
I think "the people" were involved then too. But it was mostly in meetings, and in the paper. Now we have things like this blog where we can all post out thoughts (even anonymously) and go round and round on all these various issues. I think it is great! One of the problems with the meetings is that they are often deadly boring, and sometimes time is wasted on petty personal squabbles. Also, there are time conflicts for some people.
Ideally, all the citizens should be at every meeting...but that is not likely to happen. I try to go to some of the meetings, but can't make them all. So, here we are. This is a great way for all those who want to to say their piece. We will never all agree. But that is the way it is.
"Crestwood friends of animals" does not have their own 501C3 as some here believe, rather they are a local chapter of the National group using theirs!
I thought that Alderwoman Beasley said it was theirs alone? What's the real truth M. Beasley?
Tom Ford
Friends of Animal Control and Rescue is not the same thing as the Friends of Animals that the city runs. Two different entities.
I think I will start a 501C3 called,
Citizens of Crestwood Who are Sick of Wasting our taxes for an Animal Control Officer
Nah, much too wordy.
Tom, Crestwood does not and has NEVER had an Ambulance. They had a rescue truck that DID NOT transport people to the hospital. That vehicle was eliminated and the medics were put on the pumpers. This system is working for the department just fine. DO YOUR HOMEWORK before you go reporting on a subject. Hope your wife is recovering quickly.
A "rescue truck?" What the heck is a "rescue truck?" I can clearly remember the "rescue truck" going on "Ambulance" type calls before we lost the personnel to man it!
Been here long? If you have (and you can still remember it) I believe you will agree that the "Rescue truck" ran Med calls.
Ask the Fire Chief, or the paramedics.
PS: Wife is doing well, thank you for asking.
Tom Ford
Yes the Rescue Truck ran Medical Calls. So did the Pumpers when the Rescue Truck was on a call already. The Rescue Truck was a vehicle that carried rescue tools (jaws of life, forcible entry tools) as well as Advanced Life Support Equipment for medical calls. All that equipment is now on the Pumpers. The Rescue Truck was taken out of service long before the manpower was gone (a good two to three years) to properly staff it. The Rescue Truck did not transport patients to the hospital.
9:30 AM blogger: Thank you!
Tom Ford
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