I'm ready or Jessica, she's there.
Okay.
Good morning and thank you for joining us
for this committee on Health and Human Relations meeting.
It is 10 0 6 on March 10th,
and this meeting is now called to order.
On today's agenda, we will consider several OLA appointments
to various advisory boards
and the appointment of director, uh,
for Chicago Animal Care and Control.
Uh, we will also consider two resolutions.
And before we begin, I'm going to call the role
to establish court, and I do wanna note
that we are moving some items in the agenda.
Um, we are shifting item number eight to
the first, uh, item to accommodate other women crew's.
Schedule the rest of the agenda.
Oh, you're up.
We'll get it to you. Um, we are moving item number eight
to, um, item number one to accommodate, uh,
Alderwoman Crews agenda
and the rest of agenda will be as posted.
Now I am going to call the role
Vice Chair Ramirez.
Alderman Robinson. Alderman Yancy,
Alderwoman Gutierrez Alderman Lopez.
Alderman Si Cho Lopez.
Wo Fuentes Wo Cruz
Alderman Caala Alderman Lawson.
Wo Man Howorth Wo Manhattan.
Chairwoman Rodriguez Sanchez is here.
There are seven members present and we have a quorum.
We also recognize other woman
Nicole Lee and Elderman.
Nick Podo, who, which are non-members.
Uh, thank you for being here.
Uh, we'll begin our meeting with time for public comment.
This period is limited to 30 minutes.
We're going to do it a little bit longer today
because we received a lot of public comment.
I'm going to randomly pick 20 of the slips that we received.
Um, we have, how many slips do we have?
Do we, we have 30 slips.
We are going to use 20 of those randomly selected.
And, um, we're going to start public comment now.
The first public comment is going to be
provided by Bonnie Sperlock.
Please approach the microphone. Thank you.
Hello. Um, thank you for allowing us to talk.
My name is Bonnie s Spurlock. Um, can I
Stop you for a second?
I'm so sorry. We are going to be doing two minutes for Okay.
I am so sorry. We're going
to be doing two minutes for person.
We're Starting over. We're starting over.
Dunno how this works. Go ahead.
But anyway, um, I'm on the Board of Pause
and I've also volunteered for Pause Chicago.
Um, I've seen all the work we have done.
The people that are working for Sue
to remain in her position are Chicagoans.
They're native Chicagoans like me.
The money's not coming from Utah,
not coming from somewhere else.
I don't know where all those money money's coming from,
but I do know we are died in the wool Chicagoans.
We support our alderman, we support our mayor,
and we want the city to be a better place.
Um, we're very appreciative of the additional resources
that Mayor Johnson has provided, the 600,000,
and that's gonna turn a lot of things around
that people are talking about that haven't been happening
and they haven't been happening because the resources.
So now that we have the resources,
I think it's gonna make a big difference.
Um, Sue has partnered with local shelters
and developed innovative programming
that's increased lifesaving
and brought private resources
to help CACC despite a continuous increasing intake
and reduced bus budget in 2025.
2025 was CC'S highest adoption year in history.
It was up 20% year over year finding homes
for 3,626.
Cats and dogs transfers were up 22% in 2025
with 8,848 cats.
I mean, isn't it amazing? And dogs transfer
to local shelters and rescue organizations.
This is the ha, highest transfer number in 10 years.
I mean, that's huge. The SAV rate proportion
of animal outcomes that are alive is up in 2025,
reaching 78.1% versus 76.8
in 2024.
And all this progress, um, is in the face
of continuing increasing intake.
Coming into cc, um,
intake was up 17% over 20 24, 30 7% over
2023 and 51% over 2022. Thank
You for your comments. Uh,
before I proceed with Thank you, um,
I want to, um, ask for a motion for Rule 59,
participation for Alderman Lemon Robinson
and Alderman Scho Lopez.
Uh, so moved by MANA Hopin.
All those in favor signify by saying Aye. Opposed?
Saying nay in the opinion of the chair, the ayes have it.
Alderman Robinson
and Alderman Chil Lopez, you are being added to the rule.
Next, uh, comment is going to be provided by Steve Dale.
Hi. Hello.
I am a certified Animal behavior consultant
and serve on several non-for-profit animal related boards
including anti cruelty.
I've authored and contributed
to books about companion animals.
I speak internationally at veterinary meetings.
For 10 years, I served as the co-chair
of the city's task force on companion
animals and public safety.
And I've been around long enough to see nearly four decades
of executive directors come and go at CACC
and with lots of controversy,
but I've never seen vitriol like what's happening today.
The attacks are relentless hurled, like scoops of dog.
I won't say the word, mostly aimed at Susan Capello.
She has served as interim director for several years.
So the obvious question is why now and why these tactics.
Ironically, in the past, I personally called for mayors
to conduct a national search
for a professional in this field rather than appointing a
novice city employee.
We do have a professional right here.
I once served on the board
of a national welfare organization.
If groups truly wanted to help CACC, they could do that.
I once, um, it is worth noting
that the three most significant animal welfare organizations
in Chicago, paw Chicago,
Treehouse Humane Society in the anti cruelty,
which I represent all support Susan,
as someone who's spent nearly 30 years hosting a pet radio
show on WGNI value transparency
and Sue Capello has brought that
to CACC is the place Perfect.
No, here's the larger point.
Even if a national search happened tomorrow
and we hired Peter Pan, the biggest problems remain.
The aging building improved but limited budget
and most importantly, that the line
outside the door remains outside the door.
That is what we need to focus on. Paw Chicago.
We'll talk about how they're doing it.
Housing challenges, cost of veterinary care,
behavioral issues that fracture the human animal bond
and access to and knowledge of spay neuter.
Thank you. Next speaker is George Blakemore.
Thank you. Now I would like to chairman
for having your meeting promptly on time only, uh,
six minutes late.
Traditionally, uh, it's terrible.
They, they come when they want and they start their meetings
and leave when they want.
However, I was looking around at the demographic here
and I see all these white faces, all these white faces.
Now, what motivates these people?
Uh, some of 'em are animal lovers
and there's nothing wrong with that.
And especially, I always said a dog, dogs
and animals are men's a best friend.
However, uh, uh,
I see something down here about equity and the veterans.
So, uh, uh, you animal lovers, you know,
human beings are animals too.
And you're gonna have to start focusing on us.
We have problems with jobs, good contracts
and service, especially in the black community being
gentrified out.
So I am a animal too.
So you, you going to have to start loving all the animals.
Men and, and, and woman, black and white.
So some of you all are like your little furry animals
and nothing wrong with that, nothing.
Equity, inclusion, Medicare for all.
We have many problems as human beings.
Now we going to have to realize that we love our dog cats
and, uh, horses and, uh, we love all our animal birds,
but I am a animal, I'm a human being.
And you got to focus on my health too,
making sure that I have fair housing and jobs, good service
and, and I can live a long time remember.
Thank you.
Thank you for your comments. Um, next person is
RAA Tika.
Uh, I wanna recognize Alderman Anton Ada for the role.
It's RAA Tikas
and I'm reading on behalf of Lindsay Wade,
a former longtime volunteer at Chicago
Animal Care and Control.
Good morning. I was a volunteer at Chicago Animal Care
and Control for nearly eight years.
During COVID alone, I spent close to 40 hours a week inside
that building and countless more working outside of it.
So when I read statements suggesting criticism comes from
people behind keyboards, I wanna be clear.
Most of the people speaking out are inside the shelter,
doing the work, walking dogs, coordinating rescues,
providing enrichment, running playgroups,
and advocating for animals.
What many volunteers witnessed was not a collaborative
environment focused on improving outcomes for animals,
but a culture driven by control, ego and toxicity.
Volunteers are the backbone of Chicago,
animal caring control without which the
shelter could not function.
Yet they're treated as disposable labor
instead of partners in the mission.
Volunteers who advocate for animals question decisions,
raise concerns or push for better outcomes are met
with hostility, manipulation, and retaliation
and eventually pushed out.
Others are encouraged to report fellow volunteers
or stay silent in, in order to remain in good standing,
creating a toxic environment where favoritism
and politics determine your fate.
For years, individuals including a shelter manager
and a longtime animal placement coordinator, have operated
with significant control over programs, operations,
and euthanasia decisions without making,
without meaningful oversight, animals are hidden
for chosen rescues.
Programs that improve outcomes are restricted or sabotaged.
Policies are written and implemented without transparency
or accountability to the city.
The public deserves transparency,
volunteers deserve respect,
and CACC deserves a leadership
that prioritizes collaboration, accountability,
and modern animal welfare practices.
I urge the City of Chicago reject this appointment based on
political connections and conduct a nationwide search
for qualified forward thinking director
who can lead this shelter in a more transparent,
accountable, and collaborative future.
Thank you.
Thank you for your comments.
Uh, next speaker is Savannah Hint.
Good morning. My name is Savannah Hein Sealey.
I'm a resident of the 25th Ward
and serve as the Assistant Director
of Community Outreach at Paw Chicago,
where I help lead our partnership with Chicago's Animal Care
and Control, including our pet owner support services
and the city's very first veterinary social work internship
program embedded directly at CACC.
I'm here to support the appointment of Sue Capello
as director of the City
of Chicago's Animal Care and Control.
Sue is a true public servant in her time as acting director.
She has demonstrated steady, reliable leadership
during a period of transition, guided by a commitment
to serving the people and pets of Chicago.
Animal Care and Control is a public service
for the residents of Chicago
and acts as a social safety net for many who are going
through unexpected transitions and hardships in their life.
Sue has brought not only a veterinary social work program,
but also things such as animal chaplaincy for staff,
compassion fatigue, social workers are trauma bring,
bring trauma-informed care, crisis intervention,
grief support, and system navigation, helping ensure
that responses to animal intake are more holistic,
compassionate, and rooted in the needs
of both pets and their people.
As social workers, we do not measure success only
by the numbers of animals we keep at home.
This is because we understand
that this outcome is not always possible
and is not always in the best interest
of the person or the pet.
We meet with each family as they are, see them
as an individual and offer non-judgment
and a strengths-based approach.
We appreciate Sue's work with us and are proud
and honored to partner with CACC under her leadership.
Again, I'm here supporting Sue's appointment. Thank you.
Thank you for your comments.
Um, next speaker is Stephanie Gerofsky.
Oh, um, next speaker is Heather Owen.
Good morning. My name's Heather Owen.
I run one tail at a time.
We've been working with CACC for 18 years.
Um, I also represent 27 different local organizations
that do not want Sue Capello
to be the executive director at CACC.
There seems to be a misunderstanding
that this is coming from somewhere else in the country
or that we're receiving money
or this is a marketing poy, 27 local organizations.
You guys, 27 of them say no, these are animal welfare groups
that are in the shelter alongside the volunteers
that are also saying no.
Have you guys been in the shelter
that are voting this through?
Mm-hmm. Have you been in the shelter when it
wasn't a press conference?
Mm-hmm. Have you seen the conditions?
Have you seen that recently?
They started using, um, puppy pee pads on the counters
because there's so many rodents
that the mouse urine is making things disgusting
and they have to throw out the treats that they bring in
that they buy from their own pockets.
City council does not represent the mayor.
City council represents the people,
and I know that the people of Chicago are saying no,
or at the very least, they're saying, can we stop and wait?
Something is wrong here. Right?
So if you have any ounce in you that thinks
that perhaps appointing sue is not the right thing to do,
you have to press pause.
You have to stop and look into this
and say, what is going on that
so many people are vigorously waving red flags
and saying, this is wrong.
Animals are dying. Did you guys know
that more dogs were euthanized in the shelter
than adopted out last year?
Did you know that the, um, the stray animal rate that are
for stray dogs going back
to their owners plummeted under su capello?
If you don't know these things, we have to stop and wait.
This is not the right appointment and you all can stop it.
So please listen to the people, the 27 organizations
that are begging you to stop. Thank you.
Thank you for comments.
Um, next speaker is Celine Mak.
Good morning. Good morning. My name is Celine Kerrick.
I'm the Chief Program Officer at Paw Chicago
and a resident of the 48th Ward.
Today I stand alongside Chicago's three largest animal
welfare organizations, paw Chicago Anti Cruelty
and Treehouse Humane Society.
In endorsing Susan Capello as Executive director
of Chicago Animal Care and Control.
While intake at CACC surges funding is flat, no matter
how many animals come in,
and it remains among the lowest total
and per capital in a major cities across the country.
Some facts to share intake in 2025 was
17,687 pets
17% over 2024 and 22% over 2019.
However, 2025 was the best year in the history of CACC
for the number of animals who had live outcomes.
13,816 animals were either transferred, adopted,
or returned to their owners.
And very importantly, 2025 was the largest
adoption year in the history of CACC
with adoptions alone more than 20%.
It is very clear that 2025 was a successful lifesaving year,
one of the best in CACC history.
From that lens, Susan Capello has earned the position
of Chicago's Animal Concur and Control executive director.
Over the past several years,
Chicago's animal welfare community has demonstrated
that when CACC
and local shelters work together,
measurable progress follows.
Sue has strengthened partnerships,
expanded lifesaving programming,
and leverage private resources to supplement public funding.
We appreciate Sue's leadership
and we look forward to continuing our lifesaving work
together with CACC.
Thank you.
Thank you for your comments. Uh, next speaker is Dr.
Jackie Cobb.
Hello, my name is Dr. Jackie Cobb.
I'm a veterinarian and president
of Second City Canine Rescue.
Too tall. Thank you. Can you hear me now? Mm-hmm.
Um, my name is Dr. Jackie Cobb.
I am a veterinarian and vice p
or president of Second City Canine Rescue,
who's been pulling from CACC for the last 15 years.
I urge you to reject the appointment of Susan Capello
as Executive Director of Animal Control Today.
As a vet, I know the difference between a difficult case
and a mismanaged case,
and I'm asking you not to reward
mismanagement with a permanent title.
CACC is a difficult case.
No one disputes that, but the difficulty is not an excuse
for chronic failure and it is not a reason
to hand out a permanent promotion.
After roughly three years of acting leadership,
we are still talking about serious concerns involving
shelter conditions, euthanasia, volunteer dysfunction,
and dog spending nearly all days in cages.
Public reporting has said
that many dogs are only being walked once per week.
That is not a minor shortcoming.
That means we are not even consistently meeting the bare
minimum of getting dogs out of their cage once a day.
And then we act surprised when these dogs are losing their
minds behaviorally in confinement.
That is not mysterious, that's predictable.
Let's stop pretending that this is
about whether anyone cares.
Lots of people care. Caring is not the qualification
outcomes are and
after three years, the outcome is still Dogs Warehouse
and cages, partnerships damaged, volunteers, alienated,
and the city asking us to cause call that progress.
I will not. I also wanna speak to collaboration.
I'm part of SCCR, which is part of crisp
and I have personally seen
how this leadership has said no repeatedly to working
with CRISP, trying
to keep animals in their homes and out of the shelter.
It's maddening
because these diversion programs are exactly
what a CA strained municipal shelter should be
strengthening, not shutting out.
CRISP itself is publicly called to be brought back into CACC
after years of operating there.
If this administration truly believes
that Susan Capello is the best candidate,
then a national search should prove it.
Do not confuse familiarity with fitness.
Do not confuse endurance with competence
and please do not confuse a difficult case
with a mismanaged one. Thank you.
Thank you for your comments.
