Quote:

John Neu completely funds Joanna Hopkinson's position. LHS receives additional funding through their contracts with Jersey City and Hoboken.

Xerxes,
Unfortunately, I do not have those numbers. But if one of the potential issues was a violation of a contract, http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/20 ... iberty_humane_societ.html , it stands to reason that what difference would it make if money was not involved.

Xerxes: You can use this website to look into the LHS's financials.

http://www2.guidestar.org/organizatio ... berty-humane-society.aspx

Another site out there is Charity Navigator.

Quote:

John, you have a couple too many negatives in that sentence for ease of understanding. But I take it you are saying the City DOES pay LHS to care for animals.
That contradicts surlyt who said:
Quote:

If the City pays, do you know how it pays much per annum? How much does Mr. Neu contribute annually?

(A lot could be learned by reading the budget...inflow and outgo.)

I am operating only with the information I get on this thread.

Well what's more irresponsible? John Neu's alleged ultimatum about the boss, or the Board's walk-out. I think it's pretty clear the board was selfish and irresponsible to do that. If we can't get a goddamn non-profit humane society Board, a Board of Education, or the City Council to take their heads out of each others asses is this town... well we should all give up.

Next thing we'll see the Library, the Friends of Liberty State, and the Freemasons all back-stabbing each other! Am I wrong or are these and some of the parks organizations a bit loony as well? Or was it that we had two Hamilton Park associations and two Newport Associations? Christ.

Woah. I'm picturing a great pre-apocalyptic scene! Cue up that track of Bill Murrah from Ghostbusters. Dog and cats, living together... mass hysteria! When there's something strange... in your neighborhood... who ya gonna call... turd busters!

I may still need my coffee, but thorugh this thread, I do not see the inference that the city does not pay LHS any money. That is not correct. The city does in fact have a contract with LHS and part of this contract does unclude that LHS is paid for their services. However, these funds only cover a fraction of the costs that LHS incurrs. The remaining comes from donors ranging from corporate to individuals.

Thanks for the data surlyt.

It is interesting that the problem was caused by an operating deficit of $73k which was apparently in reserves, so no borrowing needed.

It is also interesting that a single salary of $80-90K was more than enough for break even, even increasing the reserve fund.

I would still like to know the combined salary of OTHER employees. If the total is something like $200k then it becomes rather obvious where the problem is.

All too often, non-profit's are charities of by and for the benefit of their employees.

Ms. Hopkins/Hopinson's? $90k would go far towards feeding cats.

I'm sure some retired cat lover would take the job for $40k and run the place as well as Hopkins/Hopkinson.

Interesting though, NO city money! Hard to believe.
I guess whatever happens then is Mr. Neu's call 100%.

Quote:

LHS is non-profit.

Joanna Hopkinson is paid 80-90k/year. This is entirely funded by a single donor, John Neu. The resignation story is that the Board wanted to fire Joanna and John Neu said that if they fired Joanna he would pull all of his funding. My personal opinion is that the board should have said fine and fired her anyway but instead they copped out and resigned. LHS should never be dependent on one single donor for all of their funding to begin with. The Board felt that their hands were completely tied and that they had no other choice.

Don't know how much the staff is paid but I don't think it is much. It is both a mentally and physically tough job.

If by Directors you mean Board Members - no they are not paid... it's all volunteer.

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This is not what he meant. The Board needs LHS to break even and had worked out a budget so that they would be able to break even. Continuing to run the shelter at a loss would have meant that there would be no money to feed the animals, medicate them, pay the staff, etc. Request some of the Board Minutes from earlier this year. You can see for yourself that the Management at LHS couldn't stick to a budget to save their lives.

LHS kept taking in more and more animals and they weren't doing anything to get them adopted, out to foster or out to rescue. I am thrilled to see that they are really ramping up their efforts to get these animals out but all of this writing was on the walls months ago (for both the Board and Management) and they sat around doing nothing for way too long.

xerxes brings up a couple of fantastic points, and highlights another area in which the shelter needs help.

i train and walk the dogs there. that's what i do. i'm a piano teacher, so i (hopefully) use my brain a lot during the day. when i go to the shelter, i'm up for helping physically, but i don't have the skills or energy to look at balance sheets, etc.

liberty needs people who can answer all of the questions that xerxes raised. in the past, perhaps those people were the board members. right now, there are a few people serving as an interim board so the shelter can legally keep its doors open, but they all expressed to me that they did not want to serve on the board forever.

i will try to find out who to contact about how you can take a look at liberty's finances. when i have an answer, i'll post it here.

Is the shelter a "for profit" operation?
How much is Joanna Hopkins, the Executive Director of the shelter paid? How much are her staff paid.
Is there an OWNER?
Are the Directors paid anything?


The money trail often reveals a lot.

