Pepperell Selectmen Approve $27.8 Million Budget, Set May Override Vote

PEPPERELL — April 8, 2019 — Pepperell selectmen approved a $27.8 million fiscal year 2020 base budget and placed a $1.4 million Proposition 2.5 override question on the May 13 special election ballot. The board voted the base budget of $27,836,571 — which still includes four employee layoffs, a zeroed-out reserve fund transfer account, and a $165,000 reduction in capital spending — after resolving conflict-of-interest recusals by voting the Treasury Department ($161,132), Employee Benefits and Insurance ($2,340,803), and Police Department ($1,922,546) budgets separately before approving the whole. The town administrator warned that without the override, Pepperell could be forced to call a special town meeting mid-year simply to cover foreseeable deficits, noting that a mild winter still produced a snow and ice shortfall of $144,075.57 and that only roughly $160,000 in free cash will remain after balancing the current year. The board also approved license renewals for three junk dealers — the Bronze Bell, Mel's Barbershop, and the Smithy Shop — while South Row Antiques failed to submit paperwork and was not renewed. It was the final meeting for outgoing Chairman Nutter after three years on the board.