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Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
What MATA's interim CEO charged to her company credit card
MEMPHIS, Tenn — The Memphis Area Transit Authority's former interim CEO was recently fired after the transit agency said an internal investigation questioned spending practices and found reported policy violations. WREG Investigators got hold of company credit card statements to get a closer look at how your taxpayer money was being spent. We asked for these credit card statements back in September when MATA announced its $60 million deficit and again this year. With help from the Reporter's Committee for the Freedom of the Press, MATA turned them over, because the Tennessee Records Act states they shouldn't be secret. A year after Bacarra Mauldin started at MATA as chief of staff in the summer of 2021, she secured her own company credit card. The then-CEO Gary Rosenfeld was the only other person at MATA who had one. MATA fires deputy CEO after investigation into spending Statements show in the first six months, Mauldin spent $868 dollars Amerigo Italian Restaurant, $141 at Fancy's Fish House, and $260 at Folks Folly Prime Steakhouse. If you tally up the dinners, bakery and catering orders from July 2022 through 2024, the total is around $16,000 dollars. Other charges on her card: $823 at Mednikow Jewelers for a 'jewelry repair/sale' in September 2022, around $1,100 at Montblanc, which sells luxury ballpoint pens, in January 2024, and around $1,400 at Jasper Float Spa, based in downtown Memphis. We tallied thousands of dollars in charges at Target, Sam's Club and Amazon. The statements don't give details what was exactly of dollars were also spent on plane tickets and seat upgrades. Sometimes Mauldin booked separate flights from her staff on a different airline that often times would cost more money. Her trips would also be more expensive when she flew in and out of other cities like Birmingham, where she once lived and worked. We tallied $3,368 spent on Ubers and cabs over those two and a half years including $183 for a black car service in Ohio in June 2024. There was also a charge for around $1,300 at Tennessee Limo in May 2024. Mauldin's credit card statements shows charges to her sorority Delta Sigma Theta.'I knew there were some financial challenges, but honestly, I had no idea the ride we were about to be on,' Mauldin said in an interview in November. She stressed she didn't know MATA was facing a $60 million shortfall until she stepped into the interim CEO role in January 2024 when Rosenfeld suddenly retired. She also stated she was working with TransPro, which is the group the mayor brought in to study the transit authority's operations. The mayor appointed a new board who voted this year to let TransPro rep John Lewis temporarily lead the agency. Shortly after, Lewis announced they found $144,000 dollars worth of purchases on the company card they believed were non-business related. Digging deeper into MATA's spending at spa, Amazon and more He said outside counsel has been hired to investigate the matter, and the state's comptroller's office was notified. Meanwhile, we're still waiting on the results from the auditing firm the city also hired. Mauldin was placed on leave in March. Her attorney, Vanecia Belser Kimbrow, told Your News Leader the card was in Mauldin's name but managed by the administration, and the charges in question have reasonable explanations.'The expenses were 100% reimbursed as related to the spa treatment by CIGNA insurance as part of the company's health and wellness plan,' she said. Mauldin was terminated weeks later for reportedly violating MATA's procurement and travel policy. ► Part One of this series: MATA credit cards show thousands spent on domestic, international travel Her attorney also told us, 'It's quite remarkable that Trans Pro, self proclaimed industry experts, now seeks to lay over 8+ years of poor financial controls, operational shortfalls, mismanagement, and the ills created by the well documented underfunding of MATA for over 8 years at Mrs. Mauldin's feet after she disclosed the sad state of MATA to its Board BEFORE she became Interim.' She added, 'Trans Pro must now earn its glory by peddling mischaracterized information that's deminimus at best, based upon policies and procedures that existed or not, which all preceded Mrs. Mauldin's 8 months of service as Interim CEO. Yet there's no mention of anyone except the Black Woman that held the seat for a short 8 months?' In a statement Wednesday, Kimbrow added, 'Mauldin was dealing with the terminal illness of her mother, who has since passed' and also 'struggling with a painful illness that made it impossible to travel on a small or cramped flight.' Mauldin booked one way flights to give her 'flexibility with her advocacy and meeting efforts,' and 'afforded her the ability to leave a meeting and travel directly home to Birmingham to be by her dying mother's side.' Kimbrow stated other government agencies 'give donations/sponsorships,' it's 'customary for any professional to take an Uber or car service,' and the Mont Blanc purchase was 'the retirement gift' for Rosenfeld. Lewis argued the past is now in their rearview mirror. He said the goal now is to rebuild trust and the agency's bank account. 