CA: ANYONE WITH AN ADDRESS IN CALIFORNIA PLEASE READ!!!! and NY'ers, Heads Up!

April 13, 2010

PLEASE FORWARD & CROSSPOST ASAP!! INFO BELOW

Anne M <WOOFETY[voicesforhomelessanimals] CA: ANYONE WITH AN ADDRESS IN CALIFORNIA PLEASE READ!!!! and NY'ers, Heads Up!Monday, April 12, 2010, 6:59 PM

Mon, 12 Apr 2010 13:12:31 -0400zpenzel (AT) nyc (DOT) rr.comANYONE WITH AN ADDRESS IN CALIFORNIA PLEASE READ!!!! and NY'ers, Heads Up!;

ANYONE WITH AN ADDRESS IN CALIFORNIA PLEASE READ!!!! PLEASE FORWARD TO ALL YOUR CONTACTS IN THE LOS ANGELES AREA AND IN NY, TOO!

New Yorkers, heads up! After the recent revelation concerning the news that NYACC has appointed its Director of Animal Care and Control:

"Former ASPCA employee Julie Banks named Director of NYC ACC...

ASPCA chief's tenure marked by unconscionable policies" (see below if you missed it the first time)

the No Kill community may find that it has been hung out to dry...The bottom line is always the same and it's always about power and money.

PLEASE CIRCULATE TO YOUR US CONTACTS

Pamelyn

SomeUSAR NEWS4U

Monday, April 12, 2010 5:24 AM

[someusarnews4u] ANYONE WITH AN ADDRESS IN CALIFORNIA PLEASE READ!!!!

Forwarded to me by ADL-LA:

LA SHELTERS URGENT BULLETIN:

UPDATED LETTERS TO BE SENT IMMEDIATELY:

Please, for the sake of the animals imprisoned, suffering, neglected and then killed inside our six city DEATH CAMPS, we must use the California Public Records Act to prove what a "sham" this entire recruitment process for a new LAAS General Manager truly is.

PLEASE CUT AND PASTE INTO A WORD DOCUMENT AND SEND BY CERTIFIED MAIL, OR RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED THE BELOW THREE LETTERS ASAP.

If you don't get the information requested within ten calendar days, please let us know immediately at adlla@animaldefence .com and we'll have our attorney include you (if you so choose,) in a law suit against the

City of Los Angeles for failure to follow the State law that ensures citizen access to government records!

ADL-LA has gotten some very important Intel from sources inside the Mayor's office. We have confirmed, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that Jim Bickhart (Deputy Mayor of Transportation) is the puppeteer and manipulator of this entire recruitment process for a new General Manager for our six city DEATH CAMPS. Bickhart is truly the sinister OZ behind the curtain pulling all the strings (of course this is being done with the full cooperation of his boss, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa) . It appears that NO ONE but Steve Harman from Citygate Associates (head hunting firm, whose strings are pulled by Jim Bickhart) cut the potential candidates from an amount of applications that numbered in the high twenties to eleven. NO PROGRESSIVE LEADERS IN HUMANE NO-KILL SHELTERING WERE ASKED TO HELP OR GIVE THEIR INPUT IN THIS ENDEAVOR OR TO EVALUATE THE RESUME'S SENT TO CITY GATE ASSOCIATES, (EVEN THOUGH THEY HAD OFFERED TO DO THIS FOR FREE.)

Jim Bickhart is working very closely with the City of Los Angeles Personnel Department, telling them who they ought to CUT from the list of candidates. Bickahrt is also telling them to "NOT GIVE OUT ANY INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC WHEN REQUESTED ABOUT THE COMMIITTEE HE HAND PICKED" to interview the final candidates. He and a few of his cronies are trying to make sure that the city comes up with some way to NOT answer our questions under the California Public Records Act! But THIS time, Jim Bickhart won't get away with his corrupt, insidious and illegal plan.

