The Partner/No Partner BFAS Dance

Shelter Chief Morgan Chegwidden's big project was defending the city's "Let them roam unaltered" policy regarding loose dogs, now at third world levels in most neighborhoods.  She did so at the 12-3-24 City Council meeting.  A question arose about the relationship between the shelter and Best Friends Animal Society.  Morgan said the city did not have a signed partner agreement.

She did not share any of the following collaborations (current since 11-1-24):  

1. Bite investigation course -  COSA staff to attend BFAS course
2. Sharing COSA Animal Control cases for last FY  --  BFAS to heat map
3. BFAS virtual rounds training with the shelter medicine team -- Animal Shelter and CV PAWS

It sounds like a partnership, smells like partnership, and reads like a partnership. This is not the first time Morgan has been less than forthcoming in this area.  

Council deserves openness and honesty.  It isn't getting it and has not for quite some time.  That's not a great foundation for going forward.  

Shelter Took 22 Dog Surrenders in FY23-24

Concho Valley PAWS recent public relations blitz over possible changes to San Angelo Animal Shelter dog intake said the following:

Dog intake diversion does not mean dog intake is "closed" but instead allows support alternatives that prevent shelter overcrowding and euthanasia for space.

Now not closed is it?  Twenty seven owners surrendered their pet to the Shelter for fiscal year 2023-24, 22 of those were dog surrenders.  One person returned their dog during the same period.

Consider the history of cuts implemented by the Shelter in conjunction with PAWS:

Who gets the 1.8 dog surrenders per month and the one dog return per year?  Likely someone who wrote their City Council member.

Data Driven Animal Services Drove Dogs into San Angelo Streets

City Council finally faced San Angelo's third world loose dog problem after an Animal Control Officer was brutally attacked by several large dogs.  The City Council member with the longest tenure, having served multiple terms over several decades, asked "why do we even have Animal Services?"  

For a brief moment it looked like Council might wash their hands of the whole mess by contracting it out.  Beleaguered Council members receive frequent calls and emails from constituents regarding animal related issues, including other major dog attacks that have not been reported in the news.

Animal Services chose to serve dogs in the shelter and those that come into contact with Animal Control Officers over the general public and did so with Council's blessing.  Shelter Chief Morgan Chegwidden's slide shows that history.  She mentioned a few intake numbers but she did not show:

Morgan disputed the city has a "let them roam unaltered" policy in her presentation but that contention was refuted by the many citizens offering public comment.  Citizens said over and over, Animal Control instructed them to "let the loose dog roam."

Chegwidden reluctantly spoke to the large numbers of dogs leaving the Animal Shelter still able to reproduce.  That has been happening for years, thus San Angelo effectively has "let them roam unaltered."

Urgently needed shelter renovations, once expected to be completed in August 2023, may be finished in November 2025.   Mayor Brenda Gunter noted her displeasure with unfulfilled commitments on this project.

Council decided to form a task force and delegated this task to City Manager Daniel Valenzuela.  Staff recommended shelter leadership and PAWS work on the issue with "additional stakeholders designated as needed."  Mayor Gunter expressed her desire for a game plan within 45 days.

City Council is clearly divided on this issue.  Some stated their desire to do the minimum and focus on Animal Control.  Others said we can serve citizens and pets simultaneously, while enforcing city ordinances, ramping up spay-neuter and getting dangerous dogs off the street.

It was odd seeing PAWS Director Jenie Wilson compliment Council during her public comment, especially after stirring up the public for days that Council might cut "lifesaving programming."  

Wilson should have been next to Morgan during her presentation, answering questions about PAWS role.  She wasn't so Morgan could just say "I cannot speak for PAWS" in response.   

It remains to be seen who Valenzuela appoints to San Angelo's Loose Dog Roundup Task Force other than Morgan and Jenie.   It took years to create third world levels of loose dogs and will take years to undo.  Can the pair who got us there get us out of the current mess?

Update 12-13-24:  Critter Shack Rescue's Sharon Halfmann wrote on Facebook:

The failure of the City of San Angelo to enforce the spay/neuter/vaccination ordinance is one of the problems at the heart of the animal overpopulation issue. Very few citations are given and the backlog of tickets is months if not years long. 

The failed “no-kill” movement here and other places in Texas and throughout the US has resulted in record numbers of strays on the streets, where they are often run over, die of starvation, dehydration or illness, become pregnant or impregnate other dogs, or become dangerous packs. 

 Local rescues are overwhelmed, adoptions numbers are down, resources are limited and the shelter is often completely closed to intake. 

If the City can admit that recent policies have failed and that real, wide-reaching change needs to take place, that spay/neuter ordinances need to be strictly enforced and education and low-cost alternatives for pet owners is absolutely necessary, perhaps we can move forward to address these issues as a community - City, pet owners, rescues, concerned citizens. 

We so desperately need to move forward to better the lives of area animals, and that can only happen if entities and citizens work together cooperatively for that common goal, in a realistic manner that brings about real, positive changes.

Shelter: Six Years of Decreased Intake

San Angelo City Council will discuss dog intake policies in its upcoming meeting.  The City of San Angelo Animal Shelter contracts with Concho Valley PAWS for adoption and veterinary services.  Together these organizations have choked off shelter intake in a series of changes over the last six years.  Council's background packet has historical statistics on shelter intake.  Missing is the just completed fiscal year.

