ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Minutes/January 9, 2013
The January meeting of the Animal Advisory Committee (AAC) was held on Wednesday, January 9, 2013, in the Small Meeting Room at Town Hall.
Attending: Roger Dumas, Martin Haspel, Joanne Baldauf
Interested person Ginger Kimler
Chair Martin Haspel called the meeting to order at 6:40 pm.
A motion made by Roger Dumas and seconded by Martin Haspel to approve the minutes of the November 7, 2012, meeting as edited passed unanimously.
Old Business: None
New Business:
Chair Haspel noted that he had spoken with the Town Clerk regarding the new state animal control regulations and its effect on the town. If a matter concerning animals comes before the Board of Selectmen regarding change in regulations, legal issues, etc., the current law is researched at this point and the BOS are notified.
Roger Dumas briefed the AAC on his research and comparison of the old and new state regulations. One particular area of concern was the definition of a "nuisance" dog in the current town regulations. Chair Haspel related that a town by-law can be changed at the Annual Town Meeting by petition. It is then approved or rejected by the BOS and the FinCom prior to itsbeing placed on the warrant. After several attempts to change the wording from OR to AND in the definition of a "nuisance" dog and including the words "•••disturb a reasonable person•••" were not approved, the AAC did not feel obligated to file a petition for consideration for this year's town warrant, but chose to wait.
After a discussion of changing the day of the Committee's meeting, the next meeting was set for Thursday, February 7,
2013, in the Small Meeting Room at Town Hall.
A motion by Joanne Baldauf and seconded by Roger Dumas to adjourn was passed unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 7:15 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Joanne Baldauf
Clerk
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