All measures pass at Marion Town Meeting

MARION — Voters met in the Sippican Elementary School auditorium for a 2 ½ hour-long meeting to take care of town business on May 11.

A $32 million dollar budget, funding for a school district-wide health insurance deficit and updates to the Animal Control Code were among the topics Town Meeting approved on Monday night. 

Large items on the budget included 

While most items passed without comment from voters, discussion surrounded a proposed change to animal control bylaws. The change was part of a move to update the bylaws to comply with state law, which recently increased restrictions for kennels after a dog was mauled to death at an East Longmeadow boarding facility.

Some voters opposed a section mandating dog walkers carry something with them to remove their dog’s feces. 

“Unless the police are going to go around and check people, then it's really not going to be enforced,” he said. “If the police are, then I have other issues with that, because that’s an illegal search and seizure," Resident Peter Winters said.

Other residents complained about the amount of dog waste around town and supported stricter laws about cleaning up after dogs. 

Select Board member Norman Hills said he frequently walks his dog in Washburn Park and sees “dog crap all over the place.” He said he wants to see people clean up after their dogs, especially since the town already provides bags in many popular areas.

Resident Alan Harris noted the issue is especially problematic at Peirson Woods, where he’s had to clean up in preparation for an Easter egg hunt. 

“It's the worst Easter egg hunt ahead of time, because they're all camouflaged, and we're talking pounds of poop,” he said. 

Voters rejected a move to strike the section, and the bylaw update passed unchanged.