Over the years, I have either mellowed out or been able to find common ground with more folks and one of them happens to be Beach SPCA Director Sharon Adams. We differ on a few things, but overall as the years go by I find that we agree on more things than not. One thing is for sure, while I will stand my ground on the things I think are right, when Sharon get's her feathers ruffled, you've got quite a fight on your hands.
Of course, the same could be said for Leigh Penner, President of the Friends of Virginia Beach Animal Control. She too has a will made out of iron and does not know the meaning of the word "quit." She has been relentless in her efforts to better the lot of companion animals in the City of Virginia Beach and can be as reasonable as she is resolute. You really don't want to get on the bad side of her, either.
Caught right smack-dab inbetween these two ladies is Mr. Dave Hansen, Assistant City Manager of Virginia Beach, bless his heart! Here is the pickle or rather, the minefield Mr. Hansen has wandered into:
Many people, myself included are pushing for a new animal shelter in Virginia Beach. We can all agree that we need one but beyond that, it all goes south. My personal opinion is if the city would stop spending millions to make the developers and the motel owners happy, chances are we'd have more than enough in the budget for the finest animal shelter in the world and have more than enough left over for other things like a recreation center. My God, with the millions of taxpayer dollars we spend on the Marine Science Museum, a building that the taxpayers actually own, 28 million for the Laskin Road "gateway", 40 million more for Town Center expansion, 10 million to purchase the light rail right-of-way, It's obvious the city does have the money, but simply chooses not to build a new shelter.
Ms. Adams is of the opinion that we could have a GREAT shelter for the 7 to 9 million dollar range, Mrs. Penner would like to see a nicer shelter but is I think leaning more towards the "Go Large" approach and Mr. Hansen is looking at trying to get something in the 20 to 25 million dollar range.
Enter the folks at Armada/Hoffler who have made an unsolicited offer to help in this project and Mr. Hansen stated at the Virginia Beach Council of Civic Organizations a few weeks ago that it could be as much as five million dollars worth of assistance. Mr. Hansen is of the opinion that the VBCCO and the Friends of Virginia Beach Animal Control could help get this modern, state of the art and very expensive shelter built if there was a community fundraising effort to help raise the money that would be needed to help meet the cost. Of course, if City Council only authorizes 8 million, Aramada/Hoffler kicks in 5 million, that could be about 7 million left to be raised and that's going to be a long, hard, uphill pull to raise that kind of money-difficult but not impossible.
The problem is, raising that kind of money is going to cause issues because a lot of those dollars might otherwise go to the Virginia Beach SPCA-and when you're talking about causing the Beach SPCA financial problems, you're going to stand before the wrath of Sharon Adams and buddy, I'll hate it for ya'. The Beach SPCA does some pretty good things in the community-I know because I drove one of them from Suffolk back to Virginia Beach yesterday-the Neuter Scooter. All of the great programs they offer and the things they do for animals cost money-like when me and a Beach Animal Control Officer rounded up an injured momma-duck and three of her babies, they went to the Beach SPCA for rehabilitation. If Animal Control had taken them, since they don't do wildlife rehabilitation at Beach Animal Control, the future of these animals would have been very brief.
I think Ms. Adams would ask why people should donate to something that is a government function because unlike government, non-profits do not have the power to generate revenue through taxation. I don't recall the city trying to raise money for a new courthouse or a new jail with private donations and I don't think that on any other municipal project, expense was spared for lack of funding-they just told the taxpayers here's what we are getting and here's what it's going to cost, your taxes to pay for it will be this much-pay it on time, please.
I think that Mrs. Penner would be open to the idea of trying to raise the money required and I'd be willing to donate to that cause as much as I possibly could because like me, she'd do whatever it took to help build a new, state of the art animal shelter in the City of Virginia Beach and like me, would like to see the same level of "Wow" that we have in Town Center which ought to be nice for as much as we were made to pay for it. I have no doubt that Leigh Penner could pull it off at all, but will this then become the model for how municipal governments further twist the arms of the public? What if they started doing this for public schools, roads and other public projects?
From a political standpoint, the idea is pretty smart because while Mr. Hansen says he wants to build the nicest shelter possible, those who agree have been painted into a corner because if they don't want to help raise the extra money, they won't get what they want-so it's the classic "Put up or shut up." If people aren't happy with what is eventually built, Mr. Hansen can say "Hey, I gave you the opportunity to have something better and you didn't want to help." Remember, Dave Hansen isn't a dummy-the man has in impressive background and a lot of experience who has served his country with distinction in the U. S. Army.
Then we have the offer made by Aramada/Hoffler; While I am very glad that they have offered to help, I can't help but wonder why they're doing that? As developers, I don't think their proven ability to pave and build over the habitat of just about every wild animal in the city would qualify them as "animal lovers," but maybe those running it see this project as something they can do to help the community. Perhaps they want to enhance their public image by participating in a high-visibility public works project and who knows, maybe they'd like to have thier name on it? But given the fact that with the pull that Armada/Hoffler has in Virginia Beach, I can't help but wonder what their payback would cost the taxpayers? Maybe another 40 or 60 million for Town Center, Phase V? Look, if all it's going to cost us is having their name on it, so what? But if having their help means that their payback is a Virginia Beach Housing and Redevelopment Authority so they can take people's homes and build something else, then I would have to say no
You know, sometimes you have to dance with the Devil himself to get what you want, but I'm a little uneasy about the offer from Armada/Hoffler. I keep wondering what it will cost us when it comes time to repay thier kindness-and believe me, that time will come, all that's left to do is wonder how much it will cost us?
So this is shaping up to be a real, Honest-to-God showdown over a new animal shelter here in Virginia Beach-no wonder the ratings for the soap-operas are falling-when you have all this drama going on, who needs to waste thier time watching TV? This is yet another reason why I wish Miss Scarlett and I could win a large jackpot in the lottery-I'd write the check myself and say, "Here, just build it."
I'd be willing to do that just so we could avoid all the brouhaha.
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