Update and clarification on some green dog issues

Hello all, just some clarification on some of the questions surrounding this issue. Mainly I will repeat what I said at the public meeting on October 15th, with some additional info.

The purpose of the public meeting was to begin the conversation about off-leash hours at the parks. This will be a lengthy process, and starting the public conversation is just the beginning. At the meeting, I had said that the Parks Commission would likely be voting on this issue at the end of October or beginning of November.

At the meeting, and since then, the question came up as to whether the Parks Commission has the authority to allow a trial of off-leash hours. This question has been posed to the City Solicitor, who has responded after reviewing the ordinance. The ordinance as it is currently written does not allow the Parks Commission to allow off-leash use. Any changes to the ordinance would require a vote by the Aldermen. Then if the ordinance was changed, the Parks Commission could allow usage of particular parks.

This changes the timeline of this process, if it does indeed go forward. Whether the green dog option continues forward at this time is up to the citizen group which is working on the proposal, the Melrose Dog Society. The Health Department/Canine Control office's role in the process is to facilitate the process, by hosting meetings and this blog, and providing technical assistance.

There have been concerns voiced about how well the 10/15 meeting was publicized. The meeting was posted in both papers and on cable, and flyers were distributed in several locations. There had been plans to post more flyers around the neighborhoods, but unfortunately there was a miscommunication about who would handle this job, for which I take responsibility. This is one reason that I opened the blog up to this discussion, to provide an additional venue for discussion. Before any sort of vote is taken I will make sure that the info is publicized.

In terms of enforcement, I agree that more enforcement is needed. I have been trying to work different shifts in order to arrive at the parks during the early or late hours. However, I can only spread 30 hours so far, and I do have other duties which I need to handle. We are beginning to discuss this with the police department to get additional enforcement assistance.

Lastly, though the green dog proposal remains controversial, I did notice a lot of additional support for the concept of a dedicated, separate dog park. Anyone interested in working on this should contact Melrose Dog Society and offer to help.

I will try to post more next week, after the citizens who are working on this project have had a chance to decide what their next steps are. I'm sure many of you have participated in a public process like this before, and understand how much work is involved. Please continue to be respectful of each other as we go through this process. Thanks! -Diane

Melrose dog needs a new home

Chrissy is a 6 year old female Collie-Shepherd mix. She has lived with children and other dogs, and is very affectionate and loves to be petted. Please call Melrose Canine Control for more info.

Thank you for a great public meeting last night

Last night's public meeting on the Green Dog off-leash hours proposal was very productive. 56 people attended, and many got up to speak for or against the proposal. I will post a summary of the notes taken as soon as it's available. I was extremely impressed with the respectful behavior of everyone who attended. Although people had very strong feelings on the subject, they were able to be courteous, and this really facilitated a great discussion.

All input will be forwarded to the Parks Commission to aid them in deciding whether to allow a trial of this proposal. We are still collecting public input from anyone who was not able to attend last night's meeting. Please feel free to email me: dkurkjian@cityofmelrose.org or Joan Bell: jbell@cityofmelrose.org or post comments on this blog.

IMPORTANT: PLEASE SIGN YOUR POSTS! Part of the reason last night's meeting went so well was that people spoke face to face, acknowledging that they were having a conversation with neighbors and fellow citizens. On an online forum, anonymity can cause people to forget to be respectful. Also, although we are not strictly counting numbers of for/against comments, if people are not signing their posts it is hard to tell whether 10 citizens are posting or 1 citizen is posting 10 times. Thank you for your input! -Diane Kurkjian

October Lost Pets

• October 5- neutered male medium-haired cat, black and white, no collar, Dartmouth Rd. area.
• October 6- neutered male short-haired cat, black and white tuxedo markings, Vinton/LFP .FOUND!
• October 11- male Ragdoll cat (long-haired), grey and white.
• October 19- female short-haired cat, dilute calico with white nose, chest and paws, no collar. Wentworth Rd. FOUND!

Melrose Green Dog Proposal- public meeting October 15th

INTRODUCTION
Green Dog is a program which has been used in other cities like Melrose, where open space is limited. The Green Dog Program allows specific hours and locations for dog owners to allow their dogs off leash in designated city parks.

The Melrose Dog Society is a citizen group which was formed this year to work toward recreation options for dog owners. Please click the link in the right sidebar to get more information on Melrose Dog Society (MDS). The MDS has been working closely with the Melrose Parks Department and Melrose Canine Control to develop a draft Green Dog Proposal.PUBLIC MEETING- PROPOSED OFF-LEASH HOURSWhen: Thursday, October 15, 2009 at 7:00- 9:00 p.m.
Where: Melrose City Hall
Aldermanic Chamber, main floor
562 Main St.
FMI: Diane Kurkjian 781-979-4102dkurkjian@cityofmelrose.org

The purpose of this meeting will be to present a proposal to allow a trial of legal off-leash hours for dogs at the following parks: Melrose Common, Hesseltine Field and Franklin Field. Public comments will be collected to aid the Parks Commission in voting on this matter at a future date.

