On Monday, June 17, 2024, the Salem Town Council adopted a Resolution outlining their Town Council goals for the upcoming year. These goals are a part of a comprehensive process of hearing presentations from Town departments, boards, and committees over the past few months.

The Town of Salem has a webpage that includes information and additional background on the finalized / adopted Town Council goals and goals presented by the various departments and committees. This webpage contains videos of the meeting recordings, PowerPoint presentations, listed goals, and memos from each board and committee. You can view that webpage here: https://salemnh.gov/2024towngoals

To view the adopted Town Council Goals Resolution, please click here or read the outlined goals and objectives below:

• Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management
  • Objective: Ensure that the 2025 spending increase is responsibly managed by tying it to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the past year, plus any increase in debt service. This approach will help maintain financial stability and accountability, ensuring that spending growth aligns with inflation and necessary debt obligations while avoiding unnecessary budgetary expansion.
• Enhancing Operational Efficiency and Digital Transformation
  • Objectives:
    • Streamline processes across all departments by adopting digital solutions (e.g., online permitting for the Fire Department, digital packet distribution for Community Development and Planning).
    • Improve talent acquisition, onboarding, and employee engagement through automation and better HR practices.
    • Upgrade and optimize financial management and other administrative software to increase productivity and accuracy.

• Community Engagement and Development
  • Objectives:
    • Increase community interaction and participation through events, improved communication channels, and public education initiatives (e.g., large family-friendly events, SCTV lecture series, ethics trainings).
    • Foster partnerships with local organizations and community groups to enhance recreational and developmental projects (e.g., pollinator plantings with the Garden Club, outreach by the Communications Committee).
    • Develop and promote a comprehensive Master Plan that aligns with community needs and future growth prospects.
• Infrastructure and Safety Improvements
  • Objectives:
    • Develop and implement strategic facility and infrastructure plans to support future growth and improve safety (e.g., Depot Village Master Plan, strategic facility plans for municipal buildings).
    • Address and mitigate safety hazards and ensure compliance with accessibility standards in public spaces (e.g., ADA/ABA compliance at Hedgehog Park, replacing signage for compliance).
    • Update and maintain essential public safety equipment and facilities (e.g., new service firearms and tasers for the Police Department, updated facilities for the Fire Department).
• Environmental Sustainability and Conservation
  • Objectives:
    • Promote and implement environmental conservation projects to enhance the natural resources and beauty of the town (e.g., Bill Valentine Park improvements, Town Forest pollinator plantings).
    • Update and enforce regulations to protect the town’s wetlands and other natural habitats (e.g., updating the Wetland Ordinance).
    • Support sustainable infrastructure development and the use of green technologies in town projects (e.g., sustainable planning for the Bike Ped Corridor, asset management programs in Municipal Services).