Humane Society Checks Cashed by City of Great Falls

The City of Great Falls and the Police Department which operates the Animal Shelter admitted in their report (for download) that they accepted checks made out to the Humane Society of Cascade County and cashed them. The HSCC did NOT authorize this and it is unlike when Albertson's took over from Buttrey's, and there WAS authorization to accept checks and cash them, regardless of the name. In this case it is outright THEFT.

Ask yourselves...How could both entities, the City and Police, NOT know that was an illegal act? Yet, they did it. They didn't make the person alter the check. They didn't bother to hold the check and give it to the HSCC. They didn't contact the person who wrote the check and correct the endorsement.

I can only surmise that they did this deliberately, with malice and intent. They are the POLICE DEPARTMENT. The Fiscal Services Asst. Director HAD to know that the HSCC is NOT a City entity. Is incompetence so rampant within our City? Is corruption so ingrained that not an eye is batted? Looks like it to me.

Then, to top it off, I was looking for something else and came across this:

It seems in July 2006 at the Commission Work Session (minutes) in which they were discussing the Animal Control Ordinance, a citizen, Mr. Olson, was allowed to express concern for dogs off-leash. He was followed by Mr. "Bob James, citizen member, suggested that fines could be reduced for an unaltered animal if they had the animals altered within 30 days. He also requested that the Commission consider forwarding a percentage of the fines to the Animal Foundation to help pay for the new shelter."

I spent quite a bit of time running through EVERY meeting from Jan 2006 to Dec 2007. Mr. James was the ONLY citizen member to make ANY REQUEST OF THAT NATURE. In fact, there were very few incidents of "citizen members" speaking. Many consultants. Many reports.
Many updates. But, only 3 citizens, one of whom asked a question, one of whom made a statement about preparing a firework safety brochure, AND MR JAMES' REQUEST FOR MONEY FROM THE CITY COFFERS.

I would be interested to know if this request was honored. Particularly in light of the fact that in 2006 the HSCC was STILL operating the shelter. I don't know who was the designated recipient of fines collected on such things as unaltered animals. But, I intend to find out.

I then intend to find out if the City, did indeed, allocate a percentage to the Animal Foundation.

I expect the books of both the City and the Animal Foundation to be opened for public review. This kind of theft, from the HSCC and taxpayers should NOT be tolerated.

In light of all of this, I suggest the Animal Foundation reconsider putting in a bid to run the Animal Shelter until such time as they can produce proof that they are NOT connected to the City in any manner (which looks pretty difficult) and their books have been reviewed publicly by an independent audit/review chosen by a citizen's committee and pronounced clean.

Unless the Feds beat everyone to it.