BRING QUINCEY BACK!

To Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and the Los Angeles City Council:

The People and animals of the City of Los Angeles have suffered a great loss with the resignation of Archie Quincey from the Board of Animal Services Commissioners. Quincey brings 32 years experience in Los Angeles animal care and control to the Board. He is a dedicated, informed and honorable Commissioner and what this City needs and has needed.

With no real management team in place in the Department and a real mess left behind by a bumbling General Manager, we must look to the Board of Commissioners for experience, guidance and leadership. Quincey was chastised for doing his job--getting to the truth and finding a solution. The case of Stu aside, Quincey has constantly reminded the Board and Department that we must license our dogs, follow the law and make new laws that help to stem the tide of abandoned animals and killing.

Management has insulted Quincey to his face, behind his back and in public which is unacceptable, shameful and should not be tolerated. We cannot afford a vacancy on the Board and certainly cannot afford not to have Quincey in his seat advocating for the law, order and compassion. Our shelters are overflowing with animals. With intake of animals up 30% and kill numbers even worse, due to economic issues in our nation, state and city, we need all the wisdom we can get and we got that from Quincey--for free.

Mr. Mayor, you must refuse Quincey's resignation, have a personal meeting with him to address his concerns and put him back where he belongs--in his seat on the Board where he gives us a mountain of insight and experience without compensation. Please support and uphold the integrity of this Board by standing behind your personal appointment, Archie J. Quincey. You have chosen to remain in Los Angeles and do the work of the people. At this time, the people need a full Board which leads, is forthright and honorable. You have the power to give them that. Please stand up and do so.

I encourage Council to pass a resolution which recommends Quincey's reinstatement. You, as the representatives of the People, approved this man's appointment. Don't let him go. He is doing what you asked of him: serving honorably.

When was the last time you saw female rescuers hug a Commissioner? I've seen it. I'd like to see it again.

Respectfully,

Jeff de la Rosa

I urge all readers of this letter to join with me in this campaign to return Archie Quincey to the Board of Commissioner without delay. Email addresses and other contact info which you can use to BRING QUINCEY BACK! are below.

Office of the Mayor:
mayor@lacity.org
JimmyBlackman@lacity.org

Board of Commissoners
Tariq Khero tariq.khero@gmail.com
Kathleen Riordn ninekitties@aol.com
Archie J. Quincey ajq1trq2@aol.com
Irene Ponce ireneponce@earthlink.net (spam filter, you must do as requested when you receive the return email for your message to be delivered)
Ruthanne Secunda secundar@unitedtalent.com

City Council-Public Safety Committee

Councilmember Paul Koretz Chair, Council District 5
200 N. Spring Street, Room 440; Los Angeles, CA 90012
ph: 213-473-7005; fax: 213-978-2250
email: councilmember.koretz@lacity.org, paul.koretz@lacity.org

Councilmember Bernard C. Parks, Council District 8
200 N. Spring Street, Rm. 460; Los Angeles, CA 90012
ph 213-473-7008; fax: 213-485-7683
email: Councilmember.Parks@lacity.org,
Bernard.Parks.Jr@lacity.org

Councilmember Greig Smith, Council District 12
200 North Spring St., Rm 405
Los Angeles, CA 90012
ph: 213-473-7012; fax: 213-473-6925
email: councilmember.smith@lacity.org

Councilmember Dennis Zine, Council District 3
200 N. Spring Street, Rm.450
Los Angeles, CA 90012
ph: 213-473-7003; fax: 213-485-8988
email: Dennis.Zine@lacity.org

Councilmember Ed Reyes, Council District 1
200 N. Spring Street, Room 410
Los Angeles, CA 90012
ph: 213-473-7001; fax: 213-485-8907
email: councilmember.reyes@lacity.org, ed.reyes@lacity.org

[UPDATED] Animal Services thwarts Board Officer Elections-Again.

CLICK HERE FOR BOARD's 7/27/09 Agenda (save it...it will change)

UPDATE 7/24/09 8:07 P.M. No, there was no reply to the letter; however, mysteriously a "special agenda" was added to the LAAS web site on Friday, July 24, 2009 5:00:04 PM. That agenda is for the elections of officers. What? They forgot? Here's the new addition http://laanimalservices.com/PDF/commission/2009/072709%20-%20Special%20Agenda.pdf

Below is the text of Jeff de la Rosa's letter to the the Interim General Manager of Los Angeles Animal Services, Kathy Davis. She's not doing so hot at 24 days in office.

July 24, 2009 VIA EMAIL
Kathleen Davis, Interim General Manager
Board of Commissioners
City of Los Angeles
Dept. of Animal Services
221 N. Figueroa St 5th fl.
Los Angeles CA 90012

DEMAND TO HOLD OFFICER ELECTIONS


Dear Ms. Davis, and Commissioners,

Pursuant to Article V of the Los Angeles City Charter, the Board is to hold an election of officers on Monday July 27, 2009. Unless there is another last meeting in July, your agenda does not comply with the law.

Sec. 503. Organization of the Board.
(a) Officers. Each of the boards created in the Charter shall elect one of its members President and one Vice-President. Officers shall hold office for one year and until their successors are elected, unless their membership on the board expires sooner. Elections shall be held during its last meeting in July of each year, but the board may fill the unexpired term of any vacancy occurring in the office of President or Vice-President at any meeting. (emphasis added)


I therefore demand that you either revise your Board’s agenda to include the mandated election of officers: OR

Cancel and reschedule your meeting to another day in July 2009 which will provide for proper public notice for an agenda which includes an election of officers according to the Los Angeles City Charter and Administrative Code-- A free election with the outcome not dictated by others.