Uh, next speaker is Caroline Reed.
Hello, my name is Caroline Reed, a resident
of the 44th Ward.
I'm a master of social work candidate in my final year
of study working as a veterinary social work intern
with Paw Chicago.
I am on the ground at Chicago Animal Care
and Control through the PAWS 360 at CACC program,
bringing social services to animal welfare every day.
We work to help clients and families in Chicago's South
and southwest communities navigate the systemic barriers
they face related to pet retention.
We are case by case
and partnership by partnership working
to address the underlying reasons pets are arriving at CACC
reasons that are closely tied
to the circumstances facing their human families.
When individuals and families arrive
to the intake line at CACC, we are one
of the first points of connection.
We counsel community members at the door offering support
to help prevent avoidable pet relinquishment
and euthanasia whenever possible.
Every day requires us to practice cultural humility
and empathy to ensure that every community member is treated
with dignity and respect.
Many individuals arrive with heartbreaking circumstances
and deserve to be treated with the compassion
and care that our team provides through my time at CACC.
I have also seen how this program helps support shelter
staff by focusing on the human side of
of these complex situations.
Our team can help alleviate some of the emotional
and logistical burden placed on CACC employees allowing them
to focus on the animals in their care.
This is difficult work for everyone involved,
but it is also deeply meaningful.
This collaboration has positively shifted the energy at the
CACC and improved the experience for both community members
and staff, and has only been possible with the shared vision
of many strong leaders across the animal welfare
community Here in Chicago.
I'm honored to collaborate
with the dedicated teams at Paw Chicago
and Chicago Animal Care and Control
because together we are making a difference in the lives
of both animals and their humans.
Thank you for your comments.
Our next speaker is John Davis.
Thank you. Each
of the past three years under current CACC leadership has
had a lower life release rate
and more deaths than any year since 2016.
Running counter to national trends,
this alone should be a disqualification
of the acting director's appointment.
Comparing the past three years to the three years
before the pandemic, CACC took in 1,600 more dogs,
yet 2,500 more dogs died, not explainable by national trends
or budgetary resources.
This alone should be a disqualification,
a declining dog adoption rate of just 16.5%.
Less than half of the national rate from municipal shelters
and roughly 600 fewer adoptions than a struggling Milwaukee
County shelter with less money
and fewer potential adopters should alone
be a disqualification.
The rate of returning stray dogs back
to their families fell from what was consistently
around 30%, down to less than 20% accounting for hundreds
of deaths each year and far below the national rate.
The people of Chicago, especially on the south
and west sides, are not getting easy access to dog adoptions
and they are not getting their lost dogs back.
This alone should be a disqualification three years
of blocking efforts, which were successful in 2019 to get
to get dogs out more than 15 minutes, once every few days,
only to scramble to address this disgrace
after receiving negative press
to her appointment should alone be a disqualification
counting Dogs brought in for owner surrender only
to be suspiciously signed over for end of life services,
increasing this annual total from
what had never exceeded the low seven hundreds
to 1,278 last year.
Effectively keeping hundreds of healthy dogs out
of their euthanasia total, never giving them a chance.
And with no such corresponding national trend,
should a loan be a disqualification?
These changes are for the worst and not
because of budget or national trends.
It is leadership. Thank you.
Thank you for your comments.
Uh, our next speaker is Paige meager.
Paige, do we have Paige?
Paige Krueger. Is Paige here? Yes.
Good morning. Good morning.
I'm a longtime volunteer fundraiser spokesperson
and foster parent for Paw Chicago
and a 10 year resident of the 42nd Ward.
My experience chairing Posh Chicago's professional board
chairing multiple of our largest fundraising events
and sitting on the organization's development board has lent
me the opportunity to learn firsthand the stability
that Sue Capello has
provided, CACC despite a budget that cannot meet the needs
of our city's homeless pets.
While our city's public impoundment facility continues
to be grossly underfunded, Sue has implemented partnerships
with private organizations such as Paw Chicago
to bridge the gap between what our city funding covers
and what is actually needed by these homeless pets.
As ca C'S largest transfer partner
by a landslide paw Chicago is present at CACC every single
day of the year, which makes our perspective deeply informed
on the daily limits that CACC has,
which was unequivocally a result of underfunding, not a lack
of leadership from its direct executive director.
Sue's leadership has led to creative solutions
and I'll just name a few.
First one full po.
One full-time staff member from P Chicago is placed at CACC
every single day to support adoptions at no cost
to taxpayers, which has resulted in a 20% increase in
adoptions year over year in 2025.
Second, the Rescue Ready program executed
by posh Chicago supported the transfer of over 800 cats
and large dogs to local rescue groups
by providing free spay and neuter surgeries.
Sue's vision for this program helped increase rescue partner
transfers by 22%, with over 8,800 animals transferred
to rescue groups in 2025 and finally 360 8 CACC
and PAW Chicago Outreach programs have
provided free vaccinations
and community medicine vet appointments
to support pet owners without the resources
for veterinary care, allowing these pets
to stay in their home with their families rather
than entering CACC.
These are just three of the solutions implemented under
Sue's leadership despite having an
increasingly limited budget.
Thank you for your comments.
Our next speaker is Colleen Barkley.
It is not transferable. Will you come to the mic?
Thank you.
I had that request
because, uh, there are some individuals that have, uh,
deeper e experience with the relationship to animal care
and control than I do.
I'm a former employee of Paw Chicago
and currently a volunteer I know, uh,
and saw firsthand that Sue's leadership over the past,
I think it is three years, has had a significant impact
on the lives of homeless pets in Chicago.
It's due to her outreach
to significant organizations like Pause that are, um,
filling the gaps between the budget shortfalls
and, um, developing programs that help
pets stay in their homes
and help underserved individuals in our community.
Um, so I can only tell you as a resident
of Chicago in the 49th Ward
that I personally have seen a significant
impact of her leadership.
Thank you for your comments.
Next speaker is Kelly Korski.
Good morning, members of the committee.
My name is Kelly Gand Doky
and I have served as the executive director
of Chicago Animal Care
and Control under Ram Emanuel in Mayor Lori Lightfoot from
2018 to 2020.
From my experience, I can tell you this,
the problems at CACC are not Sioux Capello problems.
They are not rescue group problems or volunteer problems.
They are community problems.
Chicago has had a severe animal overpopulation issue,
particularly with pitbull mixed dogs
that are often bred in backyards,
sold cheaply without vaccines or proper care
and then end up in a shelter a year
or two later with medical or behavioral issues.
CACC is being asked to do the impossible,
never stop taking animals in, avoid euthanasia,
and somehow place animals when rescue groups
and adopters are already overwhelmed.
This is not a management failure,
this is a systemic problem.
What CACC needs is not finger pointing.
It needs legislative action from this body.
In 2019 and early 2020, when I was executive director,
we attempted to pass an ordinance
before this body that would've significantly reduced the
backyard breeding and the flow of animals into the shelter.
Unfortunately, that effort never moved forward largely
because a hardcore lobbyist group
came in and killed the effort.
And then COVID-19 struck.
If this body wants to make a real difference,
focus on the legislation that addresses the root cause.
Pass an ordinance requiring licenses for backyard breeding.
Create meaningful spay and neuter requirements.
Give CACC the tools it needs in its toolbox
to reduce the flow of unwanted animals.
Sue Capello knows the shelter inside and out.
She understands the budget, the staff, the volunteers,
the complex public safety role, CACC plays.
It is not just the animals, it is about the staff,
the unions, the volunteers, the medical care,
and the residents coming into the shelter on
the worst days of their lives.
Sue has held the system together for nearly three years
and now suddenly there's question about
her capacity to do so.
Where was the outrage last year?
The year before and year one.
Thank you for your comments.
Our next speaker is Amber McCullough. Amber,
Hello, my name's Amber McCullough.
I'm a resident of the south side.
I'm one of the first people to stand up here today
who walks into the shelter multiple times a week.
I've been a volunteer for over a year
and one of, I've been a volunteer for over a year.
Making the conscious decision to walk into CACC
multiple times a week is probably the worst thing I
can do for my mental health.
It is heartbreaking.
I recognize that the budget is embarrassing
and that the city council giving the city CACC,
this anemic budget says a lot about the council's
priorities and we need a larger budget,
but if we're not going to give them the budget,
we need collaboration in over a year at the shelter.
There has been one meeting with volunteers.
There's no effort to get ideas from the wider volunteer base
to discuss what ways we could come about making changes
that don't cost more money.
We need to collaborate with rescues,
smaller rescues than paw,
but one's willing to take the harder to place dogs.
You need to collaborate with organizations that are willing
to help with diversion.
There just needs to be more done and it's not getting done.
I ask that you do the due diligence
to look at a wider candidate pool
and if at the end of the day Susan Capella is the best
person for the job will accept that.
But the city, the animals
and the people who are there doing the work
deserve a search.
Thank you.
Thank you for your comments.
Uh, next speaker is Heidi Barr.
Thank you. My name is Heidi Barr
and I'm a Chicago Paws Volunteer Foster
and a resident of the Second Ward.
I'm here today to urge, strongly urge you
to confirm Susan Capello as Executive Director
of Chicago Animal Care
and Control, Chicago's Municipal Shelter plays a critical
role of as of the safety net for animals
and families across our city.
Yet it is doing that work
with far fewer resources than any other comparable city.
Chicago's Animal Care budget is just 8.18 million,
while other major cities average 21.7 million.
That means Chicago is operating at just 62%
below the national average.
Even as demand continues to rise despite those challenges
and the re and the results under Sue's
leadership have been remarkable.
In 2025 alone, CACC took in 17,687 animals,
a 17% increase from the year before
and higher than pre pandemic levels.
Yet the save rate increase to 71.1%
and 13,816 animals had positive outcomes.
The highest number in in the shelter's history
adoptions reached a record year
and transfers to partner organizations hit a 10 year high
helping move animals quickly into care homes.
A key reason for this progress is the partnership
with Paw Chicago through 360 at CACC program,
which brings adoption support, spay neuter services,
medical care, and crisis counseling
for pet owners directly into the shelter.
Those programs keep families together
and reduce the number of animals
entering the system in the first place.
With a system under an under-resourced
leadership matters even more.
Sue Capello has built partnerships, stabilized operations,
and leveraged private resources to support the city's work.
Confirming her will ensure continued continuity,
collaboration and continued life-saving progress
for Chicago's animals and the people who love them.
Thank you for your time consideration.
Thank you for your comments. Next speaker is
Claudia Landman.
Good morning. Oops.
My name is Claudia Langman.
I'm a volunteer and a board member at Pause
and I'm also, I was volunteer at Chicago Animal Care
and Control, so I'm kind of wearing two hats
and I'm really confused, maybe not confused,
but really, really frustrated by the lack of
communication between Sue Capella
and the volunteers who really run that place.
They're the heart of that place
and pause not meeting with the group
because if we don't talk to each other,
the problem's not gonna get solved.
You know, pause was pulling dogs for spay neuter
after they were adopted and that program has ended
because the city cut it off and that's an a stalemate
and so these dogs languish for longer.
Someone then drops the hold on them for adoption
and they then may maybe adopted may die.
Who cares? The other question I have is how many people
behind me have ever been
and walked through the pavilions at Chicago
Animal Care and Control?
Yeah, yeah. Everybody has. Okay.
Have you volunteered there as a walker? Yes. Okay.
You're one person. Okay. I've done it for days. Yeah.
Well, I don't see you there every day, so I'm just saying
there's no need for hostility.
I'm trying to say, try to talk to us
because we do have a reason for feeling this way.
We have better things to do with our time,
but we're talking about it
because it's a serious issue and it's cruel.
That's all I have to say. Thank you.
Thank you for your comments.
Uh, next speaker is Alexandra Fitzgerald.
Alexandra? No.
Hello, uh, thank you all
for your time today and for being here.
Um, my name is Alex Fitzgerald.
I'm a former employee of Chicago Animal Care and Control
and a former employee of Paw Chicago.
Um, I wanted to speak about, um,
the fact that in 2019, approximately one out
of every 10 dogs brought to the SH to CACC
did not leave alive.
Now nearly one out of every five dogs
who entered the shelter do not survive.
Shelter leadership has attributed this
to a dramatic increase in animal intake.
According to the data published on CC'S website
and excluding owner requested euthanasia
CAT intake increased by 23% from 2019 to 2025
and cat deaths in the shelter increased by 31%.
In the same period dog intake increased
by a more modest 13.7%,
but dog deaths increased by 155%.
Live outcomes for dogs have also been impacted
by fewer dogs being returned to their owners.
In 2025, only 19.8% of stray dogs were reclaimed
by their owners well below the national average of 32%
for government shelters.
The factor that has been overlooked in this discussion is
the shelter's protocols
and operations previously implemented best practices like
open selection, allowing dogs to be seen by rescues
and adopters the same day they enter the shelter,
isolating sick dogs from the general population
to reduce the spread of illness
and the staggering of staff schedules to maximize rescue
transfers have all fallen by the wayside.
Yet the consistent message from CACC leadership is
that they are doing the best they can with what they have.
As a former employee, I have to say that is simply not true.
That is why I support the call for a national search
for an executive director in this department.
Lives are at stake and appointing the most qualified
and capable candidate will
Maximize. Thank you for your
comments. Um, our next speaker is,
um, I, I'm sorry I can't understand the last name well,
but first name is Ashley.
Ashley, yes, Archer. Thank you.
Uh, I want to recognize other woman Gutierrez for the role.
Hi, my name is Ashley Archer
and I'm the executive director of Mutts of the Midway.
And I am in opposition of the appointment of Sue Capello
and here on behalf of the animals
that are being failed at our city shelter, we owe it
to Chicago Animals
and the community to get the best experience
and outcomes we can.
This is not happening today with current leadership.
The conditions at the shelter need to be changed
and the current leadership has had three,
three years to make changes.
It has been confirmed that dogs are only getting
out of kennels once a week.
This is unacceptable
and has been known with no changes being made.
This leads to sickness throughout the population
and dogs deteriorating in their kennels.
A healthier population leads to leads
to more live outcomes in animals not seeing their last days
behind cement walls.
Dogs getting out of a kennel more than once a week leads
to less deterioration and better outcomes for the dogs
and the people rescuing and adopting them.
Animals coming into the shelter deserve a better
experience and more options.
Please consider a search for a leader
that will bring innovation, change, creativity,
and a sense of community within the shelter and the public.
Thank you for your time.
Thank you for your comments.
Next speaker is Kaitlyn Durkin.
Hello. Thank you for your time.
I'm a resident of the 32nd Ward, I think closer.
How am I doing? Thank you.
Hi, I'm a resident of the 32nd Ward.
I think everyone here agrees that Chicago Animal Care
and Control is one of the most complex
and challenging municipal animal
welfare systems in the country.
With that, I think we deserve a process
to find the best leader.
I assume that Sue would apply for that position
and I would be glad for that.
I'd like to see her record held up against the other
applicants so that Chicago has the best chance
to serve our animals and the people who care for them.
Thank you.
Thank you for your comments. Our last speaker
is Kimberly Smith.
Hello, I'm Kimberly Smith.
Born and raised Chicagoan for more than a half a century.
I'm currently, uh, from the 44th ward, uh, and I've lived
and worked all over Chicago
and I know the city inside and out.
