Upcoming AVHS Board Meeting - February 20, 2025
Hello everyone,

Thank you for your patience, and apologies for the delay in sharing this update. I’m reaching out today to provide important details about the upcoming AVHS Board Meeting & New Co-CEO Position.

The AVHS Board of Directors has released details about the upcoming Board Meeting, which will be held on:

Date: Thursday, February 20th, 2025
Time: 6:30 PM
Location: Best Western Mountain View Plus, 401 8th Street SW, Auburn, WA 98001

Important Details:

Online Attendance: A Teams online attendance option will be available, but the link has not yet been posted. It will be included in the meeting agenda, which is expected to be available on the AVHS website by 2/13/2025. The Agenda can be found on the AVHS Facebook page posted on 2/15/2025

Public Comment: Anyone wishing to comment in person during the Visitor portion of the meeting must submit their name and city of residence by 5 PM on Wednesday, 2/19/2025 to info@auburnvalleyhs.org.

Written Comments: Those unable to attend in person may submit written comments by 5 PM on 2/19/2025 to info@auburnvalleyhs.org

Discrepancies: There are some discrepancies regarding the meeting time and online link on the website and social media; at the moment, no link is available.

Call to Action: Template for Public Comments    

If you wish to submit a comment during the Visitor portion of the meeting, feel free to use the following template as a base and edit it to reflect your concerns:

 
Subject: Public Comment for AVHS Board Meeting on February 20, 2025

Dear AVHS Board of Directors,

I am writing to express concerns about the leadership at AVHS.

• CEO Phillip Morgan’s Leadership: I urge the Board to remove CEO Phillip Morgan and replace him with leadership committed to transparency, accountability, and the welfare of staff and animals.
• Qualifications for New CEO Position: The new CEO role lacks qualifications in veterinary medicine and animal services, which is concerning given the role’s responsibilities. I request that the Board ensure the selected candidate has the appropriate qualifications.
• Public Access to Board Meetings: I also encourage the Board to increase transparency and make board meetings more accessible to the public.
  I respectfully request that the AVHS Board of Directors take these concerns into consideration, and act in the best interests of the staff, the animals, and the community.

Thank you for your time and attention to these matters.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your City of Residence]

 Concerns Regarding the New CEO Position:

In addition to the Board Meeting, there is a significant development regarding the new CEO of Operations & Animal Services position at AVHS that warrants attention. 

For more information about the position and to view the job posting, you can follow the link here: Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Operations & Animal Services – 
Auburn Valley Humane Society. This link will take you to current listings and you will need to select Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Operations & Animal Services – 
Auburn Valley Humane Society to view the position and its details. 

1. Not a Replacement for CEO Phil Morgan: The newly created CEO of Operations & Animal Services position is not intended to replace current CEO (Of Strategic Planning and Business Development) 3Phil Morgan. Instead, it creates a co-CEO model, where Phil Morgan will continue overseeing business development and planning, while the new CEO will focus exclusively on the daily operations of specific areas. The new role will manage only the NW Spay/Neuter Clinic (Tacoma) and the AVHS Shelter (Auburn). Meanwhile, Phil Morgan will continue to oversee two locations—the Cat Cafe and AVHS Thrift Store will operate independently and are not under the operations CEO's management.
2. Lack of Qualifications for the New Position: This new role will involve overseeing operations, staff management, budgets, and day-to-day activities for two locations. There is no requirement for the new CEO to have any veterinary or animal services experience. This is concerning, as the person filling this role would be in charge of running two locations with significant responsibilities, including animal care and managing staff. Given that the position lacks qualifications in veterinary medicine or animal services, there is a real risk that the new CEO may not be properly equipped to handle these complex responsibilities.
3. Failure to Address Leadership Issues: Ultimately, the creation of a new position does not address the root cause of the problem: the ongoing leadership challenges under CEO Phil Morgan. This move seems more like a temporary fix rather than a genuine effort to make real, meaningful changes. The board continues to avoid confronting the serious concerns raised about Morgan’s leadership, which have become a recurring issue, not just at AVHS, but in other organizations as well. By adding a new position without tackling the core problems, the board misses an opportunity to make substantive changes and take decisive action in the best interest of the staff, animals, and community.
4. Opportunity for Real Change: This is a critical moment for the AVHS Board of Directors to step up and demonstrate leadership. Instead of making temporary fixes, this is an opportunity for the board to make meaningful changes and lead by example. The board can demonstrate its commitment to excellence in animal welfare by ensuring that the organization’s leadership is aligned with its mission statement and values. AVHS should set a model of advancement in animal welfare, and that starts with holding leadership accountable and making bold decisions that prioritize the well-being of animals, staff, and the community.

Next Steps:

Submit your comment: Email your public comment (whether written or in-person) to info@auburnvalleyhs.org by 5 PM on 2/19/2025.
Attend the meeting: If possible, attend the meeting on February 20th in person or via the online Teams link once it's available.
Spread the word: Share this update with others who care about the future of AVHS and the well-being of the staff and animals under its care.
 

Our voices matter, and your continued support is crucial as we push for meaningful change at AVHS. Together, we can make a difference in ensuring that the animals and staff are treated with the respect and care they deserve. Thank you for standing up!