Shelter looking for new top dog

PALMER — The Mat-Su Borough animal shelter has been without a chief for a month but, with any luck, that will change by New Year’s.

“Jan. 1, fingers crossed, will be when he starts,” said Carol Vardeman, who is filling in as chief for now.

Vardeman came to the job through her position working for Deputy Borough Manager Elizabeth Gray who, on the borough organizational chart, oversees the shelter.

“I can make things continue to go, I just don’t know what to do to make them go better,” Vardeman said. “I just did the first level (animal control) officer training a couple of weeks ago so I would know what I’m talking about.”

The previous animal care and regulation chief, Richard Stockdale, came to the borough from Montana and stayed less than a year.

“His last day was Oct. 31, but he was working from home for that last month working on some policy and procedures and the emergency plan that nobody ever has time to work on,” Vardeman said.

Stockdale was on the job for a matter of days when he had to deal with the largest animal seizure case in recent memory. In January, officers seized more than 150 dogs from Willow-area breeder Frank Rich. The huskies were malnourished and showed signs of abuse.

Rich’s case is still winding its way through the legal system.

As for Stockdale; Vardeman said he had to leave for just about the most prosaic of reasons.

“I guess he fell victim to the economy, couldn’t sell his house” in Montana, she said. “Oddly, we don’t pay enough to maintain two households.”

Even in spite of the Rich case, Vardeman said Stockdale’s tenure at the shelter was a quiet one.

“The shelter staff just loved him,” she said. “Fingers crossed, this next person will be just as good, if not better.”

Oh, and speaking of a replacement, Vardeman said the borough interviewed several candidates and made a job offer to one, a gentleman from Idaho.

“He just wants to meet with Elizabeth one last time just to make sure before he accepts,” Vardeman said.

She said the borough looked for candidates locally, but this man from Idaho just outshone them all.

“He has a lot of really, really great ideas. I’m hoping he accepts,” she said.

Until then, she said, the shelter will remain as it has been — on autopilot.

“Everybody knows what they’re doing, we just don’t have the leadership,” she said.

Contact Andrew Wellner at andrew.wellner@frontiersman.com or 352-2270.