Pepperell Selectmen Order Dog Restraint, Fill Eight Town Posts at May Meeting

PEPPERELL — May 16, 2011 — Pepperell selectmen order permanent dog restraint, make eight appointments, and schedule a June 27 debt vote. The Board of Selectmen voted unanimously May 16 to require Lisa Gabri of 119 West Street to permanently restrain her two boxer dogs, setting a $200 fine for any future incident requiring a response from Dog Officer Alicia Flag, following a hearing in which neighbor Tim Hines testified the dogs had repeatedly entered his property growling and charging. The board also appointed Tony Wales and Michael Leval as auxiliary police officers, confirmed Peter Loweke as Administrative Assessor at Grade 5, Step 1 for 19.5 hours per week, and appointed Sean Shaddock as spare dispatcher through June 2012. Three reserve fund transfers totaling $26,870 were approved for audit services, library utilities, and veterans benefits. A press release corrected a published report: the FY2012 tax-funded budget of $18,591,486 rose 1.5 percent, not 6.5 percent. The board directed staff to summon the Board of Fire Engineers to a June 28 meeting after reading aloud Deputy Chief Jonathan Kinney's resignation letter alleging a "good old boy club house mentality" following a 3-2 vote stripping him of his rank.