Don't. All right. Good evening everyone. It's um 6 o'clock. I'm going to call the select board meeting to order at 6:00. Um our agenda tonight, we'll start with the public comment session followed by a
dangerous dog hearing to begin at 6:05 and we have the approval of meeting minutes for three meetings on June 3rd, June 24th, and July 3rd, 2025. appointments, wetlands protection act funds regarding
the 2025 legal fees and discussion on the removal of the Norway spruce trees in the front of the town hall and discussion on the town hall featured artist mural. An update on 473 High Street.
Um, anybody in the public here that would like to speak to something that is not on the agenda? Did you raise your hand? No. Oh, okay. No one does that. What do you mean wave? All right. There being none, we will.
We will take the approval of minutes out of order. They look good to me. Is there a motion to So I move that we accept the meeting minutes from June 3rd, 2025,
June 24th, 2025, and July 3rd, 2025. Second. Is there any discussion, modifications, changes? Recommend being none. All those in favor? I I good.
Okay, we've got three more minutes. What can we do in three minutes? You want to do the appointment? Sure. Y do that. For appointments, too. We have a motion. We have a motion. Yes.
What about on the back? Do we have any appointments? I'm sorry. This was about the wetland. Yeah, I know. I brought appointments. I don't think Do we have appointments? We do.
Sorry. It was in our packet. Well, let's do the wetlands protection act. Okay. So, there's a request by the conservation commission to use um $1,900 from the wetlands protection funds in
the wetland bylaw fund for legal fees um having to do with looking into the title search for a land acquisition on um lower mass and using these funds requires approval
by the software board. Do we usually farm that out to like like Brian Faulk's firm to do that title look? So it's sort of in-house in that sense. Yeah. Okay. They've been working on it. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Pretty standard and less
than 2500 bucks is that this 1900 is going to cover that expense. It's going to cover a portion of the expense. Okay. Yeah. All right. I move to approve the Dunable Conservation Commission expend uh $1,900
from the Wetlands Protection Act fund in wetlands wetland bylaw fund for legal fee expenses associated with certification of title searches required for acquisition of the Gold Wife 1.3
acre lot. Lot number 13670 on lower Massipog. Second. Any further discussion? None. All those in favor? I I I
Great. Thank you. You could make a motion to approve the appointments. Okay. Um, continue to capture dated July 15, 2025. Where is that? At the end, right? That is right before the wetland
protection. Okay. those bad boys. No, you can just as dated as of Okay, that is on this. You can use Let me just
So, the two um new appointments for the tax committee is the new treasure collector and Robert is the new chair of the assessors. Excellent. Okay. Okay. All right. All right. I'm going to
move I move to appoint town officials, board, and committee members as presented in the document entitled appointments, staff, committees, boards, and commissions dated July 15, 2025.
Uh second. Any further discussion? All those in favor? I I I That's it for the appointments. Okay. All right. It is 606. So we can go back in line with our
agenda and we will go back to the dangerous dog hearing. So it's very specific procedure that needs to happen for this. So I will open dangerous dog hearing. Is it 606?
Okay. I'll read the advertisement. Town of Dunville dangerous dog hearing. Notice is hereby given that under general laws chapter 140 section 157 the town of Dunible hold the dangerous dog hearing on Tuesday July 15 2025 at 6:05 p.m. at Dunible Town Hall 511 Main
Street. Determine whether the dog that resides at 139 on Pawn Street is a nuisance or is dangerous. All interested persons are invited to attend. Is John with us? John is on his way. He's not here yet,
though. He just That's who called me. I just set up. Yes. Okay. Well, need to have him here because he's part of this. I think I think she can swear in some of these people. Okay. All right. Well, we can the other folks while we're waiting for John.
Sure. I think you can weigh in as as he comes in, but we're taking a photo for him. Is David Hopkins here? Good evening. Hi. I'm just going to swear you in. I'm sorry. I'm just going to swear you in or
um if you could just raise your right hand and then do you swear the information you're about to provide is the truth. The entire truth. Okay, before you testify, want to um also do
okay, do you swear the information you're providing to testify? Okay. Erica, do you swear the information you're about to provide, if you provide the entire truth and nothing else?
Thank you. John is here. Okay. And do you swear the information you will provide is the truth. The entire truth is John. Sure.
Your right hand. Do you swear the information you're about to provide to the entire Yes. Yes. Chief. Chief want to get sworn just in case
the information you thought to provide is the truth. The entire truth and nothing but the truth. If you think you don't have something information, anyone else? All right. Thank you.
Okay. And then Mr. Mo. All right. So, um, as you all know, you're all here for this that I assume for the day dog hearing. Um, fortunately, we're back here again. But I guess we will start with the
complaintants concerns followed by the defendants's concerns and then the dog operation. Good evening. Again, I'm Hawkins and I don't think anybody um who's at this meeting dealing with this
matter really wants to be here. But it is an issue that needs your attention. I'm not here to ask the board to euthanize this dog, nor am I here to ask the board to remove the dog from its
owner. I am here to ask the board to insist that own the dog's owner, Mr. Do keep that dog under restraint at all time. Bill needs to understand that the dog needs to be on a leash before it
goes outside, before it gets out of the truck. The dog is aggressive. You use the term dangerous or a nuisance. I don't know what dangerous is until tragedy happens. A can of gasoline
is not dangerous until somebody drops a match by it. The dog has attacked my young Labrador four times aggressively. I'm convinced that at one time he would
have killed my pup if if Bill and myself were not successful in pulling him off. I walked regularly around the mass pog area. I have the right to walk safely without
looking over my shoulder for a dog. Uh, Phil needs to do the responsible thing and keep that dog restrained. I may also note that I was on street when a lineman got out of his truck and
the dog flew at him. Bill was right behind him. But if the lineman wasn't successful in getting into the truck, you would have been dealing with a human issue rather than a dog or dog issue. So my urge tonight is to stress that dog
must be restrained. Bill must learn how to handle that dog before some tragedy happens. There are more kids. I'm at 325 Pawn Street in that area than they have been in the 30 years I lived there. They go down on bicycles. They walk up high
street with fishing poles before tragedy happens. We have to do something. Thank you for your time. I have I have a question. The incidents that you just explained um a national grid lineman.
I think it was a a cable lineman a utility provider. Yes. And the attack on your dog. Yes. That's happened now multiple times. Okay. In each of those instances, was the aggressive dog, which I think his
name's Max, was Max on a leash or a rope or restraint or he was not. So, he had free run to go chase the cable guy or the utility guy. Yes. Okay. He has a just
I'm Mr. Williams attorney's attorney for almost two years. He asked me to speak for tonight. We don't speak as well. Um, can I just before you do that for the information you're about to provide is the truth?
Yeah. I just wanted to clarify, be sure I understand. I read a couple of written complaints that Mr. to put in. And I know on both of those he mentioned about breaking up the dog and he just told me tonight that Bill helped him break up fight with the dogs or whatever you want
to call. Um on those instances, were you actually kick you mentioned you were kicking Max to break up? Well, I was kicking and yelling and screaming at the dog. Bill was pulling him off. Okay. And you mentioned after two of these incidents
the first two incidents occurred. I didn't like this just happened and and Max didn't like you while you were kicking. Excuse me. You conversation needs to come through the board nodding. I just want to inquire if Max was being kicked or you know somehow
you removed from the scuffle with the other dog Mr. Hawkins. He never bit Mr. Hawkins. Correct. Not to my knowledge. I don't believe that it's been reported. And is there I know Mr. Hawkins has
mentioned a few incidents. Um Mr. recalls an incident when um Max Hawkins dogs Max was playing with aggressively bit um Max just Mr. Hawkins. Do you acknowledge that? Do you
remember that? Mr. M could tell you about that initially when it was attacked by dogs. We don't have a report for that. There's no report. We have to act the confines, but we have to act.
It wasn't really a fight. Um, you know, I socialized Max quite a bit when he was the puppy and I walked to the mall. He went to dog training school. He we have a lot of we have a good size family with
young children in the family and uh I walked the back in this particular incident when Max was probably about 6 months old or whatever. I was walking the back trail leaving my property and Mr. Hawkins was coming down the trail as
well. This is up on the bridge and Max always played with other dogs. He Erica would tell you that in the sense that I don't think Erica could probably make a statement that Max dog and he had played
many many times and in this particular situation Max just thought that he was going to be playing with Hawkins dog and went over and they his dog pounds right on Max Mr. Hawkins and I broke it up real quick.
