It didn't take long for the Black Hills Humane Society board of directors to move forward from the resignation of former executive director Steve Hawley.

Hawley resigned after allegations against him were proven to have no merit. His resignation came after only five short weeks on the job.

After Hawley's resignation, it was noted the board of directors would cast a nationwide net to find the best candidate for the job and get the humane society back on track after years of upheaval.

Incredibly, only days after Hawley's resignation, Rapid City's Melissa Foxworth was hired as the new executive director. So much for a nationwide search.

And that surprisingly fast hire has drawn questions. Foxworth was an applicant for the executive director position when Hawley was hired. Three former employees have since waged allegations of a plot to unseat the last two directors of the humane society, including one - former operations manager Kim Berger - who said that Hawley was targeted for removal so that humane society board president Katy Stulc could hire her "friend" Foxworth. It was Stulc who said there would be a nationwide search for a new director - and then hired Foxworth. Stulc and Foxworth deny they are friends, but that Stulc has boarded her pet at Foxworth's Safe Haven Pet Resort.

Two employees have resigned since Foxworth's hiring, and her "quick hire" is unfortunately curious. A clean, productive start to her new position will be difficult, given these circumstances.

Sound like a bad daytime drama?

It does to us, too, and that's what is so bothersome about the quick announcement that a new executive director had been put in place without a national search and without any external review of the problems within the humane society.

An outside audit is needed. While the humane society board of directors indicated it is investigating the issues, the group has had limited success in the past. And, frankly, the board - or at least some members - may be part of the problem, including Stulc, who has been board president throughout this entire fiasco. It would be best if she step down, to allow this organization to regroup with a fresh start.

Donations are likely to be affected by the reports of this dysfunctional operation; we can only hope that the quality of care for the animals is not.

The Black Hills Humane Society plays an important role in Rapid City and the surrounding counties. Because taxpayer's money and private donations provide a good deal of the operational revenue at the humane society, a city or county board should step in and review the entire operation.

An internal investigation is not the solution.