I've been here my whole life
and I've worked in animal rescue the majority of my life
with more than a decade with Posh Chicago
as a volunteer in the past few years as a board member,
I know it's best for this city
and I know it's best for homeless pets.
Today we're here to make our voices loud
and clear in the fight for outstanding progress we have made
so far to continue this progress.
It's tough and we all love animals
and that's what we are all here fighting for.
Um, Susan Capello as executive director for CACC is
who I support and I promise you this is the way to go.
It's a hard fought battle and this is just starting.
I've seen hands on and I've been part of the support
and partnership between PAWS and CHI
and CACC under Susan's leadership to witness
how the city comes together in the chica
in the shelter system.
I'm sure you would agree the city is unique.
We have a homegrown solution born
and bred from Chicagoans who know how to work within each
of our diverse neighborhoods.
Some of the highlights alone
with Susan's leadership are partnership programs like PAWS
three six D-C-A-C-C.
They thrive. This program is responsible
for almost 2000 animals transferred into Paws Chicago last
year alone and growing.
We have a full-time member at C-C-C-A-C-C
that helps support a 20% increase in adoptions
for a record year of more than 3,600 furry
lives now with a family.
The Big FIX program Spayed and Neutered 367 large dogs
and 27 cats with big dog energy on us in just six months.
And, uh, you have to admit, these are awesome results.
Um, with Susan's partnership and leadership with us.
Uh, CACC transferred 8,848 Animals to Rescue Groups.
This is a huge partnership with all
of our support across this city.
Um, and so I, I don't even have enough time
to talk about all the different things,
so I'll just leave it at that
and I just hope you support, uh, Susan Capello
and please do the right thing at the right
time. Thank you so much.
Thank you for your comment.
Um, the time allot of our public comment has expired.
We conclude the public comment period.
Thank you to all our speakers.
Uh, we're going to move into, um, our agenda now.
Um, the first item is the approval of the Rule 45 report.
Can I get a motion to approve the January, 2026 Rule 45?
So moved by Alderman, by Alderman Lopez.
All those in favor signify by saying aye Aye.
Opinion of the chair. The ayes have it.
The first matter that we're going
to discuss today is resolution
2 2 5 0 0 1 8 9 4 6, which was introduced
by other woman Ruth Cruz
to call on the United States Congress to pass the Medicare
for All Act of 2025.
Uh, other woman, you have the floor?
Yes. Can we get her mic?
No. Okay. Thank you Chairwoman.
I'm waiting for my speaker. We have Dr. Figan with us today.
I would like for her to kick us off
and then once she's done,
then I'll be able to give my remarks.
Okay, let's wait until she settles.
Are you ready, ma'am?
Go ahead. Dr. Figan, please.
My name is Dr. Claudia Fagan.
I retired in December of 2024
after 12 years as Chief Medical Officer
for Cook County Health and 24 years with the system.
I am the National coordinator of Physicians
for a National health program, a national organization
of more work, 25,000 members based here in Chicago.
I'm grateful for the to all the members of this committee
who have already signed on to Alder Cruz's resolution
supporting Medicare for All.
While many people think that access
to healthcare is a national issue to be addressed
by Congress, this is a crucial issue for Chicago
and I am thankful for the opportunity to address you today
to explain why it is so important to address now prior
to the midterm elections.
As the resolution points out, the city of Chicago
spends over $600 million annually
to provide health insurance to city employees.
Think for a moment what the city could do
with those funds if we had universal healthcare.
If employees were employers were no longer expected to pay
for their employees to have access to healthcare.
Employers are not expected to be responsible
for the education of the children of their employees
or guarantee their access to police or fire protection.
What could Chicago do with an extra $600 million?
A poll of voters from November, 2025 showed 90% of Democrats
and the majority of independent voters support
Medicare for all.
Voters want to regain control
of their healthcare and lower costs.
We are the only industrialized country
that does not guarantee access to healthcare
for everyone living within our borders.
Not just every citizen, everyone living here,
we already spend enough on healthcare.
We spend more money per person than any
other country in the world.
We allow patients to be denied access to care they need
to maximize profits of the insurance industry.
There has been a lot written about burnout
among people in healthcare this past year.
PNHP partnered with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
to assess that burnout.
Surveying over 1100 practicing physicians.
We found what has been labeled as physician burnout
is often moral injury inflicted by the financialization
of the practice of medicine in this country.
We found it has harmed the morale
of the entire healthcare workforce
Leading to increased shortages
and decreased access to care as professionals retire early,
cut back on their hours
or leave the practice of clinical medicine altogether.
Tragically, there are increasing totals
of suicides among physicians.
More and more physicians are frustrated by their inability
to offer patients the most appropriate care.
They are stymied by required prior authorizations
that issue inappropriate denials of care,
make treatment recommendations their patients cannot pursue
and create conflicts between the health goals
for their patients and the financial goals
of the institutions that employ them.
It would be life-changing for Chicago to take the lead
and make a statement by supporting Medicare for all.
If the city that sent the first black woman to the Senate
that first sent Barack Obama to the Senate
and then to the White House could send a message
that healthcare is important for everyone,
it would have a tremendous impact
and continue our local tradition of initiating progress.
The tide is going to turn in this country.
We need to build our power
and be prepared to take
what we need when the opportunity presents itself,
we must be represented by people who have the courage
to support our agenda.
Medicare for All is something representatives have
to be willing to fight for.
We have a Congress that has acquiesced its power
to a president who does not believe in checks and balances.
We will not get universal healthcare while
Donald Trump is in the White House.
We must be prepared for when Trump is gone in three years.
We must be prepared to seize the opportunity
when it presents itself.
Last year, one third
of Americans delayed getting care they needed
or skipped care entirely.
That is the highest number.
Since Gallup started asking questions about this
30 years ago.
I am reminded of a woman I admitted
to the hospital one night a few years ago.
Both of her breasts were rock hard.
They were infiltrated with cancer
and with palpable lymph nodes in her axilla.
She worked as a hairdresser, owned her own shop,
but had no health insurance.
She was sitting at home waiting to die.
She believed she had no other choice.
She knew she could not afford her care.
Her daughter made her ca come in.
Remarkably we were able
to get a dramatic response was treatment.
No one should ever have to sit at home waiting
to die in this country.
When we have treatments that can be lifesaving,
families are desperate for solutions
to their everyday health problems.
Skyrocketing drug prices rising copayments
and deductibles, surprise medical bills
and are tired of having to switch doctors
because of the revolving door of job based health insurance.
The United States has struggled with the effects
of for-profit healthcare for decades.
The country has never embraced access to healthcare
as a basic human right.
If the United States in the United States we know some
28 million people or 8% of the population is uninsured
and that 45,000 people die each year as a direct result
of not having health insurance.
If there is a lesson for the rest of the world
to learn from the United States, it's the lesson
of the private insurance industry.
The insurance companies have a fiduciary responsibility
to make as much money as possible for their shareholders.
They also determine which patients have
access to which care.
There is an inherent conflict of interest here, there.
By eliminating the waste
and greed of private insurance, we can afford
to cover everyone in our country for all necessary care.
And in the scours of surprise bills, skip medications
and medical bankruptcy.
Medical illness or medical debt is the number one cause
of bankruptcy in this country.
Even though the majority of people
who declared bankruptcy had insurance at the time
of their precipitating illness,
there will always be limitations on
how much money is available to spend on healthcare.
Those decisions need to be based on societal needs,
cost effectiveness, and population health, not profits
and financial yields.
We already spend enough money on healthcare in this country.
We just allow too many people who do none of the work
of delivering healthcare to take profit from it.
I am asking the city, the Chicago City Council
to have the political courage to lead the way
and tell our nation that healthcare needs
to be a right for everyone.
Thank you so much. Um, Dr.
Figan for, for this information
and today it is, um, it's about how do we continue to fight
and how do we continue to unite our, our, our voices
to the efforts in, in the federal government.
We have a lot of strong leaders that have been fighting
for us in, in this sea
and one of them is our Congresswoman Delia Ramirez,
who has been fighting for all the residents of Illinois,
but not only for the residents of Illinois
for an entire country and us as city leaders as well.
We are not in NDC.
We do have the responsibility to keep uplifting that message
and I wanna share some statistics
and in the resolution you will see all
those statistics as well.
But things that we, it is important to highlight
and to also, you know, go on with some
of the things that Dr.
Figan has shared. And this is according to the health fairs,
uh, report in 2025, we spent 5.7 trillion
on healthcare in the United States.
We're talking about trillions of dollars for a system
that doesn't cover everyone features high individual costs
with rise faster than the rate of inflation.
Frequently drives people into debt and bankruptcy
and is overly complicated at best at times,
also increasingly dominated.
Huge e monopolistic companies.
The rake in high profits by lashing covered
coverage in cutting services to customers and patients.
And this is something that we are fearful as Dr.
Figan said with what I call
and many others call the big ugly bill.
Harmful changes are coming to the Affordable Care Act
and Medicare soon changes are expected to cost millions
to lose their health insurance over the next decade.
Also to highlight
that enhanced A CAC subsidies are not re renewed, leading to
huge increases for marketplace premiums.
In a minute, I'll tell you one of those stories
that we're seeing now.
Federal funding also for a CAC navigators was slashed
by 90%.
People with DACA status
or forbidden from enroll are forbidden from enrolling
for the first time in other lawful immigrant, uh,
lawful immigrants will lose premium tax credit assistance.
That is not right. We need Medicare for all
but not
but least medical funding is being slashed again
by 1 trillion, which will lead to worse healthcare outcomes
and the lack of insurance coverage
to low income people by the program.
This is why it's so important for us to keep fighting
and providing that assistance to our federal leaders.
But today I wanna focus on a story when it talks
about Medicare for all.
Dr. Figan said no one should be waiting at home to die.
And that is a reality that we face.
Two months ago I received a call from my husband.
I was in a, in a meeting late
at night and I couldn't answer.
I kept sending him to voicemail until he text me
nine one one, you must call me.
I called him back and he said, you remember Edgar?
And I say Yes. He goes, he just called me
and he said he's about to be disconnected
and we'll die in hours.
I said like, tell me more like what is happening.
Eventually I connected with his wife that day
as he was being transported into a different hospital
where he could have spent his last hours.
I made so many calls trying to figure it out,
what can I do for Edgar?
And a person that I called.
The first person that I called it was State Senator
Garcia Guzman.
And with her help
and my help, now Edgar is at a hospital
recovering and hopefully going soon,
if it wasn't because of us meeting with the family trying
to navigate the system, we had a family
who did not know what was happening.
The only thing they knew is Edgar was gonna be disconnected
and die with ours.
They also had to navigate a healthcare insurance
that they had no clue what we are talking about.
Premiums and what package was good, um, for them to be able
to fulfill the responsibilities
of the treatment that he needed.
But with the guidance of us
and many others who guide us through the process as well,
because we didn't do it alone.
Um, the family was able to secure a marketplace insurance,
but when you think about that, it's cost a lot of money
for them to have that insurance.
But they rally a whole entire family who said, we are here
for you and raise a good amount of money for Edgar not
to worry about his premium insurance payment
and rather focus on his recovery.
But many have died waiting to find a way to pay
for Medicare.
And not everybody has the same story as Edgar.
And this is why it's a responsibility of all of us
to keep again, like I said, many times, really fighting
and be ready what's ahead of, of us.
But I appreciate the time, um, committee Women Ana
for allowing me to speak on this.
And I know this is something that we all share, something
that the administration also speaks about.
I know one of you, many of us do,
but again, I thank for the opportunity
and I encourage all my colleagues
to support this resolution, um, to keep everyone healthy
and save and continue living
for many years to come. Thank you.
Thank you. Other woman Cruz.
Um, are there any questions
or comments from committee members? Sala?
Thank you Madam Chair. Um, uh, so
as stated across our country,
85 million people are uninsured or underinsured.
I know a lot of these residents in my community as well,
especially our undocumented community.
Um, and in this year Americans are facing the largest jump
in health insurance costs in 15 years.
At the same time, the six largest health insurance companies
reported more than $31 billion in net income last year.
While working families struggled to afford care.
Corporations continue to profit from a system
that treats healthcare as a commodity,
but healthcare should be a guaranteed universal, right?
Just as the doctor said momentarily ago,
every other major industrialized nation in the in the world
has universal healthcare
and research shows that Medicare
for All would save about $450 billion a year
and save most importantly, 68,000 lives a year.
While I'm glad that we are voting on this resolution today,
there is a deeper task for us
and that is to build a mass movement of millions of people
and workers in demanding
and creating a system
where healthcare is a guaranteed right for everyone.
Thank you. And I'll be voting in the affirmative.
Thank you Elderman, Casada.
Any other questions or comments?
Uh, can I get a motion to approve Item R
20 25 0 0 1 8 9 4 6.
So moved by other woman Cruz.
All those in favor of approving these
items signify by saying aye.
Aye. Opposed say nay in the opinion of the chair.
The aye have it.
Um, I will report this do pass recommendation at the
upcoming city council meeting.
Thank you everybody.
Um, next we'll be considering the appointment
of Susan Capello, um,
8 20 26 0 0 2 3 7 5 1 as the director
of Chicago Animal Care and Control.
Um, do I have Sue?
Hello?
Hello. Welcome back.
Thank you. Uh, please state your name for the record,
share your opening statement with the committee
and introduce your team in the box.
All right. Um, good morning chairman
and members of the committee.
Um, good morning. My name is Susan Capello,
S-U-S-A-N-C-A-P-P-E-L-L-O.
And with me today I have my, um, staff.
I have Armando Tejeda,
who's our executive administrative assistant
and PIO, uh, Arthur Hamilton, our animal shelter manager.
And Angela Rayburn, uh,
the operations manager for my department.
So again, my name is Susan Capello
and I am honored to appear
before you today following Mayor Brandon Johnson's
appointment of me to serve as executive director
of Chicago Animal Care and Control.
I have dedicated more than 36 years to public service
with the city of Chicago,
including many decades working directly
with Chicago Animal Care and Control.
During my time at CACC, I was involved in HR processes,
labor negotiations, budget negotiations, policy
and procedure revisions,
and the implementation of new programming at the shelter.
It's truly an honor to continue serving the residents
of Chicago, the animals in our care,
and the dedicated staff, volunteers
and community partners
who work every day to support this mission.
Chicago Animal Care
and Control is the city's only municipal animal shelter
and plays a critical role in both public
safety and animal welfare.
Our team responds
to more than 40,000 animal related inquiries
and service requests each year
and cares for hundreds of animals at any given time.
Over the past several years,
animal shelters across the country have experienced rising
intake and increasing challenges.
Chicago is no exception.
CACC is a high intake municipal shelter.
And our responsibility to is to accept animals
that need our help regardless of circumstance,
while ensuring humane care and protecting public safety.
That reality means our population can change quickly.
Animals arrive every day in different
conditions with different needs.
Our staff works continuously to provide sanitation,
medical care, behavioral support,
and placement opportunities while managing that
constant intake conditions can evolve quickly in any high
intake municipal facility.
But the basic care
and humane treatment of animals remains our priority
when animals require care beyond
what our facility can provide, we work closely
with our rescue and shelter partners
to identify appropriate transfers
so those animals can receive additional
treatment or specialized care.
When an animal and when an animal is suffering from an
untreatable condition
and cannot be humanely managed, euthanasia may be considered
as a humane option to prevent further suffering.
