East Hampton Agrees to Settle Lingering Dog Pound Issue

With the regionalization of the dog pound complete, there still remained one matter before the East Hampton Town Council to bring about a final resolution to the matter.

The town had leased the former pound at 216 Wopowog Road for 37 years, and according to the building’s owner, Don Hazard, had failed to maintain it.

“I'm not responsible for the cleanliness or the upkeep of the building,” Hazard told the council on Jan. 12. “Look in the lease. Who's responsible for the upkeep and the looks of the building?

"Nobody has done anything. It needs painting. It needs windows. It's the responsibility of the town to take care of the building."

That was at the height of the council's consideration of the dog pound regionalization issue. With the regional pound now located in East Haddam, the town on Tuesday looked to satisfy Hazard’s claim and move on.

“Apparently, over the 37 years of being there, a lot of maintenance was not done,” council member Chris Goff said, adding that the contract did say the town was to leave the building in its original condition.

According to Goff, after Hazard talked with interim town manager John Weichsel, he came away from the conversation with the impression the town would not cover any labor portion of needed repairs.

Hazard, who provided estimates of $18,000 and $24,000, indicated he could do some of the maintenance himself.

“There were $1,500 allotted every year for maintenance,” Council Chair Melissa Engel said. “Do we know what happened to that money?”

The answer to that wasn’t clear. Finance Director Jeff Jylkka said he would have to check, but suggested that the money, which was part of the animal control budget, was probably spent on other needs.

“When departments have budgets, they manage the budgets as they see best fit for their particular needs,” Jylkka said. “Budgets are very, very fluid.”

In the end, Hazard agreed to settle for $14,000, which, according to Jylkka, would come out of the remaining balance of last year’s animal control budget.

The council, however, first wanted to ensure accepting Hazard’s offer would bring about a final resolution.

“We would make the payment to Mr. Hazard contingent upon an exchange of a release in favor of the Town of East Hampton, its agents and servants,” Town Attorney Jean D’Aquila said.

With that, Vice Chair John Tuttle motioned that the council approve the payment “to put this matter behind us."

The council, with five members present, voted unanimously in favor of the settlement.