An inference can be drawn from the statement that "O'Keefe accused management of running the shelter into the ground and said the facility lost $73,000 in the first half of 2010, forcing it to dip into its reserve."
What he is sayingis that the Board will not tolerate the shelter unless the shelter makes money every year.

If the place is a for-profit operation funded by the City, how much does the City give them every year?

Anybody know the dollars and cents of this.

(Yes, I agree there can be no such thing as a "no-kill shelter" where the number of animals increases week by week. The end-point is an infinite number of animals housed at infinite expense. A no-go!)

hi. i volunteer at lhs all the time. we can discuss the politics of this thing or the realities of animal shelter operation all we want here. but what lhs needs now is help. you don't have to help. you don't have to think this is worth doing. you can call me a doodiehead. that's fine.

the primary need at this point is to find homes (preferably permanent homes but foster homes is better than nothing) for the animals at lhs so that the issue of overcrowding is moot.

the people who were at the board meeting until the end of the board meeting are doing this with the correct motivation- a desire to help the animals of hudson county.

if you want to help, we've decided that facebook will be our central meeting area for now so that we all are on the same page.

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/LibertyHumaneSociety?ref=ts

thanks.

According to the website, the next Volunteer Orientation is next Thursday evening, and it's on schedule.

"Deja Vu" is by far the most dramatic and adventurous thrill film on rental, but what these animals are actually going through down there at the shelter is like no other kind of movie around. It?s far too real; in fact it?s true live scenes from the past animal pound (Deja Vu) that was located on Johnston Avenue are being relived in front of our own eyes down at animal shelter and no one is doing anything about it.

Read the 4th paragraph of what CatsnDogs posted above ?Statement from Liberty Humane Society.? Are they for real?

It?s the crisis that they have been waiting for in order to turn it into an opportunity for them. Could you just imagine that? They view this crisis of animals suffering in poor kept conditions, numerous state failed inspections over the years ever since they have been in business, but now 6 years later they have an opportunity to reinvigorate the organization and create a better model going forward to serve the animals and the needs of the community. It?s a shame how certain people within this current and past board exploits the hearts of animal lovers across the state and politicians alike by using animals as their prime bait in getting their acceptance, support and approvals for whatever they want as they take full advantage of the city?s generosities in using it like their personal own ATM.

Wake Up People! It?s not the coffee you have been smelling all of these years. We need to get rid of any past and current board members who is still lingering around once and for all, they have done nothing more than destroyed the hard work put forth by good dedicated shelter workers and volunteers just for their personal gains and motivates.

If you have the time, fostering animals is a great way to help, as evidenced by this event, there are plenty of animals there and they'd all be happier staying in someone's home, even if its temporary.

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 15, 2010
CONTACT: Joanna Hopkinson 201 547 4147



LIBERTY HUMANE SOCIETY STATEMENT
FORMS INTERIM BOARD


(Jersey City, NJ July 15, 2010) Last night, the Board of Directors of the Liberty Humane Society resigned. Prior to their resignations taking affect, the board appointed past presidents Laura Moss, Bonnie Yost Suozzo and Diana Jeffrey to serve as an interim board.

The three past presidents collectively have over 10 years experience governing the Liberty Humane Society. Laura Moss served as president from 2005-2006 and Bonnie Yost Suozzo served as president from 2007-2009. Diana Jeffrey served as president from 2002-2004.

The interim board?s main priority is to ensure that there is no disruption in the care provided to the animals, or the cities of Jersey City and Hoboken. Towards that end, the interim board is working in unison with the Executive Director Joanna Hopkinson and previous board members as well as staff and volunteers to ensure a smooth transition.

The interim board will work quickly to appoint new members to the governing board. We are confident that this crisis can be turned into an opportunity for LHS. We see an opportunity to reinvigorate the organization and create a better model going forward to serve the animals and the needs of the community.

We cannot do this without your support. Currently we have many dogs and cats at the shelter that need to be placed in loving homes, in foster care, or with other rescues and shelters that can help ease the overcrowding. This is where you can really be of help to the animals and make the greatest difference. Please contact our volunteer coordinator Trish at trish@libertyhumane.org.

Liberty Humane Society is located at 235 Jersey City Boulevard in Jersey City directly across the street from the Liberty Science Center at Exit 14B off the NJ Turnpike. Telephone 201 547 4147 press 0. Adoption hours are 11 am to 4 pm Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday and 11 am ? 8pm Tuesday and Thursday. The shelter is closed on Wednesday.

###

What a mess. Now I feel I ought to adpot like 8 dogs.

Meowmix,
Please join the DOGJC group and post your comment there. http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/DOGJC/
Thank you.

I attended last night's meeting and was appalled to witness the board walking out. With that said it is time to stop the harboring of resentment in the local animal community and get together as concerned citizens who all share a love and compassion for the animals in our local shelter. We need to put our energy into building a collective that is positive with a constructive effort that is going to help LHS and the animals that are there. We must be prepared to be part of the solution and not remain part of the problem.

