Capital panel finalizes pitch for $1M ballot ask
Capital Program Committee · Meeting of September 28, 2026
Pepperell's Capital Program Committee rehearsed its pitch for a tax override to fund a $25 million repair backlog. Chair David Ganong and Finance Committee Representative John Ladik debated whether to call the backlog a "problem" or a "challenge," while Town Administrator Andrew MacLean estimated the town spends only a third to a quarter of what's needed annually to keep pace with deterioration. Treasurer/Collector Theresa O'Leary said a $550,000 ask for generators at Town Hall, the Council on Aging and the police station could be covered by free cash, saying, "Let's grab it from the free cash bucket and not push the tax override." The group calculated a $1 million ask would cost the average taxpayer about $18 a month across roughly 4,400 tax bills.
Ganong and Ladik also disagreed over restoring the Town Hall's historic cupola. The committee plans to present to the Select Board on October 14, needing three of five votes to reach a ballot.
In the full story:
- Who Was There
- Organizations And Documents Referenced
- The complete report — 2,968 words
Source: the Capital Program Committee meeting of September 28, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
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