So that's kind of like a scar in my dog's head because he was brought into a lot of places like Waterfield, you know, Tesla Mall and other places and in Nash K9
and he's he's played with a lot of dog without any issues and he became very friendly and just wanted to play play and there was an incident then that Max learn that, hey, look at if I come up and play, I can get
hurt. Um, Max is not a vicious dog at all. I can prove that. Very not vicious at all. And when Mr. Hawkins calls him vicious, this is a dog fight. When this dog fight happened, Mr. Hawkins's dogs
were off the leash. My dog was off the leash. The unfortunate situation out of this whole thing is I give rightaways pass my property. You know Max probably thinks two things. One is territorial
and second of all is the fact that I am a senior and Max has been raised to watch over me. For example, when I go walking the trails or particularly on Pawn Street, the uh I
don't hear a thing even with my hearing aids as I was here the last time. I couldn't even hear you with my hearing aids and I had to move up closer. Hearing aids don't give me a distance, you know, ability to hear. So when Max
is trained that when a car, let's say I'm walking back to my home on North Street and my back is let's say to the mailboxes, Max is trained to let me know that there's a car coming from behind me because whatever noise the car is
making, I just don't hear. with my hearing aid. Max stops, looks the way the where the car is coming and kind of like looks at me and gives me the signal that there's a car coming and we just pull over and let the car pass by. I can verify that this dog has grown quite a
bit since the last time we met. You know, he's extremely obedient. I think that Erica has seen him in action and he's very obedient and very intelligent. I mean, I've been putting this into use and trying to train him and and and it's
been working very well. He doesn't leave my property at all. I mean, most of the time, 95% of the time, he stays in the house and he goes into the pen. They may say that my pen is not safe. I did change the pen one time. This is the
second pen. The pen was put up just before I had surgery. And prior to my surgery, I had a stroke. So from this say last summer, just shortly after I met you people, I had a stroke and it lost my eyesight. My right eye got
damaged, but it's restored back through injections by a retina specialist. And so in this period of time, I had a stroke. I've been treated and then I had to have knee surgery. I had knee replacement. And now for the next time
in September, I have to have my left knee replaced. So I put up a fence. I can tell you one thing. I tell Max to stay in that fence and he won't. Mr. Hawkins has told me that's safe that fence is not if he said if the dog and
Mr. Hawkins's words to me and a little bit of an insult said if the dog had half a brain to be able to get over that fence. I don't think so. Because basically Max has taught to stay in the fence. He has never broken that fence at all. Broken to get out. You know, the
situation with the utility guy, the utility guy was a big guy, early guy. And unfortunately, again, they're on my property. Okay. Max saw him and basically ran out to uh see the utility
guy and he just growled. It wasn't a situation where uh it was broken up. The situation was I said to Max, "Stop. I'm here." And he answers that command. It's the same thing that happened in this issue with Mr. Hawinson with his
crossing and heading toward my property. His dogs were off the leash. I was just heading to church. I quickly went out of the house to be able to turn around and and let Max do his doodoo because when I do leave the property, I leave Max in the house. He doesn't even get out into
the fence of the pen. He stays in the house. So when I stepped out of the house, I just wanted Max to do his voodoo. And again, Mr. Hawkins, who was coming up toward my house with the dogs off the leash, he turns around and tells
me that I hustle down there. I can't hustle. I can't even run with my knees, my legs. So, by the time I got down there, he was kicking my dog. My dog didn't get vicious at him. I would think that if it was a really mean dog, the
dog would bite his leg off. That wasn't the case. I just said to my dog. He says, "I partake in it." I said to Max, "Stop. Come here." And that's what he did. You know, he broke away right away. I can bring him in here and teach show you that command and he's very, very
obedient to whatever I say. He calls me like a shadow. Unfortunately, in this situation, I had to turn around and let Max out so that he'd go right around my yard and and unfortunately, he picked up the scent that they were coming and
neither in his mind, oh, you know, Hawkins dogs and my dog are enemies because of that one initial fight. Okay. So, I'm willing to turn around and and answer what Hawkins says to turn around and keep them compliant and on a leash.
You know, unfortunately in one situation, I have knee replacement. You can see the scar on my knee is that I can't I just starting to be able to walk. It's been about 7 months since my operation. It takes over a year. I heal from it and I have this one done soon.
That's this what I can do perhaps it might be like I I spoke with Mr. and I spoke with Mr. Silva discuss the incident. Um, you know, under these cases, under the statute, you know, when you when a complaint is brought and it's
either a nuisance or a dangerous dog, you have several options. You can just dismiss it, which is what happened last year. Okay? You could deem him a nuisance dog and then in that case, you order that action taken to immediately the concerns or you can take the most extreme step
dangerous. And there are several seven options that we ranging from restraints to actual neutralization. So we have a several options but we have a plan to address the concerns that Mr.
Hawkins justified about. If I could just give you a little background. Um Mr. spoke with other people in the neighborhood and he circulated a petition that was signed and it says we the undersigned hereby a test as a
resident of Pon Streetable mass that Mr. will do it at 139 off Pawn Street unstable German Shepherd dog Max the best of my observation is not a vicious and loosen dog we also observed that Max is either confined to his fence outdoors or on leash at all times or being walked
by his longer normal building and that was signed by residents at 221 off pond 211 off bond 179 off bond 229 off bond that the record and
Max is obviously to well taken care of and he has all his shots and he visits the vet regularly and we have a statement from the veterinarian at Dunville Animal Clinic to whom I may concern. I'm writing this letter about Max 2 and half-year-old German Shepherd
dog owned by Bill Maldun. I have been Max's veterinarian since he was a puppy. He's always been a pleasant dog at the clinic. The only requires also after um I can offer that by Dr. separate mode as well for the board's consideration.
And additionally, just I can give you a random example and said that Max could come in here and he'd be fine. Um, you know, the heat max to the bank and he brought the dog into the bank and he actually um had the bank
manager write a letter saying, "This letter is to provide information regarding my interaction with William's dog, Max." While assisting William, he had Max with him. At that time, Max was well behaved, friendly, and showed no signs of aggression. I was able to pet him and interact with him with no issues. He
listened to commands from William and spent most of the time lying on the floor. At no point during the did I feel uncomfortable and safe. I'm just giving you a random example where he takes the dog out rather than leaving the car. He takes him in. He's no problem, not aggressive in those instances. I can
provide that for the consideration as well. I can show you some photos of Max. You may have seen them at the last year and I think I saw some of them but by way of an example. Can I ask a question? Sure. Does he have any designation for support
or service level in a moment? I can show you some photos of uh individuals with uh Max, one of whom's here tonight will testify. Uh that's a gentleman who's a carpenter and I'll tell you what his role will be in a moment. But there he is with Max. Here they are inside the house with Max.
He's an affectionate and loving dog. The issues seem to be with other dogs with whom he may have had a history. Um, I can address your question, Mr. Me, in that I have a letter from Mr. Waldun's physician showing it. It says
to whom it may concern. I'm writing this letter on behalf of my patient William Mun whom I have been treating for ongoing medical conditions including lymphoma and recent episode of atrial fibrillation. These diagnoses have understandably placed a considerable emotional physical burden on Mr. Mulun
as he navigates his treatment and recovery. As part of his care plan, we have discussed supportive strategies to help manage the emotional challenges that accompany serious medical illness. Mr. Lun has shared that his dog Max plays a central role in maintaining his emotional well-being. He finds the
animal's presence to be deeply therapeutic, especially during his excursions and daily activities where the dog provides comfort, grounding, and motivation. It is my clinical opinion that Mr. Mulun would benefit significantly from the designation of his dog as an emotional support animal. The bond and emotional support provided
by this animal are vital to his overall quality, life and wellbeing. Please feel free to contact me if any needed. Uh he's never gone through the formal process of designating as an ESA because he looks at his own all these things. It's not necessary but certainly there's a letter from its uh medical practice
which might be offered to the board of designation service support excuse me big difference very big difference yeah um Kristen Mold Mr. also alluded to, you
know, he has hearing issues. He's got hearing aids in now and, you know, sometimes he has difficulty hearing things depending on where the sound is coming from. When he goes out for a walk and it's part of his rehab, he's had knee replacement surgery on one. He's going to have the other done. Um, Max is basically his ears as he's walking down
and he's got the dog and a car is coming. Mr. Mold may not hear wander up. Max alerts him to it. Max also provides safety for Mr. will do it. And his family now is his son who's living with him. He's a disabled pet. He's living at the house. The dog provides safety and
comfort for the entire family. I know there was a hearing a year ago and that was on some issues regarding pit bulls that were a pen owned by um woman named Sharon. Um unfortunately or I think regardlessly this might have been the
term he used. I watched the hearing um this afternoon. uh the complaintants couldn't even bother to appear at that point. Now, Mr. Mulun was a little upset at that hearing because um he denied that his dog got into a pen with three pit bulls and injured the pit bulls.
