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Home My WebLink About0315.092\. ~ r • " I June 18, 1992 Honorable city Council Falo Alto, California I m",,"'m °'-1 THiS REPORT COUNci~ :RiORITY' j 1 EAST PALO ALTO/};>.ALO ALTO i'CREATE COMMUN~.'r~ MEET YQUR )I:EIGHBORS DAyrl Meml::lers of the C01.>.n-s.il: Attached is a self-explanatory letter from the Peninsula Peace Center announcing the es.tablishment of an annua] E.ast Palo Alto/palo Alt.o Neighborhood Picnic. Last Monday night the East Palo Alto city Council endorsed the program {4-0, council Member Coats absent). The sponsoring organizations request that you do the same by; 1J Declaring June 27 as "Create CO"lI1.munity, Meet Your Neighbors Dayn, 2) ltrging our citiz€ns/b~sinesses to support the effort, and J) Att~nd the Neighborhood Picnic~ This effort is cor.sisteni: .... 'itrl council's policy to encourage people-to-people contact betwee:r! citizens of the t~-o comrnunities~ I recoL~end endarse~ent of the program as noted above. Respectfully submitted, 7 !J~=~ W.lLLI~ ZANER City Tanager Attachment CMR:315:92 -G' "(:" ,,.r J~ ;-~---~- 1./ __ -""--t"L . J .(:~fJ(:, j l'<, r,~~.;. (..I...{ c:i ~lF:; \, ., i - First .4.nnud East Palo Alto/Palo Allo Neighborhood Picnic "Create Community· Meet YOur Neighbors" }.fayor Gary F<l72ino Palo ItJto CIvic Center 250 Hamilton Avenue Palo Alto, CA 94301 Dear Mayor Fazzino, 27 May 1992 [ am writing to you at the request of a coalition of East Palo Alto, Palo AHo and Slanfard grassroots org~miz.1tiom:. This C(I:l!ition formed in response to the i.rial of four U)s Angeles police officers for the b-i!i1ting of Rodney K.i [J£ and the ensuing sodaJ eruptioJ1s around the country. Realizing the urgt:-nl need for better communication among grassroots organizatioDS in crdcr to help adcre:ss Ihe critical Issues facing all cammun:ties iii this country, represeflt.'-l:ives cf man)' iocal gLOUps began meeting !ogethcr. \\''hile the groups hdVe agreed 10 work together to put on comrnun;ly forums and meetings, we decided that the first pre.ject should be a purely social event to get to know one anolhec. We have agreed to put un a IONei,ghborhoOO PiCllic.,." the intent of which is to bring together the peDple of East Palo Alta, Palo Alto and S;:a~tord in a comfcrtable, friendly setting. Vic hope tMis Neighborhood Picnic will lay the groundwork for a c1cser -'-ind ongoing. rel<ltionsnip between the people of the two communities. We <Ire writing to you to ask your cllopemtion in and support for this project. We are requC'sting the mayors and City C.ounl'ils (If both communj"ties to; ·-x o • Offici<llly declar:~ S.1Iurd:"',y, JUI1e 21, ''IS "CreJte O)m:!Junily. Med Your Neighbors Day" {b.1sed on th.e SIOg<H1 WI,! h:lve agreed up:m for lris event). • Urge citiz.el"..5 and busi:Je-sses of t<:lch. community to suppon and ~t~end the Neighborhood Picnic. • Attend the N(':ighborhood Picnic (l[l June 27, We ICX1k: forv.!ard to your posirf ... e rc£porise to these requests. \Ve win be in touch shortly to discuss details with YOu. Should you have any questions, piea.'ie do [lot hesitate to cuntact us. Best regards, for the coalition, ;b:--;-~ p~,:\ Penin~ula Peace Center Initial Sp8nsoring OrganizatimlS East Palo Alto Block Club Netwurk Associati(1[1 Community Tog::.ther East P'o:l.lo Arlo Community Choir E'tSt Palo Alto Personnel Commission United Mothers Against Drugs Palo Alto &IY Area Action Palo AIta Greens Palo AltO Ministerial A.5socil1lion Stanford C.ommittee 0;1 Bl<:lck Perfc'imi.'lg Arts H;!;].s Center for PuGh:-Service B!ack Siudent Vnio:1 Regwna! Peninsula PeacE Center Peninsula Rainbow CO.1Iit[orl Youlh Community Sen'ice c/o Peninsu.la. Peace Ce,lla, P.O Box 1725, Palo Aho, CA 94302 (415) 326-8537 -, '. -,' -'-. ' •. -';,-,2'-,. First Ann::tzl East Palo AU\J/Pa[o Alto N (f11g?1Jrib:oJTf~ IPllrtOO&c Create Community • Meet Your lVeighbors Bring the Comnlunities Together for Food, Entertailllnent, Kids' Games Saturday, Jllne 27 11 :00 aln to 6:00 pm Ravenswood High School Donohoe & Cooley Streets, East Palo Alto Bring Your Own Main Dish (And Barbecue If You Have One) • Salads, Drinks, Dessert & Charcoal Provided Sponsored By: Bay Area Action, Block Clu/J IlleMork Association, Committee On Black Performing Arls, Community Together Nellmrk Association, East Palo Alto Community Choir, East Palo Alto Personnel Commission, Haas Center for Public Service, Palo Alto Greens, Palo Alto ~lini5lerial Association; Peninsula Peace Center, Penlnsula Rainbow Coalition, Starzford Un;persit)' Black Student Unio .