How convent that this should post today of all days ! (please click here for the story.)
On the very day when the leading thing on the BOA meeting agenda is "animal control" we see a "puff piece" in the newspaper ! Now what's the chances of that "human interest" story would appear today of all days ?
ZERO unless someone has called the paper to "report" on this duplicate service, and how wonderful it is (so they say.) Just as timely we see quotes from "His Honor," such as,"Mayor Roy Robinson said he is a firm backer of local animal control."
"This city has almost become a haven for animal enthusiasts," he said. "Some people think St. Louis County can provide the same service but they don't — they are undermanned." (Not so.)
As you read the piece you will also note the quote from "friends of animal control" that says they have raised "thousands of dollars" to keep it. Interesting as the 2011 budget still has $53,000.00 to cover the expense of animal control. If they have raised all that money, what is it going for since we seem to be paying about the same amount year after year?
Were facing shortfalls in almost every department in Crestwood, the animal control officer is retiring "very soon" and yet "His Honor" still refuses to see the need to discontinue this duplication of expenses !
Oh wait, I almost forgot, it's election time in April and "His Honor" will d and say whatever is needed to be re-elected, right ? Well folks, don't be taken in by this sham, call your Alderman and tell them to drop this position when Ms. Sutton retires as we can no longer afford the luxury of duplicate services !
And please take a close look at Mr. Jeff Schlink for mayor, you won't be sorry that you did.
Tom Ford
N). 859
posted by Crestwood Independent at 11:58
10 Comments:
http://www.reuters.com/
article/2011/02/24/libya
-merrill-
idUSLDE71N2I720110224
How long do we keep paying for the gas in the animal control vehicle with current events as they are ?
Tom Ford
Big awards night for Animal control, only one (Mary Wheat) showed up !
And to think were paying for this fiasco !
One more reason to toss out Robinson !
Tom Ford
8:57 PM Blogger: Well that's a really interesting comment, the only problem is its' wrong !
If we were to actually have County as our animal control we would have 365 days per year animal control, not just the hours the officer is"supposed" to be there but 24 / 7.
Look around, you will see that Webster Groves, Kirkwood, Wildwood, and even Ladue and Frontenac ALL use County. Do you really believe they would if what you said was true ?
Next thing you will be telling us that the animals will be shot (ALA Roy !) If your going to support Roy for mayor just say so (we won't knock you) and leave the emotional comments off your agenda !
Animal control is a luxury we can no longer afford "Angel," something has to go and a $50,000.00 (plus) cost when it (IS A DUPLICATE SERVICE) is the right thing to do, and I believe you know it.
By the way I have lived in this same house on a park no less for 42 years and in all that time not one of my relatives have EVER reported a raccoon at the bus stop "making friends."
Tom Ford
I agree with Angel. I AM a Crestwood resident and also a wildlife rehabilitator for the last 12 years. Every year, I personally pick up dozens of injured and sick wildlife that St Louis County won't deal with. I never get calls from Crestwood residents because Crestwood Animal Control takes care of it. I wish I could say the same of the surrounding communities.
7:01 PM Blogger: "Angel" if your so interested in saving animals get yourself trained and do it minus our tax money !
Why should any of us have to spend one cent on your animal adoption club ?
Explain that, PLEASE,
Tom Ford
It's funny, I read this thread because I read that this was an issue that will be settled in the upcoming election. And I searched around to see who was correct. I found several private wildlife removal companies with a blurb on their website that all seemed to say the same thing in different forms, I copied the last one, here it is:
"It is important to remember that most county animal services in Saint Louis County and elsewhere no longer provide assistance in cases involving wild animals and wildlife management. If you have a wildlife problem or need to get rid of wildlife, need an exterminator or exterminating company, pest control or critter trapping or traps or wild animal prevention in Saint Louis County, you should call a privately owned wildlife removal company."
So point for Angel, I then read stories about the officer soon to retire and saw several times that she responds at all hours and came from a background of caring for animals wild or not. Again point for Angel.
For those keeping track, it's Angel 2, Mr. Ford 0.
I consider my tax dollars going to this program as insurance, a plan that I could not buy myself if I tried. I hope to never require the services but want to know that I can use them if needed. I do plan on calling in a few times to St. Louis County to test their response to wildlife calls, if Angel is correct there as well then it's:
Angel 3, Mr. Ford 0
And if my vote really does determine if this program continues then so be it, even if I prefer one candidate over another, I will go with the one that does not seek to recover such a small sum in the larger picture at the expense of this program.
Just for the record, Animal Control is not only about wildife problems. Barking dogs in the middle of the night for hours on end, dogs & cats running loose in the neighborhood. These problems affect not only animal lovers but even those who do not care for animals. A 72 hour turn-around time is not helpful at 2:00 am. Getting that resolved take time in either case but longer if you don't start on it immediately.
Animal Control in Crestwood has been whittled down to one employee and a group of wonderful volunteers who have raised money to help support their cause. All of this is in addition to the budgeted money for Animal Contol.
In defense of St Louis County Animal Control, they are feeling the constraints of the recent economy as much as every other organization. They have a lot of area to cover and not enough agents. They will "cover" Crestwood, but I don't imagine they are going to add another person to do it, so they will be spread thin even more.
I'll vote for Mayor Robinson again for other reasons as well, but it is apparent that Tom Ford in quite misinformed.
As a resident of Crestwood and an animal lover, I have used their services in the past. It's good to know that if my pet somehow gets out while I am at work, the chances are good that he will be found & safe when I get home from work and realize he's gone. The fee to get him back is well worth it for me. It only happened once, but that was enough for me.
While it apparently doesn't completely pay for itself, it does seem that in addition to the cost of animal control, there must be some revenue as well, since there are fees to get your animal back. This makes the $50,000 cost in our budget even less! In a million dollar budget, this is small change.
8:49 a.m. 3/30 - I agree with you totally. People in Crestwood use to make contributions to our animal control facility and there use to be a great deal of effort put forth by volunteers as well as those who served on the animal control board to keep it going.
Tom Ford however is concerned about the gas the animal control vehicle uses. Our problems would be over, if we could just figure out a way to cyphon all the gas he uses on this blog with words coming out of his mouth (most all of them doing one thing - being negative about the mayor), we then could keep all of our vehicles running in every single solatary department in the city.
Just a thought.
I agree with Angel's remarks. Just another example of Tom Ford saying things that are not true because he thinks he knows everything. Read what Angel said regarding Tom's remarks about the County and her's regarding the Humane Society. This is an example of how you can't believe what he says or subscribe to his gargabe. Thanks again Angel!
Animal Control will be missed by many. Trouble is Crestwood has been taken care of so deligently by our own officer, the people just don't know it yet.
Just wait until we start having dogs running loose again and the County doesn't get to Crestwood in time to catch them. Then they get hungry and start tearing up your garbage bags looking for food and the next day you have to go out there and clean it up.
Maybe you are not old enough to remember those days but I do.
Also, Highway 366 goes right through Crestwood. So wait until people who cannot afford to keep their pet any longer, decide instead of going to stray rescue or a shelter, they can just as easily drop the animal off at the highway where it can come across into our Crestwood neighborhoods.
Tom Ford loves to quote famous people to make a point. Well I got a quote for him, "don't cut your nose off to spite your face".
Post a Comment
<< Home