Excuse me. Despite these challenges, I am proud
of the progress our staff, volunteers,
and partners have made together in 2025,
Chicago Animal Care
and Control recorded, excuse me, um, the highest number
of adoptions in our recorded history,
and the highest number of animals transferred
to rescue partners in more than a decade,
repre representing a significant increase in life-saving
outcomes for animals in our care.
It is important to evaluate these outcomes in the full
context of intake.
Over the past several years, intake at Chicago Animal Care
and Control has increased significantly between 2023
and 2025 alone.
Our shelter managed nearly, uh, 5,000 additional animals
compared to earlier years.
In high intake municipal shelters,
increases in intake naturally affect all outcomes.
What is important to recognize is
that positive outcomes have increased as well.
Dog adoptions are among the highest in our
facilities recorded history.
In fact, when looking at our historical data, three
of the five highest adoption years have occurred
during the period when in which I have served
as exec acting Executive director.
Adoption is, excuse me, one moment.
Thank you. Adoption is also not the only life-saving pathway
used in municipal shelters.
Transfers to rescue partners are a critical component
of life-saving efforts,
and those transfers increased significantly as well.
In 2025, dog transfers reached the highest level in more
than a decade, with more than 800 additional animals
transferred compared to the previous year.
When adoptions and transfers are considered together,
the data reflects meaningful lifesaving progress.
Even as intake continues to rise,
public safety is another essential component of our mission.
Chicago Animal Care
and Control works closely with the Chicago Police Department
and other city agencies.
When situations arrive, involve dangerous animals,
criminal activity, or serious animal cruelty cases,
Chicago Animal Care
and Control has consistently highlighted the need
for stronger enforcement tools
to address serious animal cruelty and neglect.
The Chicago Police Department's Animal Crimes team now
provides that dedicated investigated capacity.
These are cases that involve vulnerable animals
and sometimes intersect with broader public safety concerns.
The creation of that team has helped ensure
that these cases receive the focused attention
and investigative resources they deserve.
In the last quarter of 2025 alone, active animal cruelty
and ca cases increased by over 60%,
reflecting improved reporting, investigation,
and coordination between the agencies.
This work is critical not only for animal welfare,
but also for community safety.
I also wanna clarify an issue that has been raised
regarding dog bite reporting.
What has increased in recent years is reporting accuracy,
not necessarily incidents themselves.
Historically, there were inconsistencies in
how byte reports were entered between agencies.
Over the past several years, we have worked
to improve coordination between 3 1 1 CACC,
and the Chicago Police Department so
that incidents are properly documented and investigated.
Improved reporting allows us
to better follow up support victims
and address public safety concerns more effectively.
I recognize that concerns have been raised about shelter
operations, conditions and outcomes,
and I take those concerns seriously.
Municipal animal sheltering is complex work,
and the decisions of our staff face every day
are often difficult.
But I am proud of the dedication of our employees,
volunteers, and partners who work every day to care
for the animals that come through the doors.
My commitment moving forward is
to continue strengthening positive partnerships,
improving transparency,
and ensuring that Chicago Animal Care
and Control operates with compassion,
professionalism, and accountability.
I look forward with work to working with this committee,
city council, our animal welfare partners,
and the residents of Chicago
as we continue building on the progress we have made while
addressing the challenges ahead.
Thank you for the opportunity to be here today,
and I welcome your questions.
Thank you so much. Um, director Capello, um,
do we have comments or questions
for Sue Alman
Thank you, chairwoman,
and good aft Uh, good morning, director.
Good morning. Um, no matter
what happens, first, let me just say that I am so excited
to see so many aldermen actually concerned
and caring about what's happening at animal care
with our animal, with our, with our,
not only our lost pets, but also some of the farm animals
and, and other things that you see down there.
It's not just alligators, horses and pigs. Right, right.
Um, and I also wanna just take a moment, if I may, chairman,
to recognize two legendary people who are here as well.
Um, Paula Fase,
if you could stand up if you're, I can't.
The founder of Foz Chicago
and Charlie Prop, the founder of Friends
of Animal Care and Troll.
For those who don't know these two extraordinary women,
as we just celebrated International Women's Day.
Uh, these two young ladies together
have organizations that support
and supplant taxpayer funds to two
of nearly $3 million annually, uh, to help
take animal, take care of those lost animals,
to help provide the spay
and neutering the shots, the, the adoption events,
and to offset some of the infrastructural needs, like,
for example, purchasing dryers
for towels and things of that nature.
And could, we could not do this without them.
So thank you for both being here.
Um, I know some of my colleagues joke
that I kept passing around information.
Um, but I've been dealing
with animal care issues since day one.
Um, I think when I started this job, I had
10 dogs at that time.
We're down to six, um, and don't ask me to take anymore.
But, um, but I think that what is important
is that we have to first
and foremost understand that there's, there's a lot
of passion, um, from all sides of this issue.
I learned that, um, sometimes the easy way,
sometimes the hard way, but people love animals.
And that is why I think it's so hard for us
to have these conversations sometimes
because there's so much involved when we see animals
that are suffering, when we see pets that are lost,
and when we have had some successes in this body.
Um, even creating,
as our former executive director mentioned, amending some
of those laws that help keep animals out.
Like, for example, when we work together, Sue,
to create the first ever return to owner law, um,
in the city's history,
which diverse animals from ever coming to the shelter.
If we catch a, a pet on the street, we can scan it
and bring it home, never having to ever enter.
It's a beautiful piece of legislation that you
and I worked together on, and it has saved thousands
of our fur babies lives.
And I'm so thankful for that.
But I wanted to share some things with my colleagues today,
because as we are, as so many people are now looking,
I think it's important to recognize that while even in 20,
I believe 16, we passed a resolution making Chicago
a no kill city.
The no kill model has some pillars to it,
which I don't think most people understand.
And I'm not going to go through this
'cause I think the entire gallery knows exactly
what I'm talking about, but I shared it with my colleagues,
um, so that they can see when we're talking about like the
return to owner trap, neuter
and release for cats, um, working with rescues
and fosters, um, as well as, it doesn't necessarily mean
that you're not ever going to euthanize either,
because we do have to unfortunately do that.
But there is one part that I think that bears announcing,
and that is probably the most important thing
of the no kill model, is having a compassionate directive.
And you, in my estimation, have
exemplified that for how many decades over there?
A couple at least, yes.
Uh, at animal care,
because you need to have somebody who is compassionate,
but also who is not going to be compassionate to a fault.
Because the last time, for all of my colleagues
who were not here, and I think I am the only one
that was here during that time, um,
the last time we had a national search
and brought someone from outside the city
who did not know our city, did not know our problems,
did not know our neighborhoods, did not, well, excuse me,
I just saw Nick, sorry Nick,
but who did not understand what we go through actually
wound up warehousing dogs
having unsafe conditions in the shelter herself,
allowing that toxic environment that we just talked about
and heard about, and herself was attacked while employees
were attacked because she was not following the program
or what it means to be a compassionate, uh, steward of an,
an unrestricted intake shelter.
Now, I appreciate our volunteers
and the work they do for our pets,
but we also know that there are other people involved
with animal care too.
We know that ame, one of the,
the largest work group in there has a petition, which all
of you have seen in full support.
Rarely do we see our, our, our collective bargaining groups
standing in full support because they know what kind
of a leader you have been fair, direct,
and working to address the issues that many of us see
and have trying to evolve with as well.
And I'm glad that AFSCME
and our other union partners are supportive as well.
But there's also another part to this conversation
that we need to get into because I think that it bears
some shedding of light on this discussion.
And that is that while not everyone may be happy,
I also know that not everyone has been helpful.
That there are organizations who point the finger while
not actually taking animals from animal care and control.
And I also know that there are organizations
who collect money from outside groups who are,
to be quite honest, working not only
to undermine our success,
but are hoping that we're going
to force ourselves into a situation where we have
to privatize the entire shelter.
Those individuals working with best Friends
Animal Society, and those like them have a track record
of failure everywhere they go.
I've shared two art, two articles with my colleagues
where we have seen this organization manipulating
our, the various local groups
and people who want to do the right thing,
working them up into a fever, pitch frenzy,
and then leaving not only those groups,
but those cities holding the bat,
taking away resources, distracting from missions,
and ultimately failing the animals that we claim
to care about members.
I don't want that to happen to our city.
We have seen Sue in this role for
how almost four, three and a half years as acting.
Three, three years. Three years.
We have said three different budgets.
When will a decision be made? When will a decision be made?
Even some of the people here, we showed up
to the shelter saying, when will the decision be made?
Decision has been made when we have had budget hearings.
We've had, this is,
I wish we had this attendance at your budget hearings
to hear what exactly is going on
because it, many of the things that we talk about
that we need to address need our full attention.
Um, it's about money, but it's also about policy.
And I'm thankful that you brought up some
of the public safety aspects
because the Committee on Public Safety, as you know, just,
uh, passed our anti cruelty ordinance,
which will help us address some of those things,
which oftentimes are the starting point for some
of the crime in mayhem we see in our own communities.
Um, and I know that you understand that
I don't need six months to find someone
who has to learn that.
And with that, uh, Madam Chairman, um,
I would urge all my colleagues to support.
Um, and if appropriate, I would make the motion, uh,
to pass on this after all speakers are done.
Thank you. Thank you.
Alderman Lopez, uh, alderman Zaro.
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Boy, I don't know how I'm gonna follow that one.
So, uh, um, Ray, once again,
you steal my thunder mentioning people I was gonna mention.
So, uh, but Ray and me are good friends.
I think we're one and two when it comes to dogs
or two in one, whatever.
I know both of us are.
Um, you know, so, uh, I just wanna say, listen,
I appreciate everybody who came out.
I mean, whether you're for or against Sue,
I appreciate you coming out.
I know it's very important to you.
I know you're very passionate about animals, as am I, uh,
it's a tough, tough place.
Uh, rages said something you wish this
many people were at the hearing.
I think there's only like eight or nine of us here,
and her hearings.
I think you have like two or three people
never bring anything up.
Never three. Raise, raise hand. Three.
Okay, so three, and I think we're two of 'em.
So, um, nobody talking about money, uh, but,
but I feel people, first of all, I just wanna mention Paula
and Charlie, which Ray already did.
Um, finally got the chance to meet Paula, the,
the world famous Paula, so, uh, from Paul.
So Paula, I dunno what take took, took me so long,
took us so long to meet each other.
But thanks for all you do. I really appreciate you, uh,
Charlie people.
I'm one of those people who goes to the,
that goes the animal care control.
Uh, Sue could verify that it's either me
or my staff we're there once a month bringing donations,
stopping by, and Charlie's always there
and she does, you know, great things for the shelter.
So I appreciate you too, Charlie.
Uh, one person here we didn't get to mention,
and that's, uh, Carla, Carla's, an employee's been there
for 10 years, over 10 years, I believe, took the day off.
Found a very important to come in and defend her boss.
So, uh, Carla, we also appreciate you coming out,
but people thi this is a tough, tough job.
I mean, Sue could have walked away.
Sue's got, I know you said 36 years, I believe it was 25,
with animal care and control.
I first met you when I became an Allman at, uh,
some of my rescues.
I started rescues pretty regularly, people, uh,
and that's when I first met Sue.
So I, I guess we've known each other, you know,
14, 13, 14, 15 years.
I'm not really sure. Uh, just appreciate all you do.
Um, I know it's a tough job. It's a sad place.
People, I mean, people literally come in there
and lie about their animals.
They surrender their own animals,
and they say they found it as a stray,
which makes things even tougher.
Um, but just, it's just a tough job.
But soup, the, the main line is everybody is this
appointment took three years and no knock to the mayor.
You know, I was pounding him a little early on when
Mamadou, you know, left.
Um, finally three years later,
now people are coming outta the woodwork.
This is a bad idea. We shouldn't be doing this.
Um, when we've never heard anything about this before.
So I wholeheartedly support Sue.
And Sue could have walked away three years ago.
She could, Sue was basically working
for free for three years.
People, she could have stayed home
and made as much money as she did coming
to work and at working.
That's a 24 7 job. That is a tough, intense job.
A very heartbreaking job.
I, I know every time I go there,
she's like, come on, look around.
I'm like, I don't wanna look around. So I can't.
I mean, it's just, it's just a heartbreaking place.
So, but I, I believe in my heart of hearts
and the people that I know that work there and,
and volunteers, uh, a a a part-time employee
of mine has a job there.
I don't know. He's the guy that I don't know.
What do they call the guys that go out and check animals
and like, uh, what does Rubio do?
Animal control officer. Animal control officer.
He is an animal control officer.
He was there for a few years, had an opening to work for me.
I offered him a job making 10 or 12 grand a year more.
And Rubio denied that job making 10
or 12 grand or more a year.
So that's how passionate he is about his job.
Uh, being an animal control officer,
we got Kelly Ganders here.
Kelly used to be the former
director of Animal Care and Control.
She took time outta her day.
Uh, um, and she's got a pretty important
job for Evanston, right?
Uh, Kelly. So, uh, she felt it important
to come and, and defend Sue.
So people, I just like to ask you to give her a chance.
Um, I dunno how long she'll be here.
I mean, I dunno
how many people put 40 years in working for the city.
Uh, but maybe next time around,
maybe that's what you have to do.
I don't know. Everything costs money. I know Sue knows.
Everybody in here knows the animal care control needs more
money, unfortunately.
I know. I think one
of the speakers said about us not giving you enough money.
And that's true. It's a difficult task.
We have a tough budget. We care about people's insurance.
We care about, you know, everything here,
but we only have so much money.
We don't have a money tree in this city.
Um, it's just, it's just a hard thing to do.
But I believe in my heart of hearts,
and also, Sue's been director
and deputy director for three years.
I mean, she's doing the job of number one
and number two by herself.
So that, that was, was a very demanding job.
You did a great job, Sue. I'm proud to call you a friend.
I'm proud to support you.
I encourage my, my colleagues to support Sue.
Um, I'm not gonna get into negatives.
I'm just gonna say I'm just pleased asking to support Sue.
She does a great job. She's a wonderful gal.
She stayed the course. She did not give up on us.
She did not give up on the animals.
So I, I'm not on the committee. I can't vote on you, Sue.
But when it comes time for City Council,
I wholeheartedly support you.
I will be lobbying my friends to all support you.
Thank you, Sue. Thank you Madam Chair for the time to speak.
Appreciate you. Thank
You, alderman.
Um, next I have ch uh, vice Chair Ramirez.
Anybody else wants to get on the list?
Great. Good morning, Sue. Thank you for being here.
Um, you know, at the end of last year, Aldo Women Fuentes
and Chairwoman Rodriguez Sanchez, they held, um, a hearing
just to talk about sort of the deficit
that you guys face, you know, fiscally.
Um, but since then you guys actually were able to,
we were able to allocate rather a jump, um,
nearly $700,000.
So I wanna give you a chance to sort of talk about,
you know, the things that you brought forth during
that hearing and how that 700 K could potentially meet some
of those needs that you addressed
during the, uh, that, that meeting.
Um, yes. Thank you so much for that. Alderwoman Ramirez.
Um, so the six, it's 657,000, um,
that I worked with a budget on to try to add in,
which is basically going to add 17 new, or 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,
but eight new vacancies to our department.
So, um, two
of them we're adding more shelter cleaning staff,
our animal care aides.