Yet, he was presented in an aggressive manner by Sharon's boyfriend with a bill and to keep peace in the neighborhood, he paid appear to him, but I think Mr. Beh could confirm it. The two pickles were in a fenced in area and there was
chicken wire through a broken slat that he may have cut himself on. But Mr. Mulun understandably was upset that Max was falsely accused of causing that injury. It cost over $1,000. And then he complained in that instance who couldn't even show up for the hearing. That complaint then said, "I want another
thousand infection." Mr. said, "No, we're going to do that." Now, I know there were instance with Mr. buckets and um I think Mr. touched on it. If you're breaking up a fight with dogs and you're kicking the dog and it's in his reports
acknowledges it, the dog doesn't it's it's there's some history or some um conflict that Max may have with Mr. Hawkins dogs. The problems with Mr. Hawkins and his dogs are I think admittedly dog on dog
and that's the situation here. So the plan we have to address this and I ran this by Mr. Green College spoke to Mr. Sto about him as well. Um Mr. Mulun would offer to immediately build a tall wooden fence in his property. He has a wooden fence now keeping a pen area
where Max stays and that's about a 4ft high fence. probably his uh contractor and General Higan is here who will tell you that he's going to increase the size of that fence immediately up to 6 ft just there's no issue or potential of max getting over it.
He would plan on getting a chain link fence sometime in the fall. I've talked to Mr. Green Halter about that. He's made some recommendations about the size of the fence and and such, but that could be done in the fall. Mr. also wants to get additional training for Max to address his issues with other
dogs to the extent that they exist. He's going to line up uh training for Max at the Good Mojo Dog Manor in Milford, New Hampshire. Mr. Holden is going in for surgery on September 11th on his other knee and he's going to have to board Max and Good Manor, Good Mojo Dog Man has a
program where they can board the dog and train him and then when he's done, you know, they'll work with Mr. and go over what you know Max has learned and what he's working. Yeah, it'll be funny if other dogs and then um Mr. Moo is amenable to uh
leashing max at all times when he's off the ground. I would acknowledge and I think Mr. We'll do it after that. Obviously, when he's taking the dog out for a walk, it helps him to walk through his legs and his recovery. But when Max is uh going around, he wants to do his business.
Sometimes, you know, it's a little more walking than Mr. Mo might be up to. He has let the dog off the leash. He will agree now that he will keep the dog leashed at all times. And I know there was discussion about an electric fence at the last hearing and Mr. Malding was amendable to that idea.
Uh I would just say um there was some dispute within the family about the you know the humane issues surrounding electric fence and then shortly after that Mr. Multin had other medical issues. PS and um that was kind of tabled but he would certainly reconsider
that option that was something that the board saw fit but he can keep a pen with a 6ft fence for the dog which can be converted to a chain link you know in the fall and he'll get additional training from Max in September.
So getting back to those options that you have, my initial suggestion is important to consider this fair perhaps continue this hearing to some point in time and see how this goes with the dog trading in September, the addition of
the fence and the acknowledgement that Max would be on a leash at all times. I think that would probably be the best way to go. You would still retain all your options if something happened down the road. I would be looking for some time in a few months see fit to do that
to see how it progress problems have sure can address that as well but I think with the dog to dog issues this might be the best thing to do secure the area where he stays outside make sure he's on a leash when he's off the
property and extra training hopefully that would address it and rather than make a decision today because you have several options and we just continue this to see this works out. So I think would be the best for Max and given the uh the important role
that Max plays a perspective requested to consider that you can get to work on those options as part thank you um John like to hear from you.
Do you have a statement that you would like to share? I'm just I guess the only concern I have is the ones I've always leashed always no exceptions no excuses.
It's not fair to the rest of the public. I haven't seen Max people such as Max does not know where his boundaries are. He sees other dog and I do
understand there's other instances from years gone by other dogs probably a smart dog but going out just on a right away it's not a good idea guarantee that dog is always going to be
leashed that would be great it's just not one caring for that dog who is a keeper of that of being laid up. Whoever is responsible for God has to do that period. This this
can't happen again. It's not fair to the public. It's not fair to other dogs. And we've been very lean on everything. I got this is the thickest file I've ever had on a job.
They're trying to be very fair to go and the max is hopefully we've come to a conclusion with the fence the leash training understanding family members helping out his contract
under the fence that they have a a letter saying yeah okay we're good with it but of these two people sitting in front of you are they happy with that kind of decision this they were affected by it. If that was my dog attacked my mass, I'd be
pass. Well, part of it is Can you identify yourself? Super weapons. Um, before Are you done, John? Bill. I I came home and Bill was in our our driveway and he just said, you know,
I want to I'm checking on the dog and I want to make sure. And I'm like, this is from the other attack. And he's like, no, it attacked again. And Pippa is 2 years old. She is a a lover. I mean, anybody that knows
Labradors, they'll roll over and show you your belly and whatever. Eva is not a fighter either. I mean, the fact that she will not go near that area now is heartbreaking because she is she's
traumatized. I had to tell another neighbor call and say, "Don't take the grandkids down to the to the pond area without your husband to have an extra set of hands."
whether you know it is a a dog issue, dog on a dog issue. To go one step further, a kid gets in the middle of it, you know, David didn't get bitten. But if it was a young
it just it would be a shame to have a tragedy happen. There are too many issues. So accountability, training. Thank you. Erica, did you
So, yeah, I know that the last hearing that I spoke for Max and again, I spoke with Phil when he came off the letter the other day. Um, and I don't want anything bad to happen, Max. I don't want you to lose that. But I am getting
a bit frustrated, especially with some of the comments tonight because we have had issues where someone got in the middle where she got in the middle and got bit by accident, but she got bit. And I am not comfortable and have not
walked down my own road in months because I have a second dog now who's very reactive. Hence why they're both omnicious. And at some point, my biggest fear is Max is going to come up. We've already
had incidents where Debbie was walking the dog and Max saw us and came looking at us and I had to kick at Max. So, he stayed away because I had the second dog. And the second dog in the meantime
slipped out of his collar. So, I'm trying to grab him by the scruff of the neck, kick it out so he doesn't come near my dogs, and god forbid it's now got to the point where my first dog gets not protective
of the second dog and Max comes lunching and Nik gets protective. It's just an accident waiting to happen and I'm not willing to take that risk. Sorry. And I shouldn't have to worry about walking down my own road. I have to drive down to water to walk my dog.
And let me finish, please. It doesn't seem like anyone that that anyone is taking it seriously to the point where they realize that having a dog is a responsibility and having a dog like mass is a bigger responsibility. And
I know the neighbors that sign that, but I've heard comments from them. So, I don't understand that. And there was another time where I was coming back from town hall. Actually, I was talking to Jason about something what I don't remember. And you were walking Max off leash down the
road. And I got home and my dogs needed to go out. So, I took them out with the understanding that I knew Max was off leash on that road. And no sooner did he get on the corner where the dogs go bathroom, Max saw us and was dashing at us. And I had to grab my dogs and pull
their leash into the house. And it's Where was I walking? You were walking down from one street on towards your house. Yeah. And I was driving down from coming back from town hall. Got to my house. Knew the dogs had to go the bathroom. So I
took them up to go to the bathroom and kept an eye because I knew you guys were on the street somewhere and he saw us and came dashing at us and I brushed the dogs inside before he got them to us. Well, you know, every life is a learning
experience and in your situation, you know, we had a real good relationship as neighbors and as and in addition to that, my dog and your dog did he played quite a bit. Never has it been a hassle.
Has it was there ever a fight where Max attacked your dog? Not attacked. No. Has he ever attacked your new dog? No. Well, we didn't attack, but he came at us. Yes. Well, it's a simp. How do you know that Max died the one?
It doesn't matter. My dog obviously reacted and Max wasn't understanding that and he wasn't under control. All right. All right. Before we're we're directing comments to the board. I really don't I I understand the dynamic that's going on
here. I think we we understand it. Um want to say one thing. The unfortunate part of me is that I live on 139 North Street and I pay taxes on people that are giving the right away. I give the right away to walk in my
property, drive back and forth. All right. There is a territorial situation out of this. I I understand this as my attorney just said that we'll look into doing electric fence. Okay. back in when we came to the last
meeting. Shortly after that, I had a stroke and then I had to go in for surgery. They had to jump start my heart. Okay. And out of that jump start. I had a stroke and uh they shocked my heart, I should say. I had a stroke and then I had to go in for surgery. You
know, thank God that basically the cardiologist, everybody was right there to play the game and making sure that I had a proper medication to take this knee replace because the pain was too excruciating for me not to have the operation. Unfortunately, I had to have
this one. I'm willing to work in a situation. Okay, I understand that my dog is a German Shepherd dog and the sheriff and kept dogs have a reputation of being police dog, army dogs, attack dogs and everything else like that. It's
always on the news. I understand that. A dog is wicked, wicked intelligent and very obedient. You were sure, shocked, Steve, that when I told Max the command, he came right away. And he has gotten better, but there's been other issues. Okay.
