Animal advocates challenge council
May 25—The Odessa City Council heard from two animal advocates during its regular meeting Tuesday night, both of whom had ideas on how to deal with the community's rampant stray animal problem.
Susan Clark, a member of the city's animal advisory board, told the council the board believes hiring a full-time veterinarian to work at the city's new shelter is the "best option" to deal with the high number of stray and abandoned animals in the city.
A veterinarian could provide low cost spaying and neutering services and host vaccination clinics, she said.
While there has been talk of investing in a voucher program, Clark said "many people would still be unwilling or unable to use a voucher" because it would still be too costly to visit a vet's office.
Karen Patterson, vice president of the Fix West Texas non-profit group, told the council her organization received a huge positive response once it announced the city was considering a voucher program. She also urged the city's police officers to actively promote the low cost program her organization offers to those who can't afford to have their animals fixed.
Patterson also refuted a comment Odessa Police Chief Mike Gerke made in a recent Odessa American article. Gerke said he believed Patterson has been critical of the city's animal shelter due to a "personality conflict" between her and animal shelter director Kelley Hendricks.
"Let me be clear. I do not know Hendricks, at all. I feel that because I am a woman and these issues have to do with a department that is buried within a department and has historically been underfunded and primarily affects the marginalized members of our community, it is easy for Chief to push the problem under the rug and chalk it up to as a quote, personality conflict," Patterson said. "But, as you know, I have real concerns about real issues that are presented before you guys. And so do your constituents, I challenge you to hold the chief accountable for his department and encourage them to open his eyes to the crisis at hand in our community. It's not just a crisis at the shelter, it's within our community and to ask him to be transparent to both the council and our community as we take steps forward and occasionally take steps back."
Because the two women spoke during the Citizens Comments portion of the meeting, the council could not speak on the matters.
Mayor Javier Joven started the meeting by extending the council's thoughts and prayers to those impacted by the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde. Having been through a similar situation, the mayor said there are no words to adequately express their sorrow.
The council also recognized more than a dozen students who participated in the Texas Scholars program and members of Odessa Fire Rescue for National EMS Week.
In addition, the council unanimously agreed to spend $139,000 to install a traffic signal at Faudree and P Bar Ranch roads. They also voted unanimously to amend a city ordinance so law enforcement officers can issue citations to parents who facilitate underage drinking by renting party buses, limos and recreational vehicles.
