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With paperwork supporting her claims in front of her, former member of the Lincoln County Animal Shelter’s Board of Directors Michaela Stone, of Alna, discusses the shelter’s financial position May 16. (Kathy Onorato photo) |
By Kathy Onorato
After serving only one and a half years on the board of directors of the Lincoln County Animal Shelter/Boothbay Region Humane Society, Michaela Stone of Alna has submitted her resignation, citing the board’s inability to make the necessary decisions to keep the shelter operating.
One change Stone would like to see is the removal of the board’s 92-year-old president Lorraine Nickerson, who has served in the capacity for over 30 years.
“It’s time for new blood to keep the shelter going,” Stone said in an interview May 16.
Stone said her actions are not a personal attack on Nickerson, but it is just time for new leadership. Stone alleges the board has been dysfunctional for quite some time and has placed the shelter in a serious financial situation.
“I understand the wonderful things Lorraine has done, but there becomes a point you have to draw the line,” Stone said.
When a letter to the editor submitted by Stone was not published by The Lincoln County News, Stone posted the letter to her Facebook page to publicize her concerns about the status and alleged mismanagement of the Lincoln County Animal Shelter.
“Yet, the President prevented a lot of things from happening including giving myself and the board an understanding of how the board should be run,” Stone said in her letter.
Independent decisions by Nickerson is not how the board should conduct its business, Stone said.
Several comments left on Stone’s Facebook post offer support and shared concerns for the LCAS. As of May 20, her post had been shared 181 times.
Stone alleges during Nickerson’s presidency, the shelter underwent a long period of financial mismanagement, which eventually led to the replacement of the shelter’s former bookkeeper in 2013. Investment income was used to pay penalties to the IRS for late filing fees, Stone said.
In a prepared statement to the LCAS Board of Directors, dated Sept. 19, 2013, Board Member Kelly Patton Brook writes, “For my years on the LCAS Board many things have been allowed to slip under the rug, regarding our finances. So many deadlines have been missed that has cost the shelter in late fees.”
“I don’t know how the shelter is going to survive,” Stone said.
According to Stone, assets are not being handled properly at the shelter. She produced a letter and check for $2,250, addressed to Nickerson, dated Dec. 30, 2011, which was never deposited. Stone said the check was discovered while going through boxes of papers at the shelter.
Stone said a piece art was being stored in a closet at the shelter and she decided to get an appraisal on the piece. The art turned out to be a Dahlov Ipcar oil print, entitled “Night Circus” and was estimated by Gleason Fine Art to be valued at $16,000.
Stone alleged the board once rented a 15-acre farmhouse for just $350 per month. “That didn’t even cover the expenses on the property,” Stone said.
In April, Stone as vice-president, called an emergency meeting of the board of directors to vote on removing Nickerson from office. According to Stone, a quorum was present at the meeting and she and fellow board members Ellen McFarland, Kathy Williams, and Martha Takatsu voted to remove Nickerson from office. Stone said plans were made to inform Nickerson of the decision but they were never carried out.
According to members of the board who attended the April meeting, the vote was not to remove Nickerson from office, but rather to have a conversation with Nickerson about the distribution of power on the board.
Stone said she realized then she did not have the support of the board to make the decisions she felt were necessary to improve the operations at the shelter, and she decided to resign.
“What I can do is write this letter in hopes that our community will have knowledge of what is going on. It is the only thing left for me to do with my compassion. I am sad, angry and so fearful that our local shelter will not survive,” Stone’s Facebook post says.
On May 15, Nickerson denied making any decisions without the board approval and said she is still capable of serving as the board’s president.
“I don’t have that kind of power,” Nickerson said. “That’s what we have a board for, and I can still produce more than most 29-year-olds.”
Nickerson admits there were problems with the shelter’s former bookkeeper, which lead to his replacement.
“A lot of her complaints are ancient,” Nickerson said. “I feel sorry for her, to think she had to let loose with so much hatred.”
After an emergency meeting in Woolwich May 19, four of the six incumbent LCAS board members present said they are new board members and have not the chance yet to understand the workings of the board and do not yet know the financial status of the shelter.
“We are looking to verify the facts,” Kathy Williams said.
Board members acknowledged many things need to be done to allow the shelter to run more efficiently and they have begun to identify those areas. At the recommendation of the board’s attorney a forensic audit will be soon be conducted, board member Kim Fletcher said.
In addition to contracting an outside accounting firm to handle its finances, yearly audits will be performed, an all-paper accounting system is being transferred to a computer software system, the board plans on updating its bylaws and is appealing the IRS penalties.
“I understand her (Stone’s) frustration, these things take time,” said McFarland. “The shelter has to operate, too. We have to move as efficiently as we can at a speed we can handle.”
Fletcher said as a result of Stone’s Facebook post, the board has received emails from individuals who say they will no longer financially support the shelter.
“With these statements Michaela has endangered the animals and staff. I have never seen anything like it,” said board member Kelly Patton Brook.
“The Lincoln County Animal Shelter Board of Directors is proud that founder Nickerson remains actively involved in board decisions, bringing a lifetime of experience and dedication. The all-volunteer board also acknowledges however that every board member’s vote has the same weight as all other board members,” a letter signed by the entire board states.
“Lorraine has a deep passion and compassion for Lincoln County Animal Shelter,” Fletcher said.