'It's unfortunate we find ourselves in this situation,' he said. Get the latest from the WREG Investigators in your inbox When Mauldin started, two out of three buses were on time, according to the city's website. In 2022 and throughout 2023, half of MATA's buses ran late. The number only improved slightly last year. As of February, the city reports 64% of buses are on time. Mauldin's attorney sent WREG a response on her behalf. Here it is in its entirety: Mrs. Mauldin is still recovering from surgery and remains on FMLA, federally protected leave, despite her unlawful termination while on leave. Mrs. Mauldin was the interim for only a short time, 8 months to be exact. During which time she was directed by the Board to ' man the ship' while they embarked on a National Search for a permanent CEO. She took the assignment without any pay increase because she has a heart to serve the Citizens of Memphis and the employees of MATA. I will note that during her short tenure, Mrs. Mauldin was dealing with the terminal illness of her mother, who has since passed away; as well as struggling with painful illness that made it impossible to travel on small or cramped flights. She had been booked for surgery and FMLA prior to being appointed Interim, but given the unexpected exit of the prior CEO, she delayed a much needed surgery to 'man the ship' as requested by the Board, for what had been described as a short appointment as interim while they conducted a national search for the next CEO. I'll note that this short Interim Appointment as the Interim to man the ship came only with the interim title, and had no matching compensation. She was directed to just maintain the status quo and work with the practices, policies, and procedures that had been in place, while the Board worked to recruit a permanent CEO. ALL of the policies and procedures Mrs. Mauldin followed were in place, and well established before she assumed the Interim Post. As Deputy, she had no direct involvement with any MATA finances, review or otherwise; but rather was charged to advocate for added funding and better conditions for the drivers, and managing relations with the riders. She had no seat at any financial planning or oversight. She often presented reports prepared for her as directed by the CEO. The rational for her one way flights were two fold. 1) Single flights allowed her flexibility with her advocacy and meeting efforts to bring additional funds and best practices to MATA. Meetings with legislative agencies are not always definitive, and require fluidity. 2) Further, one way flights afforded her the ability to leave a meeting and travel directly home to Birmingham to be by her dying mother's side during a very tender time. She balanced the needs of MATA while dealing with extreme physical pain and the task of being a caregiver for her terminally ill Mother. Mrs. Mauldin required and has had two complete knee replacements. Her condition was so acutely that she could not bend her knees to fit into cramped seat, it was a physical impossibility. As such, upgrading to a seat that would accommodated her well documented medical condition was a necessity, and not a frivolous luxury. Mrs. Mauldin's chief responsibility as Deputy Director was Community Engagement and securing funding to support MATA. As the Chief community liaison, forging goodwill and raising the brand and profile of MATA was a core job responsibility. Therefore, partnering with an array of community groups and nonprofit organizations to raise awareness of the MATA brand was a function of her job. While you point to her supporting Get Out The Vote efforts with her sorority (whose founding principal involved promoting voting rights and awareness), the initial partnership to Get Out The Vote and MATA's Free Rides to the Polls Campaign was a partnership with The Election Commission. Moreover, it's not a new effort, it was just better publicized effort because of the well established work of her sorority in this space. The goal was to get voters to the polls, at no cost, to exercise their civic duty. MATA's voter awareness and GOTV efforts were spawned by a partnership with the Shelby County Election Commission, and was joined by all of the Divine 9 Greek Letter Organizations, and other nonprofit groups that raised Voter Awareness, and not 'just' her sorority. This type public partnership is not unlike many corporate entities, including those funded by EDGE, The Memphis Chamber, Convention and Visitors Bureau, Methodist, Baptist, The City of Memphis, and Shelby County Government, to name a few. All of the foregoing entities give donations/ sponsorships to other notable civic groups such as The Women's Foundation and their mission to empower underserved Women in Memphis. It's only because there is an attempt to paint her in a negative light that her community engagement work is under attack. Her creativity in this space should be celebrated, because her work empowered citizens and raised MATA's goodwill and brand. She was doing her job masterfully. Moreover, the policies in place regarding such community efforts preceded Mrs. Mauldin, were approved by her CEO, were supported by her Board, and were a