The animal control presentation at the Burien City Council meeting Monday, 6-18-12 was a total scam.

It is a shame that the Burien taxpayers are paying for this program.

While Mike Martin, Burien city manager, had obviously helped the three that run Burien animal control prepare their Power Point presentation, they didn’t bother to learn the script.

So throughout the presentation, Debra George, the Mark Restaurant owner and owner of CARES, kept looking to Mike Martin to coach her on her presentation. Mr. Martin appeared to know the script better than her.

However, someone at CARES and city hall can’t count. It appears that CARES can’t account for over 280 animals that they took in but didn’t account for what happened to the animals. Monthly reporting on the animals was missing from the presentation. I thought that was part of their required contract with the city.

Then there was the financial information that was also missing. It appears that they are not a registered nonprofit as they have been trying to trick the public into believing. So don’t try to claim that deduction on your income tax, if you donated to them.

Their group is not trained and not transparent in their operation.

Maybe if the city staff and Mr. Martin had not taken a pay raise for two years during a deep recession, Burien would have adequate funds to run their animal control.

And, what the heck, are those red, weird particleboard boxes that are supposed to house animals? They look like hot death traps that will smell the first time some animal sprays or gets sick on the particleboard.

Then there is the mystery backroom that no one is allowed to see, the emergency phone that never has anyone answering it and the disappearing dogs from the hoarder.

Only a couple of the council members looked and sounded like they have a brain in their head and asked real questions about this CARES annual report.

The city manager makes more per year than he is willing to pay for animal control. Perhaps, the quickest way to get more money for animal control is to get rid of the city manager.

J. Taylor
Burien