Pepperell Selectmen Adopt Code of Conduct, Approve FY2019 Budget With Capital Cuts

PEPPERELL — April 9, 2018 — Pepperell selectmen unanimously approved a constrained FY2019 town budget and adopted a first-ever board code of conduct at their April 9 meeting. Town Administrator Mark Andrews presented an operating and capital budget that cut capital spending from a proposed $579,000 to $488,000 largely to absorb a North Middlesex Regional School District assessment increase of approximately 4.95 percent — roughly $658,000 to $682,000 more than the prior year — after the district had initially sought nearly 8 percent. "I have an 11-year-old in the school district. I want him to do well. I want him to succeed. But I can't have him take all the money we have," said Chair Melissa Zanidakis. Finance Committee Chair John Liddick noted the new high school debt and accelerated repair assessments would add roughly $2 million to FY2019 tax bills on top of operating increases. The board also appointed Vanessa Tenore as a reserve police officer, already serving as a town dispatcher, renewed four junk dealer licenses, and heard but declined to act on a citizen group's request to add six women and additional Democrats and unenrolled members to the 14-member Master Plan Committee, directing the group to the committee's April 19 meeting at the library instead.