Hardin County Animal Services Update

Suprise, Surprise -- There Are No Surprises for Hardin County Animal Services

In last weeks' politically correct Courier article about the City of Savannah moving forward with major improvements to their bare-bones Animal Control Department operations, they note that ‘The issue [animal control service] appears to have been dropped in recent month or at least put on the back burner by the county commission.’

Well, with their slash and burn actions earlier this year, the county commission has done all the damage they can on the issue. The Animal Services Department, as designed by the County Commission, has been in the hands of Mayor Davis, at least since the first of July this year.

Surprise, surprise –– there are no surprises when it comes to Hardin County Animal Services. As it has been over the last 4 years, it has been and is a sham and window-dressing.

For at least the last four years, the county commission has only approved token funds in the budget for 'animal control' in order for the commissioners to be able to tell the citizens that "we have animal control in Hardin County." But, the fact is, not the first penny has been spent over the last 4 years, by the county, to remove a stray or dangerous animals from the community or to operate even a minimal animal control program, let alone a modern one .

While it is true that the county commissioners approved a budget, in June of this year, that doubled last years funding for an animal services department and have purchased a pick-up to haul it around in, the Mayor, under whose office the department is suppose to operate, has taken no action to actually stand up or operate any department or programs.

In fact, Mayor Davis has only given lip service to any progress. The mayor has been quoted in past articles in the Courier as saying that there is progress ‘going on behind the scenes.’ Say what?

First I would point out that ‘behind the scenes’ and an open government, also know as ‘the Sunshine Laws’ can never be balanced in a representative democracy.

But then again the concerned commissioners that I have talked to don’t seem to know what, if any, progress is being made. This ‘progress’ must be way ‘behind the scene’ if even the commissioners themselves don’t know what it is.

Even after the under-handed rejection of the work of the joint task force they called The Hardin County Animal Control Committee, the mayor and some of the commissioners, in their dreams, are still holding out hope that the some concerned citizens and/or the City of Savannah will come to the rescue of the county, again, and maybe even do their job for them and pay for it.

Been there, done that and got slapped down –– I don’t think the folks who put almost a years worth of work in developing an outline for a minimal service program for the county, want any more of that. It’s past time for Mayor Davis and the County Commission to wake up and do their own jobs.

What ever happened to our founding fathers concept of ‘The Lord Helps Them That Helps Themselves?’

The Mayor has not even ran an ad for anyone to work in the department, let alone hired anyone and the county commissioners have not seen fit to addressed the issue at any of their meetings. I suspect that is because when they try to budget the approved funds into an operating budget, the budgeted funds won’t even cover their ‘dog catcher’ version of animal control.

At least one of the commissioners has recently been quoted as saying that, ‘maybe if we don’t do anything’, (as they have done in the past) ‘the problem will go away or the citizens will get tired of fussing about it.’ Dream on commissioner!!

To be fair and balanced, the only real improvement, if you went to call it that, has been in the Sheriff’s Department. Despite having no support from the mayor’s office, in the form an animal control officer, program or facility, the Sheriff has been more receptive to enforcing the at-large statutes, when property damage has occurred, and has actually had his deputies present aggravated animal cruelty cases to the district attorney’s office for prosecution.

Whether the district attorney can actually succeed in prosecuting the cases may well be another story, but the Sheriff’s Department seems to have taken more of the complaints of the citizens seriously and acted upon more of them. Maybe Sheriff Davidson recognizes, as the county’s Chief Law Enforcement Officer, that these are laws on the books and they must be enforced, even if our County Government doesn’t have any rabies/animal control programs.

After four months of this current sham and lip service, let us take the ball back in the court of the citizens, only this time we should not stop demanding that our county government do something positive about a rabies/animal control program until they actually prove to us that they are serious about resolving the problems associated with not having this vital safety and welfare service in place for the benefit of the citizens.

We all know, and so should they, that unless sufficient resources are put into the problem, which must of course must include some kind of shelter, the problem will continue to exist. This sham and window-dressing on the part of the county commission and continued lip service by Mayor Davis must stop and positive progress must be made, sooner rather than later.

It is time for the responsible citizens to get back to work and make it happen this time, for real, with the realization that, based on their past history, our local government is not going to do it themselves in any meaningful way, unless the citizens take some action to put it back on the front burner and turn up the heat to high, again.

Let the phones calls, letters and personal contacts begin, again.

If the mayor and commissioners don’t think that the stray animals problems are a real problem, they should know that a large number of discontented concerned responsible citizens are. In fact, if they like their jobs, these type of folks can become a major problem for their future employment.

To paraphrase our Declaration of Independence - If something is wrong in our government, those that can do something about it, have a duty and responsibility to do it.

The citizens of Hardin County, which include the citizens of Savannah and the other municipalities, can and therefore have a duty and responsibility to do something about the lack of real concern by the mayor and county commission about the animal welfare problems in the county.

Let’s roll! Bring your lunch and plan on staying until the job is done right this time around.

Respectfully submitted for your consideration,

Uncle Ted

Responsible Citizens

Let's set the stage for 2010

Now that the, as some have said was one of our most important, elections are finally over and the national and state stages are set for the next two to four years, it is now time to start thinking about setting the stage for, what I would say, is going to be one of the most important elections for Tennessee, in general, and for Hardin County, in particular, in August 2010.

In just 21 months the citizens are going to be voting on whether to maintain our status quo of plantation mentality or to move the county in a more positive direction toward a true representative democracy . We will decide who is going to be setting and executing policy in Hardin County, thru 2014, with the county general elections.

The mayor, the Board of County Commissioners and most of the other elected officials, if they want to be re-elected, will have to stand before the citizens and account for their stewardship of our county government, which includes the citizens safety and welfare.

The question will be asked, have our public servants, our mayor and commissioners in particular, served with a servant’s heart or a master’s heart. We’ll have more on that subject in future articles at the appropriate time.

But first, there are a few points that need to made about the citizens stewardship of their duties and responsibilities in a representative democracy. Remember that we were taught in Sunday School that the Lord helps them that helps themselves.

The questions you can ask yourself about yourself – and be honest – is "Am I a responsible member of the community and a responsible citizens?" "When I do cast a vote, am I well informed about the issues and/or candidates?"

Some will say that with their busy lives they don’t have the time to participate. Some will say that it doesn’t matter, because they will do what they want to and "I don’t have the time to get involved." Some will say, let someone else keep up with that, I don’t have the time.
There is a saying in free societies: "You get the government you deserve."