We have a chance right now, to PROVE that all YOUR money Bickhart (aka the city) spent on this recruitment process for what the public thought was to be a progressive, humane No-Kill shelter manager, was a sham and a ruse; a deception of the most egregious and corrupt kind; and that it was indeed Bickhart and the Mayor pulling the strings. When Councilmember Cardenas FORCED Bickhart to take public input at a Commission meeting, the public emphasized that the next General Manager should be someone DIFFERENT than the usual government bureaucrat, and that life-saving credentials are far more important than things like paid animal shelter experience. Yet the process Bickhart then arranged ensures that the public's input is IGNORED ONCE

AGAIN.

You have EVERY RIGHT UNDER THE CALIFORNIA CONSTITUTION AND THE CALIFORNIA PUBLIC RECORDS ACT to have each of the below letters of requests answered and copies of anything having to do with your requests sent to you within ten days of your written request. Please let adlla@animaldefense .com know exactly when you sent your request, what you have received and in what time period, so that our attorney will be able to proceed legally and correctly.

*You don't have to do anything but cut and paste into a word document, sign and send a copy to Ross Pool in the City of Los Angeles Animal Services Department, then cut and paste into a word document, sign and send a copy (which is slightly different) to Bruce Whidden in the City of Los Angeles Personnel Department and then cut and paste into a word document, sign and send a copy (the longest of the requests) to the Mayor's

office. Otherwise, if the documents are in one office but not the other, they might treat our CPRA requests as not covering the other office(s). We have written out for you ALL three letters including the addresses of the recipients. We couldn't make this any easier for you if you were a ten year old!

************ ********* ********* ********* ********

First Letter to Ross Pool Custodian of Records for Los Angeles Animal Services:

TO: CITY OF LOS ANGELES ANIMAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT

Attention: Ross Pool, Custodian of Records

221 N. Figueroa Street, 5th Floor

Los Angeles, CA 90012

I am making an official and formal request through the California Public Records Act for you to provide me, within ten days of receipt of this letter, the answers to the following questions/requests and/or any e-mail correspondence, electronic or hard copy documents that will give the answers to the questions/requests below. If you are not the custodian of public records for the City of Los Angeles Animal Services Department to whom this letter ought to be sent, then please let me know the name and address of the individual who handles California Public Records Requests for the CITY OF LOS ANGELES

ANIMAL SERVICES immediately, within twenty four hours of receipt of this letter.

Please provide to the undersigned the following records in your possession:

1.) The employment contract and all related documents between Citygate Associates LLP ("City Gate") and Los Angeles Animal Services ("LAAS") (or any other governmental entity) for services in recruiting the next General Manager ("GM") of LAAS.

2.) All e-mail, electronic or hardcopy public records and writings reflecting the amount of funds paid by LASS or any other city department to City Gate for services in recruiting the next GM of LAAS.

3.) All e-mail, electronic or hardcopy public records and writings related to the decision of City of Los Angeles Personnel Department ("CLAPD") to cut any of the applicants for the position of GM of LAAS. These documents include, but are not limited to, the names of the persons making the decision to cut applicants and their backgrounds, if any, in progressive, humane shelter management, including qualifications in No-Kill sheltering. ("There is only one legitimate definition of No Kill. It is a community where:â€¢ Healthy dogs and cats are saved;â€¢ Treatable dogs and cats are saved;and,â€¢ Healthy and treatable feral cats are saved.)

Implicit within the No Kill philosophy is the understanding that some animals, such as those who are irremediably suffering or hopelessly ill with a grave prognosis, will be killed for reasons of mercy.

4.) All e-mail, electronic or hardcopy public records and writings related to the decision of City Gate to cut any of the applicants for the position of GM of LAAS. These documents include, but are not limited to, the names of the persons making the decision to cut applicants and their background, if any, in progressive, human animal sheltering management including any qualifications in No-Kill sheltering.

5.) All e-mail, electronic or hardcopy public records and writings relating to any criteria by which any employee or official of the City of Los Angeles and/ or City Gate and/or any other entity was to evaluate or select applicants for the LAAS GM position to be given a second interview.

6.) All e-mail, electronic or hardcopy public records and writings relating to the importance of having had to have a "paid" job with an animal control/shelter in the selection of the next GM of LAAS.

