Don’t act too surprised.
Just like we predicted, Greg Fischer’s staff and his new hires at Metro Animal Services are working to withhold information from the public.
LMAS is refusing to reveal rescue and transfer information in an open records request filed by No Kill Louisville. Despite, of course, us knowing that the documentation exists in electronic form because we have them in-hand. (In fact, Metro Government has a policy of providing electronic files instead of paper if they’re available.)
LMAS refuses to reveal vaccination records. Despite, of course, them existing.
LMAS is refusing to reveal information about medication and pet food purchases and there is apparently still no accounting system for them.
But more interesting? Fischer’s crew is redacting information left and right and requiring records be reviewed in-person – with a waste of resources and time – rather than provide electronic files. And they’re dropping “Attorney General” every five words in email responses in an attempt to intimidate.
Apparently these people don’t think a legal battle is a serious risk. But maybe they should think about what’s at stake. Because we’ve literally got nothing to lose but time.
This is your government hiding information from you, folks.
P.S. Remember this ad?
What was that, again, about making your local government the most open, honest and convenient in the nation? Doing things in the open and not in secret?
Funny how that works.
8 responses so far ↓
1 Jtt // Nov 23, 2011 at 11:17 am
Come on, scan in their responses, I’d love to see them!
2 jake // Nov 23, 2011 at 11:35 am
If they’d provided actual responses, I’d publish them.
Awaiting a site visit to get additional details.
P.S. I hear Kelly Downard and crew visited LMAS this week.
3 Jessica Reid // Nov 23, 2011 at 11:44 am
I’m so frustrated by this administration. Seriously – stop killing these pets. Jake – I’ve added the pdf’s etc, to our site if you want them already and I’ve crunched the percentages from the first open records request.
We’ve put in a second request – which I believe I copied you on as well. Feel free to share the emails – I’m done caring what they think of me.
If they TRULY wanted to stop the killing, they would throw open their doors and welcome the public into the shelter and be open with their records – not forcing me to find them – such as their policies. I have the electronic version of MAS policies already. I was just given them a chance to give me updated ones that follow the new director’s ideas but that was not done.
In Reno, my understanding is they have 5,000 volunteers and 900 fosters – that means actually organizing to welcome the public into the facility, not getting rid of your volunteer coordinator and only welcoming certain groups into the shelter openly.
I’m beyond frustrated and sad for thousands of pets who will die because of egos or the inability to have the will to change.
4 G'town Reader // Nov 23, 2011 at 1:07 pm
Isn’t their new sign “welcoming?”
And from the constant, desperate begging from the public for food, I can’t believe there is any in the LMAS budget.
5 samantha ell // Nov 23, 2011 at 2:05 pm
Did they keep up with all those gift cards for $25 that they got during the recent adoption specials? Did all those gift cards go to buy Justin & Maggie clothes for cleaning or toys for their kids? You can buy anything at Walmart or Target.
6 Karen Dickson // Nov 23, 2011 at 9:39 pm
G’town Reader, I think the days of begging are over. In may last couple of weeks of working there, someone in Animal Services called me to ask if I would post out a plea for towels. Before I did it, they contacted me back, telling me not to, that Donald was getting it. Apparently my earlier pleas for cat and kitten food (all at the request of the people that actually feed the animals) embarrassed the mayor’s office and LMAS was told to stop asking for free food. By the way, on one of the last occassions when I did ask for food, I received a very quick e-mail from Donald telling me it had been purchased and was sitting in the end of the 200 bldg. According to workers (who I asked to go confirm this) it was not there. My guess is, you will never see another request for food or anything else ever again, no matter how bad they need it. Mr. Fischer’s office doesn’t like how it looks.
7 jake // Nov 23, 2011 at 9:49 pm
Karen is right.
Greg Fischer and Sadiqa Reynolds would rather save face than do the right thing.
It’s NOT about doing the right thing for them. It’s about playing the political game and banking that paycheck every two weeks.
8 I told you so // Nov 23, 2011 at 11:56 pm
I have plenty more “appearance is everything” stories. I’d love to share them with your readers if anyone is interested.
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