Certainly, Rae has been given less than a wealth of time to prove himself. His boss is even newer, having stepped in just two weeks ago upon the abrupt resignation of Scott Newman. It is to be hoped that familiarity will lead to accord.
Brought here from Philadelphia seven months ago by Newman as a highly touted animal control expert, the first true specialist ever to hold the local post, Rae inherited a maligned mess. He set forth an aggressive agenda of slashing euthanization and boosting adoptions of the 20,000 unwanted animals taken in annually . . .
"There is that accusation that I am more focused on animals than on the people of the community. That's simply not true," Rae says. "I would love to adopt out 100 percent of the animals that come in, but I know that's not possible, and I never would sacrifice public safety to that."
Renner says the core of the problem is communication -- staff discontent over management style, rapport with some animal-welfare groups but not others, public perception of a laxity toward strays.
"Bridging those gaps," as Renner puts it, has been the subject of discussions between the two men. Surely, mutual satisfaction can be reached even in these cash-strapped times and even in the volatile political climate that dogs engender.
Memories of the turmoil preceding Rae's arrival are all too fresh. His ability and zeal to break free from that history must not be allowed to go to waste.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Star Editorial Backs Rae
IACC Director Douglas Rae got a bit of a boost today from an Indianapolis Star editorial in an ongoing effort by acting Public Safety Director Mark Renner to oust him after he's been on the job for six months. The editorial reads, in part:
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6 comments:
I am still waiting for someone to name of the national experts who recognize Doug Rae as a "leading force" in animal care. He had terrible reviews in Philly, OSHA did a scathing inspection of his facility, and he was terminated after 18 months of a 3 year contract. Many of the reasons he was terminated in Philly are being exhibited now in Indy. They are unacceptable.
Art,
Don't you know that problems at a previous job doesn't bar you from being fulling accepted by Indy? Look at the Airport's John Clark, for example.
Paul...one poor hiring decision doesn't set a precedent for making more. I do agree that there have been too many unqualified porr performers hired by the city or municipal corporations. I am sure that we both could name some more.
Art, I was being sarcastic. Clark was fleecing taxpayers in Jacksonville and Indy leaders looked at it and thought it was no big deal. Don Welsh even praised Clark during his IVA presentation. Of course, I shouldn't be surprised that the ICVA found nothing wrong with what Clark was doing in Jacksonville.
I also want to make it clear, that I don't know at all that Rae was a bad hire. What little I saw of him made me think he was very impressive. Obviously there is a lot more to the story though.
It's almost as if Indy has become SuckerTown, hauling in high priced talent that does what it was hired to do, but in the end taxpayers end up buying out the contract and sending that talent on its way.
Is another one about to happen?
Paul, I knew it was sarcasm. But you are correct. In Clark, we just hired someone else's problem who had an employee who would not or could not do the job.
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