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?"