City Council meeting eye witness report

Ladies and Gentlemen, Mr. Mayor:

At this morning’s meeting of the Council Committee on Human Services & Technology concerning BARC, I wrote down Gerry Fusco’s accomplishments to date, his priorities, and goals. I’ve read them a few times since, and fail to see brilliance worth $208,000. All suggestions are standard procedure in well-run shelters. The information is free and available.

Not unlike men who run the shell games at the fair, Mr. Fusco knows people well; he “works” them into his plan. He is theatrical in his apparent calm, remaining supremely self-confident that he can pull one over the City of Houston. Of course, that entirely depends on its City Council, and I was encouraged by the poignant questions and observations of Council Members Adams, Holm, Kahn, and Noriega.

Ms. Marks' passionate defense of Fusco (and, though less enthusiastic, Mr. Williams') is understandable given their vested interests in following the course they suggested.

No one is “in the middle” about Fusco and this fact is unsettling. He elicits either blind faith despite his lackluster career and personality, or utter mistrust because of the same reasons plus a few others. That alone puts him in question as someone who can bring unity, harmony, and lasting solutions to the complex world of animal control.

More disturbing yet is that Fusco will have a role in the choice of Bureau chief and in “molding” this person in his own vision of BARC. Why is this disturbing? If the finalist is a seasoned shelter professional (unlike Fusco), he or she will necessarily aim to run the city shelter according to best practices learned over years of hands-on experience. In this case, Fusco’s changes will in turn be “changed” before a true professional can accept responsibility for their success or failure.

However, if the envisioned chief can only manage a ready-made BARC following the protocols, rules, vision, mission … i.e., the “culture” according to the “Fusco Bible of Animal Control,” then the erosion of Fusco’s labors is also inevitable and prepare for another disaster. Whether the new chief is fit or not for the task, either way, Fusco’s very expensive and confusing contract amounts to spending the money twice for the same job.

Fusco will backfire.

A very illuminating meeting. Thank you.

Dolores Proubasta