Uh, we have, um, more animal control officers
that we're adding to the list.
Um, more dispatch clerks to help really, um,
put together something similar to like a call center so
that we are calling residents back on their service requests
in a timely manner to get things serviced.
And then a program specialist to really help us
with our programming at the shelter to look into, again,
best practices elsewhere, what's best
for the city of Chicago.
So that's a new title to us.
Um, so we are gonna take those positions
and hopefully move ahead.
Um, the budget has been on track
with allowing us to go ahead and post for the positions.
We also did not le lose any of our vacancies from last year,
so that's another good thing.
But we are starting out with 17 vacancies, so,
but we are gonna trudge ahead
and try to get them all hired on board.
Um, this year I was given the word that yes,
we're moving ahead with hiring, so that's really
where we're going with the additional
funding that has come through.
Yeah, and I've heard different numbers thrown around,
but you've been there for so long.
What does this jump mean for the department?
When is the last time that you saw these
kind of funds come in?
Um, can you just address maybe some numbers?
Yeah, I mean, I would have to pull all of the budgets
to really look, but the last time
that we had a huge bump in our budget, whatever that was,
um, was probably around 2009.
Um, we actually added about 10 more animal control officers.
Um, did we ever get them hired? I don't know.
I mean, I'd have to really look,
but it's been quite some time since we got a
huge bump in our budget.
And huge is, is 500,000
and more to me, especially
with the amount of budget that we have.
And so my last question, I know
that you read your statement,
but you know, if you can kind of talk about what it means
to be sort of interim but then officially appointed
and how, what that shift means in your leadership
and the goals that you wanna reach moving
forward if you are appointed. Yeah,
Thank you so much for that.
Um, so as interim, you are interim, you're temporary,
you're holding down the fort, right?
I mean, that's basically what it's
been for the past three years.
Let's just keep moving forward as much as we can,
but holding down the fort
and doing what we can, um, there are a couple of things
that we did do over the last three years.
We, um, um,
we have our outdoor first outdoor microchip scanning station
available 24 hours a day.
So if you do find a lost pet, you can come to the shelter
and scan that animal to see if it has a microchip.
And there's information on how to do the microchip research
and get that animal back home.
Um, so that's one of the probably the biggest things
that we've done over the past three years.
Um, but really looking to work with city council, work
with the committees to strengthen our ordinance.
Um, I believe, um,
I heard Kelly Ginder ski talk a little bit about the
backyard breeding ordinance that she tried to pass.
Definitely looking to add that first on the list this year.
But making more changes and strengthening our ordinance, um,
is probably top priority for us moving forward right now.
Okay. That's all for me. Thank you so much.
Thank you. Vice chair. I have Alderman Lawson next.
Great. Thank you. Chair. Hello. Interim director.
Um, I feel like you are here as, uh, as often as any, uh,
commissioner in the city.
Um, and I appreciate seeing you here.
Um, I was just gonna follow up on the interim piece as a,
an acting committee chair.
Um, I understand completely what, what you, uh, like
what you can and can't do, right?
You're not reorganizing the department, you're, you,
you are missing a key member of your leadership team, uh,
which is in a small organization.
Um, you're not, um,
looking at all the innovative solutions that you can.
And actually, I think you've done a lot as interim.
I think it's very difficult. You keep the lights on,
you keep the work going, you put the policy
forward that comes your way.
Um, and, you know, hope
that there is a permanent decision down the road soon.
And, uh, it took a lot longer to get here.
Um, clock's still ticking on some other interim folks,
but, um, I just, I, I wanted to put that on the record
because it really does make a difference.
And I think you've been very innovative in your interim
role, um, with the constraints that come with it.
Thank you. Um, there were two members
of the 44th ward that spoke today.
So this issue is not lost on me,
and I heard a from a lot of people in my community.
Um, and so, and some on both sides, as you know.
And I think, um, it's clear that everyone,
certainly in my community in this chamber today thinks we
need to be doing better, including you.
I know. Um,
and I think when I look at the letter from Pause entails,
I'm sorry, pause and Treehouse
and, uh, anti cruelty,
there are three things that are recommended.
Stable, permanent leadership, sustainable funding, aligned
with other pure cities, continued collaboration
between public and private partners.
Um, we are responsible for number two,
partially number one,
but number two there too is the sustainable funding aligned.
The mayor and the council speak to the leadership.
And then once there is leadership, what
that looks like under a, a permanent director.
And you have the collaboration piece with your team
and our great partners here.
So my question, um,
for you is sustainable funding
aligned with other peer cities?
We know we're way below
and we know we have a tough budget year,
but let's say there were $2 million,
which I think was a question in Politico.
Um, what would you do with $2 million and on a and a seven
and change million dollar budget now? Right?
Um, it's actually 8.1. Okay. Yeah. Cool.
Um, and we've been re we've been looking at, uh,
calculations and comparing ourselves
with other major cities along the lines like New York, um,
Los Angeles, even Houston, um,
and particularly what they spend per resident, um,
on municipal animal services.
And right now, again, with our 8.1, we're at about two $82
and 80 cents per resident for animal services.
And when you compare that to the other cities,
there are about six or $7 per, um, resident
for animal services.
So if we were funded at a similar level,
we not talking 2 million, we're going up to 18 to 20, right?
Uh, that means a a lot more money than the 2 million.
Um, but even with that gap, I mean, even with the 2 million
to invest into something, um,
we focus on our life lifesaving outcomes, right?
Through adoptions, rescues, um, transfers is huge to us.
It's always been the biggest lifesaving effort
that we've had at our shelter.
And then of course, return to owners
because we do want people to come
and find their pets from us.
Um, but again, knowing that not many Chicago residents know
where we are, what we do, that's a key point.
Um, we recently started advertising in some
of the neighborhood newspapers,
specifically out on the west side.
So we do have an ad in those local papers to tell people
what we do and who we are.
Um, and then additional programming,
keeping own pets outta the shelters,
like the PAWS 360 program.
They have kept so many animals out of the shelter, um,
that it's really helped with our budget, right?
So they've invested clearly over a million,
a million dollars into the programming
that keeps those animals out.
So they're the ones offering spay neuter the social workers,
I think you heard from them today.
Um, an adoption support, which was huge.
Um, and additionally, our continued partnerships with,
I can't see Charlie behind the chairs,
but with our Friends of Animal Care
and Control, she's there, um, who help us
with other things like medical assistance through the, um,
the after hours care program,
which is when we don't have medical staff in our shelter.
And an animal control officer picks up an animal on the
street, they bring 'em to a vet friends covers the cost for
that, a new digital x-ray machine
that was purchased within the last 10 years.
I mean, these are things, these are the partnerships
that we have to build on, um, to alleviate the, the,
um, the stress on the current city budget.
Right? And then lastly, our partnership
with Cook County Animal and Rabies Control.
Um, we were almost told
that we couldn't do our pet vaccine clinics anymore due
to budget constraints and, uh, lack of no overtime.
We were asked to not do any overtime.
Um, cook County stepped up and they worked with us.
So being creative, we switched our days
to a weekday when we're all working.
So there's no overtime for it, um, to help with that.
But we also work with them, um,
to provide specific services like our pets and vets clinics.
We're doing two pets, at least two pets
and vets vets clinics this year already scheduled, um,
to help the veterans with their pets,
so they get special privilege at our vaccine clinics.
Um, but yeah, we're trying to really, um,
we lean on those partnerships
and that's where we have to go.
Just there's not an additional 10
to $12 million in the budget anywhere.
Um, and that's where we have to focus on.
Absolutely. Um, I think, uh, you're gonna see people
that are more forceful about a small increase
for you guys going forward every year.
Um, have going through this, and again, you being here and,
and speaking about what's happening at CACC on a daily basis
and what you're doing with limited resources is really
helpful because a lot of people don't understand it.
Mm-hmm. Um, the one name I haven't heard is Armando Tejada,
who has done a great job in interacting on socials
and with media and with our offices.
You mentioned the vets. We've got a Veterans Caucus.
Hopefully that can be helpful, um,
in promoting that program.
Um, I'm on the LGBT caucus, obviously we're, we're helpful
with, uh, pets of all stripes.
Um, and, uh, just, just want to continue to partner as, as,
uh, neighborhood leaders
and, uh, that have institutions that, that draw a lot
of folks and have a lot of interest
with whatever we can do to help you guys succeed.
So, thank you. Um, you have my full support, um,
and I know we'll keep working together, so thank you.
Thank you, chair. Thank
You. Thank you.
Alman Los and Alman Pado. Did you wanna finish a point?
Well, if I'm finished and that's fine,
but I forgot to say something.
I just wanna mention something. So go ahead.
Thanks again, Madam Chair.
I did forget to mention one thing,
and I know most of the people in the back here know it.
I'm not so sure if our residents know us,
and I'm certainly sure my colleagues don't notice,
but they get over 55 0
surrenders a day.
People. Can you imagine handling something like that,
50 plus surrenders a day, the challenges of that?
I couldn't imagine it. Sue, you do a great job.
You have my full support. Thanks again, Madam Chair.
Thank you. Alderman Pasado. Um, I have Alderwoman Cruz.
Thank you Chairwoman.
Um, thank you, uh, acting director, um, Sue, Sue Kapalo.
I do have, uh, some questions
and at the end I'll, I'll give some remarks.
Um, this has been brought up already,
but I want to hear from you.
Um, how many years have you worked at CACC
and what have been your main roles during that time?
So I actually started working at Animal
Care and Control in 1990.
Um, I did leave after a year and a half
and went to another city department for a few years.
I came back in 2 0 0 2
and that's when I fell into the administrative functions
at Animal Care and Control.
So I was basically hr, uh, finance, budget, um, all
that rolled into one for a few years.
Um, keep moving around.
I mean, you do a little bit of everything in the role.
Um, I think somebody had mentioned how small our staff is.
This is us, so the four of us here,
we're the ones doing everything at the shelter.
So, um, like everything, managing everything,
writing policies, putting things in
Place. But you do have managers.
We talked about having nine
supervisors, having, well,
The supervisors are front level working supervisors,
but this is the management team right here.
So this is what we have.
Um, but everything as far as the HR role, um, I really fell
for HR at my previous department,
and that's where I came over to animal care
and control with, um, labor relations, working
with the unions and through union negotiations.
So whatever, everything around HR is where I was involved.
Okay. How many animal sheltering certifications you have,
such as, could be certified animal welfare administrator
or animal shelter management certificate.
Do you have any, um, certificates.
So that's something I'd have to look, um, ask our HR,
current HR person what's in the file.
I mean, I've attended several, uh, seminars, uh,
conferences, uh, programs, uh,
including the city ones that we all have to do.
Right. Um, but I do have some type of, um, uh,
there are some things, but I have
to check in the file to see what they are.
So it has been some time you don't recall
that you have had the, the certifications,
The trainings and, and workshops?
Yes.
Recently within the, you know, these past years,
have you attended any welfare conferences
in, in the recent years?
Um, I was at the Illinois Animal Welfare, uh,
Federation conference, Prairie States Conference,
I think I believe two years ago.
Okay. Prior to being able an executive director, uh,
active executive director, how often were dogs getting out
of their kennels for exercise?
So prior to 2023, is that what you're asking? Right.
I would have to look and see if we have that,
um, somewhere detailed.
So you don't know how many times they were
getting out of the kennels?
I do not. Does would you like me?
I could ask somebody from the team to see if they're aware.
Um, do you wanna answer?
If not, I can move on with my questions.
Uh, this is the shelter manager, Arthur Hamilton.
It's gonna vary, vary what time period
that you're, that you're talking about.
So if you're talking about right
before she was, we were talking about
the pandemic when we probably had,
So let's talk about that. Yeah, let's
Talk maybe We had 50 dogs in the building,
so they were getting out multiple, multiple times a day.
Now we're talking about having 250 dogs.
So it's, it's much different.
So think about like the pandemic.
So think about how many dogs you had at that time. Yeah, we
Would, we would have, we had about 30
to 50 dogs in the building,
so we didn't even need volunteers at that time.
The staff could do the walking.
According to this data, the intakes you took
during pandemic doesn't reflect 30, I mean,
reflects a good amount of numbers.
Um, you said during the population of
what was in the building, not, not,
not talking about the, the intake.
So a lot of the animals were being transferred and whatnot.
If you look at the, the full number.
So during the pandemic, maam, you were able
to successfully remove a lot of, uh, dogs much quicker.
Yes. When the pandemic started, we were able to, um,
we were closed basically to most of the intake
because of the, uh, shelter in place.
So what about now within the recent years,
how often do the dogs get outta the kennels for walks?
So right now, um,
our volunteers are the only ones who walk the dogs.
So depending on the number of volunteers that come in, um,
is dependent on how many times an animal gets walked.
So basically 1, 2, 3 times a week maybe.
Okay. So at the press conference
you stated the dogs could go up
to a week without getting out of their kennel.
Right. How long has it been that case?
Oh, I, I don't know how long it's been that case,
but I've heard that sometimes a one dog may
only get one walk a week.
So you have heard, I've heard. Yes, correct.
Okay. Um, so you don't know how long have been this issue.
So if you have heard, what, what are some
of the steps you have taken to change that?
Well, we've been working with our commission members
who have went ahead and, uh, working with our volunteers.
We actually started just today an additional,
what's called pavilion out.
So we have about 20 volunteers there this
morning who came in early.
And what they'll do is they'll take a whole pavilion.
So if you've ever been to the shelter,
we house our dogs in pavilions, right.
Which can a house up to 30 to maybe 40, 45 dogs at the most
inside each pavilion.
And we have seven of those rooms.
So when the volunteers come in, what they try
to do is get every animal out.
And then that focuses, that allows our, uh, cleaning team
to really focus on the cleaning of the kennels.
So we would be, we were doing that for at least one day, um,
a week for the past few years.
And then after that, um, well, right now we're starting,
we're adding two more days.
So today's the first day trial period on that pilot program.
So walk me through a little more about that plan.
I know you said every dog every day. Mm-hmm.
And you have been hearing about this,
you have been knowing about this.
So this concerning that, just
because now the appointment is here, now you have a plan
or you have a vision to walk the dots.
So what is that plan? Walk me through this.
It, it's not just because of the appointment.
So this has been in the works with our commission members
for some time now, and they've been working and
Trying to get overnight. When
we had the hearing, you did not bring that up.
You occurred. So it wasn't in place at the time.
It wasn't in place at the time. But
You have been knowing about it.
You have been knowing since prior, even to October nine,
when we brought that up and we brought up about the concerns
with the volunteers and dogs, them being able to walk at
that time, you, you also knew.
So what is your plan?
How, how are you gonna make this happen?
That every dog is gonna get walked once a day,
Once a day. It's
basically based on volunteer help. Okay.
So we need more volunteers to come in.
What we've done now is opened up our volunteer hours.
So previously our, well, our volunteer hours are noon
to seven, seven days a week.
So with pavilion out programming, volunteers get
to come in earlier to do pavilion out
to remove the animals from the cages.
So we've opened that up and they started
at nine o'clock this morning.
So moving, if this is the way that it's going to work,
so we're piloting it right now.
If it's gonna work at nine o'clock
and more volunteers are gonna come at nine
o'clock, then let's do it.
But we also can't take away the volunteer helpers
who help those who are looking to adopt,
because if a volunteer's gonna come in at nine o'clock till
12 to walk dogs, are they really staying from 12
to seven again to help our adopters?
