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Public health director hired in Westport

Herald News - 6/5/2018

WESTPORT - The town for the first time in two decades has appointed a director of public health.

Matthew Armendo was selected by the health board and his appointment was finalized by a selectmen vote.

The appointment ends an approximate 18-month span in which the health department has been without a senior employee to lead the department. Former senior health agent James Walsh was put on administrative leave in 2016 and then officially retired that year. The Board of Health then pitched the idea of a public health director to professionalize the department. Both the select and health boards, as well as local animal advocates, touted the move as a necessary step after a landmark animal abuse case was discovered at a tenant farm on Route 177 in 2016.

Armendo, of Auburn, expressed excitement for his new job. Armendo said he has been conducting health director duties for a decade and is currently a health inspector in Northbridge. Before that, he had served as a regional public health specialist in the Worcester area and as a health inspector in Auburn, according to his resume.

Armendo in 2014 earned a bachelor's in public health from American Public University and is working on a master's in public health from Grand Canyon University online.

His resume also notes he is a licensed soil evaluator and system inspector and is Environmental Protection Agency-trained in private and public wells.

Armendo, during a recent Friday, said he and his wife want to relocate to the east coast of the state and he became drawn to Westport, noting the farm country near the ocean.

Armendo said he plans to brave for a year the approximate 60-minute commute to Westport before moving to the area.

Armendo said he also is impressed with the town's health department and its direction.

"They're a great group of guys. They know their stuff. They're focused on the town and doing the right thing," Armendo said.

During the meeting with selectmen, Selectmen Vice Chairman Steven Ouellette asked about Armendo's plans for animal welfare issues.

Health Board Chairman William Harkins responded that animal inspectors are appointed by the state and the Animal Control Officer works under the select board.

That has drawn some criticism from animal advocates, who say that this new position should be used to prevent another landmark animal abuse case.

"We fully support the BOH decision to hire a director. However, we did so hoping that the new director of public health would also be another safeguard in our struggle to ensure humane treatment of all animals in Westport," said Stop the Insanity Founder Kathy Feininger. "As the search wore on, and as the Animal Action Committee concluded that an Animal Site Registry was needed in Westport, we were gratified to know that the BOH would soon have a director who could help implement the new registry and all the changes that come along with it."

"Our excitement about a new Director of Public Health is waning - as we now believe that the director will be encouraged not to do anything to improve animal welfare," she said.

Armendo addressed the issue a bit during an interview on Friday. He mentioned Harkins' stance that most animal control issues fall under the selectmen's purview. However, he also said health officials have talked about the issue and he believes it warrants further discussion.