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Lewisboro board approves dog‑training agreement but requires insurance review before use
Summary
The Lewisboro Town Board approved a one‑year license for a dog trainer to use Arnold Truax Farm Park, while requiring the trainer to supply an insurance policy acceptable to the town before any on‑site activity begins. Board members cited recent legal changes and public safety concerns.
The Lewisboro Town Board voted July 13 to approve a one‑year license allowing a dog trainer to operate individual, step‑by‑step training sessions at Arnold Truax Farm Park, but the trainer cannot begin activities until the town accepts her insurance coverage.
The trainer, Martha Goodman, described the program as one‑on‑one instruction: “The training I do is… it’s individual, very step‑by‑step,” she said, adding that dogs only transition to off‑leash work after the handler and dog meet specified benchmarks. Goodman told the board she typically works with one dog and its handler at a time and that she avoids large events and other park users while training.
Several board members pushed for a formal insurance review before Goodman could use town property. One member said the law in New York changed in 2025 and now allows claims based on negligence as well as strict liability, creating new exposure for municipalities. That member urged the board to review the trainer’s actual policy wording, not just a certificate of insurance, to confirm coverages and exclusions.
Board members and staff discussed options for protecting the town, including making the town an additional insured under the trainer’s policy and verifying whether personal homeowner policies or commercial general liability policies apply. The board also raised questions about deposit and inspection procedures tied to a $500 security/damage deposit included in the draft agreement.
The motion to approve the one‑year license carried with conditions: the vendor must present a policy that satisfies the town and the town attorney before the trainer may begin using the park. The board recorded one abstention during the final vote; members said the abstention related to unresolved liability questions.
The board instructed counsel and staff to review the policy language and return any necessary edits to the agreement before the trainer’s on‑site activities commence.
What’s next: The trainer will not begin operations until the town has reviewed and accepted the insurance policy; staff and counsel will report back to the board with any recommended contract edits or requirements.
