County executive’s office calls shelter review ‘frustrating’

King County Executive Ron Sims plans to release a report this week to the County Council rebutting many of the recent findings by consultant Nathan Winograd over the county’s management of its two animal shelters.

King County Executive Ron Sims plans to release a report this week to the County Council rebutting many of the recent findings by consultant Nathan Winograd over the county’s management of its two animal shelters.

“Our overall reaction is frustration that the consultant’s report didn’t take into account any of the work that we have done to date,” said Natasha Jones, communications manager for the county’s executive branch. She was referring to the report Winograd gave to the Council that took the county to task for management of its shelters in Kent and Bellevue.

Jones on Wednesday said the report paints a more dire picture than is actually the case.

“We’ve acknowledged problems and have taken steps to correct deficiencies,” Jones said. “It is not to the level of deficiencies the consultant tried to portray.”

Beside a rebuttal, Sims’ report — which is more than 160 pages long — will also propose a plan to improve conditions at the shelters.

“We think everyone is starting to realize that we agree things need to be fixed and it’s a matter of where we go from here,” Jones said.

The Council will conduct a public hearing April 14 regarding the future of its animal-care services.