continuation of similar approved activity that preceded her employment with MATA. Her actions were not arbitrary, but an extension of her job to build goodwill and rebuild the damaged MATA Brand. As Deputy and Interim, she had substantial support from the broader community as well as from the bus drivers and its union for her creative approach to transportation, including the launch of a program for college students to earn while training Rogers how to use the digital apps to track busses and map routes. The charge to Monte Blanc was the retirement gift to the former CEO Gary Rosenfeld. When traveling to multiple offices for meeting while visiting legislators, attending transit conferences or trainings, and representing MATA, it is customary for any professional to take an Uber or car service and not rent a car in a strange place or metropolitan area where parking is often hard to find and very expensive. My office is reviewing other charges on Mrs. Mauldin's card that was rarely in her physical possession. The standard operating practice for the credit card was that it was held by the Executive Assistant to the CEO, who would make most required purchases for the entire division, in addition to booking most of her travel arrangements. These charges were then submitted to and approved by the appropriate fiscal officer, who would sign off on the charges. While the practice may not have been ideal, it is the practice that long precede Mrs. Maudlin being asked to 'man the ship' for a short time, with no CFO pay or privilege to match the title. It was under Mrs. Mauldin's short tenure that she ended the contract on the suite with the Grizzlies. It was Mrs. Mauldin that conducted the independent audit that revealed the grave fiscal issues that had been unreported. Mrs. Mauldins produced and presented the first budget and conducted an audit for the first time in several years. Mrs. Mauldin was the 'Whistleblower', which should have afforded her several federal protections for her job. Prior to her assuming the interim seat, she had NO involvement in the fiscal controls of MATA. It is only because of Mrs. Mauldin's dedication to the Citizen's of Memphis, the drivers she supported, coupled with her diligence and bravery to come forward and reveal the truth about the fiscal standing of MATA, are we here today. This is a witch hunt and an attempt lay at years of MATA's woes at the feet of Mrs. Mauldin, which proof will show that she is the victim and a patsy of an embarrassed administration and a non-performing replacement. Trans-Pro didn't blow the lid off the financial misgivings and dated /lacking policies and controls, it was Mrs. Baccara Mauldin. It is Mrs. Mauldin that the public should be thanking for her courage and bravery to tell the truth last fall. If you all would review the timeline of the meetings and presentations and findings of the audit that Mrs. Mauldin had completed, as well as the 'Whistleblower' status that had been assigned to her by MATA's prior legal counsel, who was abruptly fired by John Lewis of Trans Pro, after being advised during her short tenure, it will show that her goal as exhibited by her exemplary efforts to get an audit, produce financials for the first time in over 18 months, was to Right the Ship and not simply Man The Ship, as she had been charged by her Board. Her story will prove to be groundbreaking as this saga unfolds with pending litigation as soon as my client is recovered and released from her doctor's care and released from FMLA. HER Story is forthcoming and what a revealing story it will be. John Lewis' attempts to garner fame on the back of Bacarra Mauldin will be short lived. She opened MATA's books and not TransPro. Their focus should be on performing the requirements of their 1.2 Million contract and not withholding the legal earnings of a sick and disabled employee while out on approved Family Medical Leave while recovering from a very difficult surgery, with no due process, spewing allegations filled with slander and libel to shock the conscience of an unassuming community that's often distracted from the facts by sensationalized news. Like many others, they will come, get paid, and go, leaving public transit no better, while the victim who was actually making real progress has her character assassinated in the news. While some of the choices made may be unpopular, none are illegal nor a knowing and willful violation of MATA policy. She was not afforded any grace, nor time to grow into the role, as any new job would require, she has been left to the wolves. But her day for Justice will come. If you need anything further, I will be happy to address your concerns, after my client is well and recovered from her illness. I ask that the media respect the directions of her medical team, and allow her the appropriate time to heal. Please find attached her Approved FMLA documentation for your records. She was and has been on leave since these unfortunate inflammatory allegations were first levied. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Tobacco, jewelry store, more charges found on MATA's credit card