In our grade 6-8 citizenship classes our children are taught that the most important right citizens have is the right to vote and that by voting, the people have a voice in the government because the people decide who will represent them in ‘their’ government.

They are also taught that the right to vote is a duty or responsibility as well as a privilege and that persons who do not vote lose their voice in government. Most important, these 6-8 graders are taught that before voting in an election, each citizen should be well informed about the issues and candidates.

Assuming you graduated from the 8th grade, in these citizenship classes you were also taught that, between election, to be responsible members of your communities, you can volunteer your services to help obtain needed improvements. The citizens can offer their knowledge, time and talents to different local organization or committees and that participating in town meetings, public hearing and community projects, like Hardin Metro SPCA among others, is important for community improvement and for finding out the problems that need to be solved.

To help in this area we are rolling out a new project that is designed to help inform the citizens about some of the key issues facing Hardin County. We have named Phase 1 of the project – Uplift Hardin County – with the goal to provide the citizens of Hardin County with an insight into key issues that impact our County and thus our families.

While we are developing and prioritizing the key issues, we will be using the various media outlets and other vehicles, including a web presence and discussion groups, to get the citizens input on the key issues and advise them how they can help determine the outcome.

Our mission is to be fair and balanced by providing all sides on key issues and becoming a reliable source for useful information for the citizens to make informed decisions about the current and future direction of our community and their role in it.

"Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much." Helen Keller

Respectfully submitted for your consideration


Ted G. Cook

To Be or Not To Be - Readers Write 3/27 - The Courier

In last week’s Courier, I was quoted as saying that I was "sorely disappointed" in the outcome of the recent Board of Commissioners monthly meeting. Well, duh!

"Sorely Disappointed" may have been the politically correct way of expressing it , but, it does not even come close to expressing my frustration with some of our county commissioners.

What really ticks me off is their naivete in the political bushwhacking of a year or so’s worth of sincere effort by some dedicated folks to address the long neglected animal welfare problems of Hardin County, in a meaningful and progressive way.

You want to talk about taking three steps forward and then getting knocked back, you should be trying to keep up with the proposed development of animal welfare in Hardin County, especially after the March meeting of the Hardin County Board of Commissioners.

It is said that "a thousand words will not leave so deep an impression as one deed." That has never been so true as it has with the way about half of our county commissioners have handled the development of even a minimal animal control program for Hardin County. A lot of rhetorical words and no action.

Talk about a dysfunctional and confusing organization. There have been several times over the last few years when the chairman of the county commission (Mayor Davis) has felt it was necessary to advise me that the Thursday night planning meeting was the time to discuss the pros or cons of the business on the agenda, and the Monday night regular meeting was the time to vote or take whatever action they were going to take. He usually backs it up with a two minute egg timer.

I must have gone through a time warp. The matter before the commission this month was for discussion and possible action on the unanimous recommendation of the Animal Control Committee that a full-time director of animal services be hired to work with the committee to create a working, affordable program.

On Thursday night there was not the first comment from any of the commissioners, except Commissioner Bryant’s inquiry as to whether or not they were going to vote on it tonight. I’m not sure of the reasoning behind the question, but you would have thought that after all this time Commissioner Bryant would know that the voting takes place on Monday, not at the planning meeting on Thursday.

A little history might be in order. If you will remember, after several of negative ads and Readers Writes articles in The Courier last year, animal control was finally put on the commission’s agenda in July with the budgeting of $50,000 and appointment of a Hardin County Animal Control Committee, with representation from both the public and private sectors.

The whole purpose of having representation from both the public and private sector was to remove politics from the equation and come up with the best people and affordable programs possible to establish a meaningful and functional animal welfare operation in Hardin County.

Guess what? It didn’t work.

This committee is composed of the county mayor and three members of the Hardin County Commission, three members representing the City of Savannah, and one member from the Hardin County Health Department, Horse Creek Wildlife and Animal Sanctuary and the Hardin Metro SPCA.

Without going into a lot of details of their recommendations here, suffice it to say, the end result was a lengthy comprehensive report, including executive reviews of extensive reference material that presented the obvious results.

That obvious goal was to change the behaviors of our residents by encouraging the community, including our local governments, to abide by or obey state law, to care properly for its animals and spay and neutering is the answer to animal control .

Little did they know, or didn’t want to say, that changing the behavior of some of our county commissioners by separating politics from progress was also going to be critical. The commissioners all took an oath of office to uphold the laws of the state of Tennessee, but some of them have their own personal agenda instead of the citizens’ agenda.

It is sad to say, but, several of the commissioners admitted at, or after, the December meeting that they had not even read the report and voted against it because they didn’t understand it.

Commissioner Stacey Stricklin and Commissioner Wally Hamilton, who supported the committee’s recommendation to put a director of animal services in place to develop a program at the commission meeting in December, seem to have come out of a coma to become a pot-hole obstacle in getting an effective animal services department started in Hardin County, sooner rather than later.

Commissioner Stricklin, along with Commissioner Jerrolds and others, now contend it is inappropriate to hire a director without already having a fully designated animal control plan in place. That’s a complete 180 on the chicken or the egg question.

When asked by one of the other commissioners, just who on the county commission is supposed to put the animal control plan together, Commissioner Stricklin, who voted to establish the Animal Control Committee, replied, "the Budget Committee, I guess." Now that is a scary thought. This is the same committee that bushwhacked the last animal control efforts by the county. Their solution would probably be, "Here is $10 dollars, go make it work or get the private citizens to pay for it."

Commissioner "Get-A-Shotgun Animal Control" Cagle, who opposes the use of any county funds for any animal control program, seems to think that animal control should be funded by the community "holding fund-raisers and be operated by volunteers, like the Hardin County Fire Department does." He must have forgotten that the Hardin County Fire Department has a full time fire chief (director) and support staff. I think that is what one would call forced reasoning.

Then you have Commissioners "Jam-Up" Bryant and Jerrolds who still seem to have an issue with consolidating the schools in their district and have assumed the roles of obstructionists, even though they both profess their concern for stray animals and animal welfare.

Commissioner Jimmy G. Grisham professes that there are no animal problems in District 5, which is the Morris Chapel area. This could be because some of his family members are in the animal breeding business and he fears the suggested registration and licencing of breeders of dogs—or that he wouldn’t recognize an animal problem if a rabid stray was chewing on his leg.