In FY24 the Shelter took in 2,259 pets, a decrease of 642 or 22% fewer than the year before.  PAWS began assisting the Shelter via a contractor relationship in FY18 (when the shelter took in 5,914 pets). During PAWS tenure City Animal Shelter intake decreased 62% or by 3,655 pets.  That's a drop of 300 pets per month.

Anyone dealing with the Animal Shelter or Concho Valley PAWS hears how "data driven" they are, but rarely see much, if any data, especially on spay/neuter. 

Contrast PAWS characterization of the meeting in an e-mail to supporters:

City Council to Consider Eliminating

Critical Life Saving Programs for Animals

With city management's recommendation:

...referring the intake policies to the originating committee, including Animal Services staff and Concho Valley PAWS leadership.

San Angelo Live, often a shelter/PAWS mouthpiece, wrote about referring to the originating committee but failed to include that Concho Valley PAWS is a key part of that committee.  They later ran a piece specifically on PAWS concerns.

Live somehow missed Animal Shelter service cuts to the tax-paying public (while their budget grew tremendously).  Pets Alive and Best Friends Animal Society drove new shelter initiatives which shifted responsibility to "the community."

"Community sheltering" started years after the city instituted mandatory spay/neuter ordinance for pets.  A chronic lack of enforcement meant litters of puppies and kittens contributed to shelter overcrowding.  The City Shelter added to the overpopulation by returning thousands of unaltered pets to owners.

Neither moving to assisted living nor death are valid reasons for the shelter to accept a pet.  The number of loose dogs in our community grew significantly under "managed intake."  In January Shelter Chief Morgan Chegwidden called it a crisis as "pet owners are dumping their animals at the Animal Shelter or letting them loose."

The recent dog attack on an Animal Control Officer arose from a home that had ten dogs, many unaltered.  The owner had citations for both failure to spay/neuter and not having a permit for having at least seven dogs.  Social media reports indicate the owner tried to surrender some dogs to the shelter to remedy their situation but was refused.  The city has no documents relative to this report.  The horrific nature of the attack on a professional may have been the impetus for this agenda item.  If a trained officer could be taken down what chance would a regular citizen have?

Concho Valley PAWS is mobilizing its supporters to turn out for public comment.  It's e-mail outreach included: 

Dog intake diversion does not mean dog intake is "closed" but instead allows support alternatives that prevent shelter overcrowding and euthanasia for space.

The reality for many residents has been that the shelter is closed to them for their particular need.  The City ran a story on shelter dog "Amelia" who'd been turned out into the streets:

Amelia’s “mom” passed away several years ago after a long battle with cancer. It appears her “dad” attempted daily care for Amelia while struggling with his own health but was ultimately hospitalized and permanently moved to assisted living.  No one was coming for Amelia.

And she did not qualify for owner surrender under city shelter policies.  The story read like an indictment of managed intake.

It took years to get into this sad and disturbing situation.  And it will take years to get out of it.  An overwhelming public comment session from Concho Valley PAWS followers will likely not help City Council deal with underlying issues or help them paint a picture that balances the needs of people/pet owners with the needs of pets currently in the shelter alongside the need for safe city streets.  

The need for this picture has been a long time coming.  Delegate this to an "originating committee" and it may never get painted.

Update 11-30-24:  ConchoValleyHomepage ran a story on PAWS outreach but noted that PAWS leadership is part of the solution.  The story did not show the dramatic decline in shelter intake over the last six years.

Mayor Brenda Gunter's State of the City address included public safety but not Animal Services.  She did talk a lot about public-private partnerships.  Might one involve Animal Services?

Best Friends/Pets Alive Programming Problematic

The City of Los Angeles began working with Best Friends Animal Society in 2020, several years after the City of San Angelo began working with Pets Alive, a similar organization.  

The City no longer takes owner surrendered pets due to things like owner illness or death. (ASAC approved 4-19-19) 

 The City no longer will euthanize a pet for a resident of San Angelo. (ASAC approved 8-15-19)

The City no longer accepts pets from Tom Green County (ASAC approved 1-21-21) 

LA officials are questioning the value of their relationship with Best Friends.  San Angelo City Councilmembers cannot get a straight answer to their questions about the relationship, even though the Shelter Chief attended Best Friends' Executive Leadership Certification tuition free.  

City Council plans to talk about dog intake policies in their meeting next week, scheduled for December 3rd at 8:30 am.  

Staff recommends referring the intake policies to the originating committee, including Animal Services staff and Concho Valley PAWS leadership.

Yes, the partnership that turned San Angelo into a third world community for loose pets .  Some of that history over the last six years can be seen in the posts below (most have data obtained from the City of San Angelo).

