As a former Executive Director of the nonprofit Friends of the Animal(s) Shelter- I can attest to the huge and impactful role FOTAS played in operating the shelter, paying for 2 volunteer coordinators, providing daily care and food for the animals, paying for the Foster home coordinator and considerable veterinary medical care costs as well. FOTAS spent over $200,000 to buy and equip a veterinary trailer onsite and subsidized spay neuter vet bills - called every veterinary and coordinate volunteers to shuttle animals all over the valley for care they needed and were not receiving from county management. Furthermore FOTAS created other animal welfare services and subsidized their costs and provided volunteers to operate and subsidized professional clinics- including monthly vaccination clinics, they bought all the chips to offer new microchip clinics- sponsored Street Dogs outreach and care to the unhoused, and Working Cats to place feral cats all over the valley at vineyards, farms and anywhere requested and appropriate. We bought housing, food and supplies and taught the new placement owners how to maintain their working cats. We partnered with other small rescue groups. Volunteers walked dogs on a schedule every day- helped with adoption counseling and cleaned the cat rooms and kennels! When FOTAS published a plea to the community to donate dog food- because their warehouse donations dwindled- Danny Jordan threw a fit and demanded they take the ad down- but did he offer budget to buy dogfood?? NO! When the fires scorched the building and burned the yard and fence down- who rebuilt it??? FOTAS DID! When the pavement was too hot to walk dogs on - who bought carpets and misting lines to cool their path to the tiny yard? FOTAS did! These are dedicated volunteers who give their time, talent and treasures and open their homes repeatedly to care for, train, and socialize animals until adopted- and helped the shelter not only survive- but reach no-kill shelter status. FOTAS coordinated TV spots and delivery of animals, adoption events at PetSmart and other retailers.
Danny and the BOC only see dollar signs - so they rudely kick out FOTAS after decades of service and support pump up the costs so they can justify a new tax bond as I predicted over 3 years ago! That shelter was built in the early 1960s when the population of JC was 80,000 people- it’s also where animal control dumps every dead carcass of dear and every thing else that would stink up the workspace. These “leaders” don’t care about the animals- they only see a new option to persuade the people to give them more taxpayer dollars- when they already have $200,000,000 in savings- Demand a proper shelter and say no to New Taxes!
Wow! This is one - albeit a huge one - example of why we need to change our county charter. The idea that the county can ignore one of their very few responsibilities and blindly follow what the county administrator sets out as his scheme is appalling. Jackson county often touts as their fine management that they have a huge savings. That huge savings isn't fine management it's failure to provide services.
This is about the animal shelter but is symptomatic of how they 'manage' their few other responsibilities as well. We obviously need change
A disclaimer; I am a supporter of restructuring Jackson County Government, and spent several days a week gathering signatures to get the 3 Ballot Proposals confirmed for inclusion on the May Ballot.
The Gold Hill City Council Majority voted to refer this County Boondoggle to the voters of Gold Hill, on the November Ballot. I appeared before the Council with a letter to enter into the record outlining many of the concerns and information contained in this Guest Opinion, and received much the same treatment from the Council as Denise and Laura did from Danny Jordan and the BOC.
There has been no explanation from the current Board or Danny Jordan as to why the former Volunteer cadre (the equivalent of 11 full time employees were evicted from the current shelter two years ago, creating the disaster happening now.)
This situation screams for the passage of the Three Ballot Measures restructuring the County Government, so please, vote Yes on all three measures. !
It should be noted and publicized that this plan for a new taxing district and increase in Tax Rates was approved by Colleen Roberts and Rick Dyer, at the behest of Danny Jordan, minus any input from the 3rd Commissioner, Dave Dotterer, another very strong reason for increasing the size of the Board to 5 Nonpartisan members.