After all was said and done, although nine of the commissioners present voted against the recommendation of the Animal Control Committee nominee, five of the same commissioners voted against Commissioner Howard’s nominee, too.

If you would like to see the complete recap of the commissioners’ vote, you can find it at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TheNewSavannahJournal/. I think you will find it, as Mr. Pickard noted, "at best a fiasco."

Speaking of Mr. Pickard—a private citizen with a deep seated passion for animal welfare in Hardin County, who puts his money where his mouth is—has paid for 6,573 animals, as of the end of February, to be spayed or neutered for the citizens of Hardin County.

Can you imagine the animal population of Hardin County if Mr. and Mrs Pickard, through Horse Creek Wildlife and Animal Sanctuary, had not volunteered this help to the citizens of Hardin County? Especially since low cost spay and neutering is one of the recognized essential programs in any effective public animal control program by our local government.

In closing, I would challenge all those citizens who have taken advantage of Mr. and Mrs. Pickard’s generosity, or have an appreciation of their effort, to step out of the shadows and contact your county commissioner to demand that an Animal Services Department be established and fully funded by Hardin County government, sooner rather than later.

Respectfully Submitted for Your Consideration.

Uncle Ted

The County Commissioners Do It Again.

From Page 1 of the Courier - March 20, 2008 - RON SCHAMING--News Editor -

Headline - Animal control proposal falls apart - Privately funded spay-neuter program canceled in frustration

A plan to establish an animal control department self-destructed Monday as members of the Hardin County Commission balked at the hiring of a director.

Commissioners had earlier agreed to advertise the job, with an expectation from an appointed study committee that once the post was filled, the director would work with the committee to create a working, affordable program. That proposed program would then be presented to the full commission for consideration and funding in the coming fiscal year.

It all fell apart, however, when insufficient votes materialized to hire either the study committee’s handpicked recommendation, former Florida police sergeant Kevin Skoffic, or Commissioner Charles Howard’s nominee with local roots, Debby Blackwelder.

With two of the 20 members absent and 10 votes needed, Blackwelder received four and Skoffic nine.

The failure prompted Hardin County’s most notable animal protection philanthropist, Ron Pickard of Horse Creek Wildlife Sanctuary and Animal Shelter, to suspend its free county-wide spay and neuter program, "Control Animal Population," or CAP, effective April 1.

"The whole thing, from my perspective, was that it was at best a fiasco," Pickard said Tuesday afternoon in a telephone interview from Florida. "Last night, a number of commissioners tried to play politics with it."

Pickard, who serves on the animal control study committee, said Horse Creek has spent $375,000 on CAP since its inception six years ago, and credits the program with slowly reducing the number of unwanted cats and dogs in Hardin County.

"I just can’t sit there every month and write a check knowing how these (commissioners) think," he said.

Commissioner and animal control committee member Adam Coleman’s nomination of Skoffic, who now lives in Hardin County and works in retail, ran into rough water when Commissioner Stacey Stricklin attempted to table the matter but withdrew his motion after discussion.

Stricklin, along with Commissioner Mike Jerrolds, contended it was inappropriate to hire a director without already having a fully designed animal control plan in place.

"The purpose of hiring a director is to set that direction," Coleman answered.

Months ago, commissioners were given a thick, detailed notebook compiled by the animal control committee addressing issues involved in implementing an animal control program. The estimated first-year price tag was $175,000.

Pickard contends that handbook was the general animal control plan.

"They either can’t read or didn’t read it," he bristled.

Ted Cook, interim director for the Hardin-Metro Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, said he was "sorely disappointed" in the outcome of Monday’s meeting.

"Whoever is going to be running the department is the best person to develop it" with the county animal control committee, he said.

But, "we’re not going to give up. We’ve still got to have animal welfare," he said.

Tuesday, Mayor Kevin Davis said there is no doubt in his mind that county residents require animal control services. He predicts the setback does not spell the death of discussion on the issue.

In accordance with the objections of the dissenting commissioners, he said the new immediate goal is to work to develop a concrete, fully detailed animal program for consideration, including written authorization to use the Savannah Animal Control Department’s facilities. Only after that is accomplished will hiring a director be on the agenda.

The mayor said he now hopes to have the issues resolved in time to be included in the 2008-09 budget, which starts July 1. Last week, he hoped to have an operational animal control program in place by mid-April.

End of Article

Respectfully submitted for your consideration,

Uncle Ted

"Minimal" Animal Control - Mayor says.

Of course this position of Mayor Davis is 180 degree different than that of the Animal Control Committee, which he chairs. Well, duh!!

And then you got this "If all goes according to plan" crap. There isn't a plan, yet and April is a dream.

For you folks who don't read the Courier 3/13/08;
Headline - Page 1 - County could get 'minimal' animal control

If you think Hardin County has been going to the dogs, some relief may be on the way.

Monday, the Hardin County Commission meets to consider hiring a director for a planned Animal Services Department. If all goes According to plan, county residents should have someone to call upon for help with animal control problems by mid-April, says Hardin County Mayor Kevin Davis.

The city of Savannah currently operates its own animal control department. Davis said the county expects to use the city’s animal shelter at least initially, but it was unclear Tuesday what cooperative arrangements might be in the works between the two local governments.

Davis said he envisions a "minimal" animal control program in the county, one that allows county residents to leave unwanted dogs and cats at the shelter.

"I don’t think the people should be scared" there will be a dog tax or that dog catchers will be coming into residents’ yards and picking up pets off front porches, he said.

Hardin countians can, however, expect that their needs regarding the capture of vicious dogs will be met, and that there will be an educational aspect focusing on the benefits of taking advantage of existing free or low-cost spay and neuter programs, he said.

"We’re not going to be Horse Creek Wildlife and Animal Sanctuary," he said, referring to a private, 2,000 acre facility on Tenn. 69-S in Hardin County.

A major goal of Horse Creek is to provide shelter, basic medical care, and adoption services for abandoned and abused domestic animals.

Horse Creek is not designed to accept animals from the public.

The goal is to work with the local animal shelter to ensure the best use of available facilities for animals in Hardin County. Spay and neuter programs, and training of animals to make them good pets are foremost in Horse Creek’s plans, the organization’s website states.

