A new Franklin County Commission prepares Tuesday to start its meeting at the county courthouse in Farmington. Among their agenda items was voting to purchase a new K-9 replacement for the sheriff’s office. From left are Tom Saviello of Wilton, Thomas Skolfield of Weld, Chairperson Robert “Bob” Carlton of Freeman Township, Jeffrey Gilbert of Jay and Fenwick Fowler of Farmington. Donna M. Perry/Sun Journal

FARMINGTON — Franklin County commissioners voted Tuesday to purchase a German shepherd for the Sheriff’s Office for $5,000 from Von Woden K9, a kennel in Weld.

K-9 Atlas, a 30-month-old, will replace Bain, a K-9 retired with its owner Sgt. Nathan Bean in December.

Von Woden K-9 is owned by Lt. David Rackliffe of the Sheriff’s Office.

The county received four quotes for dogs; one was sold before the commissioners’ meeting and another was not available. Aryk, a 3-year-old male German shepherd from Prospect Canine in New Hampshire cost $7,000 to $7,500.

Von Woden offers a one-year guarantee that the dogs will be free from skeletal diseases of the hips, elbows and spine. It also offers a one-year guarantee on genetic diseases that would prevent the dog from performing its duties as a dual purpose police K-9, according to Rackliffe’s information submitted to commissioners.

Rackliffe has previously donated some dogs to the county over the years for the Sheriff’s Office.

Former Sgt. Bean, the K-9 training officer, researched the dogs for the Sheriff’s Office. He recommended a K-9 from Von Woden.

Sheriff Scott Nichols Sr. included the money in the current budget, knowing Bean was going to retire.

Atlas will train with a new deputy handler.

Also on Tuesday, commissioners elected Robert “Bob” Carlton as chairperson. He was appointed by Gov. Janet Mills to replace the late Clyde Barker in 2022 who retired because of illness. Residents in Commission District 3 elected Carlton in 2022.