• , United Afothers Against Drugs, Youth Community Service For More Information Call: (415) 326-8837 - je-'.- ! I ! ! , ~ ! f 1 , I , , , \ -------"-._ _ I __ ·~i:~~r:7r~ .-.. ;14kt'-' .. ".' " '.~ :ittt !l-.t~,,~ __ ....... - ~ • • '.. ..': .. . ",' July :2. 1,92 TEE Hm;OAA8LE CIT'{ COtJNCIL Palo Alto. California Members of the Council: The Council and members of the con~u~ity recently heard a citizen make some allegations 3bout the operation and leadership at the City's AnilT',al services Center~ This informa"tiona} report provides a response due to the seriousness of those allegations. No Council action is r~quired~ ~ac"kqroulld During the public COT11l7lent portion of the TO\oln Hall meeting on June 1~ 1992 I a member of the conmuni ty made some very serious allegations that were directed towards the operation and the s:..l.pervision of ·the Palo Alto Animal Set"vices and Placement Center. The corrunents were without basis. specificall}o', the speaker cTitici~ed the Center's euthanasia procedures and the handling and storage of drugs. In addition, he accused the Superintendent of Animal Services of sexual harassment., threatening volunteers and staff and of being the recipient of many lawsuits. In his comments, the speaker alleged that the administration and supervision of euthanasia drugs Wet""e "careless'l and llillegal.11' Stringent procedures have been in plac8 for .\I.any yea.rs regarding the storage and handling of all drugs us~d at the Center. In order to keep her veterinary licer.se, the City Veterinarian must ccmply with certain Sta-te and Federal reguL~tions rec;.=:.rding the 'J.se and storage of drugs. She is also required to Ihaintain accurate records. Drugs are kept in a vault within a locked room, and only four employ~es have access to the Va'.ll t. Over the years, the City Auditor has periodically checked on the drug usage to ensure that thE; procedures are follo ..... ed. No discrepancies or problems have ever been reported. T ... 'o t:lonths ago, a representative from the United States Department of Drug Enforce<t'l-ent conducted an unannounced audit. of drug handl ing at t.·he Center and found everything to be in order. . CMR:315:92 ",1~~~;1 . . ~. • Page 1"-:0 ~th_~_~~$.ia Proc.edures The speaker accused employEes at the SMelter of "doctoring" books 'With false 5j'''mptoms in order to justify ellthanas.i.a, of conducting "mass euthanasia"" s:1d leaving "deat3 a!1imals in pools of their own blood." These cor.t.Tlents ar2 cO~ipletely false and witho:.l.t m-erit. The Center is recognized a5 one of the finest in the state, not only T~r its cleanliness, bu~ also fo~ its efforts to minimize the k.illing .of um ... anted dogs and cats. Over: the 1ast eight ~~ears, an average of only 300 af'1.ima.ls a year ha.ve been euthanized at the Center~ This compares to an annual average of 20,000 at the Santa Cl~ra Hu~ane society and 10,OOD at the Peninsula Hu~ane Society. The procedure itself is done in the most humane way possible by use of drug injection. The speaker also personally attacked the S'..lper intendent of Animal services by accusing him of sexual harassmer.t r threatening staff and volunteers and being respol1sible for many lawsuits that have resulted in "payouts in the tens of thous~nds of dollars." These accusations are -wi tho'..,jt basis. Tl1e volunteer program at the Center is very active, has been growing every year and currently boasts 95 members. staff has not received i!!1Y repDrts of illegal or offensive behavior on the part of the Superintendent or any other current Animal·Services employee. In the last eight years, only one la'Wsuit vas. filed against the };.nimal services Center and that resulted in a settlement of less than ~2.000. Conc1usion As stated earlier, the City's AniDal s.ervices Center is recognized as one of the finest facilities of its kind in the St~te. This reputation is the result of the dedicatio!l 3.nd hard work of the Superintendent and other-JI.I,i:rr:dl Senlices Division emplo~rees. The allegations of illegalities and imp~oprieties it"lade by a disgruntled former employee have impugned the integrity and professionalism of each and every member of the Animal Services Division" Staff feels it is important for tne City Council and members of the cOllU1lunity to recognize that the accu5ations are unfounded. Resp'ectfully submitted, 1/ :}/ 111,-.(~j;'(ttc:' ::o..~~ JOHNSON Assistant Police Chief CMR:31S:92 ~"~, '"'f"C-. '-, _#' ... ~-~~-~" .";,,,~ -