Davis said around 25 people applied for the new Animal Services Department director job. A committee comprised of the mayor, County Commissioner Emery White, Savannah City Commissioner Bob Shutt and Ron Pickard of Horse Creek Wildlife narrowed down the field of candidates, conducted interviews and will make a hiring recommendation to the county commission.

In other business at the 6:30 p.m. public meeting at the Hardin County Courthouse, commissioners will consider applying for a grant to benefit the county fire department, discuss changing the speed limit on Old Road from 55 mph to 25 mph, and make appointments to the Sheriff’s Civil Service Board and the Tennessee River Resort District Advisory Committee.

Stranger Than Strange

Stranger Than Strange

At last nights planning meeting the agenda included the long awaited hiring of a Director of Animal Services.

The chairman briefed the commissioners on the recommendation of the Hardin County Animal Control Committee relating to the results of their search for someone to head up the new department.

The agenda listed it as "Discussion and Possible Action on Hiring a Director of Animal Services."

The strange thing, after the briefing and the introduction of the to be Director Mr. Kevin Skoffic, the chairman opened the floor to the commissioners. Not the first comment or question was put forth either from the commissioners or those in attendance. Strange, just plain strange. No Discussion. Good sign or bad sign? Good sign, I think.

Uncle Ted

Job Opening for Director of Animal Service in Hardin County

The following ad was hidden in The Courier this week-

NOTICE OF JOB OPENING

HARDIN COUNTY DIRECTOR OF ANIMAL SERVICES

Hardin County is now accepting applications fro the position of Director of Animal Services. Applications and position qualifications may be obtained in the office of Hardin County Mayor Kevin Davis, 465 Mail Street, Savannah, TN. Applications must be accompanied by a resume and will be accepted in the County Mayor’s Office until 4:30 p.m. on February 1*, 2008.

*(Changed to February 8, 2008 after it was pointed out that the 1st of February was one day after the last scheduled Courier Ad.)

Hardin County is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer

The following "position qualifications" were obtained from the Mayor’s Office -

DIRECTOR OF ANIMAL SERVICES
JOB QUALIFICATIONS

Absolute Requirements:

High school diploma
Supervisory experience in animal control necessary
Minimum of one year of work experience involving public contact
Good oral and written communication skills
Ability to plan and organize
Computer literate
Valid driver’s license
Background search permits deputizing and bonding
Compassion for animals

Preferred Requirements:

Advanced education
Certified in euthanasia
Criminal scene and cruelty investigation

As a matter of information, if you should contact the Mayor’s Office for a copy of a Job Description for this Director of Animal Services you will find that their isn’t one.

Respectfully submitted for your consideration,

Uncle Ted

Hardin Metro SPCA - Year in Review 2007

Year (Actually 8 Months) in Review - 2007

During the last eight months, Hardin Metro SPCA, Inc. was brought to life by an excellent eight (8) member Board of Directors and a group of committed officers, by completing and approving a comprehensive three to five year business development plan.

Early on the group applied for, qualified for, and received all of their required state and federal permits and approvals to be a Tennessee For-Public Benefit, Non-Profit Corporation and a IRS 501(c)(3) public charity. They close the year with having made very good progress in all of their first year goals and money in the bank, from donations and grants, to start 2008.

The three major goals for 2007 were, 1.) to complete all the required paperwork for approval as 501(c)(3) with the IRS and develop and fund a 3-5 year model business plan; 2.) stand up the Animal Cruelty Investigation mission with law enforcement and the Courts; and 3.) become, and be, reliable and effective spokespersons for humane animal welfare in Hardin County, in both the public and private sectors.

Animal Cruelty Investigations

Animal cruelty investigations and prosecutions have had a busy eight months. They nailed the alleged puppy chunker and several others individuals, while counseling numerous irresponsible pet owners, who were borderline negligent.

Our folks have been involved with investigations of alleged puppy-mills operations and provided services to several law enforcement agencies and groups, on a local, state and federal level. The cruelty investigation personnel and their efforts have received high marks for their knowledge, professionalism, and thoroughness in pursuing their cases and in their dealings with the Sheriff's Department, the District Attorney’s Office, and the General Sessions Court.

Every case that has been submitted to the courts has either been admitted to or bound over to the grand jury. Four cases are currently pending with Grand Jury, but to date their conviction or confession rate is 100%. Several animals have made the long trip through the system, from seizer through vetting and fostering to adoption, and their forever homes, or to rescue groups around the region and one as far away as New York.

Reliable and Effective Spokespersons

HMSPCA and it’s pro-active Board Members have been very reliable and effective spokespersons for animal welfare in the County, having successfully lobbied for start-up funds in the current county budget and participated with the Hardin County Animal Control Committee in the planning and presentation of a study/review for an Animal Services Department and facility for Hardin County Government, parts of which have already been acted on by the Board of County Commissioners.

It is being said, in quiet voices in the community, that the active participation of HMSPCA and it's respected Officers and Board Members have accomplished, with our local government and community, in six months what would, and normally does, take a year and a half to two year to get accompished by a newly formed non-profit.

What they are learning is, it’s not by accident. HMSPCA is not your normal newly formed non-profit. The difference begins with who they really are. Individually, each Board Member and Officer contribute a required, yet different, set of professional skills and expertise to the overall effort.

• 
  From the business management sector, they have the services of Mr. J. Stanley Shaw, MBA and Purchasing Agent for PCA (aka the paper mill), to serve as President.
• 
  From the finance sector, they have the services of Mr. Chris Jerrolds, CPA, President of Central Bank and former City Commissioner of Savannah, TN, to serve as Treasurer.
• 
  For the Animal Welfare expertise, they have Ms. Susan Brown, a long time respected advocate for animal rights and welfare management in the mid-south region.
• 
  From the media sector, they have the services of Mr. Brad Silliman, a former writer at the Courier and much respected for the quality of his work. In addition, they have the services of Mr. Jim Thompson, Editor of The Courier, as a member/advisor.
• 
  From the legal community, they have had the services of Mr. Vance Dennis, Attorney at Law and former County Attorney for a small rural Tennessee County.
• 
  From the veterinarian service sector, they have the expertise of Dr. Don Edwards, Veterinarian, who also works closely with the cruelty investigators.
• 
  For their Animal Cruelty Investigation Mission, to head up the program, they have Ms. Jerrilove Crockett and her husband, Mr. Peter Westrick, as their Chief Investigator, both retired San Diego police officers, one provides field services training expertise and the other investigations and prosecutions.
• 
  For their membership and fund-raising programs, they have Ms. Peggy Seaton of Seaton Boat Sales in Pickwick and her volunteers.
• 
  Last, but hopefully not least, for their day to day planning and organization efforts, they have Mr. Ted G. Cook, The Maverick Entrepreneur and a former Chief Petty Officer in the U.S. Navy with a ‘won’t quit’, community activist, reputation, to serve as their Interim Executive Director.

