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APA says it left 300‑page 'playbook'; council hears disputes over communication and oversight at shelter
Summary
Former contractor APA told the council it left a 300+ page operational playbook and offered training; APA witnesses said repeated rejections of recommended best practices and loss of liaison roles led to breakdown with public‑health leadership and their decision to exit the contract.
Former shelter operators and county public‑health officials appeared before a St. Louis County council committee Aug. 7 to explain why a previously contracted operator (the Animal Protective Association) left in 2024 and whether county leadership used APA's handover materials.
Sarah Javier, APA president and CEO, and Kim Brown, APA vice president and COO, told the committee they operated the shelter under contract from Dec. 2022 through their exit and that adoptions rose during their tenure, parvovirus cases were uncommon and the organization maintained an 88% survival rate for treated parvo cases. "We gave the playbook several weeks in advance," Javier said of a 300‑plus page operational manual that APA says included SOPs, vendor lists, volunteer templates and training content.
Kim Brown…
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