It was probably the past issues. So, there was an issue where the I don't I'm going to turn around for a second. The back door to the I don't know where it is. The back door. Max came out to my house. He got Oh, car park
and the door. So, Max got loose and came up to my house. My dogs went crazy and I returned him. As I was I returned him to the fence back. All right. I'm going to I'm going to Is there anybody else out there that would
like to speak to something different? If not, I'm going to bring this back to the board. Um Kieran, would you like to speak to this? I mean, I'm I remember that hearing and I went back and rewatched it, too. And like the hearing from was it last
August? Yeah. And here we are again. And like it that's a shame for as someone who loves animals. I stop for every turtle I can. I have a dog myself, a shepherd as well. And like he knows, you know, it's I'm in
charge. And sir, at some point, you've got to take that accountability for the animal. And I believe, you know, you you've put us in a really tough situation as a town and as residents who are neighbors just like yourself walking
up and down that street. Because I don't disagree that if if an animal keeps going in and you're having pedestrians and children on the street and trying to separate dogs, someone's going to get bit by accident. It's just inevitable. It is like it's just what happens. Like
it happens down in Boston Common all the time. happens down his daughter's neck and hang them all the time. Dogs get in scuffles and people put their hands in and then someone's frustrated. I don't really know what to do because he didn't listen to us last time. And I know you had some health impediments and
things like that and I totally empathize for that. But like you said, you are a family and a dog is a family pet and you haven't taken the steps to to put a 10-ft fence in. I don't know. Put a put a green monster in. I don't care. The
dog can't get out. It's gonna hurt somebody or it's gonna hurt yourself. We did. I had my car here. Okay. Great. But you had your carpenter last year, too, sir. You had your carpenter last year. Where was he? All right. But but All right. But what I want to say is one
thing. All right. Max has grown quite a bit emotionally and mentally. You can understand that I went to the Chase Bank a hot day and I said to the banker, the executive banker at Chase Bank in
Nashville. I says, "Look, can we make this quick?" Because there was an error in my account. Make it quick. My dog's in the car and it's heated. Oh, bring him in. I says, "You sure? My dog's a German Shepherd." She says, "No, bring him in." So, I had him on the leash and
I brought him in. And then she was just amazed by his behavior and his obedience to my commands. So let's stop at that point and say that he has grown quite a bit to the commands that I gave them. Stop, come here, and don't do that.
Okay. I'm willing to turn around and and as I said, I had a really triumphant period of my life back in August. All right. I've never had any type of situation that happened in August to have a stroke and then be told I have to
have my heart I have to have a shock on my heart and then from there should I have the operation on my knee and not because it's scheduled because I thought that hey look I may not make it. So anyways, I did go with the operation and basically I did have complications after
the operation, but I'm here. So that's the reason probably I didn't get to do what you wanted me to do. I did want to put the I did look into electric fence and I think it's a good idea and I will pursue that and it will be up. At the
same time, we're going to go a higher fence and then I'll have that turn into a chaining fence. And I guess John spoke to my attorney and mentioned the recommendations of the type of chaining fence. So, you know, I feel very
confident my dog in the way his behavior is that he's not a killer and he he's the gentleman that came onto my property and I'll regret it once more. He was he came onto my property and he was approaching my house and then
Max got excited. He ran up to the guy, didn't bite him. This is the utility man. Didn't bite him. It was just kind of like scaring the guy come out of the house. And I just told him, "Stop. Come here." And the guy went up like this to
me. Okay. So anyways, you know, as I say, he's two years old and he's come a long ways and he's got a lot more to go. I got to go into an operation. It's going to happen, Cody. Got to put him in like a a boarding school that trains
dogs. This is in Milit. And I think that he's going to be socializing with other guys better behavior with other dogs if that's the case if he needs the last year. With all due respect, the complaintant did not show up and Mr.
told him that this you thought that Matthew 12 shoots for injuring two ples that was that that rules dismissed you've got his attention now he's here we've got a plan will work and I guess I'm just looking for at this point to
implement it and to give him some time well just well we need to finish the discussion like to hear from the police chief's done yeah why haven't you done it yet what have you been waiting Why haven't you put Why haven't you just put the fence in? Soon as this happened,
been like, "Oh my dog bit another dog. I better stop this." You have a contractor here going to But so it's a sixoot fence now. Is it a sixoot fence? I mean, right? Like, why do you why do you need to like What do you What were
you waiting for? Well, you know, I got three sets of 8t by 6t I'm going to put up against that house. Okay. And then we're going to move the shed and we're going to re that dog.
He needs room. We're going to go to jail all the way around the dog is so sweet. I don't know if we got that at all. Oh, we have Okay. Okay. We're not doing that. All right. I'm sorry. Thank you, Chief.
My only concern with I understand what you just said. There's been a lot of times it keeps on correct child or the contractor or whatever. I just think a secure physical.
Thank you, Ron. Do you have anything? Um, I have I have a couple of things. Um, you know, first of all, for excuse us, uh, councelor and everybody else that's here, you should know to understand that each of us on this board have pets at home. We understand what
that means to us with our families and ourselves. and and so we have an appreciation of that. But counselor, Mr. Maldun was here at the last hearing and and I'm going to tell you counselor, I specifically spoke to
him that that dog needed to be excessively managed and he assured us that would happen. Now, counselor, here's my here's here's where this really goes bad for me and I think for my colleagues, too.
What's next? Is it going to be a child? And if the cable guy jumped out and Max went over and bit the guy in the leg, all right, or cause some emotional stress to this guy. Is is that when this is going to reach its tipping point,
counselor, there's there you can't, you know, I I mean, I appreciate his health concerns. I'll tell you, if I had those health concerns, the last thing I would do is have a dog that's going to create that anxiety for me, that dog would be
at a farm someplace and I'd have something else in the house that I wouldn't be looking out the window and and and he's and you know, this this need for medical attention. I mean, that dog may be unsupervised in the home. I have no idea. Um but but I'll tell you
that you know the next time this happens I I I don't know what to say to you counselor and and I think if I'm if I'm reading this correctly um this is this matter is really egregious to us and I I'm this is this is really bad and I
appreciate all the letters and all the people over there but clearly there is an issue in the neighborhood with these folks who feel concerned about their own safety and that that that Mr. Maldun may have some sort of lapse and the dogs
out in the street going after somebody. You know, we this this this is a really bad situation. And to Select Mian's concerns as well, honestly, this should have been addressed at the last time. We we should not be having this hearing
tonight on this matter. council, we take this stuff like you wouldn't believe because this is a matter of public safety and God help us all if some young child is attacked and the mother is trying to pull that dog off of a kid and and and we're going to say, "Well, the
kid was just trying to path the dog and it's he had a treat in his hand. That's just not the council. This is an egregious matter." It really is. I I'm I'm I'm sorry. This is well beyond anything that I want to take responsibility for in in my days on the
sport. I I I don't I must say that my life was really downhill. Not only did I have a stroke, but I also found I have luck cancer. Okay? And so my life has been running
and trying to get myself back, which basically hanging in there and doing well. So out of this whole period, my whole life has been like a rush. But on the other hand, you got to look at me and saying, "What did I do with Max in that period of time?" I taught him,
okay? And he's learned a lot from me. I gave him a lot of attention. He's very obedient and answers to my command. In these letters that we presented to you, it it's presenting by in the public and also there's children involved. Max is
never people will say that Max is people friendly. People friendly. You can assume that he's going to attack another dog. I mean, another person, but he's friendly. Any dog I go by and when I go into my neighborhood, I go even to
Erica's house. Okay. I mean, good dogs are at the window screaming and yelling and barking. And everybody else is when I go to their door and and say hi to somebody, they're all screaming and barking. Good laughter. Someone opens the door. What's going to happen on an attack? Okay, every drive has
territorial and every drive has a protection field. This particular lineman came on, came onto my property, was approaching my door and my door, you know, turned around and said, "Hey, stop." I had a situation with a German Shepherd where I was a landlord and
basically I had an evict guy for my house, my my building in Chfit. And basically speaking, the guy was out to kill me at 2:00 in the morning. My guy saved my life. Okay, so that's what
the German Shepherds are. My dog, okay? You want to attack your children. I I have pictures of my dog playing with kids. Okay, so you know, you can turn around and say, "Oh, he's going to do this, this, this." And I agree with your
concern, but at the same time, I spend a lot of time with this dog and he has responded. and its intelligence and its obedience to uh to uh be a good guy. Anybody will tell you that he's a good guy. Okay. I just
one more thing then I would like to speak I just have one more thing just for the record counselor. I know you were not at the last hearing but at the last hearing the um plaintiffs the the complaintants okay did not come. And I'm gonna tell
you quite frankly, I understand that these folks are all neighbors. And if you know that area of Gunstable, it's a close-knit neighborhood. And you know, those folks didn't come to this hearing. You know, these folks don't like confrontation. They're coming here
tonight because they're deeply concerned. Most people, except lawyers, don't like confrontation. But it, you know, they're here tonight to to express their concerns. And that hearing at the last time was was dismissed based on the
fact that the plaintiffs didn't come and and I'm very I understand that clearly and I motioned to dismiss that, but I also understand why they wouldn't come because they just don't want to get into this and these folks are here tonight. That in of itself tells me how
significantly concerned they are about this matter. We're not looking to confront them or Okay. No, I get that. That was the plan. I mean, we came here with a plan. Yeah. Additional training, keep them restrained, increase security. Let's talk about an electric fence. In addition to
We're trying to come up with a plan to present to everyone, not just you. We're not trying to argue with the neighbors or for Max, too, so he's safe. But to keep him confined and so he can't get out, we're going to increase the fence. We'll go to the chain link, the training.
