Select Board
Thursday, August 7, 2025
Meeting Minutes

Select Board: Andrew Maneval, Andrea Hodson, Kathy Scott
Attendees: Mary Lou Zahner, Lida Stinchfield, Larry White, Bob and Donna Collinsworth, Sarah Owusu, Eleanor Drury, Sonja Bianchi, Suzanne Richardson, Jon Richardson, Jean Keefe, Rosemary Cifrino, Kathy Bollerud, David Robins, Leslie Voiers, Kristy Drake, Bobby Drake, Pat Colony, Chick Colony, Michael Price, Steve LaMears, Beate Becker

Agenda – The SB approved the agenda as drafted and the July 31 meeting minutes as submitted.

Public Hearing, Proposed Dog Ordinance – At 7:00 pm, the SB opened the public hearing on the following proposed town ordinance: “Dogs must always be on a fixed or retractable leash (with stop control) whenever in Harrisville Town cemeteries. Owners or caretakers must promptly clean up after their dogs by collecting and removing their dogs’ fecal deposits from cemetery property. The penalty for violation of this Ordinance is a $50.00 fine per occurrence.”

Mr. Maneval explained that the Cemetery Regulations, adopted in 1999, have always prohibited dogs off leash and required that dogs be picked up after. Signage regarding this has also been in place. However, the Cemetery Trustees have lacked an enforcement mechanism and have called on the Town to consider adopting an ordinance to provide this.  The SB also posed the idea of applying the ordinance on a town-wide basis, not just in the cemeteries, should the town consider this appropriate or necessary.

Cemetery Trustee Chair Sonja Bianchi noted the trustees’ concerns over the years with off-leash dog behavior in Island Cemetery and the desire to keep all the cemeteries sacred, peaceful and beautiful spaces, to ensure mourners and cemetery visitors enjoy the proper surroundings to mourn and honor loved ones.  Residents and families of those buried there have also approached the Trustees about enforcing its rules. The Trustees all understand the need for dogs to exercise, and they enjoy and own dogs themselves, but they don’t feel it’s appropriate for the cemetery to serve as a dog park. She added that most towns don’t allow dogs in cemeteries and those that do have a leash law.

Andrea Hodson read aloud five letters submitted to the SB. The input from residents ranged from supporting a leash law townwide, to supporting the ordinance for the cemetery only, to opposing a leash law anyplace in town.  In addition, the correspondence suggested signage at the cemetery when a service is in progress, fencing the cemetery grounds, and setting allowing hours for dogs to be off-leash.

Several residents spoke to the importance and enjoyment of letting their friendly dogs run and play at Island Cemetery, the sense of community that the dog owners appreciate by gathering and encountering each other there, and their conscientiousness regarding cleaning up waste and consideration of others.

Other attendees supported requiring leashing due to unwelcome behavior, or the presence of unsafe or inappropriate conditions when dogs are off-leash. Many support establishing a dog park in town, an initiative the SB supports if volunteers are interested in working towards that.

Following the public comment session, the SB noted its obligation to represent everyone in town and for SB decisions to reflect what the community wants.  Town Meeting is an avenue by which unwelcome decisions or policies can be addressed and changed. The board reiterated that there can be no enforcement without an ordinance.

With no attendees supporting the proposal to apply the ordinance town-wide, the SB closed the public comment portion of the hearing and proceeded with consideration of the proposed ordinance language as drafted. Recognizing the importance of honoring the purpose of the cemeteries, including for mourning and burial services, supporting the longstanding Cemetery Regulations, and recognizing concerns of townspeople about off-leash behavior, the SB entertained the following motion:

Andrea Hodson moved that the Select Board endorse the Cemetery Trustees’ recommendations that ‘Dogs must always be on a fixed or retractable leash (with stop control) whenever in Harrisville Town cemeteries. Owners or caretakers must promptly clean up after their dogs by collecting and removing their dogs’ fecal deposits from cemetery property. The penalty for violation of this Ordinance is a $50.00 fine per occurrence.’ This ordinance takes effect November 1, 2025. Kathy Scott seconded. During discussion, board members emphasized that dogs are allowed in the cemeteries but on leash only, and that the board in adopting the ordinance is creating an enforcement arm of the existing Cemetery Regulations.  The board voted 3-0 in favor.

An article announcing the ordinance and penalty for violation will be submitted for the next Common Threads.

Municipal Services – Steve LaMears shared updates about the Recycling Center, including that leftover asphalt from the Church Street project was used to patch the entrance area at the facility. In addition, he has offered to the Marlborough Select Board to purchase their loading dock for $500 for use at our Recycling Center between the trailer and parking lot. The skid steer will require more repairs, estimated at $3K. Separately the SB and Chief LaMears further discussed the budget impact as to the effect of opening the facility to Nelson residents, should the board decide to agree to the requested arrangement. Mr. LaMears believes we’d have to add an extra day to the facility schedule.   The SB further discussed the pay per bag option and the challenges this poses. The board is grateful for SWRPC’s offer to help with a traffic volume count and will work to get input from townspeople on the idea.

On the question of painting parking lines on Church Street, the SB will see input from the Transportation Committee.  Chief LaMears will get a quote on rounding of the granite curbing edges.

Old Home Days Committee – On the request from the OHD Committee to purchase a wi-fi booster for the library for use during Old Home Days, the board will reach out to the Nelson library for input.

Police Department – The board will meet with Officer Perry next week to discuss department planning for 2026.

Correspondence and other business – The SB noted that, as a follow-up to Peter Temple’s request to the SB about his plot in Island Cemetery, the board received an email from the Cemetery Trustee Chair indicating a resolution of the complaint. Unless other issues arise, the SB considers the matter closed.

SB draft agenda for 8/14 – Police Dept/Meeting with Matt Perry; Energy Committee; Cybersecurity

The meeting adjourned at 9:25 pm.