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Selectboards discuss shared animal control and shared health agent; agree to refine contract language and refer health hours to Board of Health
Summary
Officials reviewed a draft intermunicipal agreement to share animal control services and a proposal to share a part‑time health agent. Boards favored a 90‑day effective notice for termination of the animal control IMA, asked administrators to refine cost splits and coverage details, and agreed to refer health‑agent scheduling to the Board of Health for recommendation.
Selectboard members and administrators on June 3 discussed a proposed intermunicipal agreement to share animal control services and a separate proposal to share public health agent hours between neighboring towns.
On animal control, administrators said the draft IMA would split salary and operating costs among participating towns, include shared responsibility for vehicle replacement, and require tracking of calls and coverage. Officials flagged a termination provision that would end the agreement “immediately” if a town adopted bylaws or regulations affecting animal control; several members said immediate termination would be punitive. After discussion the board expressed support for replacing “immediately” with a fixed notice period; participants suggested 90 days as an acceptable compromise.
Coverage gaps were a central concern. Officials discussed backup options for vacations and sick leave (calling neighboring towns, recruiting a dedicated ACO, or offering stipends to part‑time/retired workers) and noted practical limits on police departments providing routine ACO coverage. One administrator reported approximate budget figures for animal control: roughly $28,000 total, about $21,000 in salary and nearly $4,000 in stipends; the ACO also receives $75 per weekend call and higher holiday rates (figures were discussed as approximations to be refined).
On public health, the boards reviewed a proposed shared health‑agent arrangement in which the town would contribute up to seven hours per week to a shared agent while maintaining the agent’s existing hours and duties locally. Administrators said funding for the shared health hours would come from a public health grant account. Members agreed to refer scheduling and hour‑allocation questions to their respective Boards of Health for recommendations before both selectboards take final action.
Participants agreed there was general merit to regionalizing some services to achieve cost savings and more consistent coverage while staff return to both boards with revised contract language, detailed cost splits and coverage plans for final consideration.