These are all things. And we balance that against the well-being of Mr. will do and you know the benefits he and his family get from having Max around if you can control him which we believe we can and the message has been sent loud and clear. I I wasn't here at that last meeting but I watched it today. I saw
it. Um Mia called we didn't do anything but there were some medical issues. It was dismissed. You know many reasons and I understand what you're saying why the complaints might not have shown up but they're here and I've talked to the dog off the animal call officer. start
talking to us or some we were working to get a plan together. We think we have one and I'm just looking for a way to implement it. Um if you make one decision today, you might be bound in the future. That's why I'm suggesting perhaps continue it. See if this works out. You have all your options. You can
go dangerousness. You can go nucle at least you'll see what happens. But the message has been sent not at this point and we have a plan and we just want to see if we can implement it for you. So, this is a very very frustrating
situation. I'm I'm actually I'm quite I'm disappointed that we're back here. I'm also glad that we're back here. I understand you've been working with your dog, but there have been three incidences since that time. It's terrifying when your pet family
member pet is attacked by another dog, no matter what the circumstances are. I live in a family compound where there are 10 dogs, seven little kids under the age of nine. Um, I'm well aware of little toughs, little conflicts here and there. I've been involved with the Low
Humane Society for for 50 years. I'm well aware of animal interactions, dog interactions. I have a dog that is dog friendly, terrified of men, fine with women. I have to manage that. I don't
blame her. I've taken her through her many classes. I've done the same thing. I've been to every pet friendly store up there. But there's just something in her nature that she's just terrified of men. Obviously, Max has some trigger for some
dogs. I find that completely normal. It's not unusual. He seems by all accounts seems to be fine with people. I'm not so worried about Max. I'm worried about the owner. This is an
owner responsibility. This is the owner's a situation has created these little tragedies which are going to build up unless something continues to happen. I see you raising your hand, but it's my time to speak right now. Okay.
I don't want to deem this dog to be labeled something in particular. I certainly am not looking for euthanasia. That is not a path I'm going down. I don't believe that's we have not discussed it, says the board. That is not that's not the appropriate answer. I get what a dog means in someone's lives,
especially where, you know, I believe you are living alone or I mean I'm not sure your son is living with you, but alone. Okay. I mean, dogs are integral in in people's lives. Absolutely. Um, I don't want to disrupt that, but
you need to be fully accountable for every movement of this dog. Not 95% of the time. That 5% has resulted in some potentially very dangerous situations.
No person may have been the target. I don't blame the dog for protecting his property. You know, I you know, the guy that walked on the property, in my mind, he probably was doing his job. He saw a stranger come onto his land, went to investigate, whatever. I've had my dogs do the same thing. In fact, I've had my
dog take down a friend of mine because they came half an hour early and I didn't have them in, understood. He did his job. Could have been someone I didn't know. So, I get it. I don't want to disrupt
that, but Mr. Maldoon needs to doing everything everything to keep this dog away from other dogs. I the sixoot fence. That's fantastic. I would like to see the entire yard
fenced. 6 ft fenced so that every door leads into a fenced area. I know you spoke. I see you folks. I will get to you when I'm done talking. Okay. Okay. too. So, every door should lead to a fenced area.
I know you spoke before that you have a double door that you have a storm door and he opens one and then you have to control him before the next door goes out. So, there's a I don't care that second store door is leading to the great wide open.
That should not be the case. My yard is entirely fenced in. I tell you, it's a pain in the ass to get in and out of my car every single time. I have to open the gate, drive through, get out, but blah blah blah. Especially when it's icy. I hate it, but I love my dogs and I want them safe as much as I want
everybody else in the neighborhood safe. Would you like me? Would you like me to build a fence around my whole property? That's what I would like to see. Then and make it tall that slatted wood. I don't trust that chain length.
There's a way on the other halfway. You can't go. Is there a rightway between his front door and the fence? No, not on his property is his side. Well, then you fence in the back side of around your house.
Everybody Everybody I'm the first house went off one street. Everybody in my neighborhood with 10 houses cross over the back back side of my car. Well, then put the fence on the inside of that. Right. Every door should lead to a fenced in area. Period. So if he slips out, he
can't go anywhere. So how about if I say make a plan on this construction and I have John come over and give me the approval. Have John come and say this is what I'm doing and is this satisfactory with the
town? That's I'm sorry. That's not going to be the responsibility of the dog officer. That's that's really your job. Well, we we'll assume responsibility. We're just trying to war property. Yeah. I we're not going to I mean you're asking our dog to take responsibility for the for the peripheral permanent
management of your dog. We can't have an idea and and you want to what do you want categ fence? This is a large German shepherd. They are agility dogs. They can do they could jump that easily.
and those boards. I mean, chain link I think would be an appropriate measure. Um, I'm not a fan of electric fence. I've had them before. My dogs go through and they wouldn't come back and because they're not paying attention to that beat or the zap when they are
heightened and they are on something. Um, and these were Boston terriers I had many years ago. But once once they once they calm down and want to come back, that's when they're now they're afraid to come back into the yard. You suggesting no to the chain link or
Yes. I would personally would like chain link. Yeah, I'm talking electric the electric fence, but that's my personal preference. We just want to solve the problem and and I really appreciate uh Mr. Hawkins was gracious enough to indicate that he
doesn't want the dog euthanized, doesn't want the dog removed. He's not even interested in deeming dangerous nucle. We have the right to have the dog removed anyway. That's not he just wants the dog restrained will certainly be the case. But I think more importantly the fence can do that.
I want that 5% sealed, right? You're saying 95% of the time the dog is under your control. That 5% is where we're seeing problems. This is where I see probably four and a half of percent being fixed is having the dog in
a fenced in area entirely in your yard. And any moment that you leave that yard, you or someone else who is there, are you his grandson? Yeah. Yeah. I believe he's in your dog's in your name. Well, I I purchased a dog a couple years ago and
I bought it, but I had too much stuff on my plate. I couldn't take care of it. So, I sold it to him. So, it's technically his dog now. I I'm there. I see his dog every day. Do you live in the same house? No, I I go to his house every day.
So, you could be the one that if he's impaired physically from his knee surgery. I take the dog on the leash. I don't trust the shot caller thing. No, I don't trust that crap. I have it on the leash. No, there's nothing like a physical constraint. Yes. Every time a car comes
by, I I'm walking up. I can hold the dog back or the person's walking down the street, I can hold it back. Yeah. Make sure it doesn't take off, you know. But I just want to just, if I may. Yes, you may.
Just so you're aware, sir. This is your grandfather. Yeah. He has he has told the town you own the dog. He's communicated that to us. No, I'm sorry. You have. All right. And just for the record,
that's what he has said to us. Without regard, in my opinion, as to who really the who owns the dog is going to be a matter of who's going to take liability and some kids in the hospital. I don't know how that's going to shake out. And I'm going to tell you, we take this
seriously. And based on everything that that we've had here tonight, I remain deeply concerned that we are going to have an event that is not going to be desirable for us. And and I I don't, you know, I don't care if the fence is 30 feet high and
it's got bob wire over it. The truth is when he takes that dog for a walk, the dog him can't keep pace with each other and he's inclined to either lose the leash or the dog's going to pull him down or something's going to happen here and his health is not the best. Boy,
I'll tell you the anxiety that dog brings me and if I had those health conditions, that dog would be out the door. And that's how I see it. It's this is a really You guys were all here last year. Here we are a year later, rinse and repeat. Same thing, same problem.
All kinds of reasons why I'm not I'm not I'm not convinced. I think our board needs to take action here and declare this dog according to the Commonwealth's regulations as a dangerous dog so that Mr. Maldun and counselor is going to
take this extremely seriously and own the liability if that dog attacks a child. How sad is that going to be? And then we're going to have all kinds of stories as to why that happened. I'm not gonna I'm not going there with that. I'm not taking seriously. That's why we're
coming over. That's great. And so what we're going to do is we're going to add some teeth to this. Okay. And and and we're I'm going to ask our board to to declare this dog a dangerous dog so that you guys are going to understand the consequences of your actions if you don't or have
another event like this again. You own this. You ultimately and solely are responsible for the actions of that dog. And the fact that he went after a lineman or a utility worker and the guy gave you a thumbs up, he's going thumbs
up. He might just as well have blessed himself and said, "Thank God." All right. Is what it is. Yeah. I don't nent or you continue it or No. No. I'm not I'm not I'm not going to dangerous dog. If I'm walking on someone's porch and the dog is almost
trying to break through the door to get to me, would that be a dangerous dog? I think that that dog is protecting somebody, you know, protecting the home. My dog turned around and that's this utility man. Basically, all I said, Max,
come here. And he was that thumbs up was saying, he's a very wellbehaved dog. Why was Max out of your at the time he went after the utility? He wasn't on a leash at that point.