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Thousands spent at Target, Amazon and Best Buy. Thousands more in catering and dinners. WREG investigators found some interesting charges on the Memphis Area Transit Authority's executive credit cards including a tobacco shop and a local jewelry store. We uncovered eight years worth of monthly credit card statements detailing just how MATA was spending your taxpayer money. ► Part One of this series: MATA credit cards show thousands spent on domestic, international travel We asked for these credit card statements back in September when MATA announced it was in a $60 million dollar deficit and again this year. With help from the Reporter's Committee for the Freedom of the Press, MATA turned them over per the Tennessee Records Act. Since 2017, you can see the number of food-related charges we tallied drastically spiked in 2022 and 2023. The totals include dinners as well as catering bills. We saw more than $4,600 spent at Chick-fil-A, $1,200 at Panera, and around $2,900 at Torchys. Thousands more was spent at Subway and Pizza shops. Hundreds more were spent on dinners, some charged on the former Deputy C.E.O. and former interim C.E.O. Bacarra Mauldin's card at Folk's Folly Prime Steakhouse, Fancy's Fish House, and Coastal Fish. Other charges we found include $5,600 dollars between December 2017 through 2024 just for flowers. Thousands more were spent at Target, Best Buy, Amazon, and Party City. The statements didn't break down what was purchased. They also don't explain these charges — in October 2019, $148 was spent at a tobacco shop in Washington D.C. Two years later, $823 was spent at Mednikow Jewelers for a 'jewelry repair/sale,' and in January 2024, $1,100 at Mont Blanc, which sells designer ballpoint pens. We also saw charges at Top Golf, bowling alleys, and more than $1,000 at a bar on Beale. There were even bigger expenses, like in January 2018, during the same time as Elvis Presley's birthday event was taking place. There were two charges totaling almost $20,000 dollars at Graceland's hotel, the Guest House. In 2022, we totaled around $16,000 was spent at AutoZone Park. Then in 2023, MATA's board unanimously approved a FedExForum box suite, which brought its marketing contract with the Memphis Grizzlies to $500,000. The credit card statements show another $27,000 dollars was spent at FedExForum on food and drinks. Statements show popcorn, soda, mac and cheese, sliders and chicken tenders were charged to the company card. MATA spent millions on new office, furniture, Grizzlies suite, more All the while, bus riders stressed how long it was taking them to get to work. 'A lot of them out here. A lot work at McDonald's. They work at places. They have to get to work,' a MATA bus rider said in 2020. 'It is unacceptable for this transportation to be like it is. It's unacceptable for these bus riders to be going through what they're going through,' a bus rider union rep. Sammie Hunter stated in November 2021. That same month, MATA put $28,000 on their American Express. 'Our transit vision calls for much higher frequencies, but we don't have the funding,' MATA's Director of Planning told us back then. It was a sentiment repeated again and again by MATA officials the next several years. MATA deputy CEO fired after investigation into spending We recently caught up with Hunter. He told us his wait for the bus still takes hours. 'We wanted shelters. We wanted buses and better timing on these routes. We didn't get it,' he said. 'Had they listened to us, we wouldn't be at this point. We wouldn't be where we are now.' MATA's new interim CEO, John Lewis, said his team is questioning $144,000 on the former executives' company credit cards. 'Office supplies, parking, dues and subscriptions,' interim CEO John Lewis told the MATA board in March. He said city officials, as well as the state's Comptroller's Office, have been made aware. Get the latest from the WREG Investigators in your inbox Earlier Tuesday, WREG Investigators published a story about what was spent on travel and hotels that has now lead to a travel ban at MATA. Wednesday at 10, we will share more about what was found on the now-former interim C.E.O.'s card. You can find the stories under the WREG Investigators tab: click here. Also, on our WREG+ App on Apple, Amazon Fire and Roku. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
MATA credit cards show thousands spent on domestic, international travel
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — WREG Investigators uncovered credit card statements from the Memphis Area Transit Authority's executives revealing hundreds of thousands of dollars have been spent on hotels and travel. MATA first denied our request to see the records, but with help from the Reporter's Committee for the Freedom of the Press, they turned them over, because the Tennessee Records Act states these receipts should not be secret. The statements detail how your taxpayer money was spent every month since 2017 using the top executives' American Express credit cards. A good chunk of the items charged were travel-related. MATA's leadership including the chief executive officer and chief administrative officer, and those in charge of security, compliance, trolleys and finances went on some of these trips. Since 2017, multiple flights were booked to these places you see on the map like