Jill Baldwin, who presented the animal-control budget at the June 24 finance meeting, asked the committee to approve a staffing change that would replace per-diem kennel workers with one full-time and one part-time employee and to create a separate veterinary expense line in the department budget.

Baldwin said the department now pays per-diem kennel workers roughly $55 per call and that shifting to scheduled hourly staff would improve oversight and likely reduce outlays. "Paying them $55 for that, well, we could be paying them a base salary; paying them a base salary is gonna save us some money," she told the committee.

The proposed budget includes a department head salary (unchanged in principle) and a full-time warden at $18 per hour (about $37,000 annually) plus a part-time kennel worker budgeted at roughly $15.50 per hour for about 728 hours a year ($10,815 projected). The presentation separates "animal care" (supplies) and a new "veterinary medical expense" line, the latter proposed at $14,000 to cover vaccines, medication and emergency vet visits; Baldwin said the health committee is also considering contracting with a local veterinarian for those services.

Baldwin said the department plans to continue holding stray animals for 10 days as required, after which animals may be rehomed or euthanized; she noted adoption would reduce euthanasia and could provide modest revenue to help cover costs. She also told the committee that a restricted fund (Fund 460) must be spent on spay/neuter programs and that the department would look for state assistance or grant money to support recycling events and other one-off costs.

Baldwin asked the board to consider intergovernmental agreements so municipalities that rely on county animal-control services would contribute to call-out costs; she said such agreements had been used historically but are not in place now. The committee did not take a formal vote; Baldwin said she will deliver a duty list and follow up on potential vet-contract terms and on establishing clear policies for adoption and fostering.