West Tisbury selectmen dealt with concerns about resident’s dog, announced hiring of a new cemetery supervisor and reminded residents of a special fall town meeting at their weekly meeting Wednesday.
At the request of animal control officer Anthony Cordray, selectmen agreed to update an order first issued in 2016 requiring Isaac Higgins to take certain steps to keep his dog under control within town boundaries following a biting incident. Mr. Higgins moved out of West Tisbury shortly after the order was issued, but recently returned.
According to the 2016 order, the dog was to be kept on a leash and in a muzzle when outside of Mr. Higgins’ home, and a fence was to be built on the Higgins property to keep the dog safely penned in.
Last week, Mr. Cordray said there were new reports of a biting incident involving Mr. Higgins’ dog in Manuel F. Correllus State Forest, prompting a request to call the resident before the selectmen. No further follow-up complaint about the dog has been filed, he said.
“One reason why I wanted him to come in was because at the last hearing, he had moved out of town at the last minute and I don’t think things were all that clear for him. [I want to] make it clear what he needs to do as per order of the selectmen,” said Mr. Cordray.
Amid confusion over details of the ordinance, selectmen directed that Mr. Cordray make necessary changes to the old document and agreed to make it effective Oct. 2 at 4 p.m. Selectman Skipper Manter suggested that Mr. Cordray deliver a hard copy of the rules to Mr. Higgins.
In other business, selectmen voted unanimously to hire Warren Gowell as the new cemetery superintendent, based on an internal recommendation by Mr. Manter and town administrator Jennifer Rand. The appointment is effective immediately.
Selectmen also voted to approve the carry-over of 59.1 hours of vacation for the animal control officer and to approve a disclosure of interest filed by town treasurer Kathy Logue for her work with Cape Cod Municipal Health Group.
At the close of the meeting, Ms. Rand reminded residents of the special fall town meeting, which will be held on Oct. 6 at 4 p.m. in the Tabernacle in Oak Bluffs. Parking for the meeting will not be available on Sunset Lake, and participants must adhere to mask-wearing and social distancing guidelines, she said.
— Maia Coleman
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