The by-laws of LHS allow for past presidents to become an interim board in the event that there is no board. This ensures that, as a 501c3, that the organization can still exist.

I have to respectfully disagree with you both. No kill does not mean that the shelter becomes a retirement home for unwanted animals. It means the focus becomes adoption. It's interesting that this article doesn't point out the great successes Liberty has been having lately with events like Adoptapalooza.

It is important to have a no kill shelter in Hudson County.

It is easier and cheaper to be a kill shelter? Of course. Any time they become pressed for space, they kill some animals. Any time an animal is mildly sick, like with a cold, they can kill it if they feel like it -- no need to spend money on medicine.

I don't know the full story, and I'm sure there are things to be improved on by both sides. No kill is hard, but we have to try.

Everyone has said this, from Truman to Gandhi, and a million others, but society is judged by how it treats its weakest members. We have a responsibility to these animals. Many of them were brought into the world because of people, and we have to take care of them.

I agree reality sucks and this city is too large to be a no kill shelter. If you want a no kill shelter go open one up on a farm where it doesn't matter.

Another thing what good is bring back the past 3 presidents, they couldn't do it before what make you people think they can do it now?

Animal shelters were never designed or ever be financially viable as a retirement village for unwanted animals.

Reality sucks...................move on.......................at least the animals are HUMANELY put down !

Eleanor,

Even with these events, the shelter is still running. If you still wish to attend, call the shelter to ensure that it is still scheduled or even PM me and I will contact them for you.

John

Interim board formed for Jersey City animal shelter after tonight's mass resignations

Updated: Wednesday, July 14, 2010, 10:20 PM
Melissa Hayes/The Jersey Journal

In the wake of the entire five-member board of the Liberty Humane Society shelter resigning, an interim board has been put in place consisting of three past presidents of the Jersey City shelter -- Bonnie Swazo, Laura Moss, and Diana Jeffrey.

Norrice Raymaker, who resigned tonight along with four other board members, told The Jersey Journal tonight that the three past presidents could perhaps work with current management of the shelter to get the financially-strapped facility back on track.

"As we attempted to develop strategies to counteract the inevitable bankruptcy, it has become clear to everyone on the board that within this organization, decisions are made not through a board as defined by the New Jersey Nonprofit Corporation Act, but rather through a partnership of close individuals," board President John O'Keefe read from a statement to open the 6 p.m. at City Hall.

When he finished, he announced that effective immediately, he, Jin Park, Gia Arturo, Raymaker and Pui Chi Wong were all resigning their seats.

"Walk away cowards! Take your movie moment and walk away," shelter volunteer Marcy Anderson shouted as the board exited the meeting.

The mass resignation is the result of a bitter battle between board members who want to save money by dramatically reducing the number of animals the shelter houses and management who wants to pursue a "no-kill" policy and pursue grant funding to keep the shelter open.

In June, the board voted to cap the number of dogs the facility could house to between 45 and 57.

Executive Director Joanna Hopkinson said that the shelter's contract with Jersey City requires space for 74 dogs.

"If you take our shelter down to 45 dogs, given our intake, we're going to become a kill shelter," Hopkinson said.

O'Keefe accused management of running the shelter into the ground and said the facility lost $73,000 in the first half of 2010, forcing it to dip into its reserve.

"The board has been faced with management that has been operating the shelter under policies and procedures that were not presented to or approved by the board," O'Keefe said.

"The only metric visible to the board over the past six months were the ever-increasing population of animals in the shelter," he added.

Hopkinson, who has been director for nearly eight months, said the board is skewing the numbers and has failed to fundraise or support the shelter.

She said the shelter has contracted with the City of Hoboken and opened a Wellness Clinic to generate additional revenue.

"To sit and hear these lies is very disheartening," she said.

Board members said the shelter currently has 400 animals, but Hopkinson said the shelter has 79 dogs, five puppies and about 200 cats, which is normal for this time of year.

Staff member Susan Raynes said she was disappointed the board walked out.

"I felt like it was a cop-out and that it was not legal or ethical," she said. "They owe it to the animals to stay and listen to what we have to say and figure out a solution."

Journal staff writer Madeline Knight contributed to this story.

From The Jersey Journal

The entire board of the Liberty Humane Society animal shelter resigned tonight at a 6 p.m. meeting at City Hall, according to Journal staff writer Melissa Hayes who is on the scene.

A board member read a brief statement, accusing the shelter's manager of "hoarding" animals and then the board members all quit, Hayes said.

The debate centers around how long the shelter can hold animals. The board apparently wants to put a cap on the number of animals the shelter houses, which would likely lead to more animals being euthanized.

The executive director, Joanna Hopkins, who has been the job for about seven months, has said that dramatically lowering the cap to save money for the financially struggling shelter could violate the shelter's contract with the City of Jersey City.

Check back with Hudson County Now later for an update.