Atlanta, D.C., Portland, the San Francisco area, Phoenix, Seattle, Dallas, Detroit, Chicago, Orlando and Vegas. MATA spent millions on new office, furniture, Grizzlies suite, more We even found international trips booked using the company card. The former CEO Gary Rosenfeld charged a flight from Turkey to Greece in November 2019, and another trip in June 2023 to Sydney, Australia. The more than $11,000 dollar plane ticket paid for using MATA's credit card points. The former CFO also booked a trip to India in March 2021. That flight cost just under $4,000. We don't know the reason for the international or domestic trips, or if even more trips were booked using other credit cards. Seven months ago, we requested travel expense forms that should give those details. MATA tells us they're still working to gather those records. Between 2017 and 2024, the credit card statements show more than $276,000 was spent on plane and train tickets, seat upgrades, baggage and other collection fees. Then, tack on another almost $439,000 dollars in hotels for the trips. At a council committee meeting earlier this month, MATA's new Interim C.E.O. John Lewis told the council they've made changes to the travel policy. 'We've also instituted a travel ban on non-safety certification related travel,' Lewis said. Lewis works for the outside firm TransPro. The mayor brought them in last August to look at MATA's operations after MATA's previous administration suddenly announced a $60 million dollar deficit. MATA's $60 million deficit: how did we get here? 'Too much of every dollar is spent towards unnecessary administrative functions,' Lewis told reporters. In November 2021, statements show 10 plane tickets to Orlando, Florida were booked for some of MATA's top administrators and board members. There was a transportation conference taking place there that same weekend. The total cost was around $2,200 plus around another $15,000 in hotel rooms. Ten more plane tickets were charged in March 2022. This time it was to Dallas, totaling $3,024 in flights and additional charges. Plus, there was another $13,087 in charges at the Omni Fort Worth in Fort Worth, Texas. Large groups seem to have also taken other trips to Portland, Nashville and Las Vegas. Sometimes, those trips came with additional charges, like more than $1,700 spent at a bowling alley in Franklin, Tennessee and almost $1,000 at a fancy steak house in Vegas. Meanwhile, Memphis buses were running late or not running at all. MATA's new leadership stressed priorities must change. 'Maximize the amount of every dollar that gets put into operations rather than administration. That's been a challenge for this agency up until now,' Lewis said. Get the latest from the WREG Investigators in your inbox Coming up tonight on News Channel 3 Wednesday at 10 p.m., we show you other interesting charges on MATA's company cards. A tobacco shop, a jewelry store and dinners. We'll tell you what else we found. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
10-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Digging deeper into MATA's spending at spa, Amazon and more
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — An investigation into $144,000 in charges racked up on the Memphis Area Transit Authority's executive credit card. It's your taxpayer money, and it's not the only spending being called into question. WREG Investigators have spent months digging deeper into MATA's finances after it announced a $60 million deficit. Friday, the MATA board received a new bombshell by Interim CEO John Lewis. MATA Deputy CEO on leave over misspent funds Lewis works for the outside firm TransPro hired to take a closer look at the transit authority's operations. Lewis claims he's now found questionable spending. 'Office supplies, parking, dues and subscriptions. Substantial amount in travel and meeting expenses. Rent for this building and space,' Lewis said. He said there were other charges on the executive's American Express credit card. WREG Investigators reported on some of the expenses Lewis revealed, like the millions spent when the executive office moved to a downtown high-rise, and another half-million spent on a Grizzlies sponsorship and a suite at FedExForum. MATA spent millions on new office, furniture, Grizzlies suite, more 'This includes concerts, Disney on Ice and whatever might come into it. Anything, but the playoffs,' then-CEO Gary Rosenfeld stated at the May 2023 board meeting when the expense was approved. New reports reveal MATA spent another $20,000 in purchases during those games. Lewis says other expenses he's now questioning are $7,000 spent at Best Buy, $10,000 at Amazon, $10,000 on party equipment and $10,000 more on entertainment items like the spa and Massage on the Go. Also, a $1,200 purchase at Montblanc, which makes designer ballpoint pens. Through the Tennessee Records Act, WREG Investigators requested the credit card statements more than six months ago, as well as other public records to help us understand how MATA has spent your tax dollars. Their attorney told us we would get the info in 'due course.' As of January, our requests for an update have gone unanswered. Memphis officials and the Tennessee Comptroller's office have been made aware of the spending, and the board was informed Mauldin was placed on leave pending what comes from it. 