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Select Board hears pitch to join nine-town animal-control consortium
Summary
Sheriff Mark Anderson presented a regional animal-control program that would make Londonderry the 10th participating town; the service is currently budgeted at about $50,000 across nine towns and an estimated $3.51 per capita assessment was cited as an example.
Sheriff Mark Anderson told the select board he is offering Londonderry the option to join a nine-town animal-control consortium that delivers a part‑time animal-control officer and related services.
Anderson said the consortium currently operates on a roughly $50,000 annual budget and that costs are spread on a per-capita basis. "Our current budget is about $50,000," he said, adding the program typically funds a part‑time position (about 22 hours per week) to handle animal‑welfare calls, evidence gathering and support for towns in court. Anderson said the program also provides training and a model ordinance to participating towns.
Board members asked for budget detail and spoke in favor of municipal sharing to reduce individual town costs. Anderson described the program as an "insurance policy" for towns that lack capacity and said membership typically becomes effective July 1, with assessment calculated off the 2020 census. He urged the board to consider embedding the assessment in the select‑board budget to ensure continuity.
