Vernon briefs

Town considers changes to dog ordinance

VERNON — VERNON - In response to community concerns, the Selectboard will review and revise their current Dog Ordinance over the next few months.

Selectboard Chair Josh Unruh encourages public participation in the process.

“We are hoping to address resident concerns and update our local ordinance to conform to state law,” he said in a news release. “Toward that end, we want to give the public ample opportunity to weigh in on the process and be part of the final product.”

Current regulations prohibit “Running at Large,” but there is no leash law in Vernon. Unruh says plans don't include instituting a leash law, but public input will go a long way toward a final ordinance that will protect the health and safety of residents.

The public is invited to share comments at any regular meeting or email them to Town Administrator Michelle Pong at [email protected].

New faces, duties at Town Clerk's office

VERNON - With the retirement of longtime Assistant Town Clerk Aina Lindquist, the town has hired Dianne Howard as the new Assistant. She'll be in the office 20 hours a week.

The Town Clerk's office also has embarked on an electronic records project, with the assistance of the New England Municipal Resource Center. The goal, according to Town Clerk Tim Arsenault, is to provide electronic access to all the town's land records.

A majority of the records have been digitized over the years, but the NEMRC system puts them all into a similar format and integrates them with the existing index.

Accessing the records electronically will help preserve the tens of thousands of deeds and mortgages in the town's vaults that can't be replaced and that degrade faster when examined by the many researchers who visit the office. The process is ongoing, and records are being scanned into the system within the office's existing work load. The system went live June 1.

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