Phone lines fail at Animal Control

Here we are, only two days into the new year, and already phone services at a County department are falling apart.

This morning I wanted to find out when the Animal Control sub-committee of the McHenry County Department of Health (MDOH) meets. Shouldn't be that hard; right?

Nothing on the County calendar of meetings for January 2011 (later I found it under an AC menu);
No answer at Animal Control about 9:30AM. They operate on banker's hours", opening at 10:30AM;
Got shuffled around at the County Government and left a message for someone at the Health Department. No callback within five hours;
Called Animal Control at 3:47PM. Twice. No answer. Phone rang unanswered.

Trying to find out when the committee is going to consider the Cat Tax. I think the meeting is Wednesday, January 5.

When I called MDOH back, I reached a very nice woman who had been trying to get an answer for me and after more than 10 minutes still hadn't been able to get it. Apparently, the mice have been playing with the phone system at Animal Control, and all the cats are kept in cages, so ...

4:02PM Betty called me from Animal Control. The Animal Control Advisory Committee will meet tomorrow, Wednesday, January 5, 7:00PM, at Animal Control, 100  N. Virginia St., Crystal Lake. There is no Agenda item to discuss the "cat tax." If you are interested in this tax and in speaking about it (for example, against it), you might show up and put in your 2¢ worth in an effort to persuade the Committee not to even discuss it later in the year.