Correct. And your yard was not fenced in. So, I mean that that's that's the concern we have is that one that split second that the dog gets out the door and whatever whatever his his his trigger is. It's the fact that he has
the ability to act on that trigger. That's what concerns me. Be it a dog or or anybody else. No one wants anybody hurt. But he should not have been in that situation to be able to even run at that lineman. You understand what I'm
saying? Yes. I can say this. I was in the insurance business. I retired from having an insurance agency for 55 years. And I know how the insurance companies act on German Shepherds. I can say that I have a
homeowners policy and there hasn't any action against the insurance company to say what can't because basically they seen the dog. They came and inspected my property and they seen the dog as you know come then you know I turn around
and you know I you know I I've worked and worked and worked with Max and he's well behaved you know I've seen him around children and he doesn't attack I have letter field and there's more dogs that go after Max at ladder field and
Max just sits there and looks at them you know my daughter my daughter who was here will attest to that she says, "Oh, it's nice. I get the name." But anyways, you know, Max is Max is important to my
life. I understood we are well aware of that. Understood. And I'm not going to jeopardize my life. Okay. In the sense that I'm going to make an error. All right. I have full
confidence in Max and how I handle Max. I think every will tell you that you know Max was well when I you saw him on the trail when I called him. Were you answering me on that one? Did you see when I called Max and he came right to me and you said wow he has
improved. What was this? So I hear your point Sarah situation I'll say that there was a situation where I was surprised that Max responded come back and he does that all the time in the in
the bank's office. I mean there was the same situation. We we we understand. Okay. I don't want to keep belaboring the same points over. We understand. I I mean obviously his triggers are not people. I just want to say one thing and I'm
done. Okay. I want to say one thing on the first incident when that happened with Sharon's house. You know, I'm contesting that. Unfortunately, I went to court on this and it was all in Trevor. you know, the I mean, the magistrate was looking at Trevor and and
I wanted to speak up because I had pictures and proof that Max did not cause that injury to her dogs. Unfortunately, his uncle paid $1,000 out to just to keep a neighborhood calm, you know, with with Sharon. So, I had
pictures and I have them right here to show that Max could not possibly go in and attack her dog. I remember those from last time. Okay. So, I need to get to the court and rearrange this. I need to get an attorney. And I talked Did I talk to you
about this? Disgusting. Yeah. So, you know, this is a situation where he got blamed for something that he really didn't do. You know, I don't know if John saw the situation or not, but basically, I think a lot of people said there's no way that
your dog did it. At that time, Max was a puppy, you know. So, you know, they made out financially on me and I don't know whether why they didn't come or not, but you know, mainly speaking, I am going to bring this back into a because this is
this was as far as and and their boyfriend was he was enticing me to give them money instantly, blaming Max without proving anything that Max did it. No one there's no cameras. No one saw Max do it. How could Max go through chicken wire to get to their dog? But
dog must have pit bulls must have chased Max and try to get to Max and he cut himself in the in the fest and that's how I see it and I present that to the judge you know motion. Do you have anything else? So like my my parting thought and I
remember this parting thought from last August was you know the first incident that the Hawkins reported happened on May 1st this this year. You haven't done anything differently in your behavior since then. Have you you haven't done anything differently since then?
Yeah, I worked. But then it happened again two weeks later. Then there was a second incident 25 days later on May 26th and here we like. So, I appreciate all your stories and the community outreach and those that have
attested to Max's good behavior, but you haven't changed your course of action. And that I'm with Ron. I'm deeply concerned that there'll be an incident here that
is of greater magnitude because you're not changing. You're not taking a left turn here or something. you're not you're not hearing us or you're not seeing us and how frustrating this is for us as a as a board. There was two incidents with there was
initial incident on the trail that basically when Max was a puppy that he got attacked, right? But but on this situation, you haven't put up a fence. You could have put a fence up May 2nd. If this happened, if my dog bit another dog, would have been May 2nd calling the Gate
City fence, put a fence in, keep them from going up. I always want to let you know. But then how do we guarantee this? How are we going to guarantee that that is going to happen? I mean, we asked you. We didn't have any power to force you to do anything last
time. We asked you emphatically to make changes so that we did not have to do this again. And here we are after three more incidences. And as I explained, you know, it it's 50% responsibility of
Max's behavior and 50% yours. At least it's your your actions are the one or lack of actions are the one that concerning me, not so much the dogs. We can explain away some of the dog's behavior. And even though you have some commands that are stopping the dog,
there are some commands that are not stopping the dog. So this dog for your safety as well as some of the dogs that are triggering Max their safety and any to ward off any situation. This dog needs to be unfortunately
constrained at all times with the fence. We have no other way in which to make this happen. We can ask you. I'm not sure what the continuence does. that does not give us any, you know, enforcement authority.
Then perhaps if you're going to deem him something, maybe a nuisance, that gives you the flexibility to uh impose conditions to ameilate the cause. Uh we're just offering to do exactly what Mr. Hawkins has asked for. Keep the dog pended and always on a leash. That could
very easily be done if you deem him a nuisance. If you feel you must deem him something tonight, you can deem them a nuisance and then perhaps impose conditions on defense at all times. And that's exactly what the complaint is asking for.
Did you want to say one final thing, please? Yeah. say if there's any way that we can prove to you guys that the dog can stay what restraint on a leash or something more willing to work with you guys on
something. Yeah, I'm not sure how we enforce that, but you have a bit of a neighborhood watch. So, I think that I think proof is not I'm going to do this again because the third time is a dance I don't really want to do. Well, he's deemed a nuisance and there's conditions that put a fence out and he'd
be leashed. If there's a complaint to you, he's unleashed. Come right back. You can deem him dangerous. You can do a lot of things. I I'm just looking for some sort of a compromised middle ground. I understand it. You read your room. You don't want to just carry this over, but then perhaps you have some teeth by way of
being a nuisance law. It doesn't involve all the uh conditions of dangerousness in at least you can impose conditions which is what the complaints asking for what we're offering. Can I answer the question?
Are you page? Yeah, because we got to read I want to read these things to this guy so that he clearly understands what's going on. You do have a question. Yes, Erica. So, you mentioned that you have a plan. Yes.
Exactly. You mentioned something about September. Is that when that was supposed to be up until September? Well, he had a contractor here that seemed willing to do something immediately. We could increase the defense.
Defenses. He's going to be No, but we can we dictate these things. Yeah. That's where this comes into play. 4T is not high enough. No. And I really I mean it's got to surround every door.
That's where we're at. Yeah. I'm closer to a a nuisance than dangerous dog. I know there's to the counselor's point, there's an evolution of things here. And again, I really don't want there to be a third. Like I'm When I saw this pop up, I was like, come
on. Really? Like and then to hear there has been no action since this Hawkins incident. That's I was categorize that's the name I'll give it like we can do this just kind of frustration
where they think that's not an emotion. No, you can change it. Okay, that's fine. These are the things I want. So you spoke the dog's going to have training. So the dog's going to have training. Another big part of the
training of an animal is the owner having the training because often it's done together. You need to he may be trained one way and you may be trained another way and he may not fully communicate. I mean the I think it's great he's going to be boarded and have
training done there, but there should be more training you and the dog together. So, you're learning to communicate with your dog. You know, it's not just you send him off to boarding school and he comes back and then you undo all the things he learned there.
No, I'm thinking of postponing my surgery and getting training that he needs. My main concern is the fact that he he's had a couple dog fights and some of these dog fights have initial been initiated by other
dogs. And so as as a dog when I initially trained Max, he was more or less socializing with other dogs and he played with every dog, not necessarily in my neighborhood. I have some people from Kingsboro that can attest that they have to actually socialize with Max and
it's never been an issue until Max got beat up a couple times and it's in his head. I need to get somebody to socialize with Max with their dogs or a whole bunch of dogs like doggy care or or dog pet care or something like that.
There's a whole bunch of things where they work with dogs and socializing with other dogs to have a daycare play center. I will look into everything to make this thing happen. I need my dog because of my help and my my son needs him. He's a he's a disabled vet and Max
is at his house because, you know, my son is at my house because he needs to be with me now. I understand. I mean, it's a very important special relationship that we have with our pets. I And we I don't
want that to to go away, you know. I want you to be able to keep your dog, but I want your neighborhood to feel safe with their dogs as well. They want to keep their dogs. They want to keep their dogs healthy and safe. And it's
your responsibility, every one of you responsibility to take those steps to make sure your own dogs are healthy and safe. And it's very crowded down there. You know, off Palm Street, there's there's a lot of people, a lot of dogs in a small area. You're bound to have
confrontations. You're going to have confrontations between yourselves, let mind your dogs, you know, it just happens. Some dogs just don't get along with other dogs. So, you have to manage that behavior. It's a fact. You have to manage that behavior.