So it, this is why we're piling it to see
what happens and how it's gonna go.
Yeah. No, I'm not suggesting to take anything.
I just wanna know your plan.
You're the one who is saying this.
It, it is alarming to hear that this is your plan
because you have been hearing from,
and we have all been hearing from volunteers, the,
and during our meeting yesterday, you, you acknowledge
that there is a disconnect
between the volunteers and the staff.
That there is a lack of communication on
what are the expectations or not the expectations.
There's a culture here of volunteers that feel that,
again, once they propose an idea, they're asked not to be,
uh, to return to the shelter.
There is a culture to be changed.
So not only you need to recruit more volunteers,
but you gotta retain volunteers.
So if the idea is to walk the dogs with volunteers,
I don't, again, it will take so much to take it.
And if you are not willing to make those changes
and really listen to these volunteers
and change a culture, I highly doubt the dogs are gonna
be walk once a day.
I mean, you and I had this conversation, Sue,
and there is a disconnect with the volunteers.
I mean, we are hearing from many, I mean, we received
so many through the committee,
we have been hearing throughout
how you gonna change your culture?
How you gonna not only attract but retain.
So I'm, excuse me.
Also just thinking volunteers need to follow
the process, right?
So are they going to our animal placement coordinators?
So the animal placement coordinator is the first line
of contact for our volunteers.
The FIR one A.
So the very next level, right,
with the a animal placement coordinators is our volunteer
coordinator, which is paid by Friends
of Chicago Animal Care and Control.
If their, if their volunteers are going to that level,
it's not necessarily always getting up to me.
So that just means that we need to have more communication
with our animal placement coordinators to make sure that
what they're doing is getting up. Well,
There's, there's said there emails
and we can FOIA these emails that emails have come to the,
the executive team and,
and address those concerns, not once many different times.
So you are aware, again, I believe there's a lack of plan.
And I think it is unfair to say
that we're gonna walk the dogs every single day when we
don't have an actual plan.
So when people are saying we're, you know,
one agency is finger to point, uh, finger pointing,
and the other one, this is not really none of that,
this is really comes down to you.
And you, we had the hearing on October nine.
I also, we asked about budgets
and I even asked you, do you have a number?
You have an amount. And you say, I do not.
So it is also unfair to say that some
of the volunteers are just loud and,
and you know how they are when at the end of the day,
it really comes down to your leadership for, for me to hear
during the meeting that you
and I had yesterday about like, yeah, you know,
volunteers can do clean, if there is feces on the candle,
they can grab a bag, they can clean it, they can spray it.
You know, that's the minimum requirements they can do.
But to say, yeah, maybe they, they don't know
or they go to somebody
who hands the program, you are the leader.
Like, so if there are changes need to be made.
Again, I'm trying to see the plan
and it, I see there's no plan.
I, I think there's a lack of that.
And it was gonna be unfair for our dogs and to sit here
and say every dog, every day.
Um, so to that, how can we trust
that you will be able to, to attract and retain, um,
and again and build a culture.
So when people don't feel retaliated,
when people don't feel unwelcoming,
how can we trust that it's gonna happen?
Sorry, I just needed to make a note.
Um, you could be guaranteed
after hearing all of this
that something is going to be put into place.
Absolutely. No, and I know I don't have it
off the top of my head right now.
Um, this is, I like somebody said,
where has all this been over the past three years?
So this is now the time to sit down and, and
Place, right? And I will take responsibility.
And I think we have failed 'em.
I wish we would have done this.
But you also have been there for three years
and also what have you been doing those past three years?
So I take full responsibility
and I can admit to that other women.
Do you have, um, questions? 'cause we, we really have to
Move. I know you
didn't cut other people off, so Oh,
but you have, okay.
I have allowed enough time for people
to ask questions and provide comments.
I, I'm gonna wrap up on, I'm gonna wrap up please.
Um, another thing that I wanna highlight, what,
what is your plan to reduce, uh, euthanasia rates?
Uh, I know we talked about this and,
and the numbers are here
and I I wanna highlight some numbers
before you answer that question.
Um, in 2019, the budget was $6.8 million compared to 2024.
So I'm using 2019 numbers, which is pre pandemic.
And 2024 is right
after we stabilized from, from the pandemic.
So budget, very similar.
Um, dog intakes just about the same.
The only difference was 14 more in 2024,
euthanasia way higher.
So in 2019 was 600, 4 20 24 was
1,548.
That's 944 more docs, um, were, uh, killed.
And then also when it comes to backup adoptions, again,
more in 2019, 1,566 to 2024,
1000 254, 314 less.
Um, so what is that plan? What is gonna look like?
So when we talk about adoptions, yeah,
if we look at the number, it is pretty high,
but when we look at percentage
because of the number of intakes, it's less.
So let's highlight that.
But let me again, I wanna know your plan
for euthanasia rates.
So euthanasia rates are, they're really hard
to discuss, right?
So we offer a service at our shelter,
which is euthanasia per owner for Chicago residents
to be able to bring their owned animal in
to be euthanized regardless of, um,
I mean if they have a health condition
or if they have a behavior type of condition.
So there is a euthanasia by, by owner process that we have.
Um, so that's the one thing.
The other thing is, is we get a lot of animals in
through cruelty cases.
We ask people to bring the animals to our shelter
who need our help, and those are the sick
and the injured, those
who can't make it on the streets on their own.
Um, I'm gonna, if you wouldn't mind, I could ask art
to elaborate more on the euthanasia process
and how those selections are made.
Sure. Arthur there if you're available.
Sure. Um, also, can, can you go over some
of the numbers you were saying about the difference
between 2014 and 2019?
Because it sounded like you said,
we only took in 14 more dogs.
So from 2019,
and I'm using the chart that I was given right here
by Animal Care and control as well.
Mm-hmm. But
when it comes to, uh, again,
there is in 2019, less weight, less dogs were,
uh, euthanized compared to 2024.
So just walk me through the process,
Right? So
we're talking about two very different timeframes
and oh, excuse me.
You're talking about very different timeframes
of, of what is happening.
Um, if there's gonna be more intake, less adoptions
and less transfers,
there will be ultimately more euthanasia.
Um, as well as, you can't always compare what type
of animals you're seeing.
Animals are individuals.
So you could be seeing more friendlier dogs during one month
and more aggressive dogs during another month.
It's, it's all gonna vary on, you know, the condition,
the behavior of everything about the animals.
So it's, it's not so easy to just compare one timeframe
to another of what's happening.
When you, if you're asking about why we make certain
euthanasia decisions, um, yes, definitely
intake population are going to drive those,
those decisions to be made.
But you're, you're looking at the individual of the animal.
Is it safety concerns?
Whether it's the health, whether it's, you know,
all these different things are factored into
the, to the decision.
It's not usually going to be made on just one reason.
It's always a combination of everything that's happening.
Yeah, no, and I'm pretty sure
that was the same thing for, for the other years.
I'm using this data. So you're all using it too.
So if you're saying the dogs are the highest in, you know,
in the years, I mean, it's also fair to say that compared
to percentage, it is not.
I have one more question,
and I promise you I'll wrap this up.
Um, and this is a question from, from one of our,
um, advocates.
Prior to your Leadership Leadership Dogs were participating
in Playgrounds group
with other dogs on an average about four days per week.
Under your leadership, they has drastically reduced
to just once a week
and only for a small select group of dogs.
Why did you reduce, um, this approach?
And we just wanna know what, what change?
So, okay. Yes. Thank you for that.
Um, playgroup is what it's called where,
and they were our volunteers.
It's a volunteer run program.
So we, we need the volunteers there to do it.
The volunteers have to be trained
through a specific program.
Um, we did train them through, uh, dogs Playing for life,
and they did come to the shelter
and provide some training for that.
Um, as far as pre pandemic, safe, humane Chicago was one
of our partners who was running playgroups
who had solid volunteers to come every single
or whenever they came, right.
Whether it was three or four days a week.
Um, after the pandemic, we took it over
as a departmental program, still using volunteers.
And the volunteers.
I are, do you know the numbers for playgroups as far
as numbers of dogs that get out into playgroups?
Uh, it, it varies from, from week to week.
Um, how many that they, they have preset with,
with rabies vaccines
and how many they can fit in during the time period.
Um, and it's, it's held from once to one
to two times a week.
So it is held one to two times per week now.
And it varies. Well, gimme an average.
What, how many dogs come out?
What do they have in playgroup? Four, six
At a time? Yeah,
At a time, right? Yeah. They,
They could probably get, get close to 20
or 30 out a day if they needed to
It. Right? I really
need to move if there's how many?
I just wanna add other woman. You are out of order now.
I need to stop, please.
I still have people that need to talk
and I have appointments that I have to pass.
Right? But, so No, no, no. We're done. We're done.
Elder woman. We're done. Thank you for your questions.
I is very unfair. No, I am the chair.
I am chairing this hearing and I need to move on.
Elder Woman Howorth. You have the floor Elder woman.
I just said that we are done with this line of questioning.
Please respect the chair. You are out of order now.
You don't have the floor.
Elder woman, mana Howorth, you have the floor. Thank you.
Thank you Chair. Thank you. Acting Commissioner Capello.
Um, you know, all of this conversation, especially right
after we had a, a resolution pass for Medicare for All,
it makes me think of my days at Cook County Hospital
as a physical therapist
and how in that facility, the idea is to move people
through the system and to not keep them there.
And I, I feel that for these animals as well,
the shelter is not supposed to be a home for animals.
And so I I also feel, um, many of the people
who have spoken today, I appreciate that they came down to,
to, um, express their perspectives either
as well.
You know, one thing that I I really did not realize is
how many social workers were involved in this work?
Um, the social workers, the volunteers, the partners,
and, um, thank you to your staff, your very small staff.
Um, this is complicated work and,
and it's, it's, um, it's critical for us to be humane
because of course these animals cannot speak for themselves.
And so, um, I'm a pet owner too.
I ha I had to put down, um, two of my pets
because they were old and sick.
And, you know, that's something that I don't wish on anybody
who, um, who are, are animal lovers to have
to do on their own.
Um, I I did have a question about that.
You, you mentioned euthanasia for owners
and, um, how much is it to, to go to a vet to
put your pet down?
Um, so I've had to experience that a few years ago
and it cost me $800 at the vet for basic euthanasia.
Um, we actually have a fee structure in place
through the ordinance and it's $10,
but we rarely accept that fee from owners
who are unable to do so.
Thanks. I did not know that
that was something that you offered.
I would've, um, probably took you up on that.
Um, I think the idea of the, this conversation is how,
how are you going to restore trust in this department?
Yeah. And how are you gonna do it in a
way that's transparent?
And I think that staff is absolutely the key.
You have to have a team. You can't do it on your own.
I don't want that for you.
Uh, how are you going to share your progress with the city
in, in terms of, um, modernizing your systems perhaps, um,
through your websites, your communications, emails,
communication to the board offices?
How are you going to show your progress?
So I think adding a newsletter into our, um, life,
if we get more staff again.
Um, so I'm still doing dual role plus a little bit on the
side for finances.
One of our other employees had recently retired.
Um, but there is definitely something where,
how, how do we get that same message out to everybody?
So I'm thinking a newsletter might be the way to go.
Um, I will say not a lot of people look at our website.
We're still probably the last of the departments
who haven't updated yet.
So that's on the list of many things to do.
Um, but maybe going along the lines of a new
official newsletter that can go out to all the alders, all
of our volunteers, all of our partners,
definitely our staff.
Um, that can be a definite starting point. That,
That would be great. And who
would that fall under your, I hope it's not you.
Well, I mean, I think all
of us will have some input into it
and we'll have to figure out who's gonna do that for us.
Absolutely. I think a team effort probably
to feed into your newsletter, I,
and I would, uh, second that social media
and websites, they're great,
but for us, maybe for many other aldermanic offices,
the newsletter is really where people go for, uh,
trusted information.
Um, and uh, let's see.
Can you speak a little bit more on the idea is to,
to reduce the intake, right?
You cannot cherry pick who comes through your door, right?
Right. I mean, in, in the healthcare system,
some doctors do that, right?
And then they can say that their success rate is very high
because they're able to pick
and choose which patients they see, right?
So you have to take everybody in.
So what is, what is the plan to help pro
to reduce the intake?
So, and that's one of the things that we're working
with Paw Chicago on,
and that's part of the Pause 360 program.
It's what we call diversion.
So we have, um, our staff
and then including PAW staff who meet clients at the door,
um, to offer different services.
So Paw Chicago, if you're, if you're surrendering your pet
because your landlord says you can't own a dog
unless it's a spayed
or neutered, um, one easy way for you to keep it is to get
that animal spayed or neutered.
And that's where PA Chicago is stepping up and doing that.
We have a very small medical staff who has
to handle the sheer number of animals
that we have in our shelter.
So we can't offer that service to the public.
Um, but something like that is what Posh Chicago is helping
with, um, including training.
Um, um, then the social service part.
And even if you're looking, if you can't keep your pet,
maybe you just don't have the funding between now
and your next paycheck
and you can't buy dog food, we can help you with that too.
We do have a storage unit where we offer food
and different types of supplies for pet owners in Chicago
to help you get through to the next, um,
to the next paycheck.
Yeah. You know, again, it reminds me of our own, um,
healthcare department in health department
and the city of Chicago
where we're really reliant on our partners
to help us fill the mission of keeping people and
Safe. Right. And
to that, our vaccine clinics, um,
that have started up many of our partners partner
with Cook County of an animal
and rabies control who help, uh, fund our vaccine clinics.
So we work directly with them,
but there are even partners here who work directly
with Cook County, um, animal
and rabies control to offer our free
or even low cost, uh, pet vaccine clinics.
So that's also something that's keeping pets in their homes.
Is there a plan to bring those pet clinics
to wards different one? Absolutely.
That's a great question. So we've already started booking.
Our first one is on April 9th.
It happens to be at Margate Park.
Um, so hopefully you can come out and check that out.
Um, but that is our first pet clinic for the year.
I think we have three or four others scheduled,
but we do go out to, um, various wards, typically, um,
reach out on a regular basis to get a clinic in their ward.
And depending on our availability, whether we could do that
or not, we'll work with them
or pass their information onto to Cook County to see if one
of our other partners can, can work within that ward.
But we are scheduling now for the remainder of the year.
We only go out when the weather's nice.
'cause in the winter it's too cold.
Well, we are, we're a very pedestrian friendly area.
Very uh, a lot of dog lovers, a lot of pet lovers.
And, uh, congratulations on your numbers of pet adoptions
and to all of your partners who help keep all of our,
our family members really, um, safe.
'cause they are truly part of our families. Thank
You. Thank you.
Thank you. Other woman? I have other
One, Fuentes.
Sure. So, just to, um,
a few moments ago, um, can Sue, can you address sort
of the collective bargaining agreement with AFSCME in terms
of the cleanliness and who can clean whether that can be,
um, the, the staff and, and
or the volunteers if they're able to do so?
Right. Thank you for that.
Um, so in 1999, I was not at animal control.
Um, the then director, uh, put into place an agreement
with afscme, who was our main union at that time,
to allow number one volunteers to even be at the shelter.
And, um, that was one hurdle that, um, Dr. Mueller,
the director at that time, had to, had to really jump
through hoops to get that done.
