Dear Editor,
Evidently, Supervisor Don Gage and Director of Animal Care and
Control Greg Van Wassenhove are not obvious enough in demonstrating
their goal of what certainly must be the
”
San Martin Animal Shelter Deconstruction Master Plan.
”
Dear Editor,
Evidently, Supervisor Don Gage and Director of Animal Care and Control Greg Van Wassenhove are not obvious enough in demonstrating their goal of what certainly must be the “San Martin Animal Shelter Deconstruction Master Plan.”
For those in the community who haven’t already figured out how this plan will be executed, this is how it is done:
– Commission a $95,000 Animal Needs Assessment Study; and if that study supports a new shelter, shelve it and hope that no one notices. (Dispatch 01/05/04).
– Attempt to close the shelter two days per week and reduce staff (Dispatch 06/27/05) as the first step toward closing it on the other five days of the week.
– Make sure the new FOSMAS stays “out of the political arena” (Dispatch 11/11/06), so that it doesn’t … bite the hand that feeds it.
– Increase euthanasia rates so that it appears as though there is no need for a larger shelter. In that way, it technically would be true to state that the shelter size is adequate (Dispatch 08/08/06).
– Invest in a new and much larger “dead box,” at the shelter to store all of the killed animals and hope that no one notices – or asks why.
– When asked about a new shelter, stick to the story that there is a huge deficit and that there are no available funds in the budget. (Dispatch 03/23/06). Repeat this over and over and hope that people eventually will actually believe it.
– Make sure shelter is not included in the Fiscal Year 2007-2016 10-Year Capital Improvement Plan and hope that no one notices. (See www.sccgov.com).
– Avoid all talks of universal animal care with Gilroy and Morgan Hill – it will make it easier to unilaterally close the shelter when the time comes.
– Euthanize, euthanize, euthanize …
– Make no improvements upon the current facility (except the new “dead box”), add no new technology, and do not increase the staff. Allow it to look so dilapidated that the forthcoming environmental impact study will most likely recommend razing it to the ground. With no budget for a new shelter – mission accomplished.
– Focus on all of the benefits of an expanded airport, such as the incoming corporate jets and their incoming corporate money. Definitely make sure that the South County Airport is included in the Fiscal Year 2007-2016 10-Year Capital Improvement Plan. (See www.sccgov.com).
And finally …
– Hope that apathy and complacency of the community will ultimately secure the success of the San Martin Animal Shelter Deconstruction Master Plan.
Evon Dumesnil, Morgan Hill
The Golden Quill is awarded occasionally for a well-written letter.
