Pepperell Boards Warned of $800,000 Deficit, Vote to Restart Fire Chief Search

PEPPERELL — December 3, 2025 — Pepperell boards warned of projected $800,000 budget deficit for fiscal year 2027. At a joint session of the Select Board, Finance Committee, and Capital Program Committee on December 3, Town Administrator Andrew Dionne presented a five-year financial model showing combined revenue growth for Pepperell and its North Middlesex Regional School District partners of just 2.23 percent against anticipated expense growth of roughly 5 percent — a gap he calculated at $360,000 for every additional percentage point of spending above the revenue line. "I don't have any good news to share with you," Dionne told the three boards. "I just wanted you to know that it's early December, and we can see a lot of storm clouds financially for Pepperell." Known drivers include a 6.75 percent retirement assessment increase, an expected 20 percent jump in health insurance, and existing contractual wage obligations; the town's capital budget is currently set at $104,000. The board voted unanimously to authorize Dionne to reopen the search for a permanent fire chief, bypassing the outside assessment center used in a prior failed search, and also approved a draft charge for an ad hoc charter and bylaw review committee targeting outdated language and reporting structures that drew sharp debate at the November special town meeting.