Pepperell Selectmen Hire Worcester Planner, Accept Clean Audit, Extend Administrator Contract

PEPPERELL — December 5, 2016 — Pepperell selectmen unanimously hired a certified town planner, accepted a clean financial audit, and extended the town administrator's contract at the December 5 Board of Selectmen meeting. The board approved the appointment of Stephen P. Parker, a certified member of the American Institute of Certified Planners and former Worcester planning director, as the town's new planner-administrator, with a six-month probationary period through June 5, 2017. Auditor Jim Gusty of Gusty, Hingston and Company reported a $3.8 million general fund balance and a $938,000 favorable budget variance for fiscal year 2016, telling the board the town's accounting quality rates "excellent — A-plus" and marking two consecutive years with no audit findings. The board voted to give Town Administrator Mark Favaloro a 2.5 percent pay raise effective July 1, 2016, extend his contract through November 30, 2019, and increase his maximum vacation accumulation from 30 to 40 days. Conservation Administrator Paula Tarassi presented the completed product of a Healthy Chapter grant documenting needs of Pepperell's aging population, and the board continued a liquor license public hearing for Pizza Pizzazz Inc. at 75 Main Street to January 9, 2017.