Community Releases:

"More Dogs on the Street than Ever" --  January 2024

"Council Endorses Let Them Roam Unaltered" -- February 2024

Managed Intake:

"Council to Undertake Restricting Animal Services to City Limits" -- March 2021

"Celebrating Not Taking Pets Except in Rare Circumstances" - October 2021

"Shelter Tightens Intake Chokehold" -- August 2022

"Council Supports Restricting Current Shelter Operations" -- November 2022

Deprioritizing Spay/Neuter:

"Animal Shelter Update to Council Next Week" -- October 2022

"Council to "Accept" Animal Shelter-PAWS Update" -- February 2024

"Shelter Released Unaltered Community Cats for Few Months" -- June 2021

"Puppies Fill Shelter Again" -- February 2024

"Animal Shelter Released 500 Unaltered Dogs over Six Month P'Bingoeriod" -- September 2018

"Bingo PIR:  Municipal Court Citations for Unaltered Shelter Pets" -- November 2023

"Proclaim Public Compliance Data on Spay/Neuter" -- February 2018

"City Animal Shelter Seeks Bids for Adoption Services" -- April 2020

"Spay/Neutering San Angelo's Legions of Unaltered Pets" -- November 2022

"Three Dogs Gave Birth in Shelter" --  June 2022

"Shelter Still Lacks Compliance Data on Spay/Neuter Ordinance" -- June 2021

Salas Retirement Nearing?

Big changes could be looming for the City Animal Shelter.  The upcoming retirement of Director of Neighborhood Services Bob Salas may initiate a cascade of changes.  Recently, the city contracted out its affordable housing program to Galilee Development.  The Shelter could be next.

Concho Valley PAWS Executive Director Jenie Wilson met with Morgan in June to talk about an arrangement where PAWS might take over more shelter operations.  The pair traveled to Abilene to view their shelter which underwent similar changes.  

Morgan wanted to know if PAWS was interested in taking over the shelter and Animal Control under a contract arrangement.  Wilson wanted to explore it further after the city renovated the shelter.  That project, funding approved in March 2023, is yet to be put out for construction bids.  

City management has long wanted to dump the shelter onto a community organization.  It seems a poor fit for an area animal rescue organization to enforce city ordinances, deal with animal bites (that have soared since City Council put a hard cap on the dog population), conduct rabies quarantines, as well as handle loose and abused livestock.  Picking up dead animals seems particularly odious for an area rescue.

Bob will be gone soon if reports of his retirement are correct.  I recall his promise that "fewer strays would be in the streets" with the mandatory spay/neuter ordinance.  

Instead, San Angelo has third world levels of loose animals, requiring City Council members to repeatedly intervene on constituents' behalf to get service from Animal Services.  

Morgan will likely be promoted to the top job.  Let's hope it doesn't turn into a contractor oversight position.  The City has lots of work to do making amends for releasing thousands of unaltered animals, turning the shelter into a long term facility for large dogs, failing to enforce city ordinances and making the shelter inaccessible to citizens needing to surrender their pet.

It took years of Pets Alive and Best Friends Animal Society strategies to populate San Angelo city streets with strays.  It will take years to reverse the damage.  I'm not sure the person who helped create the problem is the best one to address it.  

Update 12-21-24:  The City of San Angelo announced the retirement of Bob Salas.  Morgan's promotion is on track per the agreed upon schedule.

PAWS Shelter Litter Disconnect

The City of San Angelo and Concho Valley PAWS frequently cite their close working relationship in serving the needs of shelter animals.  The Animal Shelter experienced bouts of overcrowding due to litters of kittens and puppies.  

The city's website refers citizens with kittens to PAWS Mommy & Me program via a link.

Everything about PAWS Mommy & Me program is dogs and puppies, not cats and kittens.  

This collaboration, if someone is able to navigate the marketing disconnect, has consequences:

I understand that if I at any time change my mind and surrender the puppies to the Shelter, give them away, abandon them or sell them, I have nullified our agreement and will be required to reimburse Concho Valley PAWS for all of the veterinary expense associated with the mother dog and litter but not limited to the cost of the mother dog's spay and vaccinations as well as any vaccines given to the puppies.

One might expect a seven year, close collaboration to not confuse citizens and for there not to be financial penalties for using one partner vs. the other.  That is if the goal really is to serve.

"Energy Storage Company": Peregrine Energy's Zeppelin Energy Storage & Technology Towers

On August 23, 2024 Assistant City Manager Michael Dane sent letters to Tom Green County Judge Lane Carter and SAISD Superintendent Dr. Chris Moran.  The letter stated:

The City of San Angelo City Council intends to hold a Public Hearing regarding a request by Technology Towers, LLC to designate its property located at the easterly 12.9 acres of land, more or less, out of a 32 acre tract of land, more or less, out of Survey 1114, Abstract No. 8036, F. Tankersley, Tom Green County, Texas, and being more particularly described as Parcel 2 in that certain Warranty Deed dated June 1, 2007, of record at Instrument No. 633054, Official Public Records, Tom Green County, Texas (see attached) as a reinvestment zone for purposes of obtaining an abatement of the increase in City of San Angelo ad valorem taxes resulting from a proposed capital investment by Zeppelin Energy Storage LLC of up to 160 Million Dollars in business personal property.

Dane presented this item to City Council on September 3, 2024.  

His slide with "company information" never identified any of the companies involved, Peregrine Energy, Zeppelin Energy Storage, Technology Towers or McGuire Woods Consulting LLC. (on behalf of Peregrine Energy).