But there was an agreement in place since 1999
to allow volunteers to do, um, to assist
with adoption processes, um,
to do what's called interim maintenance
cleaning in the kennels.
Um, which is just, I guess what we'll say is spot cleaning.
So if the volunteer goes to the kennel to remove the dog,
and the dog had had, um, used the restroom,
then they can remove that with a bag, um, spray some
cleaning solution and wipe that part up.
But the full cleaning of the kennel, the walls,
the scrubbing of the floors, the rinsing down
of everything has to be done by our
staff, by our AFPE members.
Um, so that's what's in the agreement with, um, afscme.
And then over the years we've increased a couple
of different things like adding some assistance
to our medical staff, um,
to allow volunteers to help there too.
So we have been increasing our asks to the union
to allow volunteers to help.
Awesome. Thank you so much, Sue.
Thank you, uh, chairwoman.
And, uh, thank you director for being here today.
It's not a secret. This is a tense appointment.
Uh, the gallery says as much,
I think the sentiment across some of our colleagues here
in this, uh, appointment hearing.
Also say that I, I do wanna just contextualize some things
for a moment because, uh, we can make things very polarizing
and not understand the full picture.
Uh, there's a call, uh, by some of my colleagues
for a national search.
While I understand it, 'cause we do
it for a lot of positions.
I just wanna talk briefly about the moment we're in.
We have nor the time
nor the money to conduct a national search,
and I I I just need people in this body
to be honest about that.
In June, we will be facing some serious cuts that we
as a body will have to grapple with.
And then we will have a much harder budget cycle at the end
of the year, praying and hoping
and hanging on by a thin string
that we won't have to lay people off.
And we don't know if that's gonna come from your department.
We gave you some money and we're very capable
of taking it back if things get real bad.
And I also know that our animals deserve to be treated
with care and love and that our volunteers deserve
to be treated with care and love.
And that there must be some sort of communication mechanism
that allows us to do what we all want to do.
And that is to ensure the safety of
animals all across the municipality to ensure
that we have clean spaces to ensure that we are training,
serving, and playing with our pets in a way
that keep them friendly and loving
and eligible for adoption.
And I believe that we can get that done
with true accountability measures, real communication
and a commitment on your part to meet
with volunteers on a consistent basis
to bring your volunteer coordinators together
on a consistent basis.
And I look forward to a plan that articulates that.
And I'm also more than happy to help, right?
I think that we can throw daggers
and we can provide solutions
and sometimes we gotta do a little bit of both.
We gotta hold people accountable,
but we also gotta give a helping hand.
The reality things are not perfect at
animal care and control.
But if I look at every single department in the city
of Chicago, I can point
to a lot of things that are not perfect.
Um, the reality is we have so much work to do.
Um, I'm sorry that you've spent three years
and we're throwing it all at you now.
This body should have been more critical early so
that we wouldn't be at a point
where we are raising these issues.
And as a legislator who sat in this body
for almost three years now,
I also have to assume accountability.
I haven't gone and visit animal care
and control and dropped in.
And I need to, and I encourage other
people to do the same thing.
Uh, because it is our responsibility, uh,
to show up and do the work.
I want us to get better.
And the reality is, is you're going to be appointed.
That's the political reality.
What I am offering is
a helping hand space
and a table to produce accountability measures
and systems that not only, uh, acknowledge
and respect the bargaining agreement that you have
with afscme, but answer the cry and call
or change by the volunteers that have been advocating
for the last several months.
Uh, because I don't wanna sit here
and act like some of their concerns aren't valid.
Right. And I think that we need to create a listening table
with folks that are here and be,
and be intentional about that listening table
and make sure that we have all the appropriate people in
place so that what we're hearing,
we can turn into action plans.
I would love to help you host that.
And I would love to help bring advocates together so
that we can really take on some of the challenges.
And I I also just wanna take a moment to acknowledge that
we're not in the moment of the pandemic
or even pre pandemic.
When the eviction moratorium was lifted in the state
of Illinois, more people were rendered homeless than we have
ever seen in our municipality.
There are more people sleeping in streets and in tens
or in shelters or doubled
or tripled up across the city of Chicago.
That has increased the population, the animal, and care
and control by a lot
without you having the same increase in personnel.
And I think that we also as a body need
to acknowledge the need that there is in animal care
and control because you're not dealing
with the same animal population.
And and that means that we also need to consider
what are the policies and procedures that navigate
and that operate the shelter that worked pre pandemic
and during the pandemic, but just don't work anymore.
And, and we see that across many
different sectors of our work.
There are things that this body passed that was good 15,
20 years ago, they're not good anymore.
And so I'm interested
to also bring together a legislative table to discuss
what are ordinances that we gotta consider strengthening,
drafting and passing so that our animals are safe.
I'm not gonna sit here and throw a million daggers
and ask a hundred questions
because the political reality doesn't allow time for
that right now, the time that we do have cause us all
to do something about this.
And there are a couple things that I've already offered
that I think we can start on tomorrow.
And you know, you've called me several
times and I gotta call you back.
I know that that's okay. Um, I,
I want, I want us to get on the phone.
I want us to have a meeting
and I want us to talk about solutions.
Uh, and I'm not, I'm going to make sure that the advocates
who are here are also at the
table. Absolutely. Thank you for being here.
Thank you. Thank you for that.
And I will take you up on that offer.
Thank you. Other woman Fuentes.
Um, we are ready to, um,
move on to the vote.
Can I get a motion to approve item a
20 26 0 0 2 3 7 5 1.
Uh, so moved by elder person Lopez.
All those in favor of, of approving this item signify
by saying, aye, other woman Cruz wants
to be recorded as a no.
Um, all those in favor signify by saying aye.
In the opinion of the chair, the ayes have it.
I will report this as ADU past recommendation at
the upcoming city council meeting.
Um, I want to apologize to all the appointees
that have been waiting for so long.
I know some people had to leave
and I feel really bad about that
because I know that, uh,
people had remarks that they had written.
We appreciate you so much.
We appreciate the remarks that you brought.
Um, and now we're going to move to appointments.
Uh, the next matter is a number of mayoral appointments
to three advisory council.
We will consider all of the appointments
for one advisory council at a time, starting
with my appointments to Chicago Advisory Council on Equity,
all of the appointees for the advisor on equity,
the Advisory Council on equity.
Please come to the box.
Yes.
I just like to thank all
of my colleagues who agreed with me.
I, I I, I know that it has not completely frozen over there
outside, but there's a tornado coming to Chicago now, so
Thank you Derman.
Um, do we have any other appointees joining us? Yes.
Hello. Go ahead. Alderman Lopez is agreeing with majority
of the Progressive caucus Oh wow.
On this issue. So welcome, welcome to that caucus, sir.
Alright. Yes, yes. We, we start with equity.
Um, yeah.
So we are going to be now considering the appointments
for the, um, mayor, um, advisory Council on equity.
Those items are a
20 26 0 0 2 3 4 0 2 appointment
of Lauren Burdett,
a 2 26 0 0 2 23 4 0 3 appointment of Sophia Soel.
Um, and a 20 26 0 0 2 3 4 0 4 appointment
of Dina g Lewis.
And Dina had to leave 'cause she had another commitment.
Um, I am incredibly proud
to be considering her appointment today,
but I am going to start with Lauren.
Great, Thank you. And if you could keep your comments
to two minutes, I would appreciate it so much so
that everybody has a chance to read theirs. Thank you. Yes,
For sure. Um, good
morning and thank you all for being here
and for your, um, support in public service right now.
My name's Lauren Burdette
and I'm a nominee for the Equity Advisory Council.
I'm a Chicago transplant who grew up in Kansas,
but started my career here as a seventh grade math
and science teacher in Archer Heights.
As a sister with three brothers, including one with autism,
I have a strong sense of the systems that fail us
and a deep desire to improve them so that all can thrive.
I have my master's in public policy from the University
of Michigan and have experience working in federal,
state, and local government.
Most recently I started my own consulting firm
where I've had the privilege of advising both national
and local institutions fighting for a better world, such
as Race Forward Loyola University's Institute
for Racial Justice, and Chicago United for Equity.
As a former city employee, I'm honored to
for the opportunity to serve Chicagoans.
Once again, I hope I can bring my data skills, strategy,
and knowledge to help advise the city on
how Chicago can continue its important progress despite
a hostile national environment.
Thank you for your consideration.
Thank you so much, Lauren.
Now we wanna hear from Suan and um,
and then we will open it up for comments or questions.
Good afternoon. Uh, thank you for the opportunity
to be considered for the Equity Advisory Council.
My name is Suan soho. I live in the South Loop.
I currently work as the civil rights attorney,
a social impact consultant,
and also serve as chair
of the Cook County Commission on Human Rights.
For much of my career, I have worked at the intersection
of civil rights, community leadership, and public policy.
I've had the privilege of standing alongside communities
fighting for dignity, fairness,
and the simple belief that every person deserves to belong.
To me. Equity is not just a policy
framework, it's a promise.
A promise that where we live should not
determine our opportunity.
That our background should not limit our voice,
and that the system's meant to serve the public must work
for all of us, especially those who've been pushed
to the margins for far too long.
Chicago is a city of immense beauty and possibility.
It's also a city shaped by deep inequities
that did not happen by accident.
Addressing them requires honesty, partnership,
and the courage to listen to communities most impacted.
If appointed to the council, I would bring my experience
and civil rights advocacy, coalition building
and community engagement.
But more importantly, I would bring commitment to listening
and to helping ensure that our equity work remains rooted in
the lived experiences of all Chicagoans.
I believe that when government
and community move forward together with humility
and purpose, real change becomes possible.
It would be such an honor
to continue this work with the council. Thank you.
Thank you so much Sophia.
Anybody has questions or comments for our appointees?
No questions, no comments. Can I get a mo? Huh?
Um, motion move, uh,
for the appointment on the advisory council
by elder person Fuentes.
All those in favor signify by saying aye. Aye.
Opposed say nay in the opinion of the chair,
the ayes have it and I will report these appointments.
Um, Asad do pass recommendation in
our next city council meeting.
Thank you so much for being here today.
Next I have OLA appointments to Chicago Advisory Council on
LGBTQ plus issues.
Um, we are going to discuss a 2 2 6 0 0 2 3 4 0 7
appointment of Julio Flores.
Um, a 20 26 0 0 2 3 4 0 8
appointment of Ella Jaso.
A 22 6 0 0 2 3 4 0 9 appointment of JHA Stamps,
A 2 2 6 0 0 2 3 4 10 appointment of Han Ali,
a 20 26 0 0 2 3 4 11 appointment of Chandra White,
a 20 26 0 0 2 3 4 12 appointment of
Ella.
You look absolutely fabulous. You did good.
Um, we are going to hear from our appointees,
they will all speak for two minutes, um,
giving their statements
and then they will be time for questions or comments.
And we're going to start with Julio Flores. Oh, Julio left.
Oh, oh. There you're,
Um, my name is Julio Flores pronouncing him.
It is an honor to be considered
to serve in the Advisory council on L-G-B-T-Q issues.
I'm grateful for this, uh, opportunity to contribute
to this work and to support the efforts
that promote equity representation
and the overall wellbeing
of L-G-B-T-Q residents in our city.
I am passionate about serving in this role
because I believe that, uh, in difficult times like now,
it is a responsibility to advocate for our peers.
In my current role, I get to work with L-G-B-T-Q youth
who often remind me that joy is part of the process
and that we should challenge perspectives
and systems that are harmful.
My commitment to this work is also very,
it, it is very personal.
Not only because I'm part of the community, but also
because I grew up as an undocumented youth in this country.
I experience, um, that experience shaped my understanding of
what it means to navigate systems that were built not
to support who you are and your needs.
It taught me resilience, it also taught me the importance
of representation, dignity, and access to opportunity.
Therefore, I am excited to collaborate with council members
with all of you and to continue to learn
and continue to collaborate to make sure
that Chicago remains a century, um, that holds,
that is supportive of people
that hold similar identities to us.
Thank you.
Go ahead Ella. Thank you.
Hello everyone. Hello. Uh, good day, Eno.
My name is Ella.
I'm okay with Ella, Joseph and Jaso.
I use the pronoun she, her and hers, or Aya la
and I in Spanish.
Um, I'm so grateful to be here among such wonderful people
that I've always admired that really create the change
through policy and creating laws
that really are propel propelling our community,
specifically our L-G-T-B-Q community,
which is the most under a attack
and even more is our community, the women of color,
of trans experience.
So I understand, uh, being someone who,
where there's a drought of support, uh,
or a system to keep us afloat here in the
United States as a collective.
So I am here to share the, all of the knowledge
that I've acquired while working as a volunteer
for two years as a health educator, as a medical manager,
and now as a surgical health navigator.
Supporting people access, gender affirming surgery,
name change, and, uh, gender marker change.
Very important things that are threatening, uh,
our survival right now.
So working with our community for so long,
I've acquired a lot through lived experience,
shared experience,
and I'm looking forward to hopefully creating policy
and change that will, uh, keep us, uh,
the sustainable, right?
Um, and I think it's so important
and I'm so proud to be to be here
because my physical being in,
in this space creates a safe space for others like me.
So I'm so happy to be here and thank you everyone.
Thank you so much Ella. Uh, we're gonna move to Dhari.
Good afternoon everybody. My name is Jahari Stamps.
Professionally, I am a musician, a front man
of a award-winning band.
I'm also a creative director of an entertainment company
on a community-based level.
I am the chairman of the South Side Health Advocacy Resource
Partnerships, sharp as the acronym
where we specialize in develop developing
innovative sponsorships.
We actually flagship
and developed a program firsthand for entry level, um,
community health, community health workers to go
to phlebotomy school.
We also specialize in using creative expression
as a coping mechanism
and a harbor death of tactic called Sonic Healing,
where we bring artists into a space
and talk about traumatic experiences that they've had
and how they have used music
and creative expression to create better pathways for them.
I'm also an acting member
of the Chicago Methamphetamine Task Force under the
direction of mentorship of Director King,
who is here in attendance today.
And I am the descending chairman
of the Chicago Ballroom Council, which is a coalition
of ballroom houses in the city of Chicago coming together
to create space at tables such as these.
I believe that my presence here is important
because as I stated, um, a part
of my passion is using creative expression
as a harm reductive tactic
and a coping mechanism for mental health as we know
that black and brown people don't traditionally engage
with mental health services.
So we have to be creative in the ways that we use that,
as well as creating more opportunities
to not only survive in this community
but thrive through the lens of creative expression.
I think that what they more nominal investment in creative
arts for the L-G-B-T-Q community,
we can see more opportunities happen.
And I would love to be able
to engage with you all in that process. Thank you.
Thank you so much, Zari. Uh, next I have, uh, Han.
Good morning everyone. My name is Zha Ali.
He, him, his, and it is truly an honor to be here today
as a candidate for the Mayor's Advisory Council
for LGBTQ plus issues for the city of Chicago.
Chicago is a city where people come out not only
to build careers, but to build lives.
It is a city built upon neighborhoods by resilience
and by people who believe deeply
that everyone deserves dignity and safety.
To have this opportunity to serve this city in this capacity
is something I carry with a great deal of gratitude.
Much of my career in Chicago has focused on violence
prevention, trauma-informed care,
and community-centered solutions,
particularly within immigrant and refugee communities.
