Chapel Hill Herald January 22, 2004 CHAPEL HILL -- Retired professor Elliot Cramer, an outspoken critic of the Animal Protection Society of Orange County, can once again visit the animal shelter the group runs on behalf of Orange County. The APS has lifted a year-old trespass order that barred Cramer from entering the shelter. "We just figured it was a new year and we were going to try to see if we could start the year fresh and see if everybody could get along," said Ann Petersen, the APS board's newly-elected president. Cramer said Wednesday that he approved of the board's action. "I'm certainly pleased that they have done this," he said. Petersen wrote a letter to Cramer notifying him of the change. "In the spirit of cooperation and starting anew with the new year, the [APS] board has voted to lift the trespass order on you," Petersen wrote. "You are therefore no longer prohibited from entering our premises in a peaceful and orderly manner." Cramer responded on Wednesday by sending an e-mail to board members. "I appreciate your desire to start the year fresh, removing your trespass order two weeks before your new county contract, reserving trespass rights to [County Manager] John Link, required you to do so," Cramer wrote. Last January, Cramer received a letter from then-President Pat Beyle, then-Executive Director Laura Walters and Shelter Manager Nicole Carper that claimed Cramer had "accessed or attempted to access" areas "clearly marked as off limits to the public" and warned him not to come onto shelter premises. Since then, Walters has resigned as executive director and been replaced by interim director Susan Cooke, a former APS board member. Petersen was elected board president earlier this month. Cramer's e-mail made it clear he remains a critic of the APS. "In the same spirit of cooperation, I renew my offer to share with [Cooke] my concerns about the continued failure to vaccinate animals in a timely manner," he wrote. "The excuses offered by your staff are uninformed as I will be happy to demonstrate to her." Cramer also noted that he's looking forward to attending APS board meetings, and expressed hope that the board would discuss issues in the open rather than in closed session. Cramer and activist Judith Reitman have been embattled in a legal controversy with APS and Walters for about a year. The pair sued APS to see board minutes, membership lists and financial records, contending that as members of the organization they had a right to see them. Walters and the APS filed a countersuit accusing Cramer and Reitman of libel and slander. Reitman and Cramer have also called for new shelter management. Orange County Commissioners hired an outside agency, the Humane Society of the United States, to evaluate the operations of the shelter, which is off Airport Road in Chapel Hill. A 156-page report released in the fall recommended hundreds of changes. While APS is working to make some of the suggested changes, the commissioners formed a 12-member Animal Shelter Operations Task Force to make recommendations on the report by March. Its first meeting is noon Friday at the Government Services Center in Hillsborough. -- Related articles APS dispute back in court today : Two critics are seeking access to membership lists, records (November 17, 2003) APS may operate shelter for now : Manager eyes bids, wants nonprofit in charge through June (November 15, 2003) APS membership decision delayed : 2nd judge to tackle issue after 2 critics win documents ruling (October 14, 2003) APS lawsuit about improving shelter (August 31, 2003) APS should cooperate about shelter (July 5, 2003) APS must go on for the animals (March 25, 2003) _____________________________________________________ Animal shelter opens up to critic By Dan Schwind Assistant City Editor January 23, 2004 Just one year after being barred from the county animal shelter on a trespass order, Animal Protection Society critic Elliot Cramer visited the shelter Thursday after the organization lifted the order. "I'm delighted," said Cramer, who took the opportunity to visit and talk with Susan Cooke, interim executive director of the shelter. "We had a very pleasant chat." Cramer said he received a letter from Ann Petersen, newly elected APS board president, saying the organization was ready to "start the new year fresh." Cooke echoed the sentiments in Petersen's letter, saying she felt this would be a step forward in improving relations between the two parties. "I think we're all trying to start off on the right foot," Cooke said. "I hope they consider it a positive step." But Cramer said he wasn't sure if APS had the right motives. "I think for public relations it looks better for them to lift it than for me to just walk in on the first." APS' new contract with the county, which takes effect Feb. 1, states the organization cannot trespass individuals but only can ask the county to trespass people. This was not the first time Cramer has visited the shelter since the trespass order was put in place. Cramer and his attorney Barry Nakell visited the shelter Dec. 1 after a judge ordered shelter officials to grant Cramer access to files regarding financial records, membership lists and board minutes. When Cramer visited the shelter today, he said he did the same thing that got him trespassed the first time around. While at the shelter, he accidentally entered a restricted area for employees. An employee then approached him and informed him the area was supposed to be restricted, but someone had forgotten to put the chain up to cordon the area off. "That's the same sort of thing that happened before," Cramer said. There is still no word as to whether Cramer can renew his membership, but he said he's not sure he would take advantage of the opportunity should it present itself. "I'd have to think about that," Cramer said. "I know a number of people who have let their memberships lapse." Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu. _____________________________________________________