Michael Dane did mention a ten year tax abatement Council recently awarded and assured elected officials that this abatement was for a shorter period of time (also for far more money-$ amount not shared).  

Technology Towers received that ten year abatement for improvements planned at the former Sitel Building, another fact not shared in the September 3rd City Council meeting.

Council's public support for Technology Towers projects include three different subsidies.

 The body of the letter sent to Tom Green County and San Angelo Independent School district is below:

The economic development analysis projects virtually no employment from the project over its ten year life.

That's what staff knew that Council and the public did not hear on September 3rd.  Peregrine Energy is private equity funded on both the equity and debt side.  It's rather Grinch like to save private equity investors millions, while foisting new health insurance deductibles on retired city workers.  

The Zeppelin Energy Storage LLC tax abatement agreement must come back before Council.  It would be nice to hear someone ask about wisdom of significant tax abatement when retirees on fixed, low incomes cannot afford their next medicine refill, a hospital test or outpatient surgery.

Animal Services Visited Home of Dog Attack in August & September

 

City records show Animal Control visited the address of the recent dog attack on ACO Floyd Bias in August and September.  Two visits on September 6th resulted in citations for two unaltered dogs and not having a multi-pet owners permit, required for people with more than 7 dogs.  

Social media reports indicate that between the citations on 9-6 and the 11-6 attack the owner tried to surrender dogs to the Animal Shelter, but were refused.  City documents did not address this contention.  

It's not clear the unaltered dogs cited for failure to spay/neuter on 9-6 are the same dogs that perpetrated the attack on 11-6 as their microchip numbers were not included on the citations.  However, it is likely that they were the same dogs as the owner mostly had small dogs.

City records from the day of the attack showed the two dogs had a "bite history."  No additional information addressed this categorization.

The reports indicate the City was aware of unaltered large dogs, the home having more than seven dogs and stray/loose dogs at this location.  SAPD is conducting an investigation into the incident but is yet to share information with the public.

ACO Floyd Bias continues to recover and his family has set up a GoFundMe account for donations toward the cost of his medical care.

In their next meeting City Council may or may not address this situation, where citizens and professionals are being seriously harmed by loose dog(s).  ACO Bias is just the latest and most publicized.

(Click on the image above to make it larger)

Update 11-21-24:  City Council did not discuss the dog attack, Animal Services or the failure of the city to seek bids on Shelter renovations (financing approved in March 2023, funds received in April 2023).  Rumor has it Bob Salas is retiring in December and Shelter Chief Morgan Chegwidden will assume his management space in city government.

City Council Knows

San Angelo's City Council expressed concern in August 2023 about aggressive dogs potentially harming children and fragile residents.  It took seven months for an eleven year old child to be attacked after getting off a school bus.  The next two major attacks communicated to City Council involved a disabled person and elderly man.  Last week a professional city employee was critically injured in a horrific attack.  

The public was only informed of the most recent incident.  A SAPD investigation is underway and hopefully will shed light on the incident.  

Council also knew of a disturbing pattern of increased animal attacks on people.

One elected officials response to this graph?  "Good information." 

It's only "good" if leaders act on it.... 

Animal Control Officer Critically Injured

City officials asked for prayers for an Animal Control Officer after he was attacked by two aggressive dogs and sustained major injuries yesterday.  The Officer was responding to a call regarding multiple loose dogs, a chronic problem in San Angelo.  The owner had ten dogs.  Two "got loose" and attacked the ACO.  SAPD and other Animal Control personnel assisted as best they could until the Fire Department arrived.  The injured ACO was transferred to a Lubbock hospital and according to City Manager Daniel Valenzuela is in critical condition.  

Pray for ACO Floyd Bias.  He needs and deserves our prayers for healing and restoration, as do others in our community.

Other residents attacked and severely injured by dogs this year include:

1. An eleven year old boy who'd gotten off the bus. 
2. A 57 year old man who ran to the aid of the boy being attacked
3. A Lighthouse for the Blind employee was attacked in their outside break area by a dog pack
4. An elderly man was attacked at his neighborhood mailbox and transferred to a San Antonio hospital for surgery and treatment.  He may still be there.

City officials are aware of these incidents and more.  No severe dog attack has made the local media until today's press conference.

City Manager Daniel Valenzuela said citizens should not approach an unattended dog if seen.  This is in direct contrast to Animal Services "community sheltering" for loose dogs.  

City officials are aware of the dramatic rise in animal to human bites the last two fiscal years.  The increase occurred after City Council approved a hard cap on the shelter dog population, which left more dogs on the street.  

 

Animal Shelter Chief Morgan Chegwidden informed Council in March that residents had reached a breaking point regarding our community's dog crisis.  

It appears the city has reached another breaking point, one that involves serious injury to one of their own.  Add patience to prayer for the investigation needs to be concluded and for City Council and the public to hear the results.  Surely, they will act to reduce the burden of community sheltering and the corresponding public safety risks.

Update:  Fox West Texas ran a story on the dog attack on the ACO.  San Angelo Live did likewise.  Concho Valley Homepage joined in too.  The City ran a press release in addition to the press briefing.

