Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, February 9, 1994 TAG: 9402090133
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: LESLIE TAYLOR STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
About 40 members of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals signed a petition asking for the resignations of the board's executive committee, which includes board President Steve Davidson and other board officers; of board member Lynda McGarry, chairwoman of the board's shelter committee; and of Al Alexander, the shelter's executive director.
The action followed Monday's firing of shelter Administrator Tammy Javier and the layoffs Tuesday of Barbara Jones, humane educator, and Stephanie Dickenson, adoption counselor.
"I urge you all to get these three key people reinstated," said Jacki Lucki, an SPCA member and former board member. "We're not trying to overthrow the board. That's not the issue at all. We're putting the welfare of animals first.
"We as an organization have . . . I feel sadness toward the board that they're unable to see the plight of animals and that we only wanted the best for the animals. Barbara Jones Former SPCA humane educator the right not to accept this kind of treatment."
The group agreed to stage a peaceful protest at the organization's March meeting.
Davidson said Tuesday that he was hesitant to comment on the group's action without having seen the petition.
"We'll take it to the board and the board will decide what it's going to do," he said. "Instead of us going public, we are trying to keep this in perspective. We would go public and fight fire with fire but we would prefer not to.
"Let the disgruntled members make as much noise as they would like to."
Davidson did say that any reinstatement of shelter positions would have to come before the board, on recommendation of the shelter committee.
As for board resignations, "obviously, it's a tricky situation," he said.
Jones and Dickenson said they were told as soon as they reported to work Tuesday that their positions had been terminated for financial reasons.
"They indicated that they couldn't afford us," Jones said. Though she declined to give her salary, she said neither she nor Dickenson "earned that much."
Jones had been employed at the SPCA for nearly four years; Dickenson for three. Both said they had been vocal, as had Javier, about their dissatisfaction with the board. All three backed an attempt at December's board election to oust Davidson and other board incumbents by offering an independent slate of nominees. The attempt failed.
It's "really not a surprise" that they were let go, Dickenson said. "We're the only three staff members who over the years attended regular board meetings and kept informed about what was going on in the organization. We were the only three staff members to sign that petition to nominate new people to the board.
"I think they were nervous about that. It was pretty clear they weren't pleased about that."
Javier claimed her dismissal on Monday was linked to her refusal to disassociate herself from animal welfare issues and for her participation in efforts to change the board makeup.
But board members have denied that those actions had anything to do with employee dismissals or layoffs. McGarry said Tuesday that the reason all three employees were let go was purely financial and the result of a restructuring of shelter management.
"We are trying to balance our budget," she said. "We operate at a $5,000 deficit every month. We need to take a long hard look at our budget, particularly if we want to build a new shelter."
The SPCA board has been working to boost fees charged to the five localities it serves as well as achieving parity among those fees. The smaller localities, McGarry said, have paid disproportionately higher fees than the larger ones.
The board already has negotiated a new contract with Roanoke, which would increase the fees for animal care by $2.64 per animal per day. The board is pursuing negotiations with the other localities.
The duties performed by Javier, Jones and Dickenson likely will be assumed by some of the nine other full- and part-time shelter staff members, McGarry said.
Asked why Jones and Dickenson were not given any prior notice of the layoff, McGarry said, "I don't really recall any situation where people who were laid off were given notice."
McGarry said they will get two weeks' severance pay.
Dickenson and Jones said they hold no ill feelings toward anyone.
"But I feel sadness toward the board that they're unable to see the plight of animals and that we only wanted the best for the animals," Jones said.
Some members who attended Tuesday's meeting said they had grown tired of the political wrangling within the organization.
"It's not who's in power but who will fight for the animals," said Robin Watts, a former board member. "The Roanoke Valley can't afford to lose this organization. We need to get back on track."
by CNB