If I am not informed in timely manner that you have taken proper steps to comply with the law I will pursue criminal corruption charges against you as well as civil remedies.



You’re not off to a very good start.

Sincerely,


Jeffrey de la Rosa

Cc:

William Carter, Office of the City Attorney
Council President Eric Garcetti
Councilmember Paul Koretz, Chair Public Safety Committee
Councilmember Dennis Zine, Chair-Personnel Committee;
Helen E. Zukin, President, City Ethics Commission:
Board of Animal Services Commissioners:
Commissioner Tariq Khero, President;
Commissioner Kathleen Riordan, Vice President;
Commissioner Irene Ponce;
Commissioner Ruthanne Secunda

The Lion of the Board of Commissioners has had it. Quincey resigns.

LA Animal Services commissioner resigns


From the Daily News:
LA Animal Services commissioner resigns
By Rick Orlov, Staff Writer
Updated: 07/24/2009 09:28:30 AM PDT

A member of the Los Angeles Animal Services Commission resigned Thursday, accusing city employees of ignoring his demands for information and suggesting that some actions could be illegal.

Archie Quincy, who spent 32 years working for the Los Angeles County Animal Control Department, sent a letter of resignation to aides of Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. "I don't need this job," Quincy said in an interview. "They don't know what they're doing over there and I'm afraid some of what they are doing is criminal. I just don't want to be involved with it."

Quincy, who was appointed in 2007, said he suspects the city Department of Animal Services has been withholding information or changing data in reports to the five-member commission.

The most recent situation involved information he had requested about a pit bull taken to a city shelter and the treatment of the dog's owner.

"When I ask for information as a commissioner, I should be able to get it," Quincy said. "Instead, all I hear are comments about me."

Animal Services officials said they were unaware of Quincy's resignation and could not comment on it.

The long-troubled department has been without a general manager since April, when then-chief Ed Boks resigned under pressure from animal advocates.

Stu's Dad asks for a little help...

I've hit a rough patch and have sent out a request for help. My pride? I gave that up 4 years ago when I had to ask the world to help save my Stu. Notes on why I'm requesting assistance are HERE. Thank you in advance for any help you can send along.

For Annie...

One night in 1995 I came home to see a bouncy and black Cocker Spaniel trotting down my street in Los Feliz. I followed and the little dog stopped on the corner across the street from me. I sat on my corner and waited. She sat on her corner and looked at me for about 10 minutes. Finally she got up and trotted over to say, "hello." She was clean and well-groomed, so I knew she belonged somewhere. I placed an ad in the L.A.Times classified. The next day, a woman called saying that she has rescued "Annie" from the streets near Adams Blvd. months before. She had been a mess, was matted and filthy. While recovering with her rescuer/foster mom, Annie raised a litter of kittens and slept in their box with them.

The rescuer said she had placed Annie in a home in Beachwood Canyon, about 2 miles away from me, but Annie had escaped the yard on the first night by chewing through the wood fence and ended up facing me down on a corner in Los Feliz. The rescuer came by and confirmed the dog was indeed Annie and asked me if I would like to keep her. I said, "Absolutely, yes!" "Good, " she said. "She seems to like it better with you" --besides, I had a young kitten, Grace; and by now, Annie had taken her under her wing.

Over the years, Annie traveled across the country several times with me, always on her black pillow on the passenger seat, sporting her red collar . Once she locked me out of the car at truck stop at night by flicking the lock button while the motor was running. Other than that , she 's been my best friend and my most loyal companion. She's outlasted 5 girlfriends and was better to me than any of them. When I brought Maeve home at 8 weeks old, Annie took charge of her, too. She remained in charge as Maeve grew to be an 80 lbs. beauty. Then Stu joined us. They ignored each other for the most part, but I have caught them cuddling together on occasion. Annie hated the dog park. While Stu and Maeve played, she would sidle up to the nearest bench and wait for a human to come and adore her. She preferred people to everything, except kittens.

Annie has been mauled by a big dog on the Elysian trail, suffered glaucoma and the loss of one eye and so many ear infections that she finally went deaf. Losing those senses never phased her as she marched on with that Spaniel nose and never complained. Her love was unconditional and I returned her love by staying by her through all of her ordeals and her joys. She was always a happy little pup and let me know it. She wasn't a kisser but she would rest her head on my knee as a sign they I was hers.

For the last several days, Annie has been letting me know that she would be leaving me soon. She stopped eating. Then the next day she stopped drinking water. She has been weak and stumbling. Last night I gave her water from a syringe as I held her in my arms, crying. At about 3 a.m., I put her down on her bed and I went to sleep. This morning we were going to the vet to confirm what I already knew: She was at least 16 and her time left with me was short.

I picked her up from her bed and gave her a paper towel , so she could pee because she could not stand. Holding her in my arms, I tried some more water. She took a few drops and lapped it up. Suddenly, her legs thrust out stiffly as she took her last breath or her heart gave out. Her tongue went still and her mouth hung open. Then her head fell onto my chest and her little plush legs went limp. She was gone.

It was as if she had waited until I could be with her before she departed. I'm sure of it

She did not complain this morning but for a tiny little whimper seconds before she left me.

I will miss her more than words can describe. I had hoped she would be here when Stu comes home. I hope Maeve will be alive when he does. I wonder if he felt her go.

Rest easy, little one. I loved you so much am so thankful for your love and for what you have taught me. Rest easy.