I've had the privilege of working alongside organizations
like UP Nagar, which supports
survivors of gender-based violence.
Through that work, I have seen firsthand how important it is
that communities have access to safety, compassion,
and culturally informed support systems.
This work is deeply personal to me.
Myself and members
of my own family have experienced gender-based violence
and organizations like UP Nger
and the Smiley community helped provide the protection
and dignity that allowed us to rebuild our lives.
That experience shaped my belief
that community-based solutions
and culturally grounded services are essential
to creating real safety.
Along in my, alongside my work in violence prevention,
I have also spent many years advocating
for greater queer visibility, tolerance
and acceptance within Muslim spaces.
For many LGBTQ plus people who come from I immigrant
and faith-based backgrounds,
navigating identity can be complex,
but I believe deeply that our communities are strongest when
we create room for people
to live authentically while honoring culture,
faith, and family.
To my knowledge, I am proud to be one
of the first Ismaili Muslims
and the first Pakistani American to be on this council.
Representation matters not simply as a milestone,
but as an invitation for others
to see themselves reflected in civic engagement,
civic leadership, and public life.
What I hope to bring to this role is a perspective rooted in
bridge building, bridge building between
lgbtq plus communities and immigrant communities.
Bridge building between policy and lived experience
and bridge building between safety, dignity,
and opportunity for all.
Chicagoans Chicago has long been a leader in lgbtq plus
advocacy, but there's still important work ahead,
particularly when it comes to ensuring that queer people
of color immigrants and those navigating faith
and identity are fully included in the conversation.
Before I close, I also want to take a moment
to thank my family, my friends and my community whose love
and support have made this journey possible.
Their encouragement, strength,
and belief in me have helped guide me to this moment.
And boy, that was a long time coming.
Uh, I carry that support with me
as I take on this responsibility
because at its best, Chicago reminds us
that inclusion is not just an idea.
It is something that we build together every day
through compassion, courage, and community.
I would also like to thank this committee
for the opportunity and all Chicagoans for allowing me
to represent them as I carry this work forward. Thank you.
Thank you so much for those words.
Um, next we have Chandra White.
Uh, hello everyone. I'm so honored to be here today.
Thank you for having me. My name is Chandra White.
My pronouns are she her.
I'm a prospective appointee to this council.
Uh, I'm a proud resident of Humboldt Park in the 36th Ward.
Um, and I'm a nonprofit attorney as well
as a law professor at my alma mater Loyola Law School.
My work is focused on civil rights and policy
and advocacy for L-G-B-T-Q people in Chicago
and across Illinois.
In my current role with Legal Aid Chicago,
I am embedded in the south side in a program where I partner
with trauma physicians at University of Chicago Medicine.
My team provides holistic legal services directly at the
hospital bedside to victims of firearm violence.
And we try to try to help interrupt
systems of inequity there.
I also serve on the L-G-B-T-Q task force
where we collaborate on cross practice legal issues
impacting queer Chicagoans.
Outside of my professional role, I remain deeply connected
to Chicago's queer community through mutual aid fundraising
and events that center joy and connection.
Chicago has long been a leader in L-G-B-T-Q inclusion,
and I care so much about making sure
that our leadership reflects the lived experiences
of the folks in our city.
If appointed to the council, I'd bring my legal
and my policy background along
with strong relationships in our community
to amplify the voices of our neighbors
and ensure that they help shape the city's decisions.
Thank you so much for your time
and I'm happy to answer any questions you have.
Thank you.
Thank you so much for your comments.
And last we have Ab Basa.
Hello. Um, I'm a resident of the 30th Ward.
Um, my name is Abba Sa
and I respectfully ask
for your support in confirming my appointment to the
advisory council for L-G-B-T-Q issues.
As a queer Trades person, I have direct job site experience,
uh, and now as the creative director
with Punchless Consulting
and Visual Designs, I bring over a decade of
Chicago's construction industry, um,
where I have been a union carpenter.
Um, I founded the Chicago Sisterhood of Carpenters
for Union Tradeswomen, um,
and I also served in many different types
of leadership roles within Chicago Women of Trades,
which is a local nonprofit here.
Um, and it's all to advocate
for equity on real job sites within Chicago.
And further through my current work with Punch List,
I partner with local contractors, unions
and workforce programs for job site culture training
and contractor development for centering the voices
and uplifting queer workers, women
and the global majority, AKA people of color.
Through this, um, I am eager to bring the lived experiences
and practical expertise to the council so
that city policy procurement
and city funded projects are more fully reflective
and protect the realities of queer Chicagoans,
particularly those working in blue collar
and construction related environments.
Thank you so much for your comments.
Do I have questions or comments from any council members?
Yes, other woman helping wanna help Award?
Thank you Chair. I just want to say thank you so much
for stepping up and for accepting this appointment.
And, uh, I do wanna hear from you.
I, there's another committee that I have to go to
to be account for Quorum,
but I'm curious to know, there is a lot
of angst right now in our community
and there is a lot of resistance,
but people want to run to something.
And so I'm just curious from each of you, what is
that something that we should be all focusing on right now?
Is it okay if I get one
or two people to answer the question
because I still have another Yes.
Yes. I need to have quorum in order to pass it. Yes.
Can I, can I get one or two of you to answer the
Question? Yes. Yes. Can I, can
I, can I, uh, hear from, um,
from the Smiley Center community
because that's, that's from my, um, yeah,
That's your word. My
Word, yes.
Uh, so the,
I think the biggest thing that a lot of queer people
of color intersectional people
are missing is community, right?
So a lot of it is we feel alone.
So in order to build sense of community, I think
personally I interfaith, uh, relationships, uh,
in community se settings would be helpful.
So like the Smiley community, we,
we have ongoing discussions about how
to make our prayer spaces more inclusive, what kind
of special, um, you know, attention
queer people in the smiley community need.
Uh, and so we started listening sessions, something simple
as that with the prayer leadership over there.
Uh, and that's been working really well,
and a lot more queer people feel more comfortable coming
into that space, and then they build community
with the larger Muslim population that way,
so they don't feel as alone, you know?
Thank you. That that's really it.
Uh, not feeling like you're alone in this work.
Go ahead, Jahari. What I, I to add to
that is that, um, I think that it is very, very important
for community to be reflected in the tables
that are being set.
Um, a lot of the times people will be pushed to the side
or disregarded because they may not fit a certain bill
or they may not have the fancy letters behind their name.
Um, which is why it was very, very important
and a monumental moment when Rector King got that position
because he is somebody who eats, sleeps,
and loves in our community.
So to see him ascend to that was inspirational to me.
Even with me being a individual
who is a legacy community advocate
with my grandmother being Marian Stamps.
Tara Stamps is my aunt
and she's the commissioner of the first district.
So that's all in well and good for my family,
but to see someone who mentored me to ascend to
that position and now me sitting potentially in this
position can give inspiration
to the people who will come behind me.
So when we talk about inclusivity, um,
just having people at the table
who may not necessarily fit the social norms,
but their opinion and perspectives are absolutely necessary.
Thank you so much for that.
I have to say, um, I have been so impressed
with everybody that has been brought
to these advisory councils.
We have dream teams on these advisory councils.
I am so impressed, so moved, so grateful.
Um, it's incredibly intersectional.
It is incredibly diverse.
The lens that, that, that each of you have
and the experience is, is beautiful.
So I'm, I'm very proud of the,
the advisory councils that we're putting together.
Uh, Aman Lawson,
if you could be brief, I would really
appreciate it. I promise
Chair. Um,
I, I I want to just, uh, concur with
what you said about the, the diversity
of the group that's coming in.
Um, you have half
of the city council LGBT caucus here in the room,
and I think we need to be better partners with each other.
Um, hopefully with our new director, uh,
Antonio King, we can coordinate that.
I think it is, there's a lot of you that are new
and I know the chair is gonna be new
as well if I don't believe that's been decided yet.
So, um, let's get a meeting together this spring
and continue to collaborate
and work together for folks in every corner
of the city. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you. Uh, thank you.
Um, Elderman Caala Motions
to approve the mayoral appointments
to the Chicago Advisory Council on L-G-B-T-Q issues.
All those in favor signify by saying aye. Aye.
Opposed ay nay in the opinion of the chair, the ayes have,
I'll report this due pass recommendation at
the upcoming city council meeting.
Congratulations everybody.
Thank you everyone.
I'm going to take a five minute recess.
Please don't go anywhere. Some people need
to go do quorum in another committee.
Please go do quorum, come back so that we can finish
with the last advisory council appointment.
I'm losing my mind. I I
almost had to throw hands today.
I am like I, I,
We have Rogelio here and then James
Lio. That's it. Just
Rogelio. And, um, James,
that was good. What?
I figured you'd see it. I saw your
name, you over there, bro,
To look through my,
I've been on with them
Since 20 10, 20 11.
Uh, we have, don't quote me on this, I believe we have 1112.
There was supposed to be three here today.
Uh, but I, I don't think we have more than 15.
And you are I'm James. Pleasure to meet you. Yes, ma'am.
Thanks for having me. Well, good friends.
Yeah, I was gonna say, man, I, I, every,
every time I think about, you know, transitioning off,
you all bring somebody in.
It makes me wanna stay long and
We have quorum and we're gonna try to do this efficiently.
For the final item on the agenda,
we'll consider R 20 25 0 0 1 9 9 8 8, which was introduced
by, wait, what am I, no, I'm hold this.
I'm Gonna hold it. Yeah.
Um, next I have mayor appointments
to the Chicago Advisory Board on veterans.
We're going to consider the appointment of Rogelio Viga,
junior appointment of James Flagg, an appointment
of Wda g Bennett.
Um, we are going to start with Rogelio.
You, you have two minutes. Thank you Chairwoman.
Uh, good afternoon, uh,
Members of the committee.
My name is Rogelio Villa Jr.
And I'm honored to be considered for the appointment
for the City
of Chicago Advisory Council on Veterans Affairs.
Uh, I'm a United States Army Combat veteran.
I deployed in support of operation
and during Freedom from oh eight to oh nine.
And currently I serve
as the Veterans Affairs School certifying official
for the City Colleges of Chicago, which is, uh, an honor
for me to be able to support our veterans
and dependents, uh, accessing their education benefits,
navigating through higher education
and, uh, other resources.
Now, previously I worked as a, uh, veteran case worker
and outreach coordinator for a US Senate office.
And I've been always been focused on advocating
and connecting our veterans to resources.
So I'm also a very active member in the community
through the American Legion Post Manuel Perez Junior 10 17.
Uh, also very proud to be part of
that American Legion Post Inta.
It will be a privilege for me to serve
and strengthen the support
of our veterans independents across the city of Chicago.
And I thank you for your time and your dedication.
Thank you so much, Rogelio. And now I have James Flagg.
Hello and good afternoon
chairwoman and members of the council.
My name is James Flagg
and I am very appreciative of the opportunity
to be reconsidered
for service on the Chicago Veterans Advisory Council.
I'm a lifelong resident of the Chicago South Side,
currently living in the 21st ward, represented
by a fantastic alderman, Ronnie Mosley.
I'm excited to be a part of a community
that has long supported those who have worn a uniform
and have served our country in the military.
I am a US military veteran.
I served from 2001 to 2008 in the United States Army.
I'm also a community advocate, a small business
and a nonprofit owner here in Chicago.
And I serve as the outreach manager with the Community
and Economic Development Association of Cook County,
also known as CA.
In my professional role, I work
to connect residents across Chicago
and suburban Cook County
to critical economic stability programs
that focus on housing, energy assistance,
workforce readiness, as well as family
and community engagement assistance.
My interest in serving veterans on the council comes from a
deep commitment to ensuring that Chicago's veterans
and their families are aware of
and able to access the many different resources that exist
to support them and their families.
Like Rogelio and myself, many veterans return home
with tremendous skills, discipline
and leadership experience,
but we often face barriers navigating the benefits,
employment opportunities, housing stability, uh,
mental health services, and,
and the litany of policies around veterans.
Uh, through my work in outreach
and community engagement, I built strong partnerships
with nonprofit organizations, local governments,
elected officials, as well as veteran serving organizations.
And I believe it's these relationships
that can help strengthen the collaboration
between the com city of Chicago, our community partners,
and the veteran support ecosystem.
Already doing the great boots on the ground work.
If appointed, I would bring three things to the council.
First, outreach and engagement expertise.
Second, partnership, building and advocacy.
And third, a veteran's perspective, ensuring
that all policies and initiatives reflect the lives
experience and the needs of our men and women who've served.
As many of you know, Chicago has one of the most, uh,
diverse and the strongest veteran
communities in the country.
And I'd be honored to continue to contribute my time,
experience, and network to ensure that every veteran
that returns to our city has an opportunity to,
to transition successfully and thrive after service.
So thank you all for your time and your consideration.
Thank you so much. I have a question from
Alderman Lopez or comments?
I'm not sure.
Thank you chairman and good
afternoon, members of the committee.
I, uh, just wanna pop in
and thank both of our appointees, both returning
and new, uh, for your service to our country.
I appreciate it. Uh, as well as, uh,
would welcome all members who ser who will be serving
with you in this role to connect with local alderman as well
as with Kevin, uh, in the mayor's office.
Um, a few years ago we started VetConnect,
which actually was referenced today with Animal Care
that they have their version two.
Uh, but it's where we work with our, all of our partners
to get those much owed
services to our veterans.
And there are still thousands
that are not fully accessing that.
So I'd love to, uh, welcome you
and challenge you in your roles on, on the, uh,
council, um, to help us find ways to encourage all 50
as well as all of our elected officials
to help expand those outreach efforts. Thank you.
Thank you Alderman Lopez. Any other questions, comments?
Uh, Erman Gutierrez.
Thank you Chairwoman.
Um, I would also would like to thank you both
for the service you've given to our country,
but also, uh, it didn't stop there.
You came back to Chicago
and you're servicing our communities day in, day out.
I could attest to the work
that Rogelio has done in our communities.
I wanna thank you personally.
We've, uh, been able to coordinate
and being able to, uh, be part
of many initiatives throughout the ward.
And, um, previously me being an alderman throughout other
communities in the seventh district in county,
and I could attest to his way of giving back
to the community, putting the heart in everything, him
and his family always advocating, volunteering, helping out.
I really thank you for your service and both of you
and especially, um, I could think of many ways
how they will continue to strengthen, uh, this board,
but also the great things
that they will together accomplished, uh,
for the whole city of Chicago.
And yes, we need to do more for our veterans.
They sacrifice a lot for us and we need to be grateful
and we need to continue to partner up
and help 'em out as much as we can to make sure
that we are providing the services that they deserve.
So thank you chairwoman, for this opportunity.
Thank you both and let's continue to work together.
Thank you. Wo Gutierrez, can I get a motion
to approve the mayor appointments
to the Chicago Advisory Council on Veterans?
So move by Alderman Lawson.
All those in favor signify by saying aye.
Oppose, say nay in the opinion.
The chair, the ayes have, and I'll report this due pass
recommendation at the upcoming city council.
Uh, meeting. Uh, the final item of the agenda,
R 20 25 0 1 9 9 8 8 will be held in committee.
Um, would there be no further business before committee?
Can I get a motion to adjourn? So moved by Alman Lopez here.
No objections. So order the meeting, the committee,
the meeting on the Committee on Health
and Human Relations is now adjourned.