After reading the Star article I have some questions.

"Larissa Watson works at East Main Animal Clinic and works with Certain a lot. She feels that cutting his position to part time after all the years he has worked for the city is "pretty unfair."
She also thought that making the position part time would result in a lot of turnover in personnel.
"I work with Brian on the phone, in the clinic, all day long, five days a week."

If Brian Certain spends so much time working with East Main...all day long, five days a week...does this mean East Main and the city have a special arrangement? Or is it simply East Main and Brian Certain who have an arrangement to work together? And what exactly is he doing there all of that time?

"Police Chief Doug Colombik said there are about 600-700 animal calls a year."


52*5 = 260 workdays
Minus 8 Bank Holidays = 252
Plus one day (since the year is 52 weeks and one day long) = 253
Plus one day in a leap year = 253.25 on average

That means when Brian works he has less than 3 calls a day.

I wonder what each call costs the city of Miles City tax payers in wages for Officer Certain.

This is a budget matter so it should come down to dollars.

So I am wondering if Officer Certain has so much free time that he can spend it at East Main five days a week all day long, according to Ms. Watson.

If that is true then part time should be sufficient and the city won't have to pay Officer Certain for all the time he spends at East Main.

If Officer Certain feels the need to spend so much time at East Main perhaps they have a part time job opening.

I am quite sure that the calls are not the only thing Mr. Certain deals with and as for myself I can remember all the dogs running in packs. As well I send my thanks to the East Main Clinic for there help with stays

Well said, Doug.

I too remember when I was a kid, dogs roamed Miles City in large packs. Almost like Butte. Since Brian took the job, that has all changed for the better. When I visit Miles City, I am happy to see only leashed dogs walking with their owners, not the roaming packs of the days of yore.

Yeah, another Kacey hates East Main Animal Clinic Thread! It has been awhile.

, Kelly. This might be the original but it's hard to tell:

http://milescity.com/foru...fpid=23488

Yeah, another Kacey hates East Main Animal Clinic Thread! It has been awhile.

Yes, and I could have done without this one. Talk about picking a letter to pieces. She needs to get a job as an editor.

If Mr Certain has worked for the city for many years in this capacity and is only a few years from retiring with full benefits it appears to be very unfair to reduce this position to a part time position at this time. Let the man finish his tenure and then address the full or part time issue for a future employee. I think that all Miles City taxpayers would appreciate less friction in its city government.

Gunnar,

Hysterical.


FH

It doesn't even come just to that. I have done that job part time and cleaning the shelter is all you can get done in 2 hours a week. Before Mark Lester and Brian took over the place was a mess and Parvo was really bad there. Many more animals died. There was no run and dogs had to be tied to trees while you cleaned. If your animals was hit by a car or injured it would be thrown in the pound and left to be found the next day. Brian has created a network of volunteers that help save the animals that otherwise would be put to sleep. Including East Main which does the adoptions of unclaimed critters. He also helps with the skunk problem in town and does numerous wildlife in town calls. I could go on about the things I personally know he does to help animals instead of letting the problem continue to get out of control. He deals with abused and neglected animals on a regular basis also.
As far as Larisa and East Main. They are angels and go out of their way to help help abused and dumped animals. I also have witnessed this on a daily basis. I know that when I end up with an injured critter they go out of their way to get them in and teat them at no cost to me. That is the reason I have volunteered for both Animal Control and East Main since 1996

