By Tracy Jillard
Speaking with a friend, I was asked to describe what another friend (one in the audience) observed about the commissioners while I was speaking.
I wish I could tell you I saw these things, but I was so focused on speaking and not crying that, although I did look at them several times, I could not really see how they were reacting to my words.
My friend in the audience said none looked very interested or concerned. What bothered him most was seeing Ms Troutman roll her eyes multiple times during my speech.
I sat through hours of their meeting yesterday ( waiting for my 3minutes) where they voted out the CEO and president of Career Source Polk County for not doing her job. Then voted out her entire board of directors. Ms. Troutman quoted a lot of numbers showing Polk County Career Source’s falling to near-failing statistics over the last few years. Month after month, this same BoCC is being presented with the numbers showing Polk County is the highest kill shelter in the state by almost 3 times all other counties. Animals are being taken in, then vanish, getting lost somewhere, not in the euthanasia, the adoption, or the escape counts. Yet they feel no need to account for them. The shelter itself is something they could cite a citizen for animal abuse if they found an animal kept there on a hot summer day. Yet it is okay for PCAC. No one is allowed in. There is no oversight. They do as they wish and close their eyes and their ears despite being shown proven methods that would bring Polk County into the humane animal world. Polk County BoCC, you are not doing your jobs. You are not keeping the animals of Polk County in a safe, humane place and caring for them in a humane way.
When you were elected to office, your job was to represent the people that put you there, NOT follow your own agenda. It might help if you started to actively listen to what those people have to say, or you may find yourself voted out of a job.
To Ms. Troutman, I hope you do not have a pet, and if you do, I feel sorry for it, since to you it is obviously nothing more than a possession. Pets deserve to be treated and loved just as any other family member.
Polk County BoCC -Actions always speak louder than words. But your silence is shouting volumes.