What a way to express gratitude for good that CLAWS has done
As a former social worker, I can tell you how important pets are in the lives of our elderly, disabled and low-income citizens. They depend on their pets for companionship, and in return offer a loving home. Many people of limited means can afford pet food and basic preventive health care for their pets, but can”t afford the cost of spaying or neutering. This is the valuable service that CLAWS has offered to the community for many years.
I have known CLAWS board member Laurelee Roark for more than five years. Laurelee and her husband have given generously of their time and money to many local organizations, and are dedicated to helping Lake County become a better place for all community members.
As a long time board member for another agency, I know that the board is responsible for making certain that the organization is operated and funds are spent in accordance with the agency”s bylaws and mission statement.
Nonprofit agency employees should expect regular financial audits and accountability for paid time. It raises a red flag if employees consider such routine and necessary measures to be “harassment.”
It is a sad situation for an organization that has done much good in the community. And what a way to express gratitude to the board members including Laurelee, who has devoted countless unpaid hours to fundraising and developing public relations for this agency.
Frances K. Ransley
Lower Lake
Help us raise healthy children
We need your thoughts on how our community can create healthier children. Childhood obesity is a national epidemic. One in three children in California is overweight or at risk for being overweight. We can turn this around by coming together in community focus groups, called “World Caf?s,” to share ideas and make recommendations for programs throughout Lake County.
Sutter Lakeside Hospital and the Health Leadership Network (HLN) are inviting all interested community members to a series of World Caf?s to do just that. The Health Leadership Network, a network of Lake County service provider agencies, has received a grant from the California Endowment to develop county-wide obesity prevention programs. Partners in this project include our school systems, hospitals and clinics, physicians, public health, early childhood development agencies, food and agricultural programs and concerned citizens.
The next “World Caf?” will be conducted from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, June 14, at the Best Western El Grande Inn on Lakeshore Blvd. in Clearlake. If you live in Clearlake, Clearlake Park or Lower Lake, please join us. Refreshments will be served. Seating is limited so please call and reserve your space.
For more information about the “World Caf?” call Leslie Lovejoy at the Wellness Center, 263- 2998 or e-mail lovejl@sutterhealth.org. To reserve your space or find out when a World Caf? is coming to your community, contact Jill Mills at 245-5745.
Tammi Silva
Sutter Lakeside Hospital
CLAWS board is pulling the organization down
The current CLAWS board is pulling the organization down. As my dear grandmother would say, the proof is in the pudding. Let”s look at some facts: When the old CLAWS board served with five members, they had over six figures in their coffers. They were going strong with vouchers and they never had to limit them. They had pit fixes, feral cat spay and neuter. Once a year we looked forward to a lunch where all the membership got together and discussed the accomplishments over the past year and how to make things better for the next.
Since the new board has taken over they have done nothing but lose money. They lost the thrift store in Lakeport, and are talking about closing the Clearlake store. CLAWS functions planned in the past two years, by their staff, have fallen apart when the board stepped in at the last minute and changed things. What happened? CLAWS ended up in the hole. I could make a list, but the board would not listen, or they would make a list of excuses twice as long. The bottom line is CLAWS suffers because of poor judgment by the three core board members who can”t seem to keep anyone on the board with them.
Now I”ve heard they had to hire a personnel director for four employees. This new personnel director is a personal friend of one of the board members and is from out of county. Do they need to bring in the big guns to fire their employees?
Gossip going around town says they want to close the CLAWS thrift store here and rent the building. That would be such a shame. We live in a low income area. The thrift store is greatly needed for some people. It makes me wonder what will happen to the CLAWS building once they have done away with the thrift store, the employees, and their main source of income. If as Laurelee Roark says, “The board is CLAWS,” does that mean they think they can take over possession of the building for their own devices? According to my gossip sources Roark actually plans to rent the building, or part of it to her own husband for his real estate offices. That seems like a conflict of interest to me. How does this benefit CLAWS, or the community?
As a former Animal Control Officer I feel we mustn”t lose sight of the important issue here: The animals CLAWS helps spay and neuter. Look at the numbers! How many animals come to Animal Care and Control every week? How many are from Clearlake? How many never have anyone to come and find them? Litters of kittens and puppies born just to be put down. I was one of those officers that had to euthanize thousands of innocent animals. Most people see the Animal Control truck drive away, loaded with dogs, cats and never give it another thought. I still cry over the healthy animals I myself had to kill.
CLAWS is the only agency in Lake County working actively to end this problem. The board of CLAWS is running it into the ground, and should be investigated. Compare the facts and figures, and you will see that there is a problem with the way the board is managing CLAWS.
I once again ask the Board to please resign and let new members of the Lake County community bring CLAWS back to what it was. There are at least 600 people in town that share my point of view!
Janet Cammarata
Clearlake
Don”t forget to write!
The Clear Lake Observer*American welcomes letters responding to articles and opinions that have appeared in this newspaper, as well as on topics of general interest. Letters can be sent to letters@clearlakeobserver.com or mailed to PO Box 6200, Clearlake, CA 95422.
