Article 2007-20 Purchase and Equip Animal Control Vehicle

[shawn_oneil]

Article 2007-20 Purchase and Equip Animal Control Vehicle

If Article 2007-19 does not pass, to see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of Sixteen Thousand Six Hundred Thirty-six Dollars ($16,636) to purchase and equip a vehicle for the Danville Animal Control. This article is in addition to Warrant Article 2007-19, the operating budget. (Majority vote required)
Recommended by the Board of Selectmen
Not Recommended by the Budget Committee
Estimated Tax Impact: $0.04 per $1000 assessed value.

[AlfredTwo]

What sort of special equipment does this vehicle require?

[curt]

My notes from the discussion at the deliberative session on 2/3/07:
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Article 20 aco vehicle

Sheila
Hard tohear her
Using own vehicle
Shares old dodge van with Leon if available

400 calls in 2006, picking up dogs, wildlife investigations nhspca

Puts own pets in jeopardy with own vehicle

Has gone to car dealerships to try to get a donation

Chip why budcom no

Tom – there is a vehicle there, only need article to pass, aco part of pd, already going for 2 vehicles, felt 3rd not appropriate

Sheila lgc says aco should have a vehicle

Bob m – brought home to me when previous aco came to board, had to get mangy mutt out of swamp, required complete cleanout of her vehicle.
Tried to work with existing van, had to junk.
I really see the need to have a separate aco vehicle

John r – asked Sheila, other towns have own aco vehicle

Chip question re mileage
She gets mileage, it’s the cleaning

Man is this figure based on quote for new vehicle?
Did not hear answer

No other discussion

[curt]

Letter from Sheila in today's Carriage Towne News
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To the Editor:

Take the bite out of Animal Control

As another year passes, the Danville Animal Control Department still continues to use their own personal vehicles to respond to calls. Danville’s Animal Control Department is comprised of one Animal Control Officer (ACO) and, beginning in 2007, an Assistant ACO (Stefanie Dube). The ACO works on as as-needed, on-call, 24/7. We are paid by the call at an hourly rate. In 2006, the ACO responded to, and resolved, more than 400 calls and complaints that involved everything from lost dogs/cats, abandoned animals, rabid animals, injured animals, loose horses and incidents of animal cruelty.

Some dogs/cats that have been picked up are covered with mud, fleas and ticks. Some have diseases that can be transmitted to our own pets and family such as rabies, ring worm and mange. Our calls can be from anything from a domestic animal call to a wildlife call.

The cleaning of our vehicles, gas, and maintenance related to animal rescue and transport of animals is not reimbursed by the town. So, if one was to get a flat tire, need an oil change, clean out the vehicle or flea bomb it, it would be at our own expense. When I took this job, we had a van that the ACO could use. Previous Selectmen decided that we could share this van with the town maintenance department for town use as well. The van was not in great shape back then. The van had a lot of body rust, the steering was unpredictable on the road, and you had to leave it running while you were on a call or would have to jump start it again.

Our equipment was moved back and forth from the van as well. When you arrived to get the van the chances were it might be there or might not be there. If it was not there then you needed to take your own car and place what you needed into your own vehicle. The van was taken off the road last year because of its dilapidated condition and the expense to repair it was not cost effective.

The lack of a town-issued vehicle for animal control presents a health concern for myself, my family, and my own pets.

Again this year, we are asking for your support. I have throughout the year, on my own time, personally solicited residents and dealerships for car donations to no avail. Our town continues to grow and over 700 dogs were licensed this year, which is double that from the previous year. This year we have put forth a warrant article for an ACO vehicle and would appreciate your support.

Please Vote Yes on Article 2007-20 and Yes on Article 2007-21.

Sheila Johannesen
Animal Control Officer
Danville

[curt]

There was also a letter in the print edition of the CTN from the assistant ACO, Stefanie Dube.

[Resident]

Why so much money for a used truck? If you are only transporting animals, wouldn't a stripped down minivan be the way to go?

[curt]

According to an article in today's Eagle Tribune, a van has been donated to the town for ACO use by Safeway Training and Transportation of Kingston, subject to approval by the selectmen. Safeway transports children with special needs to area schools. The owners of the company are Joyce and George Korn. They have to retire their vans after 250,000 miles. The donated van is a 1999 Dodge Ram wagon. It is worth about $4,600. A few small adjustments would be made, including a floor lining and a separation cage.

[Chris Lauria]

Will it have to be painted with the Danville Police graphics as well?

I voted for the van. It's crazy that she has to use her own vehicle.

If we are going to have an ACO they should have their own vehicle or just abolish the position all together.

[curt]

Does anybody know, did the selectmen approve this on Monday evening?

[curt]

??????

Somebody must be able to answer. One of the selectmen???

[Emmanuel Fardella]

Yes, this van was accepted by the BOS and the van is now in service. I don't know if the van will be marked up to answer Chris' question. If it is, that money has to come out of ACO budget and with a default budget, I don't believe there is money allocated for it. They don't paint the decals like the old black and white cars were, they are placed on their professionally. I believe that the van will be left as is (all white) but that is for ACO to decide. She knows better what funds are in her budget.