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Animal control service, kennel cost and weekend coverage remain unresolved
Summary
The board discussed the town’s animal control arrangements: an intermunicipal shared service has provided weekday coverage but lacks weekend availability; a candidate willing to work weekends requires a local kennel, and a quoted kennel cost of $8,772 has delayed signing of housing and renewal agreements.
The Clinton Town Board discussed animal control coverage and a pending kennel/housing arrangement needed to secure weekend service.
A year ago the town’s SPCA contract ended and the town joined a shared-service arrangement with several nearby towns for animal control. That arrangement has provided weekday coverage but the contracted person does not work weekends, and the board said the town receives many weekend calls. A candidate willing to serve as the animal control officer on weekends told board members they would provide the service only if the town provided kennel housing nearby; the kennel quote the board received was $8,772, about eight times the cost of the standard dog-housing agreement the town had used, and that price difference has delayed signing a housing agreement and renewal of the shared-service contract.
The board reported a discussion with contracted providers and said the person in negotiation will attempt to find a more reasonably priced kennel. The housing agreement that the town uses with the shared-service provider requires approximately $1,000 up-front (as recited in the meeting) and additional per-dog fees; a board member observed that purchasing a kennel could pay back over time but raised questions about ownership if that officer later leaves.
Ending
Board members said they expected further information at the next regular meeting and that the town might have a resolution on kennel housing and weekend coverage imminently.
