Ludo, the facility dog which had been utilized at the Lycoming County Court House, has found employment at the Lycoming-Clinton Joinder Board, along with his handler, Jerri Rook, following approval by the board of a new agreement for administrative support services and facility dog program services.

Rook had been employed in former President Judge Nancy Butts office but when the judge lost a bid for retention in last year’s municipal election, Rook’s position was no longer necessary.

“Jerri had been employed by Lycoming County working directly for Judge Butts. As part of her duties Lycoming Children and Youth had been funding training for her and for a dog to provide facility dog services specifically targeted for children involved with the court system,” said Keith Wagner, executive director of the Lycoming-Clinton Joinder Board.

“And then Jerri was able to broaden that to provide services in the county prison, at school districts…with Judge Butts leaving office at the end of the December that left Jerry and the dog kind of out there stranded. So we’ve been working with her,” Wagner continued.

“It’s important for Children and Youth, since they’ve been funding this to maintain that service, and so for at least the short run, we are proposing a contract with her so that she will provide some administrative services support for our clerical department and be able to continue the facility dog support that she’s been providing, with the goal that hopefully in the coming fiscal year, we’ll be able to hire her under civil service,” he said.

Under the agreement, Rook will be paid $28.49 per hour for a 40-hour work week with half of that time being spent assisting clerical and the other half continuing the services she was already providing with Ludo.