COEUR d'ALENE - Emotions were heated Tuesday night at the monthly meeting for the Kootenai Humane Society board of directors, where members of the public demanded answers for the recent turnover of three KHS executive directors.

Of the roughly 30 who filled the meeting room at the Coeur d'Alene Police Department, some were staff and volunteers defending the Humane Society's mission.

But many were investors in the nonprofit who worried about it being run responsibly.

Some who spoke of making constant and hefty donations questioned where the money was going, after the board has fired three executive directors of the no-kill shelter in the past three years.

"That seems like a lot of changes in a short period of time," said Susan Bourbon, who didn't mention if she has made donations.

Former KHS Executive Director Phil Morgan was removed from the position in 2010, after four and a half years on the job. Rondi Renaldo who replaced him was let go after less than two years in the role. Dori Peck who replaced her was fired this month, less than a year after she was hired.

Board President Andy Smith said there are many complications with finding a suitable person to manage and fundraise for the no-kill shelter.

While he wasn't able to fully spell out why people were let go, Smith said Morgan was a "professional who came with a professional salary," and that his fundraising didn't bring in enough to balance out that compensation.

"(Morgan's) reason for leaving was primarily that," Smith said.

He added that the pool of affordable individuals with the experience, business acumen and fundraising abilities for the position is small. The nonprofit's budget has forced the board to hire people who aren't at such a professional level, he said, who the board has to mentor.

"The board spent six months with Peck trying to get her up to speed," Smith said. "To the point the board asked two board members to spend time with her to educate and train, bring her to the level that was needed, and unfortunately, it didn't get there."

He added that information that Peck had broken fundraising records wasn't true.

Some were still dissatisfied.

Barb Neal commented to the volunteer board members that if they hire an individual, they must have confidence in that employee.

"If you hire a person to lead, should you not as a board let that person lead?" she said. "Is it the position of the board to mandate their operations?"

Ann Newquist-Sucherman of Coeur d'Alene said the nonprofit could lose donations over the organization's questionable stability.

"Where is the leadership? You have to hire someone and give them permission to lead," she said. "The community has to have a hook to hang their financial donations on."

Smith emphasized that handling donations responsibly is a priority for the board. If any employees aren't handling donors' assets correctly, he added, "we take care of it."

When Neal asked if an employee has mismanaged KHS funds, he said he couldn't answer such specific questions about personnel.

He added that the board is all ears, if members of the public have suggestions of how to better manage KHS staff.

"What ought we do when leaders we trust to lead don't lead?" he said.

Volunteers and staff in the crowd chided the complainers for nitpicking. They encouraged members of the public to pitch in more themselves if they wanted to see improvements.

Donations are clearly going to feed and treat animals, KHS workers pointed out.

"It's not about who the director is," said staff member Brad Nelson. "What matters is are the animals getting (helped?) Are smiles being put on children's faces? That's happening."

Smith said a search committee will likely be formed to find Peck's replacement.

Salaries for KHS executive directors have been based on what comparative nonprofits pay, he added.

If the board members don't gauge how financial and time investments are furthering the nonprofit's mission, Smith said, "we're not doing our jobs."