Melrose Board Labels Dog Dangerous, Approves $237,764 Fire Tanker

MELROSE — July 15, 2021 — Melrose Select Board unanimously upheld a dangerous dog designation for a local dog named Luna, owned by Ramankara Lewis, and approved a $237,764 fire tanker purchase at its July 15 meeting. Police Chief Craig Mouse presented reports from two 2021 incidents — a May 28 parking lot bite that injured a woman and her dog, and a June 17 confrontation in front of City Hall — that triggered the dangerous dog process under state statute. The Lewis family acknowledged both incidents but asked the board not to escalate from "potentially dangerous" to "dangerous," citing precautions already taken and the dog's good behavior at home. Board members said the statutory criteria had been met and voted unanimously to uphold the designation, which requires the owners to carry $300,000 in liability insurance, build a proper enclosure, muzzle Luna off-property, and register her annually as a dangerous dog; an appeal to district court must be filed within 14 days. The board also approved the hire of Daniel Harrington as city planner at step one of the salary scale, with a start date of August 2, and heard a proposed nuisance ordinance amendment targeting unlicensed vehicles stored in yards, with formal adoption expected at the August meeting.