NEW ANIMAL CONTROL CONTRACT COSTS $30,000 MORE

The Township Committee this week approved a two-year agreement with St. Hubert's Animal Welfare Center of Madison for animal control services, ending a controversial approach that began with the surprise dismissal of the Township's longtime local animal control officer.

But the new deal will run about $30,000 more per year.

When former animal control officer Debbie Hadu was fired in January, Township officials said they could replace her with the nearby Associated Humane Societies of Newark at about the same cost. 

Hadu's salary was about $40,000 per year, while the Associated contract would cost about $41,000 annually. That deal was recently ended, however, reportedly at the request of Associated.

The new agreement with St. Hubert's, which runs through the end of 2017, will cost the Township $71,601 per year, officials said.

At Tuesday's Township Committee meeting where the St. Hubert's contract was approved, 5-0, supporters of Hadu urged the Township to ask that St. Hubert's retain Hadu for their services in Maplewood.

Among those was Kathleen Hernandez, executive vice president of Communications
Workers of America Local 1031, which represented Hadu and other Township employees.

See her plea below, followed by another Hadu supporter.