From the Star..... The exact copy http://www.milescitystar....php#story1
Police Budget
Officer Barney Murnin, president of the police union, addressed the animal control officer being cut to half time and the police department secretary's position being eliminated.
The secretary is not in the union, but the cut concerns the officers just the same.
The two actions would increase the workload for the officers.
"Anytime you take staff away, somebody has to pick up that workload," he said.
Murnin believed that the animal control officer was four years or less from his retirement, so that and possible cuts to his other benefits are also concerns.
"Our union has definite concerns about those cuts to our department, and we certainly hope you consider that," he said.
Dennis Hafla praised the job Brian Certain does as the animal control officer and believes the position needs to be full time.
Allison Campbell volunteers at animal control nights and weekends. She said the police officers have been great over the years, but they are not rabies vaccinated and not trained in contagious diseases.
"We have a really good system. He has done a really good job," she said.
She also praised the library. She works with children at mental health and said they look forward to library day.
Larissa Watson works at East Main Animal Clinic and works with Certain a lot. She feels that cutting his position to part time after all the years he has worked for the city is "pretty unfair."
She also thought that making the position part time would result in a lot of turnover in personnel.
"I work with Brian on the phone, in the clinic, all day long, five days a week. ... He knows the town. He knows the people. He knows the animals," she said.
She said when the city and county were fighting and county animals were not allowed in the city pound, "that was a big mess for everyone. I had calls and was chewed out every day. `Where am I going to take these animals.' ... That was a really hard situation, and now we are going to come across this and it's just going to make a bigger mess."
She predicted there would be numerous animals running the streets when people are already scared to walk the streets now.
Bob Ford said shortly after he and his wife moved to Miles City, he realized there was a problem of animals at large. He tried to resolve the issue on his own by talking to his neighbors, and that didn't go so well. When Certain was notified, the problem was resolved.
He feels that if Certain, or someone equally qualified isn't in the position, people are not going to be happy.
Linda Wiedeman said she has dealt with Certain many times, and he was always kind and courteous, and it would be a mistake to cut the position.
Butch Raymond said his brother had a badger that Certain removed. Raymond said it would be a mistake to cut the position, especially since there is an increase in crime.
Police Chief Doug Colombik said there are about 600-700 animal calls a year.

Living outside the city limits, I Have "no dog in this thread". 600-700 calls a year is just to the Police department. That amount would be so many more if all the calls were noted. There is some waste in any budget, city, state, and county, but not in the animal control position. Why now??

Walk a mile in their shoes and I think we all might have more awareness and respect for all Brian and Larissa do. I for one sincerely appreciate it.
Does Kacey even live in Miles City right now?

To answer my "why Now", the scuttle-butt is in retaliation to the pigeon problem on South Haynes.

From snickers' link.....

In other budget comments, former city clerk Becky Stanton said she didn't believe Mayor Butch Grenz should receive health insurance from the city, since he knew when he was elected that health insurance wasn't included.
(The mayor's office's proposed budget includes $7,422 for health insurance. The council approved health insurance for the mayor when Grenz entered office. Despite repeated requests from the last mayor, Joe Whalen, the council had been steadfast in denying the insurance, saying the city couldn't afford it.)
Stanton said that if he receives insurance, the city judge and city treasurer (also part-time positions) should be treated the same.

Cuts to animal control, but funds for the mayor's health insurance. Seems fair.

[This message has been edited by Denise Selk (8/11/2013)]

I'm curious why Kacey thinks this is her concern. From what I've heard you don't even live in Miles City. The original post just shows how heartless people can be. You dedicate yourself to your job and do good work for 16 years, just to have all your hard work taken away. Or what so someone who doesn't even live in the same town can bad mouth you. Brian Certain does an amazing job and Miles City needs a full time animal control.

Two "Shame on you" awards and a couple shout outs for a job well done:

The first "Shame on you" goes to Kacey. It is time for you to bury the axe you have been grinding against East Main Animal clinic. That you would use Mr. Certain's situation to further your vendetta against EMAC is unconscionable. Your petty petulance is very Junior High. It is time to let the grudge go. Your posting drive-by character assignations are unwarranted. Please stop.

A second "shame on you" goes to the City finance committee and Mayor for proposing to cut the animal control officer position (and the library, subject of another post) when they really should be finding away to make the animal control officer a full time position. It doesn't make any sense to fund the Mayor's health care, (new spending) while cutting existing positions and programs. Why isn't the mayor's health insurance covered by Grenz Inc? You can and must do better.


