Animal Shelter Advisory Committee Fails to Get Quorum 2nd Month in Row

Despite appointing three members at Tuesday's City Council meeting the Animal Services Advisory Committee failed to get a quorum for its July 20th scheduled meeting.  Only four members of the current six appointees comprise a quorum.  This is the second month in a row the board did not meet due to poor attendance from appointed representatives.

After the cancelled June Animal Shelter Director James Flores resigned.  His resignation had two dramatically different story lines.  One had Flores the hero, the other saw him resign under pressure from poor handling of a series of events:

1) a shelter distemper outbreak, which may be lingering
2) the failure to respond to dog packs killing small pets near Glenmore Park/Old Christoval Road
3) the extermination of Misty after she'd been hurt by a car but appeared to have non-life threatening injuries
4) the $700 fine for two dogs temporarily being out of their yard and not being micro-chipped.
5) the prospect that the city's former veterinarian did not perform spays/neuters for shelter pets as represented by the vet and former Shelter Director James Flores. 

These issues remain outstanding but none of them were on the June or July ASAC agenda.  In addition, Flores outright lied in his representations to the ASAC on other Texas cities handling of community cats.  This discovery was not made by ASAC members or its chair, the group providing oversight.  It took an interested citizen to submit a public information request on the survey and conduct research which revealed Flores' numerous misrepresentations. 

Oddly, the June meeting only lacked one member for a quorum.  Sitting in the audience was former ASAC Chair Jenie Wilson, who'd apparently submitted her resignation.  As her resignation had not been accepted by the board or City Council I wondered why didn't she start the meeting, allow public comment and then entertain the agenda.  As this scenario did not happen many citizens who took the time to participate in local governance did not have an opportunity to speak in public comment.

The Standard Times article indicated Wilson resigned in time for it to be placed on the agenda, which must be posted 48 hours in advance.  

Jenie Wilson, who served as the chairwoman of the Animal Shelter Advisory Committee and resigned about a week ago, was also in the audience, waiting.--6-15-17

"I have my hands full with Concho Valley PAWS," Wilson said about her resignation. "There are only so many hours in the day and I decided to focus on all the positive things going on with PAWS and the shelter."

City Councilman Tommy Thompson re-appointed Wilson, the person who prevented public comment on the series of issues.  He did so as a new City Council representative, citing staff support as the main reason.  He did not indicate how he helped Jenie find more hours in the day to return to her ASAC role.

Consider approval of the withdrawal of a resignation and reinstatement of the Jenie Wilson (SMD2) to the Animal Services Advisory Committeee.

Thompson did so despite receiving numerous letters of concern about Wilson's clear conflict of interest overseeing a $60,000 contract with the city to run shelter adoptions.  The series of controversies arose under her board leadership and have not been placed on the agenda for the public to hear the results of needed investigations.

The new regime added this to the ASAC agenda:

All agenda items are subject to action. The Animal Services Advisory Committee reserves the right to consider business out of posted order and/or meet in a closed session on any agenda item should the need arise and if applicable pursuant to authorization by Title 5, Chapter 551, of the Texas Government Code.

This language did not exist prior to the July agenda.  In addition to cancelling two meetings in a row the ASAC has two new tools to limit public comment.  Many people who wanted to give comment in June took off work to do so.  Moving items can impact people's ability to offer comment on a listed agenda item.  Addressing an item in closed session completely removes public comment and accountability.

Eventually the newly reconstituted ASAC will meet.  Their first task will be to select officers.  It will be interesting to see who they nominate and elect.  I expect City staff (who engineer the composition of the board) to influence the selection of officers.  It's a longstanding San Angelo tradition. 

Update 7-31-17:  Ms. Wilson's resignation letter was sent on Friday, June 9, 2017 at 1:29 am to Michael Dane, Bob Salas, James Flores and five members of the ASAC.  Oddly, current ASAC member Bradley Petty was not included in the e-mail list.  The scheduled meeting for June 15, six days after her resignation, was not held.