Dear Mr. Pollitt & Council Members:
Aproximately 3-4 yrs ago I went before Council to ask for changes in our Dog Laws. Many of you still serve on Council now as when under the Presidency of John Cannon---- & will remember me. The Committee was formed & took over A Year to get some of the laws changed. That amount of time taken to approve changes was unbelievable to me & many others. With all the research theCommitte did as to how other States Dog Laws were for the betterment of their communities & the animals .Soooo many of the suggestions were not approved to make this Countys Laws updated as should have been done . And as always it still appears to be a major problem with the enforcement of the laws by our Humane Society & who is held accountable for tax payers money there! T here is an big gap not covered as to what's happening with the money. As a tax paying citizen of the County I want to see that changed !
Last nights television coverage of the dogs left in the house at Shamrock Dr., with various complaints from neighbors to the Humane Society & other negligent occurances by them being norated around ---- strongly reinforces the facts-----Things need to be changed there & I feel you you are responsible for making those changes !
No one needs to be on the Board If---- they are related by marriage to the Director of the H. Society---nor does anyone need to be Director if their family is related to the Board member----I see this as a conflict of interest you would not want to be in a business.
It is my understanding Mr. Pollitt is in charge of selecting the "Board" & I am asking that He & the Council demand an audit of the Humane Society --- Have an open meetings at least twice a year ----- Advertised in advance so the people of this town can attend ----Show Exactly where their money is being spent .
I think an audit should be done by one of your choosing & presented to the people of Salisbury . I am hoping you will look into this matter immediately.
I thank you for listening & am most hopeful you are going to show the citizens of this County----You are willing to make changes for the betterment of how the Humane Society is run , that you will make certain others are held accountable & the Tax payers Know what is going on!
Edna Walls
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
The county has a Certified Internal Auditor (CIA). This audit could be added to the annual audit plan at the County Council's request.
ReplyDeleteJoe BC of you and a viewer yesterday and the Article of the dogs locked in the abandoned house,it was picked up by Wboc/Wmdt and the dogs where rescued thanks again,I guess the "Main Stream Media" do monitor your site.
ReplyDeleteGreat Job.
Joe,
ReplyDeleteYour article on the dogs locked up in a abandoned house yesterday got the Attention of the "Mainstream Media" in the local area and the dogs where rescued, I guess the media do watch your site for stories and hits.
Great job to you and the Viewer.
Mr. Fitzgerald needs to go. Then animal control needs to be on call 24 hours. If they have 2 animal control officers they can divide the on call hours up evenly.
ReplyDeleteThen instead of hiring one executive director why not hire 2 people to oversee the Humane Society. Maybe one Director and one Operations Manager. I know it's all related to budget but it sounds like they can figure this issue out. It would be a check and balance to ensure that fiscal funds are being utilized.
They also need to have Sunday hours. The animals have to be cared so someone has to go there and take care of them. The hours they have don't accommodate the majority of individuals who work.
The Board needs to meet on a monthly basis with the Director and Operations Manager to account for every expenditure.
Just a few suggestions but the main thing is Mr. Fitzgerald needs to go.
Well written letter!! I'm so disturbed by the whole situation...Mr. Pollitt show us your worthy of YOUR job and responsibilities...DO THE RIGHT THING
ReplyDeleteSomeone needs to explain why Mr. Fitzgerald with no training or experience was hired at a salary higher than Ms. Lugo's was after ten years. Also, an examination of the ad listing the qualifications for the position will show he had few if any of them. Wasn't he also promised a $5000 boost in salary after six months? If it wasn't nepotism, what was it?
ReplyDeleteLots of comments on this blog when he got the job mentioned watching where the HS money would go. Why were those comments made?
ReplyDeletefitzgerald and gordy and littleton need to hit the road. 3 peas in a pod.nothing but nightmares under there reign of worhlessness.
ReplyDeleteThe Wicomico county humane society website needs improvement. Adoptions should be a number one priority with shelters.
ReplyDeleteFacebook is not up to date either. I would be embarrassed to be on this Board. Both director and Board needs to be jacked up for this dereliction of duty also.
12:14. this was a matter of law enforcement and neither the executive or the council had any authority. it was resolved through the proper and legal manner
ReplyDelete10:39am Well written and I completely agree. There has been more wrong since Fitzgerald has been there. More animal abuse and neglect not to mention the poor morale he creates. He can spend money for his "office", the money needs to be spent on the animals, their care and their adoption not to fatten his wallet.
ReplyDeleteFitzgerald needs to go and Pollitt needs to remove the current Board Members and seek new representation from the public. They have proven they don't deserve the position.
It's clear the place is run by complete amatures. Take a look at Safe Haven webiste and FB. It's updated just about daily with the dogs that are brought in by animal control. The Kent Co SPCA utilizes Craigslist in attempt to reunite lost animals with their owners.
