County Animal Control has a budget of $27,493,000 for the current year and 338 employees. Mayeda has been on the job since 2001.
http://ceo.lacounty.gov/pdf/Annl%20Rpt%2007-08.pdf
Here is what she lists as major accomplishments this year (page 61 PDF page number):
• Implemented mandatory spay/neuter and microchip ordinance for dogs, the first in the nation. This ordinance will result in fewer unwanted dogs, increased public safety, and reduced animal costs to taxpayers over the long term.
• Received approval to build seventh animal shelter, to be located in Antelope Valley.
This new shelter will reduce the overcrowding and high euthanasia rates at the Lancaster shelter.
• Received a $100,000 matching grant from PetSmart Charities. This funding will help low-income pet owners receive spay/neuter services for their pets, resulting in fewer unwanted animals born, less stray dogs to create public safety hazards, and a greater ability for low-income pet owners to comply with the new County ordinance.
• Began partnership with PETsMART Charities to begin a low-income spay/neuter clinic in the Florence-Firestone area. This clinic will bring much needed services to low income pet owners in this area.
• Received pledge from the Found Animal Foundation to provide up to 1 million free microchips to all dogs served by the department.
• Received $100,000 grant approval from the Quality and Productivity Commission for PAWSTATS, the department’s enhanced performance measurement system based on DPSSSTATS. (What is DPSSSTATS?)
• Received a National Association of Counties award for ground-breaking animal facility grading program. This program has received national attention.
Is this a joke?
There is no mention of any improved euthanasia or live save stats this year, or any other improvements in lifesaving performance, increasing adoptions, return to owner, decreased died in shelter rates, number of spay/neuters done or assisted.
Instead, two of the seven major accomplishments for the $27.5 million per year operation was receiving two, $100,000 grants, each being 4/1,000th of her budget. This is 4/10ths of 1 percent!
What does it mean she "implemented" the spay/neuter microchip ordinance? What has she actually done to "implement" it in terms of performance? Doesn't she mean she was here when it passed and "implemented" really mean nothing has been done so far?
She "began" a "partnership" with Petsmart that some day will create a low cost spay/neuter Center? Began, someday? Petsmart again. What about the clinic? Will it S/N 1,000 animals or 5,000? Who will run it? Who will it belong to? When will it go on line?
Received an award for an animal facility grading program? How did she grade her own facilities?
Received approval to build a seventh shelter sometime in the future, as opposed to opening a new shelter now? Is receiving approval the same as an accomplishment?
Got a pledge from Found Animal Foundation to supply a million microchips for all shelter dogs?
Come on, this is ancient news. The offer was made two years ago. And, a million chips? Isn't that about 33 years of dog impounds? Has even one dog been chipped?
Gary Michelson's FAF--so far as I know--has done nothing notable with its $10,000,000 initial funding except to renege on promised support for LAAS. Not only does Michelson look goofy, he does not keep his word.
With a $27.5 million budget, two $100,000 grants are her high points? Free microchips and a facility grading program. What a joke.
Take a look at our sister blog watching the County shelters for current information and upcoming events, such as the May 3 event:
http://lacdacc.blogspot.com
Apparently Mayeda has reported the bloggers to the FBI alleging animal terrorism. I remember that one. Boks did that--if I remember correctly--to the ADL. Look what it got him and the City.
I look at Ryan Olshan's LACDACC watchdog blog every day. After yet another adoption picture appeared of a dog with his head jammed against the floor with a control stick, which is prohibited by LACDACC policy, but which is done continually, even though each time Ryan emails everybody at LACDACC, including Mayeda and the Board of Supervisors, I called Yaroslavsky's office.
ReplyDeleteThe person in his office detailed to LACDACC is Maria Chong-Castillo, whose lack of interest in the subject, and the opinions of voters is palpable. When I told her they smash the dogs' heads to the floor she did actually exert herself to interrupt and accuse me of exaggerating. Ever try to get a pit bull into a position they don't want to be in? I wasn't exaggerating.
Anyway, she made it clear she wasn't interested in the well-publicized issues of LACDACC, and said that even though she's aware of Olshan's blog (like it or not, a very well-researched, thoroughly documented blog) she says "hasn't looked at it in months."
So I contacted Alisa Belinkoff Katz, Yaroslavsky's Chief Deputy. I ask specifically, "What is Mr. Yaroslavsky now prepared to do, both to act in the interests of L.A.'s animals, and to require that County employees follow the rules laid down for them?"
She gets back to me six days later, and says she will be asking someone else to address my concerns. You guessed it: Marcia Mayeda.
This is the Board of Supervisors, people. The same people who brought you Yvonne Braithwaite Burke (what is it with the 3-name issue? Do these people think length of name substitutes for length of accomplishing anything?), the Supervisor who made an ANNOUNCED visit to the Carson shelter (site of Zephyr's decline and death in Mayeda's custody), wearing a white suit no less, subsequently declaring that she "saw no mistreatment of animals" during her photo-op. Really, Yvonne? No one beat a dog in front of you and your white suit? What a little champion of justice you are...
At any rate, I replied to Ms. Katz that I was not interested in Marcia Mayeda's input, that after six and a half years of her highly-compensated maladministration, I was quite clear on what Marcia Mayeda was prepared to do for L.A. County animals, which as far as I can see amounts to mass euthanasia through germ warfare.
So far I have yet to hear back from Yaroslavsky's Chief Deputy about their oversight on this $27.5 budget County department, now the subject (depending on which Supervisor's office you talk to) of between three and five major lawsuits.
You won't hear back from anyone from the BOS' office who would actually DO something about the situation at LA County DACC.
ReplyDeleteThey don't care. The animals can't vote and they think that the people who do care about the animals in aren't numerous enough to make any difference when it comes to election time.
Burke actually was irritated with a council member from Carson for asking her questions about the Carson shelter.
Yeah, Burke was also irritated when the Times actually had the gall to call her on not living in her district (as required by law). She's an arrogant sleazebag, without even enough respect for the voters to try to conceal her sleaze. No wonder Mayeda knew she didn't have to do anything about the conditions and facilities at the Carson shelter.
ReplyDeleteThing is, Burke's retiring this year, for which we are all truly thankful. I've seen a bunch of signs up for Bernard Parks, who wants Burke's seat. What are the people who live in that district going to do to make sure Parks' feet are held to the fire BEFORE the election? They need to make sure he gets that this is a serious issue, and that he will not be elected without committing to making changes at Carson, and in LACDACC as a whole. There's a limited amount (I think) that voters outside that district can do to make sure he knows he's accountable.