Pepperell Selectmen Finalize McLean Contract, Approve Police Chief Renewal

PEPPERELL — October 29, 2018 — Pepperell selectmen finalized the employment contract for incoming Town Administrator Andrew McLean and renewed the police chief's contract at a contentious October 29 meeting dominated by an ethics letter read over Chair Roland Nutter's objection. The board voted 2-1 to read aloud a letter from Bruce Weatherby, editor of the Conklin-based publication the Candle, alleging that Nutter had failed to recuse himself from executive session discussions about an Assistant Assessor's complaint that named employee positions in the Treasurer-Collector's Office — headed by Nutter's wife, Debbie Nutter. McLean's contract was approved and he is set to begin full-time November 5; a special board meeting that day will focus on short-term priorities. The board unanimously approved renewal of Police Chief David Scott's contract at a starting salary of $144,000 rising to $152,000 over three years, and approved the wording for a December 10 special election ballot question on a Proposition 2.5 debt exclusion for a $1.4 million fire truck bond. A planned non-binding marijuana advisory question was pulled from the December ballot after town counsel raised doubts about whether a special election qualifies as a regular municipal election under state law.