Update 11-8-24:  The Standard Times did a story on the tragic attack.

Update 11-9-24:  ACO Floyd Bias' condition has been upgraded to stable.  Keep the prayers coming.

Update 11-10-24:  Nearly four months ago two pit bulls on Cloud Street got loose and bit a woman.

City to Hold Press Conference on Injured Animal Control Officer

From City of San Angelo Public Information Officer:

SAPD and the City of San Angelo will be holding a press conference today at 2:30 pm about this issue (injured Animal Control Officer, incident happened yesterday). It will be streamed live to the SAPD Facebook page and to Optimum channel 17. The video will be available on our YouTube channel later today once the press conference ends.

City Council Picks Up Tab for Reduced Retiree Health Insurance Benefit

A full house showed up for the November 5th City Council meeting.  Most wanted to speak about the retiree health benefit, a promise made by management during a time San Angelo provided the lowest wages in Texas for staff.  

Council voted to reduce the retiree health benefit by adding a $500 health deductible and a $250 charge for outpatient surgery. Many retirees get less than $500 a month from their public pension while others get between $500 and $1,000. 

The current Police Chief suggested a fund be established to help those retirees who cannot meet the new financial burdens imposed.  

City Council voted to pay the whole tab for the increase to retiree insurance, albeit with the benefit reduction.

Not one person mentioned the 85% tax abatement to a private equity backed battery storage project that Council approved in September.  The 9-17 background packet stated:

The applicant intends to invest approximately $160,000,000 in capital improvements and is requesting a three (3) YEAR, 85% Abatement of ad valorem taxes.

The Inflation Reduction Act provides incentives for battery storage systems.  UtilityDrive reported in 2022:

.....standalone storage systems will be eligible for a 30 percent investment tax credit (ITC) — and up to 70 percent with additional incentives.

Private equity backed Peregrine Energy is behind the Zeppelin Energy Storage LLC project.  As for new job creatiion Zeppelin's presentation to Tom Green County Commissioners stated:

Operated remotely with periodic site maintenance.

Yes, city retirees scraping by on a measly pension, you get to pay more for your care while wealthy investors get huge tax breaks.

Two Items Return to City Council: Concho Christmas & Retiree Healthcare

In October City Council discussed two items it will revisit on November 5th.  The first is the Concho Christmas Celebration, which Council approved authorizing the City Manager to negotiate an agreement with Lee Pfluger. Concho Christmas Celebration and Downtown San Angelo.  That agreement is not on the agenda but a $200,000 budget amendment will be considered.

The 10-1-24 background packet mentioned no dollar amount and no projections were given by City Manager Daniel Valenzuela during his brief presentation.  So how can the budget amendment imply that funding was previously approved?   Shouldn't Council approve the negotiated MOU prior to approving a budget amendment?  I realize time is not on the City's side if Lee Pfluger's Concho Christmas Celebration needs to be taken over this year.  The public may or may not hear more as this is but one of a number of budget amendments.

The second item to return for Council consideration is Retiree Health Insurance.  City retirees turned out in force for public comment, governed by a pre-meeting registration process for the first time.  Former Police Chief Russell Smith has spoken on this item for decades.  As someone impacted by the proposal one might expect Smith to get five minutes of public comment time and be allowed to show his presentation.  That was not the case on October 1st.  

To stem large increases the city reduced retiree health benefits further:

This bid would add a $500 annual deductible for health and a $250 charge for Outpatient Surgery.

HR Director Brian Kendrick's memo is not clear on the amounts paid by retirees vs. the city under proposed plan changes.  Hopefully that will be made clear in the meeting.  It's hard for the public to react to information not shared in the agenda packet.  How many will hear new information during the presentation, which is after public comment registration?

I hope Russell Smith gets to speak all he feels he needs to share with City Council on this topic.  

Pre-meeting public comment registration means citizens in the audience cannot provide public comment on any statements made by City Council members during their deliberations.  Those would need to be given in the next council meeting.  

If "Citizens of San Angelo" are truly at the top of the organization chart, they should at least feel they had the opportunity to speak.  

Dog Attacked Man at His Mailbox

On Tuesday October 15th I sent San Angelo City Councilmembers data on animal to human bites for the last six years.  One person responded, Mayor Brenda Gunter.  

Six days later Shelter Chief Morgan Chegwidden wrote members of City Council.  Morgan stated:

On Saturday October 19th, 2024, ASO responded to 102 E. Riverside Dr. for a significant bite case – dog to person. SAPD was first on scene. 

• The resident observed a loose dog while checking his mailbox at the curb. 
• The gentleman turned his back to walk into his home.
• The dog bit his lower leg and would not release his hold.
• The gentleman drug the attached dog to his front door and attempted to slam the door on the dog. 
• The dog released his bite and followed the resident into the home. 
• The dog resumed biting the gentleman’s feet knocking him to the ground. 
• The resident’s own dog responded and attacked the stray dog. 
• The resident’s brother responded and struck the stray dog with a cane. 
• The dog retreated and ran from the residence with injuries. 

