Pepperell Discloses $510,000 Budget Gap, No Override Planned for Fiscal 2027

PEPPERELL — March 5, 2026 — Pepperell faces a $510,000 fiscal year 2027 budget deficit with no override planned. Town Administrator Andrew MacLean told the joint Select Board and Finance Committee on March 5 that projected expenses are running at roughly 4.62 percent growth against revenue growth of only 2.9 percent — the lowest revenue increase in at least eight budget cycles. The gap had stood at $564,000 the night before and near $900,000 when budgets were first submitted; MacLean said $54,000 in reductions were found the day of the meeting, largely through work on the Department of Public Works budget with Director Paul Brinkman. MacLean said he does not expect to bring a half-million-dollar deficit to Town Meeting in May but acknowledged a balanced budget may not be ready then either, and that the board may again present a deficit budget for town meeting passage to allow more time to work. A Finance Committee member identified as John warned that five North Middlesex labor contracts are up for renewal and are unlikely to settle within the 2.9 percent growth rate, adding that the town has "been pretty lucky" in past years, having sold land for an ambulance, tapped free cash for operations, and used COVID funds for capital — and that such one-time offsets are not guaranteed going forward.