Animal shelter’s board backs executive director
Center for Animal Health & Welfare Executive Director Kelly Bauer has the full support of the agency’s board of directors, despite allegations of misconduct and mismanagement by former employees and board members in running the Northampton County nonprofit.
The controversy played out Tuesday during a tense state of the shelter meeting held virtually by the Williams Township center’s five-member board to list its accomplishments.
Michael McMullen, board president, allowed people to ask questions, but neither Bauer nor board members provided any immediate responses. Instead, the center released written responses on its website Thursday evening.
“While we cannot answer for prior board members in terms of the hiring process, the current board stands behind Kelly’s integrity and transparency,” board members said in response to a question about placing Bauer in charge of public donations.
“Beginning in 2016, our executive director worked diligently with our accountant and auditor to create a system of transparency and oversight,” the board said. “We feel this multi-layered system has not only reduced our costs, but provides a thorough process for checks and balances.”
On Friday, McMullen reiterated board support for Bauer. He also said a veterinarian and
dog warden conducted an unannounced inspection Friday of the shelter. “We passed with flying colors,” he said.
Spokesperson Shannon Powers of the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, which enforces state dog laws, could not immediately confirm the inspection late Friday.
Bauer declined to answer questions after the meeting. “The organization has no comment on what The Morning Call publishes in regard to this,” she said in a text message. Bauer previously said during an interview April 8 that she has committed no wrongdoing.
During Tuesday’s meeting, attendees took offense to Bauer’s comments on a weekly podcast
called “Pawfee Talk” that some people say have been inappropriate. One person accused Bauer, who was hired in 2016, of bullying individuals.
The board, while saying it doesn’t tolerate intimidation, also noted Bauer covers “honest conversations about animal welfare and controversial subjects.”
“We do not believe that Ms. Bauer is a bully,” the board said, noting her podcast has been voted among the best in the Lehigh Valley by a local magazine.
Among other questions during the meeting, the board admitted adults at a summer camp in 2021 did not have the proper Pennsylvania
criminal background checks or child welfare checks, as required by law.
“We are in current litigation which encompasses some aspects of this question and therefore cannot comment at this time,” the board said. McMullen would not elaborate Friday.
People have also raised concerns about the shelter’s operations under Bauer, in part because of its receiving public dollars to treat animals. The center also receives private donations.
Becky Bartlett, Northampton County deputy administration director, said the county has provided about $5,000 each year since 2018, for a total of $20,000. In addition, the animal shelter has received $34,100 via state gaming funds, and county employees have donated money from its dressdown days fund. Last year’s donation came to $250.
On its 2019 federal exemptfrom-tax form 990, the most recent available, the center reported net assets of $1.08 million, nearly $635,000 in contributions and grants, and about $622,000 in program services and expenses. Those numbers are roughly similar for 2018 and 2017, records show.
In terms of center volunteers, the agency reported going from 400 helpers in 2017, which was Bauer’s first full year, to 40 the next year. Some 75 volunteers were at the shelter in 2019, which is the last year the center’s 990 forms appear on the information service Candid, formerly GuideStar, that specializes in reporting on U.S. nonprofits.
While McMullen could not specifically account for the decline in unpaid help, he said during the meeting that the shelter had 229 volunteers at the end of 2021. He also said nonprofits such as the shelter deal with departures and turnover.
Anthony Schwickrath, whose tenure on the board lasted more than a decade, said allegations of Bauer’s misconduct were valid. Schwickrath resigned in late 2021.
“If you are an animal lover,” he said, “you should be involved or at least concerned.”
On that point, the sides all agree. “Dogs’ and cats’ lives are on the line here, if we’re talking about animal wellness,” Schwickrath said earlier this week.
“We need to bring this back with what we’re doing for the animals,” McMullen said.
McMullen did not provide updated financial information Tuesday during his 15-minute presentation. He said in 2021, the shelter served 1,084 animals with placement, advocacy, with 16 animals euthanized. He said the center’s future looks bright.
Besides McMullen, other board members are Valerie Antonelli, vice president; Pamela Pearson, treasurer; Ellen Kingsley and Irene Montero-Harris. The report, with questions and responses can be found at healthanimalcenter.org/ state-of-the-shelter-report.