A shout out to Mr. Certain for a job well done. The care that he shows for the animals in Miles City is very evident. Great Job, keep up the good work, sir!

A shout out to Allison Campbell. There is not a more dedicated person in town when it comes to the care of animals, especially those that have been inured. Allison devotes a lot of her personal time and economic resources to insure the health and well-being of the critters that come into capable care. Miles City owes this lady a huge debt of gratitude for all of her service. Well done, Allison, you're the best!

Awww Thank You Richard. You made me smile
This was the scene on the Court House Lawn an Hour ago. The officers had no clue how to handle it or what to do. I netted it kenneled it . The officers helped me load it and I took it out of town and dropped it off. LOL The officers had no clue who I was and asked me if I was walking by and just saw it

Pretty good imitation of a cactus, I'd say.

Richard is right. Miles City was sold a bill of goods by Butch Grenz voters who elected the man to office based on the "fact" that Butch "bleeds Miles City" (exact quote) and that he was the best candidate for the job based on being the owner of "three successful Miles City businesses" (exact quote).

Now we have proposed cuts to city services and the funding of his personal health insurance, something his "three successful Miles City businesses" should already be providing to him.

Health insurance for a position that he himself has adamantly maintained from the very beginning is only a part-time position. It would be nice to see an explanation of why this part-time position warrants health insurance coverage, that his "three successful Miles City businesses" should be providing to him, while other City part-time positions do not have that privilege.

What is the story behind the city council "steadfastly" opposing health insurance for the previous mayor but suddenly deciding to offer up insurance for the current mayor? Why the change of heart on the part of the council?

City Council meeting tonight at 7 on budget cuts

The final Budget meeting is Aug 27th I plan on attending in support of keeping animal control as a full time position I hope everyone will show up also

There are a number of budget issues, especially concerning the police department, that need to be carefully studied. Could insurance for part-timers be cut to provide a secretary for the PD? That sort of thing.

We have a great people in our public employees and I think it is a true testament to the work they do that some people feel we're well off enough to cut these positions or funding. It's the hard work of people like Brian Certain and Officer Murnin that keep it that way and cutting these positions or the positions of support staff is something that should only be looked at after evaluating all other options available.

While I salute the value of a businessman in any sort of office for the knowledge and skill set they bring. I don't think that health insurance for what has been stated is clearly a part-time job is all that important. That being said stating that Butch could get it through one of his other businesses is not a valid argument. Trust me I have no love for the man, I honestly think he's a tick sucking what he can from this town, but it is an act that would carry through to those who come after him.

I won't get started on the library, that's a discussion all in itself with everything the hard working librarians bring to this town, especially to the kids.

On a last note, Allison Campbell is a horrible horrible woman. She's very crotchety and quite mean. I heard that she names her animals after delinquents and punishes other peoples children. =p

LOL I love You ya little Monster And I bet I can still make you stand in the corner in time out like I did when you were little for running away from home to my house. And instead of telling on you and making you go home and mow the lawn ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, I will make you come mow mine. I have a forest out there

PS you are lucky ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,now if you had calling me OLD crotchety and quite mean. You had been in time out faster then you can wave Bye Bye

Crap did I forget old too? Haha, love you! Seriously this town has amazing support from its citizens and public employees let's keep it that way.

P.S. If you need a yard forest chopped down just let me know, I've got the weekends off with to much time on my hands.

City Council budget meeting tomorrow. Let show our support for 2 employees of the police dept. We need full time animal control
Ps GS I will take you up on that offer

I feel "certain" that Kacey is worried that if Brian continues to do his job full time, she will end up in the pound - most probably with a bad case of parvo, fleas, tics and worms and will be un-adoptable due to her anti-social behaviors. Wow, get real and get a life! Brian does an amazing job, as does East Main....Kacey is a job.

Whatever happened with this matter?

http://www.milescitystar....php#story2