We patrolled and knocked doors of neighboring properties Saturday attempting to locate the dog and identify the owner. Today, we patrolled and spoke to neighbors again. Seeing no dog, we connected with a willing resident to set a live trap. Another neighbor who feeds the dog reports seeing the dog with injuries this morning 10/21/24. The resident sustained significant injuries and was hospitalized for treatment.

On October 16th a citizen sought help from Councilman Harry Thomas and Mayor Gunter regarding two aggressive Dobermans.  That resident wrote:

I have previously contacted Animal Services via the COSA website, as well as directly emailing to Morgan Chegwidden last week (and l have never received a response from her). My church, and my daughter's private elementary school, is at 1700 N. Chadbourne. Somewhere between there and Reagan Elementary school are two aggressive Dobermans. These dogs have chased our school kids into the building multiple times, to where the school has had to order "dog spray" and the teachers carry a 5 foot long piece of rebar outside for recess and PE to be able to protect the kids if dogs come. Animal Services has been called multiple times. 

Last night my husband and one of our pastors returned from a ministry outreach around 7pm, and the dogs were loose again and bothering others in the neighborhood. They called the police department and were told by the officer who responded that he couldn't really do anything but keep calling, keep reporting to the PD and Animal Services so maybe they'd have to do something. My husband has previously had to take a folding metal chair out with him to the parking lot to just safely get to his car, several months back. These animals are out of control. 

Therefore I am just trying to reach out to additional city officials, as well as reporting any instance when the kids are chased in at school on the COSA website, to see why we aren't seeing anything change when someone is allowing their dogs to be loose and they're being reported over and over as being aggressive towards people. I am definitely not for government intervening constantly with private citizens but we can't have someone getting hurt either.

People are getting hurt by loose, aggressive dogs.  It's happening over and over.  

September 18, 2024: This morning around 8:00 am, an employee of The Lighthouse for the Blind was attacked by three dogs on N. Malone behind the Lighthouse building. It was a brutal attack and the victim is currently at the Emergency Room, blood everywhere, tore up his arm and face. This was disturbing, but the police officer could not get animal control to respond to capture the animals. When asked when the animal control would show up the officer could not give a time of arrival and so he went to the ER to get a statement from the victim. In my opinion, an attack would warrant an immediate response to capture the animals. We are now keeping our employees in the building. 

On March 8th an eleven year old boy was attacked by a 72 pound pit bull after getting off the bus. The child screamed for help and was assisted by two men, one of whom also sustained injuries from dog bites. 

I recently requested information on the number of dog to person bites that resulted in trips to the ER, surgery and hospitalization.  The City did not provide that.  

It's time for elected officials to ask many more questions about dog attacks and get the trajectory moving away from exponentially higher.  That is if public safety is really a priority...

New ASAC Members Motivated

The recent Animal Shelter Advisory Committee had one regular agenda item on it, an orientation for new board members given by an Assistant City Attorney.  Shelter Chief Morgan Chegwidden created the agenda, saying she wanted to give Committee members ample time for that discussion.  

Two members expressed concern about the limited agenda, believing their representation mattered for a shelter facing multiple issues.

Morgan became Shelter Chief in summer 2017 and has seven years experience onboarding new ASAC committee members.  This was the second meeting for new appointees.  

The August ASAC meeting saw new members asking questions about items that could not be discussed as they were not on the regular agenda.  Morgan said those would need to be saved for a future agenda.  It's hard to save them for a future meeting if they are not included in the minutes, which they were not.

Items not discussed in last Thursday's meeting include:

1. Recent closure of the shelter for dog intake due to distemper outbreak 10-11-24
2. The rapid increase in animal to human bites over the last two fiscal years
3. Status of preparation of temporary shelter
4. Timeline for seeking bids for shelter renovation (Council originally approved financing in March 2023, funds received in April 2023)
5. Shelter capacity 
6.  Enforcement of ordinances 
7.  Budget 
8.  Barriers for the public to access shelter services

Items 5-8 were the "off topic areas" raised by new ASAC members in the August meeting.  

Morgan stated the committee's sole aim is to ensure compliance with Texas law, making it sound like discussing the arrangements with Concho Valley PAWS off limits.  That ignores the committee's history:

On October 17, 2019 the ASAC met to tackle agenda item "new RFP for an expanded scope of services for shelter adoptions."  One ASAC member turned to PAWS Executive Director Jenie Wilson and said, "You are going to bid on it again." A motion was made to approve the RFP as presented. PAWS Wilson seconded the motion, then said "Oh, I shouldn't do that." Assistant City Manager Michael Dane said the Committee needed to give the appearance of an arm's length handling of the process.

That was two years into Morgan's current job.  

In 2021 Morgan "educated" the ASAC on the history of the Community Cat ordinance, which is not Texas law.  She was not the Shelter Chief when that ordinance was adopted and had virtually no contact with the only area rescue that stepped up to serve as a Community Cat sponsoring organization.  Morgan's storytelling was generally unanchored from reality.

Last week the public heard the real story behind highly attended ASAC meetings that failed to reach a quorum.  "The people that did not show up (Chair and Vice Chair) were very aware of the public comments that were coming."

I imagine new ASAC members may never get a chance to talk about issues important to area citizens, City Council members, veterinarians and people who want to walk their neighborhoods and not be approached by loose dogs (much less physically attacked).  That's a growing but unreported problem in our community.