7.) All e-mail, electronic or hardcopy public records and writings related to the creation and operation of the committee that will be interviewing the final candidates for the position of GM of LAAS. These documents include, but are not limited to, the names of each person sitting on the committee, their background in progressive, humane animal sheltering including any qualifications in No-Kill sheltering, the members' qualifications to sit on the committee, and the criteria used by the committee to interview the candidates for the new GM of LAAS including the questions that will be asked of each candidate.

8.) All e-mail, electronic or hardcopy public records and writings that provide the list of questions asked of applicants at the first interview for the LAAS GM position.

9.) All e-mail, electronic or hardcopy public records and writings related to the appointment of members to the committee that will be interviewing the final candidates for the position of GM of LAAS. These documents include, but are not limited to, the names of each member, their prior employment history, their current occupation, the qualifications of each of the members to sit on the committee, the prior relationship, if any, the member has to Mr. Bickhart, whether that relationship be personal, employment, private, financial or otherwise, the name of the person(s) who made the decision to appoint each member, and all documents used in the selection process such as news clippings, resumes, and related items.

10.) All e-mail, electronic or hardcopy public records and writings from Mr. Bickhart or LAAS indicating that the selection process, or any part of the selection process, to appoint a new GM to LAAS, should be done in secret.

11.) All e-mail, electronic or hardcopy public records and writings indicating or reflecting the fact that Mr. Bickhart does not want to hire an applicant who has experience in or promotes the concept of No-Kill sheltering.

12.) All e-mail, electronic or hardcopy public records and writings indicating or reflecting the reasons why there is an absence of any leaders/managers/ executives of No-Kill shelters that were involved in the recruitment process for the position of GM for LAAS.

13.) All e-mail, electronic or hardcopy public records and writings reflecting or indicating the names of any and all individuals who will determine which LAAS GM candidates get forwarded for consideration by the Mayor of Los Angeles.

By law, you have ten (10) calendar days in which to comply with this request. Authorized fees will be paid to you on delivery, pursuant to an itemized invoice. This request is made pursuant to Government Code section 6256.

Sincerely,

Your Name

Address

telephone number

email address

Second Letter to Bruce Whidden Custodian of Records for the City of Los Angeles Personnel Department:

Dear Mr. Whidden/ Custodian of Records,

700 E. Temple Street

Los Angeles, Calif. 90012

I am making an official and formal request through the California Public Records Act for you to provide me, within ten days of receipt of this letter, the answers to the following questions/requests and/or any e-mail correspondence, electronic or hard copy documents that will give the answers to the questions/requests below. If you are not the custodian of public records for the City of Los Angeles Personnel Department to whom this letter ought to be sent, then please let me know the name and address of the individual who handles California Public Records Requests for the CITY OF LOS ANGELES PERSONNEL DEPARTMENT immediately within twenty four hours of receipt of this letter.

Because the Mayor of Los Angeles decided to create the "appearance" of a fair selection process for the new Los Angeles Animal Services General Manager, he is therefore using our tax dollars and we have the right to know under the California Public Information Act (Government Code section 6256) exactly who is and has been involved with the recruitment process.

1.) I request and insist on being provided a copy of the CONTRACT and including the amount paid and/or to be paid to Citygate Associates LLP ("Citygate") for its services in recruiting the next General Manager ("GM") of L.A. Animal Services ("LAAS").

2.) I request and insist on being provided all email correspondence, memoranda, notes and other documents electronic or hard copy, facsimile or paper work that contains the names of any and all individuals at Citygate Associates LLP ("Citygate") who made the initial cut in candidates applying for the job of General Manager of LAAS, before sending these candidates on to the CITY OF LOS ANGELES PERSONNEL DEPARTMENT.

3.) I request and insist on being provided all email correspondence, memoranda, notes and other documents electronic or hard copy, facsimile or paper work that contains the names of any and all individuals in CITY OF LOS ANGELES PERSONNEL DEPARTMENT who are and were involved in rejecting any candidates for the General Manager position at the Los Angeles of Animal Services.

4.) I request and insist on being provided all email correspondence, memoranda, notes and other documents electronic or hard copy, facsimile or paper work that provide the list of questions asked of applicants at the first interview for the LAAS GM position.

