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October 15, 2002 BARC has begun to facilitate educational programs designed to heighten awareness of dog owner concerns and obligations within the community. Concern over challenges to access to public facilities has galvanized the city's dog owners and resulted in increased impetus to ensure our parks and public areas are kept clean and safe for people and dogs alike. While BARC is not responsible for enforcement of law, BARC's educational initiatives have and will continue to capitalize on this community concern and sentiment.
A brief review of BARC's accomplishments since its inception is in order. A steering committee has been formed, and has met several times to coordinate the organization's activities. Task leaders have been selected and have worked to develop teams and strategies appropriate to their endeavors. Among these initiatives have been development of the BARC website, email contact system, voicemail system, and post office box address. The steps have been taken to incorporate BARC as a tax-exempt non-profit organization, and a bank account has been opened.
On Thursday, October 3, a subcommittee of BARC met with the Beverly Parks and Recreation Commission. Although membership is open to all, BARC does not purport to act on behalf of all dog owners, and maintains that the Parks and Recreation Commission similarly has no authority to negotiate on behalf of the city's elected officials. BARC nevertheless is endeavoring to work with the Commission to continue communications between the two entities regarding issues related to dog ownership rights and responsibilities.
On Sunday, October 6, BARC facilitated a discussion at Lynch Park featuring Animal Services Officer, James Lindley. Officer Lindley discussed rights and responsibilities of dog owners. Mayor Crean was in attendance and spoke to the issues as well. Approximately fifty residents participated in the gathering, and many brought their dogs. All were well behaved, including the two-legged attendees.
At the conclusion of the event, Officer Lindley distributed keys to dog waste bag container boxes, and supplies of bags to selected BARC members. BARC has orchestrated an initiative proposed by Officer Lindley for BARC volunteers at each bag box location to inventory and continually stock the boxes. Plans have been made for a BARC liaison to accompany Officer Lindley on a tour of the city's parks and facilities, choosing sites for new bag boxes in an ambitious expansion of the program.
Additional initiatives are under development by BARC to help free the Animal Services Officer from time-consuming tasks detracting from his ability to attend more important functions.
BARC has made remarkable progress in just a few weeks, thanks to the support of members of the community concerned about residents' rights and responsibilities as animal owners and as citizens. Thanks go to the City Council, the Mayor, the Public Works Department, the Parks and Recreation Commission, and especially to the Service and Aid Committee, and Officer Jim Lindley. We sincerely hope that the issue of restricting access to Lynch Park will be decided forthwith, so that BARC and the city's services departments can proceed with more productive enterprises.
Sincerely,
Steering Committee for
The Beverly Animal Resource Coalition
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