So much is not being talked about.

ASAC Chair's Stunning Admission

Yesterday's Animal Shelter Advisory Committee (ASAC) meeting included a stunning admission by the Chairperson that a prior planned meeting did not reach a quorum because the top two officers wanted to avoid planned public comment and "did not show up."

The closed captioning for that admission is below:

It's likely the Chair referred to the June 2017 meeting where the public turned out to speak to a number of animal related issues.  However, nearly the same thing happened in October 2023.  

The 2017 meeting was not held because ASAC Chair and PAWS Director Jenie Wilson resigned by letter six days before the meeting.  Wilson sat in the audience the day the meeting did not occur.  She later rescinded her resignation, so the practical impact of her action was denying citizens their right to speak.

A February 2018 meeting did not happen because there was no agenda posted, meaning there was not a room full of disappointed people.  However, the intent may have been the same. 

The October 2023 non-meeting occurred with several vacant board positions.  Communications from the Chair and Vice Chair show both "forgot" about the meeting.  The public was turned away despite having a majority, three of the five current ASAC members, in attendance.  City staff conspired not to hold another ASAC meeting in 2023 which meant the city did not meet its own ordinance requirement for three meetings per calendar year.

City boards cannot get public feedback or input if they do not meet.  Gaming a quorum to avoid hearing from the public seems devious, even despicable.  A functional, accountable City Council should be appalled by this prospect, even more so by its historical admission. 

ASAC Agenda Missing Issues Raised by New Members

The October Animal Shelter Advisory Committee (ASAC) agenda has been posted.  It includes:

3. Consent Agenda 

a. Consider approving the August 15, 2024 Animal Shelter Advisory Committee regular meeting minutes (Morgan Chegwidden) 

b. Consideration of monthly shelter performance for August 2024 (Morgan Chegwidden) 

c. Consideration of monthly shelter performance for September 2024 (Morgan Chegwidden) 

4. Regular Agenda 

a. Committee member orientation (Presentation made by Assistant City Attorney Kathleen Dabbert) 

In August new ASAC members asked questions/raised issues during the meeting (which the agenda did not accommodate).  Oddly, Director of Neighborhood and Family Services Bob Salas talked about the new temporary shelter during public comment and even mentioned they had identified a location.  When a new member asked about that location they were told they could only talk about items on the agenda.

Shelter Chief, staff liaison and ASAC board member Morgan Chegwidden verbally placed the non-discussion of the following topics into "future agenda items."  They include: 

Shelter capacity 

Enforcement of ordinances 

Budget 

Barriers for the public to access shelter services

The August minutes do not reflect items raised by new committee members and they are missing from the October agenda, which simply has a board orientation by the new Assistant City Attorney Kathleen Dabbert.  Dabbert is new to supporting the ASAC as "City attorney Holly Voth announced her resignation from the City of San Angelo" (August meeting minutes).

The next time these stated concerns can be discussed in the ASAC meeting is January 2025.  That's a full five months after they were initially raised.  

Stonewalling is not "excellence" for citizens donating their time and expertise to City of San Angelo boards.  It makes me wonder if staff even want their input.   When did ignoring board members become a "best management practice?" 

Animal Bites Soar in San Angelo

 

Animal to human bites soared in San Angelo over the last two fiscal years.  The period of rapid increase coincided with City Council's decision to enact a maximum cap on the Animal Shelter population,

City statistics showed animal to human bites had fallen  to 169 in FY ended 2022.  The COVID-19 pandemic changed animal ownership patterns and more responsible pet ownership may have contributed to this decline.  

Animal to human bites rose by 95 or 56% in FY ended 2023 and 80 or 30% more in FY ended 2024.  

Since City leadership and City Council enacted the hard cap on shelter population animal to human bites have more than doubled (up 103%).  That's a telling statistic for a city citing public safety as a top priority.

City Attorney James' Lasting Impact

City Attorney Theresa James finished her last day of employment in San Angelo.  She is headed to Fort Worth to serve as Deputy City Attorney, responsible for legislative affairs.  

The City of San Angelo Facebook page recognized her contributions with:

Together with her staff, she leaves a lasting impact in this community. Theresa was an integral part of undertakings like ADA compliance/accessibility upgrades within the city, the newest trash contract negotiations, executing contracts for the purchase and sale of the Ford Ranch, and so much more.

City Attorney James was instrumental in imposing restrictions on public information requests and the recent move to restrict public comment to those who register prior to meeting.  That effectively prohibits someone sitting in Council Chambers (who did not register) from making public comment based on deliberations by the Mayor and Council members.  Citizens do not know what elected officials will say prior to the meeting.     

James also led the special citation effort for citizens who'd retrieved their pet from the Animal Shelter but had not yet gotten the required spay/neuter surgery.  Council approved a part time position for that project, which was completed by Attorney James daughter.  Getting information on that effort was a significant challenge. 

Council inquired as to "high volume" public information requestors issues.  In my case most PIRs involved Animal Services.  Shelter Chief Morgan Chegwidden speaks often about being "data driven," however remarkably little information is provided on the city website or shared with the Animal Shelter Advisory Committee.  Public information requests are often the only tool available to citizens seeking further information on any topic.