I totally agree with you. And I just want the board to consider that, you know, where I'm coming from and, you know, I'm a guy that basically running a business,
a responsible type of business that I take responsibility and, you know, as Mr. Hawkins said, I went over and checked out to see how he's doing and his dog. My dog never attacks him, by the way. And even though he was kicking
my dog, but what I do want to say is that give me a chance to turn around and make this thing uh a right way, you know, and I will make it happen, you know, and uh I mean
basically I depend on my dog because of my hearing. I take these out and I don't get nothing. I Well, I have them too. I I I understand the hearing aid things. if I have them, I still have a hard time picking up every word he is saying. So, he's been
trained to turn around and help me in many ways that I have and and basically I'll make this thing happen and I'm sure that the neighborhood, you know, can be able to come by and, you know, there won't be an issue with my drive.
He's drafting the motion. We need a couple minutes. Okay. We're just going to take a couple of minutes here and the T administrator is drafting a motion and we're going to read that motion into the record as soon as he comes back. Councelor
It's nice and cool in there. Is Max neutered? That's that's a good question. He was supposed to be neuted back last summer and I was having these issues and he is going to be neuted. I made arrangements with small animal.
Do you have an appointment for that? Yeah. Do you recall the date? Excuse me. Do you recall the date of that appointment? It depends on who we know. I'm going to see if I can postpone my surgery because obviously when he gets nudity and he has
this big crown on his head and uh that takes a lot of care, but uh they cover pretty quickly to the car clinic. She mentioned that nuden would
uh serve two purposes and uh and I agree that we had to do it and I did have a setup. He did the blood test and everything and ready to have the uh the situation happened and I had to postpone it because of my help. But that's a good question. That was
quite a like to have it uh as soon as possible that that will that will help. Just consider as soon as she consider hasn't grown like 40 lb.
He's still like weight. Yeah. She's like, "Well, he should have grown faster than that." She started feeding him more. Yeah. He's getting almost like two cups of food a day or so almost three. that could take off some
of that. He loves Oh, yeah. But like he's been good cuz like I'll throw the ball back and forth. He stops at the road. Yeah. Right back. even with like um what's
Peter's wife thing? They've got three, but she's like, "Hey, I'll give you a heads up when Yeah. I'll get it off." Have you met
your mind? So cute. Say that. They say something that, you know, this this surgery on me is terrible. I mean, it takes a long time
to heal. So, I have to have a left knee done. Obviously, I'm very apprehensive about doing it, you know, and uh so there's been I don't think I'm going to do it to the point where I have to do it because of the pain that comes to reduce
the pain. you giving me uh protoone shots, steroid shots I need, but I'd be willing to postpone this surgery until probably November or December or January get all the things done. Well, I would expect some of this done
before September. I we will be putting dates by which this stuff needs to be done. Um you know, obviously the training is a process. the fence. You would say that's a good idea. Well, you know, you want us to put that
in there? Yeah. I need an excuse not to do it. Yeah. I understand. One more. You can you can Yeah, that's
what date. He said he didn't have an appointment yet, but he's been gone through the process. 30 days to get it done. Yeah. tags. Yeah. When do we want the fence in?
Yeah, the fence needs to be in. I'm going to change that to 3 months. Okay. Yeah. Is that okay? Yeah. Um, you want to put what the date for the fence?
I'm going to do that. Two weeks. August 1st. Yeah. When the fence called Gate City. Well, he has a contractor. He said August 30th. August 1st. August 1st. August 1st. Yeah. I mean, everyone's out walking
their dogs, right? for to protect his dog, but also the neighbors. You know, people are out wandering around. School's not in session. Yeah. Okay. This is going to be a directive from the board by motion and we're going to read this into the record. I move to
declare the dog residing at 139 off Pawn Street known as Max as a nuisance dog in that the dog's owner be ordered to take the following remedial actions and to
notify the dog's owner in writing of such action. one chain link fencing surrounding all egresses of the house at a minimum of 6 ft to be completed on or
before August 1st, 2025. Two, rectifying all access access points for escaping the property with a chain link fence. Three, training for the dog
and owner by a reputable trainer approved by the animal control officer, which shall begin no later than August 1st, 2025, and be complete by October 31, 2025.
And the dog's owner must provide evidence of the training upon completion. The dog must be on a leash with a 300 lb tensil strength tethering device in
muzzle whenever the dog is off the property off the owner's property under the control of an adult. F uh five and warning signs posted on
the property regarding the dog. six, that the dog be neuted no later than 30 days from this date and further to to h move to have the dog owner appear before the select board no
later than 3 months from this date. Uh second. Is there any further discussion? No. You want to do a roll call vote because it's a hearing or does it matter? That's fine. We can do that. All right. All those in favor? Roll call. Ron Michael I.
Leah Bazplains. I hear me and I. Unanimous. Thank you. Okay, there we are. A motion to adjourn this hearing. I would entertain a motion to adjourn this hearing. So move. Second. All
in favor? I Yes. Okay, back at it. Removal of the Norway spruce trees in front of the town hall. Go ahead, take them. Okay. Thank you. Appreciate it.
Um um yeah, so those trees are huge. They're getting very big. They're sort of drowning out the town hall and the the splendor and beauty of our Sarah Robi Memorial Town Hall and the brick work that's been restored. Um they are
touching the building in the corners there. So, um I'm not, you know, I always being the tree hugger that I am, I'm sad to see any tree be taken down, but in these circumstances, I think it's appropriate. Thoughts?
Yeah. I mean, they're overgrown. We're going to replace them with a light tree or put something else there. We haven't had any recommendations, but I'm sure geranium. Oh, please. Maybe the Simmons Greenhouse will donate it.
What was the total quote? Did it include like stumping and everything like that? I just I don't I I don't even have a quote. Okay. I I haven't got that far. Okay. I figured get your thoughts on it before even Yeah. moving on it. Do we need a motion to
If you want to make one, there's no harm. Does anybody out there have any comments on the removal of the two Norway spirits from the front of the building? Erica, me. No, I have no idea how much I just I think the only time those trees look
good when they got snow on them other than that. Yeah, especially this one. This one is looks a little tired. It's huge. You know the two trees on the corners? Go on. Look. Yeah.
So, it'd be great to replace them with something native or another pine tree or evergreen of sorts. Something that doesn't grow so big. Yeah. Does our My one question is does the little Christmas folks that dress up the town hall, do they use that tree? No, they don't. They're too big.
Too big. Bob's saying we should cut them and use them for the Christmas tree in the in the stand. So, I'll move that we allow the town administrator to remove the Norway spruce trees at
town hall. Do you know how to give you a saw, but I want to see your readout? Have you taken chainsaw safety class or Maya? Yeah. Call Maya. All right. Us in favor
I Yeah. What was there before? Were they I mean those have they been there forever? Sarah planted those. They weren't No. Allan Cheney remembers
who of course remembers everything but he remembered who planted them. There was they were like 30 40 years ago or something. So then they put the good life. I mean they Yeah. I mean they'll probably cut them in the fall. Usually the best time to cut trees, but Well, we're getting rid of these.
I know. Just like the the birds will be there till the fall. They're gone. Yeah. They have end of August. We'll be out. Do what you got to do. Yeah. Yeah. Have a bonfire out back. We used to bring trees down the ladder
and bonfire. Yeah. Did we used to do that? We did. Christmas my favorite event. Yeah. Lot of feeling tree, didn't they? Where? Behind the vet. Veterinarian
back there. Oh, you know what? I think that was just some sort of hermit burning, but they had like a It was in the morning. It was in the morning. Humongous. I don't remember that. Okay. Okay. Good. Um, thank you.
Town hall featured artist mural. Wow, it looks great now. Didn't even notice it. Thank you. Yeah. Can you paint it? I did that. Yes. It looks awesome. That was my project last Sunday. Listen, I felt guilty. I I didn't notice on
Monday. I didn't I didn't notice until you told me and I holy cow. That's great. Where is there? There isn't one. So where the where the corkboard used to be where we used to put messed around.
Look at it now. Look at it now. We have fixed it. I fixed it. It looks nice. It looks really nice. But we had discussed earlier about what to do with that spot and we're like, "Oh, maybe we should have, you know, artist put stuff up there, which we can still do. I mean, that's Yeah.
Picture of her hugging the trees. She's right there. Right there. Yeah. I don't know. She likes being hide and look over us. So anyway, there's just a temporary map put up there now, but if we want to I mean there are a lot of artists in town, but we would have to probably do a
little bit more temporary map security. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, yeah. I'll still defer to a screen, a monitor of some sort for things that are going on in town. That cost money.
What about you? What about all the town photos? They're kind of hidden in that room so people can see them. I guess now that has made it pretty again, we can look and see what we have like around here that we could
repurpose. Yeah, we can do like a call to artists and if everyone's okay with that, do that or $200 LG video screen. I mean literally front like but that
like it's a space where you can advertise you know water shed or whatever. Do you ever come over the chains bridge from like the other side? Yeah they got that fake brick wall thing they have a big sign right on the corner and
get you out there. It's not so big meeting tonight. It's a digital sign. You You know it, John. I'm very consistent. I don't want a digital sign. I don't want a digital sign. I don't
We'll cover it another day. What if I come in on a Sunday? I'll come in on a Sunday. And then it'll just be running out of program. You can just run it off high five. It's so easy. You can just run through photos. You know what's easy, too?
