Pepperell Selectmen Unanimously Appoint Tyler as Town Fire Chief

PEPPERELL — March 20, 2017 — Pepperell selectmen voted 3-0 Monday to appoint Edward "Toby" Tyler as the town's fire chief, choosing the 30-year department veteran over outside finalist Michael N. Gamache of the Manchester, New Hampshire Fire Department. The appointment, capped at 24 months per town charter and contingent on contract negotiation, includes a six-month probationary period to be set from the contract execution date. Chairman Steve Themelis, citing Tyler's detailed restructuring plan, collective bargaining experience, and hundreds of thousands of dollars in grant work, said he was "personally leaning towards appointing Toby Tyler" while acknowledging the department faces "major changes." Selectman Melissa Tzouanakis, who said a blind qualifications comparison favored Gamache, called it "the most difficult decision" of her tenure but voted with the majority. Selectman Roland Nutter said his concern about Gamache centered on his lack of call-department experience and flagged what he described as an "it's my way or the highway" risk in a department undergoing a governance overhaul. The board also approved a transfer of the all-alcohol package store license at 2 Tarbell Street from Terrapin Station Beverage LLC to Paris Corp DBA Pepperell Beverage, with Manish Patel as manager, in a $160,000 deal backed by a $120,000 Webster Bank loan.