I did check out Fort Worth's PIR policies.  That City tries to put information on its website for the public to access.  

Fort Worth is recruiting a full time veterinarian.  Their job posting included:

The City of Fort Worth has a progressive animal welfare program that enjoys broad based support from elected officials, industry, residents, and animal welfare agencies.  On April, 23 - 25, 2021, the city celebrated the grand opening of its new state of the art North Animal Campus paid for by a $13.5M bond program approved by the residents of Fort Worth in 2018.  The new campus boasts a fully equipped veterinary hospital for shelter pets along with five separate dog kennels, each with 10 enrichment yards, a cat ward with windows for every cat and staff and volunteer space overlooking the 7.5 acres campus.  At the Fort Worth Animal Shelter, each day is filled with diverse opportunities. We work closely with veterinary technicians, customer service representatives, kennel technicians, animal control officers, and partner organizations to be at the forefront of animal welfare. Come see why over 120 dedicated animal welfare staff call The City of Fort Worth home. The Fort Worth Animal Campuses are open seven days per week.

James oversaw the legal side of the shelter's "no kill" evolution which choked off shelter intake (starting in 2019) and resulted in third world levels of loose pets on city streets.  Animal to human bites soared as city streets became a dumping ground and irresponsible owners allowed their dogs to breed.

The Augusta Chronicle reported:

When no-kill shelters are full, workers are forced to turn away people surrendering their animal – even in dire circumstances, Sites said. Often it leads to more crowding in the shelter and more stress on the animals and on the staff, she said. And there would be more strays living in the streets creating a dangerous situation for the animals and humans.

San Angelo has been there for quite some time.  

a taxpayer-supported shelter is obligated to take any animal

Not in San Angelo.  Yes, the City Attorney's impact is lasting in the Animal Services arena, but clearly not in a good way.

Update 10-19-24:   The current ASAC Chair stated that a prior quorum did not occur because the Chair and Vice Chair stayed away to avoid providing a forum for public comment.

Animal Shelter's July Request to Council

Shelter Chief Morgan Chegwidden's memo to her boss Michael Dane was shared with City Council members.

Morgan cited the large number of loose dogs but ignored the shelter's role in chocking off shelter intake over the last five years and returning unaltered dogs to irresponsible pet owners.

Council seems unable to do the most basic problem solving in the animal arena.  They approved borrowing $2 million for two projects in early 2023.  One was an urgently needed Animal Shelter renovation.

The traffic light at Knickerbocker and Twin Mountain Road progressed quickly.  By City Council's April 4, 2023 meeting the traffic light had been bid and a vendor recommended.

That same April 2023 Council approved the budget amendment relative to the $2 million short term bond.

The bond has long been repaid.  Shelter renovations are 18 months late relative to staff's original representation.  Morgan's timeline in her July 10, 2024 memo to council makes it sound like it will take nine more months before shelter renovations are complete (July 2025). 

City Council's patience is puzzling to many citizens, especially those concerned about San Angelo's loose dog problem.  It's only grown each year.   

Council Meeting on Oct. 1 Requires Public Comment Registration

San Angelo City Council has a full agenda for its first meeting requiring citizens to register in order to offer public comment.  The agenda has twenty items. seventeen on the Consent agenda, and three on the Regular agenda.  

The agenda makes no mention of the change or procedures someone interested in making public comment must follow.  The City Clerk informed Council at the end of their last meeting that citizens needed to register with her prior to the meeting in order to speak.  The minutes for that instruction state:

City Clerk Heather Stastny reviewed changes to the recently adopted changes to the Public Comment Policy that will go into effect on October 1, 2024.

So someone would needed to have watched the last City Council meeting to know that instruction (117 page views as of today).

To sum up, there is no information on the agenda about the change and no information on the City's website regarding procedures citizens must follow in order to speak on an item.  A search for the mentioned Public Comment Policy produced "no results."

Let's hope Council provides flexibility for citizens during this first meeting under the new rules.  Someone in the room may be struck by the Southern Drag Boat Association wanting the city to waive the $10,000 annual fee for use of Lake Nasworthy for events already conducted in June and September.  

A citizen may have questions about the City taking over Lee Pfluger's nonprofit Concho Christmas Celebration and operating the event through Downtown San Angelo.  An observer may wish to encourage Council not to reduce the Retiree Medical Benefit as implied in the background packet memo.

Citizens in attendance should have the right to offer public comment on the Mayor or City Council members' statements made during the meeting as those are not on the agenda and occur in real time. 

 The City's organizational chart has citizens at the very top.   Let's hope it stays that way.

Update:  The City's Facebook page posted yesterday at 5:00 pm:

People wishing to speak at the City Council meeting must sign in before 8:30 a.m.

The post included the three regular agenda items and has 14 likes.

Update 10-1-24:  Mayor Gunter started off public comment by saying those people in attendance who "filled out a card" will be given the opportunity for public comment but those that did not would not have the chance to share their thoughts with Council during the meeting.  A number of city retirees showed up to speak about proposed changes to retiree health insurance.  Former Police Chief Russell Smith reminded Council of promises made to retirees and the city's history of adjusting them.