ReplyDeletemore bashing of the humane society this is always happening no matter who is there this was the same when lugo and useiltion was there since no one is happy so just let the county take it over and be done with it and move on
ReplyDeleteIs the latest addition to the board of directors Charlotte Littleton's son?
ReplyDeleteSo. They all need to go. So y'all are ready willin' and able to do the job yourselves. Y'all are gonna volunteer to work on Sundays so the place can be open. That's great 'cause y'all "know it all.
ReplyDeleteThere was a very competent Shelter Manager whose position was conveniently eliminated last July. Her name was Sandy and she had several years of not only shelter experience in DE but also as an animal control officer in DE with the rank of Sgt. She was knowledgeable and more than competent to be the shelter manager. She made sure that the staff did their jobs, that the animals were well cared for and that money was spent on the animals. Kind of makes you wonder why the position was eliminated...
ReplyDeleteperhaps because she was a constant reminder to Fitzgerald of how incompetent he was as the executive director.
Sandy was so good at her job. I think upsets happened when she scolded owners for bringing in nearly-dead dogs, dogs with chains that had been ingrown in their necks, etc. Warm fuzzies that didn't criticize the owners were expected, and that wasn't her style. She cared for animals and defended them from abusers. Her position was eliminated in Mr. Fitzgerald's reorganization. To keep him and get rid of her is sickening.
ReplyDeleteSomeone was complaining about being chastised on their FB just recently so no need to fret 4:40, it's still occuring.
ReplyDeleteNow that being said, I can tell you from expericence scolding and criticizing does nothing to ever improve the situation. If anything it is counterproductive and you never ever want to do anything which may cause the person to take it out on the animal. If you take the animal then they just get another which adds to more breeding and overpopulation.
The HSUS offers resources and guidance for shelters on their site and also a yearly conference which I would encourage 2 shelter employees/volunteers to attend. This year it's in Nashville and it's in May.
They should be utilizing both Facebook and Craigslist on a regular consistant basis including answering any questions asked.
I checked out Safe Haven in DE and their site and Facebook are excellent-very up to date and informative esp useful for possible adopters. It wouldn't hurt for this director and Board to take a peek and copy what they are doing.
There were experienced people who applied for the director's job. They met the qualifications required. All were turned away with the excuse they wanted too high a salary. Guess what untrained person got the salary that was too high for trained applicants!
ReplyDeleteWould be great 6:01 if this shelter would do what Safe Haven is doing! Sounds like they have a nicely run facility there---Bet they are responsible to someone in authority too----not like the Humane Society here. That part just blows my mind---they are free to do what ever they wish with the monies given ---showing only what they want to show as incoming cash & outgo. Unbelievable, just unbelievable & with all complaints made----Nothing is being done by Mr. Pollitt to change any of this.
ReplyDeleteThe HS board members need to educate their selves. The sheriff's dept. only assist animal control if they need them. Animal control is not apart of the sheriff's dept. Animal control dropped the ball on the shamrock dogs. The humane society and animal control need to stop passing the buck and take responsibility for their lack of action. You should be ashamed to make those dogs suffer for over a year.
ReplyDeleteThe only thing animal control and the humane society require is that you give your dogs food, water, shelter and a rabies shot. So you are allowed according to them to lock your dogs up in darkness (which can drive a dog crazy), to live in the own feces with horrific skin condition and ear infections from chronic flees and parasites, pads of back feet worn off because of being on dirty hard concrete. But according to humane society that's not enough grounds to take action. How long were these dogs going suffer before animal control was going do their job.. sad excuse for people that claim to be animal lovers.
ReplyDeleteThis is a County Council problem. They are waaayyyy to far right and more concerned with watching out for the rich folk, rather than the common folk. Just watch them. They are not our peers....they are mostly all rich and white and can't see the forest for the trees. Bunch of grandstanders.
ReplyDelete9:33
ReplyDeleteThis will continue to happen as long as an untrained director stays in the position. It seems that giving one man a job was more important than protecting animals. Nepotism can be ugly.
It's funny!! All these bad comments made by the same 3-4 people. No matter who's at the HS and animal control. The same people complain. this has been going on for over 15 year since I have lived here. AND!! If there are so many local animal rescues around here. then how come so many animals need rescued in our area? You all need to work together.
ReplyDeleteIf anyone remembers back before Linda Lugo, when Kevin Usilton was fired they hired a Director,named Jenifer $$, she lied on her application about her Quilifacations and was QUICKLY FIRED when it was brought to light. But this was before Bonnie Gordy. SO why is Fitsgerald still the Director if he is not Quilified???
ReplyDelete10:00 AM
ReplyDeleteIt is bad to get hired because you lied and made yourself look qualified. It is even worse to get hired when you say you have no qualifications.