DRAFT GREEN DOG RULES AND REGULATIONS
The Green Dog Program of Melrose could be an innovative approach to meeting our dogs’ and dog owners’ desire to have time off-leash, while sharing the spaces seamlessly with other park users in our urban community. Pending approval, the City of Melrose would conduct a pilot program at three off-leash areas across the city, with specific off-leash hours established by the Melrose Parks Commission. Dog owners are allowed to play with and train their dogs off-leash during these designated times following the program criteria and rules. The pilot program will begin on DATE and will be reassessed by the Parks Commission on DATE. The Melrose Canine Officer will monitor compliance with the Green Dogs criteria and rules, and prepare an assessment at the end of the pilot program for the Melrose Parks Commission.

The City of Melrose and the Melrose Dog Society will help promote a successful dog program. Each Green Dog Park will have a liaison that will:
· Promote, enlist and encourage others to promote a successful program.
· Answer questions and attempt to resolve issues.
· Receive and forward comments, complaints, unresolved issues, suggestions and general information from dog walkers and abutters to the Melrose Canine Control Officer and Melrose Dog Society. See contacts below.
· Report abuses to the Melrose Canine Control Officer and Melrose Dog Society.

To help ensure that our residents, visitors and dogs enjoy a quality experience, participants must meet these criteria and follow these rules. Failure to comply may jeopardize the Green Dog Program.

I. Criteria:
1. Aggressive dogs are not permitted on or off-leash.
2. Dogs must be at least four months old to participate in the program.
3. Dogs in heat are not allowed off-leash.
4. Dogs must be healthy (no contagious conditions, diseases, or parasites).
5. Only dogs licensed in their home city and with an up-to-date rabies tag are permitted off leash.
6. Dogs must have the following info on their collar: dog license tag, rabies tag, home address and contact phone number.

II. Park Rules:
1. Dogs are only allowed off leash at participating parks at established hours.
2. Dogs must be on leash until they are inside the park. Keep your leash on hand at all times.
3. One dog walker may walk no more than two dogs and the dog walker must have a separate leash for each dog.
4. Aim to improve neighborhood relations and the overall condition at the parks. Sweep the parks during daylight hours to pick up litter and any missed dog waste from others.
5. Dog walkers must carry at least two waste pick-up bags per dog and must pick up and properly dispose of their dog(s) waste. Encourage others to do the same and pick up others when necessary.
6. Dog walkers must carry a flashlight during dusk or dark hours to aid finding dog waste. Car lights must switched off immediately after parking.
7. Dogs must be in sight at all times.
8. Dog walkers must fill in holes with the loam supplied at each park and report any poor or unsafe field conditions to the Melrose Park Department.
9. No barking dogs. Barking disturbs neighbors and will jeopardize the Green Dog program.
10. Dog walkers must have their dogs under control and under voice control at all times (dog responds to and obeys your verbal commands).
11. Dogs may not harass, bully, or show continued aggression towards other dogs, and must be immediately leashed and controlled from affecting others.
12. Dogs are not allowed to approach other visitors unless invited to do so. Be mindful of your dog so that other park visitors, children, and their dogs are not anxious about their safety. Many people (and sometimes other dogs) do not like unfamiliar dogs.
13. Dogs not able to obey Rules 10 - 12 must participate in a “Come When Called” training program to be allowed off leash. Contact the Melrose Canine Control Officer.
14. Check for park closed signs or crews working in the park, which means off-leash hours are suspended.
15. Check these sites for property-specific or updated Green Dogs regulations before your visit:www.cityofmelrose.org/departments/animalcontrol.htm & http://www.melrosedogsociety.org/.
16. Report Green Dog Program violations to the Melrose Canine Control Officer. 17. Report aggressive dogs to the Melrose Police Department.

TRIAL PERIOD AND PROPOSED HOURS
1. The trial period would be November 1 through December 31, then the program will be re-evaluated.
2. These are the proposed hours:
Common M-F (7am- 9am) M-F (7pm- 9pm) S-S (7am- 7:45am) S-S (6pm- 8pm)
Hesseltine M-F (7am- 7:45am) " " "
Franklin M-F (7am- 9am) " " "

TO LEAVE A COMMENT
Please click the comment link at the bottom of this post. Please include your name, and remember that this is a conversation between neighbors, so civility is much appreciated.
IMPORTANT: PLEASE SIGN YOUR POSTS! Part of the reason last night's meeting went so well was that people spoke face to face, acknowledging that they were having a conversation with neighbors and fellow citizens. On an online forum, anonymity can cause people to forget to be respectful. Also, although we are not strictly counting numbers of for/against comments, if people are not signing their posts it is hard to tell whether 10 citizens are posting or 1 citizen is posting 10 times. Thank you for your input! -Diane Kurkjian

October Found Pets

Please contact Melrose Canine Control at 781-979-4102 for further information:

• Found October 1- Large male DSH cat, solid grey with faint stripes, extra toes, corner Grove and Dell.