Develop and Fund a 3-5 year Model Business Plan

HMSPCA applied for, qualified for, and receive a Community Assistance Grant from the State of Tennessee to purchase necessary operational equipment for their Cruelty Investigations mission. That kinda answers the question, do they know how to get grants?

HMSPCA put on it’s first fund-raiser/membership event at Victorian Christmas with the Chamber of Commerce, selling the first sweat shirts and signed up several new members, one being a current member of the Hardin County Board of Commissioners. That kinda answers the question, do they know how to do fund-raisers?

In addition to the grant for operational equipment, HMSPCA was the beneficiary of a significant foundation donation to establish a spay/neuter & vetting fund and another individually significant donation to establishing a World Wide Web presence and to purchase donation boxes for area businesses fund-raising efforts.

HMSPCA closes the year with thirty-one (31) dues paying and donating members. In addition, they have received cash donations from 4 non-members and a foundation and have also received significant in-kind contributions and support from several business, including The Courier, Rapid-Print, Wal-Mart, and the Hardin County Veterinary Hospital.

All in all, it's been a good eight months. Having said that, the planning is already well underway for 2008, but in order to continue Saving Lives and Stopping Cruelty to best of their ability, they will need broad community support.

If your reading this, you can help by joining them in the fight to stop animal cruelty.

Respectfully submitted for your consideration,

Hardin Metro SPCA, Inc.
December 2007

hmspca@charter.net

Commissioners Who Voted Against Animal Control Program

At the County Commissioner's meeting last Monday night, the Commissioners listed below voted against taking the first step in establishing a Animal Care and Control program in Hardin County, by voting against recruiting and hiring a Director of the proposed Animal Services Department, as recommended by the Animal Control Committee.

If you get a chance, and any of the folks represent your District, would you please help me find out the reasoning behind their vote by calling or contacting them over the next few days and let me know the results.

They made no comments about their vote at the meeting except for Commissioner Jenkins who expressed his position that he thought the public needed to have an opportunity to comment on the overall plan that had been submitted by the Committee even though the point was made that the overall plan was not before the Commission for approval or disapproval, at this time.

Commissioner Tracy Grisham, Chief of Police for Crump, did comment, after the meeting, that he didn’t understand what was being voted on and never votes for anything he doesn’t understand. There was a third option called, I pass.

Your help in contacting these folks, as soon as possible, would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Ted



Commissioner / Home Phone Number /District

• Roger Jenkins / 731-689-3829 / Three - Counce/Southside
• 
  Tracey Grisham / 731-632-0288 / Four - Shiloh/Crump
• 
  Jimmy G. Grisham /731-687-0154 / Five - Saltillo/Morris Chap
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  Nickie L. Cagle / 731-925-8022 / Six - Cerro Gordo/Rhodes/Olive Hill
• 
  Gene Bryant / 731-925-2092 / Seven - Whites/Walnut Grove
• 
  Mike Jerrolds / 731-925-2747 / Seven - Whites/Walnut Grove
• 
  Tom Haggard / 731-925-5720 / Nine - Courthouse

$2,500.00 Donation to Hardin Metro SPCA

Hardin Metro SPCA has received a $2,500.00 donation designated for 'Spay/Neuter and Veterinary Care' from Pete H. Brown and Mildred F. Brown Foundation, Inc., with an acknowledgment that "Your important work in protecting Hardin County animals is very much appreciated."

As you may know, as a 501(c)(3) Corporation, HMSPCA is not eligible for the Horse Creek CAP program, for dogs, and we have had to fund the spay/neutering and veterinary care of the animal we rescue and process for adoption with our limited general/operating funds.

This generous donation will not only allow us to establish a Spay/Neuter Fund, but will also allow us to apply for other federal, state and other non-profit grants, that require such specific and designated Spay/Neuter Fund, to supplement our efforts to rescue and adopt the animals, dogs and cats, we process in our animal cruelty investigations program.

An acknowledgment and appreciation letter will be prepared and sent to the Foundation and it’s Trustees. FYI the Trustees for Pete H. Brown and Mildred F. Brown Foundation, Inc. are: Jack L. Adams; J. Matthew Brown; Michael N. Brown; and our own Vice-President and Board Member, Susan A. Brown.

Thank you, would be an understatement.

Respectfully submitted,
Ted

Time To Stand Up

For you folks who don't get The Courier, the following is my Reader's Write this week.

The past cannot be changed. The future is yet in our power. If we have made mistakes, if we have tried and failed again and again, there is always another chance for us. We may have a fresh start any moment we choose, for this thing we call 'failure' is not the falling down, but the staying down. (Mary Pickford (1893-1979))

After almost a year of hard work, months of debates and hours of discussions, the long awaited public safety and welfare issues of the over-population of stray animals and animal control in the community will be on the Board of County Commissions’ planning session agenda on December 13th, to begin the next meaningful discussion, and the regular meeting agenda on December 17th for action, on a solution to the problems associated with animal control, stray animals and irresponsible pet ownership in Hardin County.

This is no longer just a problem, it is a dilemma and headed for being a tragedy. To our local government, I would say, you now have the opportunity to do something, either lead or follow!!!!! To the pet owners of Hardin County, I would say, if you are going to have pets, your going to have to be responsible pet owners!!!!

To the non-pet owners, I would say, be responsible citizens and show your support for immediate action on this public safety and welfare issue. The next person to have a problem with, or be bitten by, that at-large or stray animal, could be you or yours!!!

For all of you folks who have needed, wanted or demanded something be done about this issue over the last several years, I would say to you, now is the time to get off of your couches, show up at 6:30 pm on Thursday, December 13th and Monday December 17th, to show your individual support, and our collective community support, for immediate, if not sooner, action on this dilemma.

I look forward to a standing room only group of concerned citizens on both nights. As most of you may know, I can and have stood up for my family for some time now, but we really need, want and gotta have you show up and stand up for yourselves, for us and to demonstrate broad community support.

