LETTERS TO THE EDITOR, 4-12-2012

Tired of the attacks
Editor: I’m wondering if there are others in Healdsburg who are tired of the drama and the vitriol that has been heaped on the beleaguered Board of Directors of the Healdsburg Animal Shelter. Being a family member of one of the board members, I know firsthand the incredible time, effort, solid business expertise and caring that has gone into the positions. With the addition of the co-chairs Bill Anderson and Sandra Versteegh and the many and varied shelter and animal behaviorist volunteers now consulting, I think the Healdsburg Animal Shelter is on its way to finishing the exciting new building and continuing the exemplary care to the animals of Healdsburg. The board members have had numerous people “around town” telling them to “hang in there”, and congratulating them on their professionalism and business-like manner in dealing with all the trumped-up controversy and the incessant hollering of the critics who all consider themselves experts.
Of course I have been following all the comments in the Tribune, Press Democrat and the on-line blog Patch and there have been demeaning, untrue statements in all forums, the difference being that on-line many of the comments are by bloggers using fake names and relatives from out of town as fronts. I understand that an organization dealing with animals brings out a great deal of emotion, but it seems to me that a small group of people keeps roiling up the action against the board, even though explanations have been given for all the questions posed and plans have been presented for the future direction of the animal shelter. I’m convinced that these people don’t want answers, they want to just take over and do things their way — and who has decided that their way is the right way? Wednesday night Bill Anderson and Sandra Versteegh and other board members headed a community meeting at the unfinished Animal Shelter to explain, bit by bit, room by room, what the problems were with the building and what solutions were being considered. It was a well thought-out, extremely professional presentation with interesting ideas of things to come. But the things reported in the PD and on the blog were not really of the number of great new ideas being considered, but the disruptions by a few disgruntled volunteers and the members of the new non-profit group called Green Dog, who once again, did not really want to hear answers. They have their own agenda — it’s not necessarily the right agenda.
I understand that there will be monthly community meetings to keep people apprised of the progress at the animal shelter in the quest to finish the building. I think people of Healdsburg would be impressed, as I was the other night, with the caliber of professional people who have been diligently working for the Healdsburg Animal Shelter. I would like to suggest that if you happen to agree with me about the on-going, ever-going drama being foisted on that body, that you make it a point to support the members of the board by either writing a letter to the editors or personally contacting the board members and telling them of your support and your thanks. They deserve it
Maureen McCaffrey Gradek
Healdsburg


Haters
Editor: Recent revelations, from what I now call the “haters of Healdsburg Animal Shelter” in various public forums, have made clear their intentions to take over the assets of the shelter, including a $3.5 million building.
Among their announcements is the fact that a for profit company, “Kings Kastle, LLC” wants to now operate as a non-profit “Green Dog Project,” with pie in the sky operating policies and a covert style of infiltration of their prey, in which various operatives, including the noted President and Vice President of “Green Dog,” have had the gall to sit with various community members, myself included, to glean information appropriate to their cause.
Not once in our conversation did they share their intent at a Coup d’état of the shelter or any other objective.
Not only am I miffed at being used, but even more miffed that seemingly “in it for the animals” folks are really attempting to turn a for profit into a not so much for profit at the expense of many donors, myself included, whose contributions could ultimately end up where they were not intended to go.
I implore the community to thoroughly investigate “The Green Dog Project” before signing on to their program and especially investing any money in their program.
Even with all of the recent hoopla surrounding the Healdsburg Animal Shelter, I believe that its mission is sound, its finances are fixable, and the currently constituted board of directors are up to the task of problem resolution and operating a noteworthy and mission appropriate operation.
John Lloyd
Healdsburg


Earth Day on the Plaza
Editor: Hello friends and neighbors. My name is Rebel Fagin and I am the advisor to the high school Progressive Club. On April 21, we’ll be presenting our 10th Annual Earrh Day Festival in the Plaza from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. There will be speakers, music, an art show, booths, and much more. This is a family friendly, multi-cultural event. This cost us close to $1,500 just to rent the plaza for six hours. We’ve asked for a different rate for children, but they say no. We need help. We need you. We raise the money through recycling, a speaker and film series, and a battle of the bands. Because the plaza is so expensive we spend most of our year raising money. It breaks my heart to see intelligent, capable future leaders spending their time riasing money for the city when they could be learning more on how to fix our environment. We need your help. By moving our Festival to the Plaza we made it a community celebration. Many community members, such as Larry Laba and Mike McGuire have contributed to making this happen. This is what we need — more community support. Please come to the event on the 21st. Enjoy yourself and, if you can, stop by the Progressive Club booth and pledge some money so we can give provide this to our community in future years. Thanks and see you there.
Rebel Fagin
HHS Progressive Club Advisor


Flea Market weekend
Editor: As a parent of The Healdsburg School, I would like to invite the community to attend our Spring Flea Market this Friday and Saturday, April 13 and 14 from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the school parking lot (rain or shine).
We are working hard to teach our kids to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle with a strong focus on keeping things out of landfills. Through the community and our families, we have gathered together a wide array of gently used items including baby items, books, jewelry, collectibles, art, DVD’s, toys, clothing, furniture, household goods, sporting goods and working electronics.
Each year the Parent Teacher Organization hosts two community-wide sales of gently used merchandise as a benefit for THS students and as a service to the community at large.
Please join us this Friday and Saturday at 33-H Healdsburg Ave. We look forward to seeing you there.
MJ Dubé
THS parent and Flea Market Chair


Green Dog
Editor: As the Board President of the Green Dog Rescue Project (GDRP), I want to thank the many concerned citizens who have contacted us, through our affiliation with King’s Kastle, during the past several months, requesting that we publicly offer to operate the Healdsburg Animal Shelter. Our Board considered the numerous requests, recognizing that this would put us into Phase Two (Sheltering Animals) of our business plan before Phase One (Vocational and Educational) was complete. However, immediate concern for the animals currently housed at the HAS led to our decision to make the offer when we did. We realize that it was a bold step, but the GDRP Board and Executive Director felt it was necessary, given the uncertain circumstances of the HAS, and the number of people who had contacted us urging us to act. With the concerns of a lack of transparency, lack of communication, financial problems, mass exodus of the majority of Board members, loss of the Executive Director and a history of short-termed Executive Directors, peoples’ concerns had reached fever pitch, and rightfully so. GDRP’s executive director, Colleen Combs, offered our assistance to the HAS Board the night of the April 2nd Council meeting, as Mr. Anderson, the HAS Board Co-Chair, had cancelled a previously scheduled meeting with her earlier in the week, without an attempt to reschedule. When we learned that the HAS Board had also cancelled their appearance at the Council meeting just prior to that meeting, Colleen made the offer to run the HAS during the public comment period. The HAS Board has made it clear that they are not interested in dissolving and will continue to operate the HAS. We wish them success and continue to offer our assistance with their animals exhibiting behavioral issues, as an alternative to euthanasia.
If you are wondering who or what the Green Dog Rescue Project is, please come to our first Informational Town meeting to be held on May 1st at the Senior Center in Healdsburg at 6 p.m. Our mission is “To revolutionize the current, animal shelter model, with a nature-based alternative, providing sanctuary and rehabilitation for dogs at risk of euthanasia, and improving their relationships with their human families through education, training and outreach programs.” We hope to see many of you there!
Susan Jones
GDRP Board President