Pepperell Select Board Ratifies Payroll Signatures Signed Without Board Authorization

PEPPERELL — June 5, 2018 — Pepperell Select Board holds emergency session to ratify payroll signatures made without a board vote. Meeting at 4 p.m. on June 5 with only two of three members present, the board voted unanimously four times to ratify payroll change notices signed by the board chair acting alone following the roughly three-week vacancy left by departing Town Administrator Mark Donahue. Town Counsel had advised the prior week that the solo signatures required a formal board ratification. Items ratified included a Board of Health retirement for Sandra Gagan, a detail-officer payroll change for Andrew Donoghue of the Middlesex Sheriff's Department, a rate change for Annie Siddel, and a full-time to part-time communications change dated May 27, 2018. The meeting drew pointed questions from an attending reporter and a participant identified as Bruce over the 4 p.m. scheduling, the absence of the third board member Lisa, and whether the documents truly met the threshold for an emergency session. The board agreed all future administrative documents would wait for the regular Monday meeting, with an interim town administrator expected to assume duties on June 14.