I know we are all busy this time of year but this is a very important step for our collective futures. Hope to see you there.

Respectfully submitted for your consideration,

Ted G. Cook
Savannah, TN

Ya Gotta Love Forced Reasoning or Why The County Mayor Didn't Respond To City Offer

In The Courier this week Mayor Davis attempted to answer the question, Why Didn't the County Respond to the City Offer about the One-Cent Sales Tax?

Let me see if I have this right.

Background

In January the City Manager, in a letter in his official capacity on city letterhead, Welch offered to give the county for school construction one-third of the city’s share of the one-cent sales tax increase for a decade.

The county never did respond, although the city invited a response several times. Mayor Davis told the Courier he did not formally respond, (whatever formally means), because he "did not think it was their best offer."

The Mayor then went on to say that because the letter came from the city manager without an official endorsement, (whatever official endorsement means), by the city commission, "to me, it wasn’t a legitimate offer."

Although Mayor Davis says he believes the city is on firm legal footing in deciding to keep their half of the one-cent sales tax for the municipality’s own use , ‘that’s not the way [he] understood it when [he] voted as a citizen’ and went on to say ‘what was being said back then is not being met today.’

City Mayor Shutt points out that the city never did get an answer, they couldn’t get anyone to talk to them and they asked more than once.

Conclusions

Mayor Davis has no concept of negotiating. It appears as if his version is, you just keep making offers to me until I think your offer is the best your going to make. Well, Duh!!

Mayor Davis not only did not ‘formally’ respond, in fact, he didn’t respond at all.

Mayor Davis insults the City of Savannah and the City Manager when he questions the legitimize of the written offer on City letterhead.

Mayor Davis cost the county $300,000.00 in free money, this fiscal year, and at least $3,000,000.00 over the next 10 years, by not having the skill set to pick up the phone and say, ok, let’s see what it look like in writing or can we get together and talk about it.

The bottom line is - To follow the logic of Mayor Davis, he didn’t think it was ‘their’ best offer and didn’t think ‘they’ made it.

Respectfully submitted for your consideration.

Ted

City, County and the One-Cent Sales Tax- Readers Write - Courier 9/13

Although I have written about the issue several times over the last few years, I can’t pass up the opportunity to comment on the story in last week’s Courier about the City of Savannah, Hardin County government, the Board of Education and the one-cent sales tax issue.

I think The Courier framed the question just about right.

Should the citizens of Savannah pay more than required by state law to cover the county’s obligation and responsibility to fund our public education infrastructure? The unasked question is, how are we supposed to pay for our county buildings, including our public education infrastructure?

Remember that the citizens of Savannah, in addition to paying a city property tax, pay their part of the county property taxes, the primary funding source for our county government, just like the other citizens of Hardin County.

There is misconception in the article that the city "agreed to give up half of Savannah’s share of the increase to the county to pay for the high school project." The fact is that Savannah agreed to give up all of their share of the one-cent increase to pay for the high school project.

By law, half of all local option sales taxes collected must go to fund public education operations. The municipality where the sales taxes are generated gets the other half. The county general fund gets half of the sales taxes generated in the unincorporated areas of the county.

Mayor Davis, in his written statement, like many others, rhetorically states that "I believe we must provide for our children’s education today and tomorrow."
It is one thing to "believe," but it is a totally different thing when you compare those beliefs with past actions.

The Mayor’s belief that "this issue was resolved 10 years ago" would depend on which of the three different scenarios that were put forth at that time by the then County Executive, the Board of Education and the then county commission, to get the voters’ support for the referendum.

Consider that the tax increase was approved by the voters 10 years ago is based on a county commission-approved resolution for the one-cent increase that clearly states that it was necessary "in order to raise additional funds . . . and to minimize or reduce the necessary increase in the property tax rate . . ."

It is one thing to minimize or reduce a necessary increase in the property tax rate, but it is another matter to make it a holy grail and take it completely off the table for two decades.

Instead, the attempt is made to put us on a guilt trip about not supporting the education of our children and ask the citizens of Savannah to waive their statutory right to their half of the one-cent sales tax increase to cover about half of the long term debt service for the construction and repair of schools for Hardin County.

Since 1989, until this fiscal year, our county government and the Hardin County Board of Education have refused to consider or request raising additional funds for the repairs and maintenance of our existing schools for Hardin County.

Instead, these officials have allowed our existing school buildings, to the detriment of our children’s education––past, present and future––to deteriorate. The decay has reached the point they need either complete replacement or major upgrading. Hardly a good sign of providing for our children’s education.

And then one should consider that we have some of the lowest paid teachers, bus drivers and staff in the State of Tennessee. It seems our elected officials "believe" we must provide for our children’s education, but not if we have to pay for it with property taxes.

One of the more interesting facts that was not in the article is that the county has been on notice for about the last year that this issue needed to be addressed and that city officials would be available to sit down and discuss it, but for whatever reason, or excuse, the County Mayor was never available to even set down and discuss the issue with city officials.

But then again, the County Mayor, as one of his first official functions as Mayor, didn’t find it necessary to discuss the unilateral refinancing of the bond issue back in late 2002 with the City officials, even though they were contractually obligated to underwrite about half of the debt. It’s almost like the county’s attitude was, it’s our debt and we can do whatever we want to.

For whatever reason the county sacrificed the ability to pay off the debt early with excess collections and earned interest over debt service requirements, without penalty, for a little lower interest rate but with a prepayment restriction.

It’s both disappointing and enlightening to look at the way the proceeds of the one-cent sales tax have been administered over the last decade by the county and the Board of Education.

Recall that the rhetoric at the time was that all proceeds generated by the one-cent sales tax increase would go for the construction and repairs of schools for Hardin County. Well, a review of the county and city archives reveals it didn’t happen that way.

As noted in The Courier article, for the first five years, the county diverted the interest earned on the accumulation of excess funds to the General Fund instead of the school construction debt service account. When asked for an accounting by the city, back in 2003, the county made the argument that it would be too much work to do the accounting because the county Trustee’s records were not computerized and the records were in the basement of the courthouse.

Instead they would just start putting the earned interest in the debt service account starting in 2003 and forget about the first five years. To date there has never been an accounting of the first five years of interest earned on the idle funds, that at times amounted to millions of dollars.