Paintings. Yeah. Welcome to a 20 seconds. All right. So, we don't really need to discuss that. Um, update on 473 High Street. So,
looks like we will not be exercising our right to purchase that property. Um, CPC, there was an application put forward to the community preservation committee and after long debate and review, we basically came to realize that one, we don't have time. We don't
really have the resources and the bandwidth to be potentially sitting on a structure for any period of time. Nor would we have any way to sort of meet the request that the um potential land owner
wanted, which was to give him an extra lot. So, you can't just give them an extra lot to make a project happen to restore the building. So the CPC um voted to not accept the to not approve the application. So I think that is the
word back to this board is that we will not be going forward with this. No action. Correct. An supposed to meet possibly with the Yeah, she's gonna she's going to try to
set something up next Tuesday to talk to Mr. Larkin. just, you know, need a motion. See what happened. Well, probably. I mean, I mean, if you if you want to, it wasn't on here as a vote, but if you wanted to
um you can either let I I believe the you could either let August 15th come up or you could vote tonight to um not exercise your right of first refusal. Either way, it's time with me. I would just assume vote it through and
get I mean August 15th is, you know, a month away. Let those people understand that uh this is the path forward and if there's nothing else and and I'm in agreement. I you know, I think Tiffany Nton summed it up really well in the email that she wrote to the board. And I
mean, I I I and I've been up there and looked at this place. I am. It is what it is. But I think that Leah is um wellounded in that. We're just going to pass on this. And for the record, I'll move. No, before you go there, did you have a quick question?
Uh sorry, kind of goes back to earlier where I really should have spoken up, but sorry about that. So happy to hear about the high street one. My concern now is I know you guys just approved for the conservation to spend the $1,900 legal
fees on possible purchase of another piece of land. And this all right before you I know the path you're going down. That's donation. That parcel it's a one and a half acre parcel. An anonymous donor has given the money of $3,000 for this piece of land
that is entirely surrounded and was offered to us by the property owner to purchase this land. Right. It's not buildable. Correct. At all. No. No landmarked. Okay. Is it currently bringing in any
property taxes? I can't imagine how I mean I I don't honestly I just don't know. I don't know if you mentioned to what I put together. I have I have not yet. Okay. All right. This doesn't really relate to this.
It doesn't. It doesn't, but I can bring up another point in time. Okay. Motion. Go ahead. One thing. So Joan is right. and is trying to schedule a meeting with the owner. I think we Tuesday. Yeah.
So, the only thing I think could be an option. I don't know how important the build basically the home is to the town, but Leah did mention if the town wanted to
if it was a priority to preserve that the owner has said informally, not anything formal, but informally has said, well, we may be able to do that if and the if at this point was if you
allow me to build another home on that 11. So that's really the only as we kind of or as Ann has the conversation with the owner about
what to do, will you preserve it, etc. It'd be helpful to have guidance from the board on is that an option or not? Is or or is it more important to preserve the open space? Is
it more important to preserve the home? Would the select board be interested or open to taking a position or working with the prospective owner to support a request
by the ZBA to for variance if he was willing to preserve the home? That's the question because like sort of two different questions, right? Like one is
it sorry maybe I'm is it two different questions right one is to you a letter of support to CBA to give them another lot which we know is a pipe kind of a pipe dream and not really our perview right there's no hardship the second option is or the second
question is just trying to find a way to encourage CPA to revoke the the preservation of that building no I wasn't going on that okay all right I'm trying to understand it I was the hard the hardship with the ZB application would be I'm preserving the
building and it's and it's a priority for the town I'm working with the town and it's going to cost me a boatload more money in order to do that and because the town has made that a priority um the only way I can do that is to build another home to make a profit basically
to make a project profitable. Yeah. So that's the that's the question is would the town through the select board be open to that or is it more of look we want you to preserve the home. It's a priority for the town
but you're going to need to do it within the confines of what you can actually build there without I would like to have a conversation with him first to see if how serious he is about either of those. Okay, that that makes sense. Do you want
to wait on this motion? Yeah, there's no harm in Absolutely not. like so long as I mean I'm pretty adamant that CPA funds don't go towards this right because of the other sizable projects we have that we're looking at is that you know
okay just to make sure because that's the other opt the only other option we could support the preservation is to use CPA money to like help restore it and put the pres preservation restriction on the property right
right but not to do the restoration Yeah. Yes. Exactly. Exactly. And this is why that getting a report that said exactly how a contractor historian would have evaluated it well was going to be so important. I understand. It just doesn't just
doesn't roll that way apparently. I hear you. Yeah. I mean up to this point what what I the feeling I got is that there wasn't really an interest to vote for the town for the town to support a barrenage request like this. and it wasn't really
interest to use CTA funds. So that's sorry. So that but I just wanted to like Yeah, keep the option. Okay. No, fair enough. Yeah. Cool. Cool. Thank you. That's it. I have a couple things.
All right. Just just so that I have some clarity while we're all here. Did Did we um respond to Michael Sullivan's request? Does this guy get an email back from the board? I He got a acknowledgement email, I believe.
I I'd have to go check to confirm, but you and I talked about this. We did. We did. Yeah. Yeah. A while ago. Yeah. When I go through my email, I don't see anybody writing this guy back saying, "Look, here's the disposition of this." Well, yeah. We don't reply all.
We didn't. No, no, no. Typically, when we get a letter sent to the board, one of us replies. No, I we did. Jason and I spoke about it and you were going to reply back to him basically saying that we will look we we will look into it but it's you know
well according to I mean the latest and greatest here from Eric I'll make sure that this gets sent to us on the 14th which was yesterday and Eric is saying that you know he had an officer station there and he goes through all of this summary about it and
at the end of the day I don't I think we just write this guy back and just say you know we've determined detmined that the need to add a no truck sign is not in the best interest. There's no there's nothing here that supports that. I just
Well, maybe because we did we were going to talk about maybe you did send it. It was right before you I know. That's what I'm thinking. I got to go back and have to see do a count of how many trucks. I mean, I live off that. Right. Right. I know. So,
so there's really no what what the I think what the chief's findings were is yeah there's some trucks but over what is it 30 was it a 30 31day period it was kind of dimminimous and there were no tractor trailers no dump no 18 wheel dump it was all service
trucks and the trucks on those roads are a service pulling springs there was a period it it was because there were a couple accidents on 113 and they get rerouted along that way. So it
may have been an he may have caught that. He's a new owner there. He's probably been there maybe a year. Okay. So maybe just all of a sudden bunch of trucks came through one day because there was an accident, but I there's not an excessive amount of trucks that come through.
Okay. So I'll either way I'll draft an send based based on what I sent all that's good. I just was looking to not reply to him when every I mean we'd all reply and then I just didn't want to reply until you
got the happy. Yeah, I think that that's okay. Okay. And then the only other thing I want to talk about, Madam Chair, is at our next meeting. I would like an update and an action plan for 307 Pleasant Street.
Okay. Okay. Oh, it's up there on the corner of Yep. Yeah. All right. There's a certified letter here that went out in April and I don't know what's this July I mean I don't know that there are people living in that trailer. Um did
you What's that? There are lights on I can't hear you. There are lights on there at night. Oh yeah. I've been I've seen him go in and out of there. Y I've seen I've seen the pizza guy go in there. There was an email I had sent to about the the
all of that needs to get but that that's an action based on the selectable capacity. Yeah. Can we get that on our next agenda? You know, we talk about the gateway to Gustable being this way into the town and all and I get all that.
That's the that's the gateway that I don't want anybody to see. And people drive to the Dunkin Donuts and the thing and the and that trailer that the door was open and the pizza guy was in there. I don't know what are they doing with the sewer water dumping it on the lot.
I have no idea. Bridget Bridget doesn't know either. No, there's black water all over the place. I don't I have no idea. But Bridget Bridget me and the police chief had a meeting about this the week before I before last I was out.
Okay. Um, and she was going to do a follow-up letter because she did not get a response from the first letter. No, I can understand that. My I I shared it with Dana for any possible zoning violations. I haven't
heard back from him, but I will follow up with him on that. And then the other kind of issue that is present on the property is the under the junk junk bylaw. Yeah. And that that falls under the select board. So we can that was the
last email I sent. So we can put that on the next agenda. Yeah, please. Absolutely. We just we got to demonstrate to everyone that we're taking some action because most of the people drive down that street and they see that thing and that mobile that chassle trailer that's parked in there. I think they had a luau
over there the other night. Yeah. It'd be great to know what our teeth are. So what is our you know is it through the board of health or does the select board actually take the recommendation from the board of health and what their role is up to our role and sort of make
take some stands here. It's the select board has a role. Board of Health has a role. Dana, the building inspector may have a role. I'm not on that. Great. That's it for me. Motion to these just need to go into the record.
Jason. Okay. Or dangerous dog. Second. I in favor. Take an ice bath. Sorry.