PHILLIPSTON – After nearly eight months of talking, strategizing and interviewing, the Selectboard has settled on a successor to former Police Chief Kevin Dodge.

At a meeting held Monday morning, the board signed a memorandum of understanding with Templeton Police Officer Bill Chapman. Chapman’s pay for the remainder of the fiscal year, which ends on June 30, 2025, will be based on an annual salary of $86,000. Town bylaws require the Selectboard to appoint the police chief each year.

Following the meeting, Chapman told the Athol Daily News, “To me, it’s all about service to the community; just giving back and speaking to the residents to find out what the biggest issues are for them and going forward from there. However the department can best serve the community, that’s where we want to be.”

Dodge tendered his resignation in March. In June, following Dodge’s departure from the department, Phillipston Det. Sgt. Sean Sawicki assumed the duties of chief, and is still doing so at this time. Sawicki, who was among those interviewed for the chief’s position, has since accepted a position with another police department. His resignation from Phillipston is effective Nov. 23.

“I’m going to meet with him [Sawicki] this afternoon and thank him for all the good work he has done in the interim,” Chapman said. “I’ll find out from exactly where we are with things as far as the budget and vehicles and other matters are concerned. That will be important for getting a sign of where we’re at so that we know how to proceed from there.”

The job was initially offered to Templeton Officer Robert Deschenes in September, but he and the Selectboard were unable to reach agreement on the terms of his employment.

Chapman started his law enforcement career as a uniformed part-time officer for Royalston, a position held until 2014. While serving Royalston, he joined the Phillipston department as a part-time patrol officer in 2012, and remained there until 2023. Since that time, he has been a full-time officer in Templeton, while also holding down a part-time position in Westminster.

Since 2021, Chapman has been a staff instructor in charge of overseeing recruit training at the Boylston Police Academy, under the auspices of the state’s Municipal Police Training Committee. He is also a police bloodhound K-9 handler and was recently elected to the Selectboard in Royalston.

Interim Chief Administrative Officer chosen

Also on Monday morning, the Selectboard voted to offer the job of Interim Chief Administrative Officer to Peter Morin, a resident of Brookline. At its meeting on Oct. 16, the Selectboard accepted the resignation of Chief Administrative Officer Melanie Jackson, who officially stepped down on Nov. 1.

Morin was one of two candidates interviewed by the board last week. He has held a number of positions in municipal government dating back to 2008. Most recently, he served from October 2023 until July of this year as interim town administrator for the Town of Holbrook. He was also town administrator in Norwell from 2015 to 2022 and chief of staff for Brookline Mayor Joseph Sullivan from 2008 to 2014.

Before serving in municipal government, Morin held posts with the state Board of Registration of Medicine, Department of Developmental Disability, Norfolk County Sheriff, state Department of Mental Health, state Department of Corrections, and counsel to the Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Criminal Justice.

Selectboard Chair Bernie Malouin said he would contact Morin to schedule a meeting to review the job details of the job. It’s anticipated that Morin will only need to be in Phillipston two or three days a week, as well as attending night meetings when necessary.

Greg Vine can be reached at gvineadn@gmail.com.