The other incorporated municipalities chose not to contribute to the construction program and the funds that were generated for education went for school operating expenses instead of the debt service fund. These cities kept 50 percent of the proceeds from the one cent for themselves.

Among other things, the county General fund also ended up with the trustee’s commission for handling the proceeds of the one-cent sales tax increase.

These actions clearly establish that all proceeds of the voter approved tax increase referendum did not go to construction and repair of schools for Hardin County and cloud the claim that education is a true priority.

We need to see actions, not rhetoric. We need our governments to be honest with the people.

I would say again it is not a responsibility of the citizens of the City of Savannah to cover the county’s legal obligation to fund and maintain school facilities and buildings for all our children’s education. City residents pay county property taxes too.

Respectfully submitted for your consideration

Ted

Charge Filed Over Puppy Thrown From Pickup

Front Page article in The Courier - 8/23/2007 - Reprinted without permission

Three month SPCA investigation results in felony prosecution for animal cruelty

A Hardin County man has been arrested on a felony animal cruelty charge for allegedly hurling a puppy from a speeding vehicle in front of the Savannah Animal Shelter in May.

The dog sustained mortal injuries and was later euthanized by a veterinarian.

Jimmy Vance Hill, 32, of 60 Pinson Way, was arrested by sheriff’’s deputies and jailed Aug. 18 on a charge of aggravated animal cruelty. He was subsequently released on $5,000 bond.

Contacted by the Courier on Tuesday, Hill maintained he is innocent and threatened to sue his accusers for defamation.

"I’’m angry that my name has been brought up in this. I can prove where I was that day," said Hill. "I’’m looking forward to getting this over with and getting my name cleared."

The alleged crime is a Class E felony punishable by one to six years imprisonment and a fine of up to $3,000.

Hill’’s arrest followed a three-month investigation by the Hardin-Metro Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (HMSPCA).

The animal protection organization said evidence in the case includes sworn statements by several witnesses including individuals close to the suspect.

Evidence was collected by HMSPCA investigators Jerrilove Crockett and Peter Westrick and turned over to the district attorney.

Less than a week after the incident, Horse Creek Wildlife Refuge and Animal Sanctuary offered a $5,000 reward leading to the arrest and conviction of the perpetrators. Rapid Print of Savannah donated hundreds of posters——advertising the reward——which were distributed throughout the county by HMSPCA members and volunteers.

The case began May 21.

Four witnesses, including a 4-year-old child standing in front of the Savannah Animal Shelter on Airport Road said they saw a white puppy thrown from a red, late-model Ford pickup truck speeding by the facility.

Mary Davis, who operates Tennessee River Rescues, said the puppy bounced off the pavement and began "screaming."

Davis speculated at the time that the occupants of the truck lived outside the city and planned to leave the dog on shelter property. When they saw people outside the facility, she surmised, they tossed the puppy out the window and sped off.

"The only thing that links me to this scene is I have an F-150 pickup. I never drive it," Hill contends.

He said also that he believes witness descriptions have changed during the course of the investigation, and that the Savannah Animal Shelter even allowed him to adopt a dog after the incident.

"It kind of upsets me that someone would do that to a puppy," Hill said. "I love animals. I’’ve got more than I know what to do with, and they get good care."

Hardin County government ceased funding its portion of animal control costs shared with the city of Savannah in 2005.

One fiscal crisis facing commissioners then was a federal court case which ultimately forced the county to build a new jail. Some elected officials have also mentioned a "personality conflict" between a former city manager and county officials.

Citing the lost funding, the city Animal Control Department and Animal Shelter now turn away county residents with animal welfare problems.

A city worker at the shelter said this has resulted in people dumping unwanted pets at the facility after hours and sometimes tossing them over the fence, often causing injury.

Ted Cook estimates the county’’s population of unwanted dogs and cats has grown to "at least 10,000 animals" in the last two years based on city animal control data. He calls the problem a "public health crisis" that poses dangers of rabies and animal attacks on humans, pets and livestock.

Cook is executive director of Hardin-Metro SPCA, which was formed earlier this year by local residents to promote animal welfare issues. Stanley Shaw is president of the group whose board of directors includes a veterinarian, a banker, an attorney and animal welfare advocates.

Crockett and Westrick, the organization’’s animal control investigators and members of the board, are both retired San Diego, Calif., police officers with extensive law enforcement experience.

In the wake of of HMSPCA lobbying and perhaps growing public concern, the Hardin County Commission earmarked $50,000 of the 2007-2008 budget for animal control. Commissioners have also appointed an animal control committee whose task is to develop a new animal control program.

Cook and HMSPCA members envision a program that includes a county animal control department with enforcement officers and a shelter. He said the program could be modeled after successes in other counties which use pet and breeder licensing and registration fees, along with public and private grants, for funding.

Respectfully submitted for your consideration

Ted

Hardin County Animal Control Committee

Phase I of motivating Hardin County government to return to animal control is now complete, thanks to the efforts of all the folks who have helped keep the animal situation here in the county front and center in the minds of the people and in The Courier for the last 6 months.

A special thanks is in order for the folks at The Courier for providing the continued exposure for the issue by putting out stories and article virtually every week and to Brad Silliman for his contributions of both paid ads and editorial articles. But we’re not done yet, by a long shot.

Now that the County Commission has approved the appointment of a Hardin County Animal Control Committee that has been charged to expedite the conceptual plans for the local governments role in moving forward with a comprehensive plan for animal management in the county we should see some significant progress over the next few months.

The members of the Animal Control Committee are as follows:

Representing the County - Commissioners White, McFalls and Coleman.
Representing the City of Savannah - Mayor Shutt, Mr. Lerry Arendall and a yet to be designated City Commissioner.
Representing Horse CreekWildlife Sanctuary and Animal Refuge - Mr. Ron Pickard.
Representing Hardin Metro SPCA - Mr. Chris Jerrolds
Representing the County Health Department/Veterinarians - Dr. Don Edwards, D.V.N.

Let's wish these folks God's speed and provide them with any assistance they may ask for or need.

Respectfully submitted for your consideration,


Ted

A Spell Worthy of Harry Potter

This is one of those, 'I couldn’t have said it better myself,' things.

From page 1 of the Courier July 19, 2007 by Ron Schaming, Jr.
(Reprinted without permission)

"Only in a reappraisal year can the illusion of raising taxes be lowering the property tax rate be performed.