Cross posted for LISA JAMES:
As a former Executive Director of the nonprofit Friends of the Animal(s) Shelter- I can attest to the huge and impactful role FOTAS played in operating the shelter, paying for 2 volunteer coordinators, providing daily care and food for the animals, paying for the Foster home coordinator and considerable veterinary medical care costs as well. FOTAS spent over $200,000 to buy and equip a veterinary trailer onsite and subsidized spay neuter vet bills - called every veterinary and coordinate volunteers to shuttle animals all over the valley for care they needed and were not receiving from county management. Furthermore FOTAS created other animal welfare services and subsidized their costs and provided volunteers to operate and subsidized professional clinics- including monthly vaccination clinics, they bought all the chips to offer new microchip clinics- sponsored Street Dogs outreach and care to the unhoused, and Working Cats to place feral cats all over the valley at vineyards, farms and anywhere requested and appropriate. We bought housing, food and supplies and taught the new placement owners how to maintain their working cats. We partnered with other small rescue groups. Volunteers walked dogs on a schedule every day- helped with adoption counseling and cleaned the cat rooms and kennels! When FOTAS published a plea to the community to donate dog food- because their warehouse donations dwindled- Danny Jordan threw a fit and demanded they take the ad down- but did he offer budget to buy dogfood?? NO! When the fires scorched the building and burned the yard and fence down- who rebuilt it??? FOTAS DID! When the pavement was too hot to walk dogs on - who bought carpets and misting lines to cool their path to the tiny yard? FOTAS did! These are dedicated volunteers who give their time, talent and treasures and open their homes repeatedly to care for, train, and socialize animals until adopted- and helped the shelter not only survive- but reach no-kill shelter status. FOTAS coordinated TV spots and delivery of animals, adoption events at PetSmart and other retailers.
Danny and the BOC only see dollar signs - so they rudely kick out FOTAS after decades of service and support pump up the costs so they can justify a new tax bond as I predicted over 3 years ago! That shelter was built in the early 1960s when the population of JC was 80,000 people- it’s also where animal control dumps every dead carcass of dear and every thing else that would stink up the workspace. These “leaders” don’t care about the animals- they only see a new option to persuade the people to give them more taxpayer dollars- when they already have $200,000,000 in savings- Demand a proper shelter and say no to New Taxes!
Lisa, thank you so much for this information. I had no idea how much FOTAS did.
Wow! This is one - albeit a huge one - example of why we need to change our county charter. The idea that the county can ignore one of their very few responsibilities and blindly follow what the county administrator sets out as his scheme is appalling. Jackson county often touts as their fine management that they have a huge savings. That huge savings isn't fine management it's failure to provide services.
This is about the animal shelter but is symptomatic of how they 'manage' their few other responsibilities as well. We obviously need change
Thank you, Laura, Denise, and Peter. This appears to be cruel, malicious incompetence. It is sickening.
A disclaimer; I am a supporter of restructuring Jackson County Government, and spent several days a week gathering signatures to get the 3 Ballot Proposals confirmed for inclusion on the May Ballot.
The Gold Hill City Council Majority voted to refer this County Boondoggle to the voters of Gold Hill, on the November Ballot. I appeared before the Council with a letter to enter into the record outlining many of the concerns and information contained in this Guest Opinion, and received much the same treatment from the Council as Denise and Laura did from Danny Jordan and the BOC.
There has been no explanation from the current Board or Danny Jordan as to why the former Volunteer cadre (the equivalent of 11 full time employees were evicted from the current shelter two years ago, creating the disaster happening now.)
This situation screams for the passage of the Three Ballot Measures restructuring the County Government, so please, vote Yes on all three measures. !
It should be noted and publicized that this plan for a new taxing district and increase in Tax Rates was approved by Colleen Roberts and Rick Dyer, at the behest of Danny Jordan, minus any input from the 3rd Commissioner, Dave Dotterer, another very strong reason for increasing the size of the Board to 5 Nonpartisan members.
April 8, 2024 at 7:32 AM Delete
Sad, this is a commentary on our throw away society.