'So I knew that there were some financial challenges, but honestly, I had no idea, the ride that we were about to be on,' Bacarra Mauldin said during an interview in November. 'We're doing an expense review, and we are still do that until this day. We're looking at travel. We're looking at supplies and equipment.' Mauldin held top roles at MATA since 2021. She stepped into the interim CEO role last year. When TransPro took over this year, she became the Deputy CEO. Get the latest from the WREG Investigators in your inbox Mauldin's attorney Vanecia Belser Kimbrow said Friday that Mauldin has been on medical leave, and while the credit card is in her name, it's 'managed by the entire administration.' She assured us more will come out and assured us the expenses are 'business-related.' 'Those expenses were 100% reimbursed as related to the spa treatment by CIGNA insurance as part of the company's health and wellness plan,' Kimbrow said. Lewis also told the board Friday they have found what he called 'deliberate deception' by MATA's leadership. As of late April, he reported one out of every five routes on the schedule didn't actually exist. He said services were cut without a board vote, but MATA still kept the old schedule up. 'The public was deliberately misled,' he said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Positions remain open at Memphis Animal Services, no oversight board yet
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — WREG Investigators have uncovered new information about Memphis Animal Services, and it seems promises haven't been kept. No permanent director has been hired, a dozen positions remain open, and the oversight board has yet to happen. We got a copy of the letter sent Dec. 3 to Ty Coleman. The brief statement let him know his appointment as Memphis Animal Services' executive director had been terminated. Memphis Animal Services Director fired It marked an end to a several-month investigation. In June, a dog died in the MAS outdoor play yard. According to MAS' social media post, it was likely due to heat. From there, more concerns emerged. In January 2024, Coleman's appointment became permanent, and according to records, staff began leaving soon after. Fourteen people resigned during the first half of 2024 including two veterinarians who'd been at MAS for years. One wrote in her resignation letter, 'the environment as it exists is not one I found compatible with my values and processes.' It didn't go into further detail, but another report did. Coleman commissioned a nonprofit last year to assess MAS. The results noted a lack of centralized leadership, guidance, unprofessional culture, issues with operating procedures and disease control protocols. A lengthy list that could have been brought to and addressed by the MAS Advisory Committee. It's an oversight board designed to keep tabs on the shelter to make sure operations are efficient and humane. 'They have not met in some time. They were all appointed by the prior mayor,' Antonio Adams told the council in October. Unclear how often city's animal shelter board actually met MAS' interim director also chimed in. She said they were trying new ways to recruit staff and also requested an outside comprehensive review of operations and procedures. 'Nominations for the advisory board members will be presented at the council's next meeting,' Mary Claire Borys said. It's now February. That has yet to happen. MAS told us in a recent statement, 'We completed our part in the nomination process and are now awaiting final vetting from the mayor's office before presenting the candidates to the city council for approval.' It went on to say the search for a permanent director also remains open as they're 'approaching this search with intention and care.' Add that to the three part-time and nine full-time positions open, including two full-time vets. MAS stated right now, they have a 'part-time vet' remaining on board plus 'regular support from two additional veterinarians with two relief vets assisting as needed.' Get the latest from the WREG Investigators in your inbox Through the Tennessee Records Act, we found out MAS has only hired three people between August and January — two animal care techs and a marketing and communications person — despite the long list of openings 'The stray population has been an issue in Memphis for several years now,' animal advocate Suzy Hollenbach stated. She's with All 4s Rescue League. She and other animal advocates have told us time and time again, there has to be more resources and staff dedicated to the shelter to really get to the root issues. 'We need to focus on spay and neuter,' Hollenbach said. Otherwise, there's concern the shelter will be overwhelmed and tragedies will happen like what we saw last month. MAS was forced to euthanize 100 dogs due to a distemper outbreak. Nearly 100 dogs euthanized at Memphis animal shelter due to distemper outbreak In his weekly news blast, the mayor begged the community to stop with the 'negative comments.' He stated staff at MAS is working hard and 'deserve your respect.' The shelter has since opened back up. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