If the Hardin County Commission approves a proposal from its budget committee to increase the property tax rate by 30 cents this month, that’s exactly what will happen.

Every six years, a county-wide reappraisal takes place to determine what changes have occurred in property values, based on comparable sales.

According to the Hardin County Assessor of Property’ office, the county experienced an average increase of 37 percent.

But state law says such a reappraisal cannot be used to generate more revenue for ta county. So, the tax rate has to be adjusted downward to a point where it is ‘revenue neutral’ for the county as a whole.

The current property tax in Hardin County is $1.82.

The revenue neutral rate, or ‘certified tax rate" in Hardin County is to be set at $1.37, or 45 cents less than it is now.

Raising the property rate by 30 cents would bring the new rate to $1.67, or 15 cents less than it is today.

And Presto Chango, by a wave of the magical wand of government accounting, a 22 percent tax increase can be disguised as a tax reduction."

Good Job, Ron.

Respectfully,

Ted

Mr. Maytag Is Alive and Well

A good friend of my tagged me with the nickname of Mr. Maytag some time ago, because he thought that I was an agitator that just didn’t quit and never need servicing. Ya, thanks Paul.

As some of you might have noticed, the Tablet has been silent for the last couple of months. Some folks think that was a good thing and others think otherwise.

There are several factors that have contributed to the silence, but, the major factor was that since Blogger.com switched to this new and improved Google thing, I have had a lot of trouble logging in to post anything. Got that fixed.

One of the other factor is that standing up Hardin Metro SPCA to be a professional organization that could give legitimacy to a shifting paradigm in animal control has been pretty much a full time thing. Ya know what I mean?

You might be surprised to learn that trying to shift the dominant paradigm in Hardin County Government, and the citizens, as it relates to animal management and control, is not the easiest thing to get your arms around and doesn’t happen overnight. More on that in future posts.

It seem that more folks follow my ranting than I thought, so, for both of them, we’ll get back to work and try to catch of the happenings in the community and our local governments like the proposed property tax increase, the County budget, animal control's future and inter-governmental relations to name a few.

Respectfully,
Ted

Animal Control - The COURIER - May 31, 2007

Puppy thrown from speeding pickup was one man’s solution
Ron Schaming - New Editor - The COURIER - May 31, 2007 pg-1

Standing in front of the Savannah Animal Shelter, Roy Franks and Mary Davis watched in horror as the puppy was tossed from the passenger window of the speeding red pickup truck.

"We had to put it down. We think it broke its back," said Franks, a worker at the city facility which serves Savannah residents exclusively. "I didn’t want to see him suffer no longer."

The puppy "just bounced off that pavement" and "looked like it was broke all to pieces," said Davis, who runs Tennessee River Rescues in Crump, a small private animal welfare operation.
"When it hit the ground," she said, "it just started screaming."

Davis said that if she "had a gun, I would have shot the truck. I’ve never had anything make me so mad in my life."

Davis said she suspects the perpetrators live outside Savannah and know the shelter would not take the dog so they just flung it to its death when they saw the group of people outside the door.

"That’s why we get so many thrown in the Wal-Mart parking lot. It’s in the city limits," she said.
Over the past several years, Hardin County scaled its animal control budget down to the point where there is now effectively no animal control service outside Savannah.

Franks agrees that many––perhaps most––of the dogs he sees at the shelter are from county residents.

"We don’t do nothing in the county because they have no animal control whatsoever," he said. So during the night, "people throw them over the fence and everything else. That’s inhumane."

"All that’s connected. Every bit of it," Davis declares. "I hope and pray that this will open someone’s eyes."

Franks said when he has to refuse to accept unwanted animals from someone who is not a citizen of Savannah, he advises they "take them to a vet and be put down."

He wants to see whoever cruelly threw the puppy from the truck prosecuted, but said he didn’t report the May 21 crime to local law enforcement.

"It wouldn’t have done no good," Franks believes. "They never would have found them."

[End of Article]

Tennessee Moves To Allow Guns In Public Buildings

By News Sentinel staff April 18, 2007

NASHVILLE — In a surprise move, a House panel voted today to repeal a state law that forbids the carrying of handguns on property and buildings owned by state, county and city governments — including parks and playgrounds.

"I think the recent Virginia disaster — or catastrophe or nightmare or whatever you want to call it — has woken up a lot of people to the need for having guns available to law-abiding citizens," said Rep. Frank Niceley, R-Strawberry Plains. "I hope that is what this vote reflects."

Read the full story in Thursday’s News Sentinel.
http://www.knoxnews.com/kns/state/article/0,1406,KNS_348_5491437,00.html

Copyright 2007, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.

Organization Will Push For Animal Control

From page 1 of THE COURIER - 4/19/07

"A new Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals organization has formed in Hardin County.

"I believe there needs to be animal control in Hardin County," said Hardin Metro SPCA Inc. President Stanley Shaw.

Currently, the county has no organized animal control program. Previously, the county partnered with the city of Savannah to provide the service to county residents.

Disagreements regarding how much of the total cost each local government should carry prompted the county to effectively eliminate animal control services outside the city of Savannah.

The Hardin County Commission did budget $2,500 to dispatch "vicious" dogs, but according to county Budget Director Linda Franks, not a penny of that money has been spent more than 10 months into the fiscal year.

Officials for the fledgling effort say they hope to encourage the county commission to reinstitute animal control service for county residents.

"They promised this in the last election," said Shaw, who ran for county mayor. The city has "beared the brunt of this for years."

He said Hardin Metro SPCA does not intend to be "this self-appointed group to tell the county what to do. I want the county to have an opportunity to do what they’re going to do, and hopefully they’ll do a good job of it."

Savannah attorney Vance Dennis, a member of the organization’s board of directors and its legal counsel, said the message to be sent is, "We’re here to help."

Officers were elected at the April 2 organizational meeting held at Central Bank on Wayne Road.
Susan Brown, who has been active in animal protection issues for many years, was elected vice president. The treasurer is banker and former Savannah city commissioner Chris Jerrolds.

Brad Silliman, a former prison inmate counselor and past news reporter at The Courier, was elected secretary. Silliman was previously married to the late local prominent animal rights activist Patricia Tretheway.

Local veterinarian Don Edwards is also a member of the board.

The board named Ted Cook, who chartered the public benefit, nonprofit corporation, interim executive director."

Submitted for your consideration and comments.

Uncle Ted