Mack Lane seems to be the location that causes much heartbreak and tribulation lately. This is the location of the Augusta Animal Services, and I feel the need to tell what I know to be true.
Attached below in this column is the 2022 year-end numbers report put together and sent by the Animal Services director James Hill. At first glance, the numbers are alarming enough until you start to scrutinize them. Then they become even more so.
Looking closely and performing the basic arithmetic learned in elementary school, you will discover missing dogs, cats and others. Whatever the “others” column in the spreadsheet happens to be, I don’t know. It could be iguanas or possums.
The numbers added left to right total correctly in the spreadsheet I have posted. That’s where it ends and the numbers unravel.
For example, take each column of figures, adoptions, transfers to rescue, return to owner and euthanized and add up the totals. Subtract those totals from the intake totals, and you will find unmatching numbers.
There are a total of 178 dogs, 124 cats and 256 “others” unaccounted for. As Leigh Harline asks in his song from the 1935 movie “On Ice”, “Where oh where has my little dog gone? Oh where on where can he be?” We must now ask where the cats and others are as well.
From the numbers that the Animal Services Director Hill gives, the overall total of animals euthanized is 47%. This number could certainly make the statement that Augusta operates a kill shelter. Last year’s 2022 numbers seem to be skewed. Question should be, why?
It should be noted that Augusta does not have a licensed veterinarian on payroll at this time. The doctor that was hired resigned awhile back.
For the animals to be spayed or neutered, they are loaded into trucks or vans and transported to West Columbia, S.C., to PETSinc for the procedures to be performed. The services performed have to be paid in full before returning to Augusta.
This raises questions as to why isn’t the services performed in Augusta. Also why can’t Augusta be billed on a mailed invoice for payment?
The report states that the adoption total revenues received was $ 45,085.00 There were no monetary figures given for the total cost of all euthanasians performed or the total cost of spaying and neutering plus the cost of transportation. Why?
The Animal Services director was hired April 6, 2019 at a starting salary of $104,000 plus benefits. Mr. Hill resides in Lexington County, S.C. and commutes round trip daily to his workplace, the shelter on Ware Road.
A person can imagine this daily commute can become quite tiring and costly.
Does Mr. Hill receive an auto allowance to cover his dail WW y commute to and from work? If he does, why? Does Augusta furnish every department director an auto allowance to cover the cost of commuting to and from work?
Actually no department director should receive an auto allowance. Augusta has a fleet of vehicles for their job duties.
NO Audit For The Taxpayers:
Again, the finance committee failed to allow an audit to be passed. Commissioner Jordon Johnson reminded Commissioner Catherine McKnight in no uncertain terms that she wasn’t on the finance committee and could not make a motion.
Johnson also made it clear that he was tired of talking about an audit and saw no need for an audit to be done.
Therefore, Commissioner Wayne Guilfoyle made the motion since he sits on the committee. No second was made by any one of the other members of the committee, Commissioners Scott, Pulliam or Johnson.
McKnight threw a “hail Mary” and instructed Clerk of Commission Lena Bonner to place the audit agenda on the May 2 full commission meeting.
Taxpayers don’t really have to ask why most of the commissioners and several department directors don’t want an audit. If no one has anything to hide, then vote to pass a forensic or at least an in-depth audit of every city department’s finances.
Let us just clear the air and be truly transparent. We have a mayor, Garnett Johnson, who would like to have an audit of his own office. The “There is no reason” excuse has long become tired and worn out.
Pay Raises:In last week’s closed door legal session, two salary increases were approved. A yearly increase of $25,000 was given to both Marshal Ramone Lampkin and City Coroner Mark Bowen. This brings Marshal Lampkin to $146,796 a year and Coroner Bowen to $105,000 a year.
Both of these men do an outstanding and professional job of leading and directing their department. They each operate within their budgets and are always ready for an open and transparent discussion.
Suggestions have been made to turn the Code Enforcement Department over to the Marshal’s department for enforcement. That suggestion has been rebuffed by those who say it would bring law enforcement into code enforcement, a measure that is too strong and would not look good.
Meanwhile the coroner has lobbied for a larger facility with a lab. He often runs out of holding spaces in the morgue and has to use a portable unit. A lab would help speed up the results to find answers for an undetermined cause of death instead of having to ship remains to other parts of the state to determine a cause of death and conduct toxicology.
Please say it ain’t so
Knowing this government, this will never happen. I am glad that Bowen got a well-deserved raise in pay, but he will continue to be treated as the “red-headed” stepchild in government, even though his office has to deal with the most sensitive of human issues.
Poet Dylan Thomas wrote, “Do not go gentle into that good night.” And you can bet your bottom dollar that my friend Sylvia Cooper will certainly take his advice.
I just got word that Sylvia was once again retiring and, for me, personally, it was sad news. Like every reader of any paper Sylvia has ever written for, she is a must read. Every Sunday morning Sylvia starts the day for many of us in the community. A hot cup of eye opening coffee and Sylvia’s column has started the day for decades.
Her columns were always assured to elicit a reaction: laughter, tears, a groan or rage, and reactions like accidentally inhaling your coffee and spitting it out. That’s the sign of an expert getting the message across in their own way and style.
I first met Sylvia and Susan McCord when I started attending government meetings about six and a half years ago. At some point in time it became the three of us sitting on the left side in the front row side by side like three birds on a wire.
I quickly found that Sylvia shared my love of a good barb and one liners. We would try and see who could come up with the best ones and she always managed to get the best ones.
We sat there and poked fun at the politicos and big wigs and laughed like kids in the fifth grade. It got so bad that Susan had to move to the row behind us so she could concentrate on doing her job.
The clerk of commission Ms. Bonner would often turn and give us that “Mama” look. You know, the one that says “Shut up and behave.” That would just make us giggle more.
Over the years, Sylvia and I have shared many personal stories of our lives to each other. We have talked about the experiences that we’ve had, about our families, our dogs and significant others.
For me Sylvia is my friend and confidant, and I love her dearly.
Sylvia is like a chameleon. She can change and adapt to any situation or setting she finds herself in. She can throw on a pair of overalls and shuck corn or throw on an elegant gown and pearls and go wine and dine at the Governor’s Ball.
Sylvia Cooper was a must have when Joe Edge started The Augusta Press. So ,she came out of retirement and helped make TAP the standard bearer it is today.
Two years later, Sylvia will once again attempt retirement. Bets are on that she will not go gentle into the night; it’s just not her. She will still contribute from time to time most likely.
Sylvia Cooper Rogers, my dear friend. Thank you for being there for me and allowing me to learn from you. Thank you for being a part of my life and showing me kindness and the love of a friend.