5.) I request and insist on being provided all email correspondence, memoranda, notes and other documents electronic or hard copy, facsimile or paper work that reveals the backgrounds and qualifications in progressive, humane No-Kill sheltering, and skills of the CITY OF LOS ANGELES PERSONNEL DEPARTMENT employee or employees who determined who and why they rejected certain candidates and kept others.

6.) Unless already provided pursuant to the previous request, I request and insist on being provided all email correspondence, memoranda, notes and other documents, electronic or hard copy, facsimile or paper work relating in any manner to choosing to keep candidates having been in a "paid" capacity with an animal control/shelter agency previously, and rejecting candidates who did not have "paid" positions previously with an animal control/shelter agency.

7.) I know that Jim Bickhart is working with the CITY OF LOS ANGELES PERSONNEL DEPARTMENT set up a committee who will be interviewing the final candidates in mid April. I request and insist on being provided all email correspondence, memoranda, notes and other documents electronic or hard copy, facsimile or paper work that gives the names of those people chosen to sit on this interview/advisory committee involved in the recruitment and interviewing of a new LAAS GM.

8.) I request and insist on being provided all email correspondence, memoranda, notes and other documents electronic or hard copy, facsimile or paper work that gives the background on his or her skill set and qualifications for each of the committee members chosen to sit on the interview/advisory or any other committee involved in the interviewing of a new LAAS GM.

9.) I request and insist on being provided all email correspondence, memoranda, notes and other documents electronic or hard copy, facsimile or paper work showing the list of questions the committee is going to ask the candidates at the interview for a new LAAS GM.

10.) I request and insist on being provided all email correspondence, memoranda, notes and other documents electronic or hard copy, facsimile or paper work showing the name(s) of the individuals who selected these questions and what protocol was used to establish what the questions will be.

11.) I request and insist on being provided all email correspondence, memoranda, notes and other documents electronic or hard copy, facsimile or paper work showing the qualifications of all those chosen to be on the committee to interview candidates for the new LAAS GM. Mr. Bickhart has told his staff that the committee he selected is top secret and their names are NOT to be given to the public. The is NOT the transparency promised to the tax payers by the city when the recruitment process first began. In fact, withholding this public information is highly illegal under the California Public Information Act.

12.) I request and insist on being provided all email correspondence, memoranda, notes and other documents electronic or hard copy, facsimile or paper work reflecting the names of all individuals who will determine which LAAS GM candidates get forwarded for consideration by the Mayor.

13.) I request and insist on being provided all email correspondence, memoranda, notes and other documents electronic or hard copy, facsimile or paper work as to why PROVEN, progressive, humane No-Kill shelter leaders/managers/ executives were left out of this process in determining the candidates your department cut and/or kept for consideration as the next LAAS GM.

14.) I request and insist on being provided all email correspondence, memoranda, notes and other documents electronic or hard copy, facsimile or paper work showing why PROVEN, progressive, humane No-Kill shelter leaders were left out of the interviewing process in determining the candidates for LAAS GM to be sent to the Mayor.

15.) I request and insists that you provide all email correspondence, memoranda, notes and other documents electronic or hard copy, facsimile or paper work relating to any criteria by which any employee or official of the city of Los Angeles and/or Citygate Associates LLP and/or any other entity was to evaluate or select applicants for the LAAS GM position to be given a second interview.

16.) I request and insist that you provide all email correspondence, memoranda, notes and other documents electronic or hard copy, facsimile or paper work relating to or reflecting the department(s) and/or entity(ies) and/or individual(s) that evaluated and/or selected applicants for the LAAS GM position who would be given a second interview.

17.) I request and insist that you provide all email correspondence, memoranda, notes and other documents electronic or hard copy, facsimile or paper work regarding who is expected to serve on any interview or screening panel involved with selecting the next LAAS GM.

By law, you have ten (10) calendar days in which to comply with this request. Authorized fees will be paid to you on delivery, pursuant to an itemized invoice. This request is made pursuant to Government Code section 6256.

Sincerely,

Your NameAddresstelephone numberemail address

Third Letter to the Custodian of Records for the City of Los Angeles Mayor's Office:

Antonio Villaraigosa Mayor of the City of Los Angeles

ATT: Custodian of Records for the Mayor's Office:

200 North Spring StreetLos Angeles, CA 90012-3239