Another Sonoma County animal shelter director has been fired.
The Healdsburg Animal Shelter hired Frances Caballo as the executive director in April. The shelter’s Board of Directors fired Caballo this week. She lasted just five months.
According to a published report, Caballo was hired to help raise $100,000 to offset the costs associated with the building of Healdsburg’s proposed $4.2 million shelter.
Healdsburg Animal Shelter Board President Kathleen McCaffrey is quoted as saying that “there are two sides to every story” as to the nature of Caballo’s dismissal.
Two separate sources told “Sonoma Pets” that Caballo was a quiet person, who weeks ago, did not appear to have much support from a board known for micro-managing.
Caballo shouldn’t feel too badly about the firing. The Healdsburg Animal shelter board is tough on its executive directors. Julie Johnson, hired in October 2007, was unceremoniously fired from the executive director job after just five months. At the time, Johnson said she was stunned at the dismissal. Belinda Uribe was the shelter manager after Johnson. Now the city’s lone animal control officer is managing the shelter.
Perhaps it is time for the City of Healdsburg step in and ask some questions about what prompts the turnover in shelter directors. Even if the shelter is run by an independent, non-profit, it should be accountable to someone, if not the executive directors the board hires and fires, but the community, which looks to the shelter for some direction and consistency.
