More Overfield...sort of.

In reviewing this whole Susan Overfield dustup, I had an opportunity to talk with Jim Donahue, President of the Humane Society of Cascade County. Here is what Jim had to say about the bid letting process for running the Animal Shelter:

Knowing that our contract with the City was about to expire, we began contacting the City in January of 2007 in order to try to make arrangements for future operation of the Animal Shelter. Finally, toward the end of April 2007, the City decided to put out an RFP. The bids were due by May 18, 2007.

Two bids were submitted in a timely fashion, ours and the City of Great Falls Police Department’s. Commission action on the bids was scheduled for June 5 and June 7 through June 9 were designated as the deadlines for transition. In other words, assuming someone other than the Humane Society was to operate the shelter, the bid was to be awarded and the June 7 weekend would be utilized for transition.

On receiving the bids, the City did very little or nothing. June 5 came and went.

The Humane Society was trying to follow up with the City through the Clerk, Peggy Bourne, but we could learn nothing.

Finally, in last week’s City Commission meeting, the Commission voted on the consent agenda to extend our contract for another month. They did not talk to us first, and they did not give us written notice of this decision.

Once we learned of this, I wrote the City Manager, John Lawton, a letter proposing a new rate for this and any subsequent extensions. In response, I received a call from Police Chief, Corky Grove, and was invited to attend a meeting with the City.

I did so. At the meeting, Chief Grove stated that the City would like us (the Humane Society) to continue operating the shelter, but the ‘public has lost so much trust’ in our organization, there must be “significant changes.” After discussion, we learned that these significant changes would be a) resignation of the Humane Society’s entire Board of Directors, b) the City’s appointment of a new Board of Directors, and c) the City’s ongoing right to supervise and control the operation of the Animal Shelter.

The Humane Society has rejected this proposal, so the City will be operating without a contract on the Animal Shelter as of Sunday, July 1.

Finally, as an aside, several have suggested that Susan Overfield was a ‘puppet’ of the Humane Society last week, that we ‘put her up to’ the speech at the Commission. This is false. There was no encouragement of her whatsoever, not overt, and not with a wink and a nod.

Some at the City have made the comment that the Humane Society seems to be in disarray.

Who’s in disarray?

Sorry. That was snide. But if what Mr. Donahue says is true, the whole Overfield issue seems as though it might have been a somewhat predictable byproduct of a process that doesn't seem to have been handled very well.