By Dawn De Busk

Staff Writer

NAPLES — When Naples residents rejected the budget for the Animal Control Officer, it did not leave the ACO in limbo.

ACO Jessica Jackson is still working for the three towns with which her services are contracted.

Also, money from last fiscal year’s budget is being used to fund the position since the new fiscal year began on July 1. Actually, the budget from 2023-24 is $1,000 more than what was presented to voters this year.

However, by law, Naples voters must approve that budget item. The opportunity to do so will come up at a Naples Special Town Meeting on Thursday, Sept. 5.

Last week, the Naples Select Board received an update on the changes to the interlocal contract with the towns of Raymond and Casco.

“To address the community concerns regarding the service provided by the animal control officer position, the town managers got together and revised the interlocal agreement to be more specific” about the job expectations, Naples Town Manager Jason Rogers said. 

“We are confident that with these changes, Naples citizens can vote favorably for the budget,” he said.

He stressed that the budgetary numbers have not changed from what was presented this spring at Naples Annual Town Meeting. The amount in the ACO budget is the same.

“I worked with the town managers in Raymond and Casco to revise this after town meeting in May. The performance standards have been updated. The highlights include a 40-hour workweek, generally speaking, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Throughout the week, her hours adjust according to what are the busiest times, sometimes she starts earlier and sometimes later,” he said.

ACO Jackson was also part of the discussion to better define the job standards, he said.

The biggest changes to the new interlocal contract are: “Defining the workday and defining the job specifications of the ACO. The last one was half a page long and about 10 years old,” he said.

In the coming week, Rogers will continue gathering information about the in’s and out’s of the position by taking a trip to Windham. 

“I will be touring the dispatch facility [Cumberland Country Regional Communication Center] to better understand how the ACO is dispatched, and how calls are logged, and how the ACO checks in and checks out and takes vacations so that we can get the service town members are expecting,” he said.

During a phone interview, Rogers explained what would happen going forward.

“In preparation for next fiscal year, the select board has authorized me to research costs for Naples to withdraw from the interlocal agreement, and resource our own animal control officer,” he said.

If that approach is feasible and it is approved by voters in 2025, an ACO assistant will not be necessary since the future employee will be working for only one town.

During the meeting on Aug. 12, Selectman Stephen LaPointe asked if the town was still prepared to back out of the interlocal pact.

Rogers replied that within the language of the agreement, Naples has notified the towns of its intent to drop out. On the other hand, if it is not financially feasible for Naples, there is a requirement to notify the other towns 120 days (or four months) prior to July 1. 

Selectman Colin Brackett spoke.

“Are they okay with potentially picking that up between the two of them,” Brackett asked.

“They understand where town sits,” Rogers said.

“Once we [the Town of Naples] hire an assistant ACO, that will enable 7-days-a-week coverage,” he said.

Chairman Ted Shane asked if anybody has expressed interest in the advertised assistant ACO position.

Rogers answered no.

“So, we are going to continue to not have Fridays covered? Don’t you think Friday would be better than Monday,” Shane said.

Casco Town Manager Tony Ward prefers that his employees’ work schedules align, and Casco is on a Monday through Thursday workweek, Rogers said.

Brackett was concerned with how to figure out the best schedule.

“It is hard thing to articulate what days are better because it so sporadic. Animals you can’t control when they are going to run off,” he said.

Shane was worried about not having weekend coverage.

“You’ve seen it on social media like everyone else has — It seems like weekends are the most problematic for animal-related issues,” he said.

In related news, the smallest brick building, which was being considered for the ACO’s use, will be a storage area instead.

“In talking to the other town managers and looking at the job pace of ACO, the room over there in the building there is just under-utilized,” Rogers said.

He mentioned plans to turn the structure into a storage room for any extra ACO equipment or files, for the Naples Recreation Department and for the town’s seasonal decorations.