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Selectmen return Humane Society arrangement to status quo, for now
MEREDITH — Mary Di Maria, interim executive director of the New Hampshire Humane Society, took to the podium last night as though she were a dog with bared teeth. No sooner did the barking begin than the Board of Selectmen realized they were the smaller dog in the fight and retreated, tail between their collective legs. Di Maria, and the room full of her supporters, was present at the meeting out of indignation that the town had advertised a request for proposals for kennel services. The Humane Society, located in Laconia, just barely over the Meredith town line, had been providing those services, and many others to the town, for 30 years, Di Maria told the board. “My concern in something of this nature is that all the bids have been listed for dog services only — we do a lot more than that for Meredith,” she said. Di Maria said the Humane Society accepts stray cats and dogs that residents collect and the non-profit organization also participates with the Police Department in recovering animals from homes where they’ve been neglected or abused. Further, she said the Humane Society has pledged to shelter and care for any animal until it is returned to its owner or is adopted to an acceptable home, and that the society won’t euthanize animals. She questioned whether a private kennel would be so generous, as they are only required by law to keep an animal for seven days. One kennel, whose services have been contracted by some regional municipalities, is in business as both v a kennel and a pet crematorium; she strongly insinuated that the two sides of the business are closer than most would like to know. Last year, she noted, the town of Meredith paid the Humane Society $9,500, though she said the services provided to the town were well in excess of that figure. Turning from the board to the audience, she said, “You should be outraged that this is even being considered.” Her comment drew a vigorous round of applause. Town Manager Phil Warren explained that as he was new to the position, he engaged in a lengthy e-mail exchange that began with a request for the Humane Society to fill out the same paperwork that the town was requesting of all “outside agencies”. “It was put very plainly that their services were viewed as just that, they were a vendor and they were providing services,” he said. Warren said town policies call for services be awarded through a bid process. “As a vendor, they have to be treated like every other vendor... It doesn’t stop the Humane Society from responding with a bid,” he said. Di Maria wasn’t satisfied with the answer, telling the board that she requested a meeting with a representative of the town, only to be told by Warren that it wouldn’t be necessary. “I find that absolutely disgraceful, that after 30 years of a relationship, that was the way we were treated.” Warren attempted to respond, only for his amplified answer to be drowned out by boos from the many humane society supporters in attendance. Selectboard Chair Peter Brothers noted that $10,000 in funding for the Humane society remained in the proposed budget for 2010 and though the board has been searching diligently for savings this year, “There is a bigger issue, the humane treatment of the animals.” He acknowledged that the breadth of animal services required by the town was largely unknown to him and he suggested that the board schedule a workshop so it could learn more about the topic.
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