Right before the holidays, Town Manager Joe Devine provided a December 2024 Week in Review. He provided updates on the 2025 Town budget, community events, department updates, and more!
The Town Council and Budget Committee 2025 budget reviews are complete and ready for the Deliberative Session and Town Voting Day. If everything anticipated passes for 2025 operating budget and warrant articles, there is an expected tax increase of 4.21%.
There are be 5 proposed Charter Amendments. These amendments include the following. For more information on the Charter amendments, please visit here: https://www.salemnh.gov/1098/2025-Proposed-Charter-Amendments
- Removing the one-year residency requirement to run for Town Council,
- Eliminating the campaign financing requirement in the Charter
- Clarifying the timeline for the Town Council’s organizational meeting,
- Alignment of penalties for Charter violations with state law, and
- Revising and enhancing the Code of Ethics for elected and appointed officials.
Joe also reviewed the various Warrant Articles that include the following. For the presentation to the Town Council regarding the potential 2025 warrant articles, please view this presentation.
- Arlington Pond Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) Loan
- 2025 Operating Budget
- 2025 Road Program
- Facilities Improvements
- OPEB Trust Fund
- Facilities and Library Capital Reserve Fund
- Community Choice Aggregation Plan (i.e. community power)
- Redistricting
Some important dates to look out for include the Town’s Deliberative Session at Salem High School on Saturday, February 8, 2025 at 9am. Town Meeting Election Day is on Tuesday, March 11, 2025 at regular polling locations from 7am to 7pm.
Then, Joe recapped the December 16, 2024 Town Council meeting. At this meeting:
- Congrats to Pam Russell from the Fire Department, Salem’s December Employee of the Month!
- Many donations were made from various groups to Town departments.
- There was a review of Salem Lakes water levels. Salem has been identified as being in a “Severe Drought”.
- This holiday season there were many events in town and Joe described how to find them on salemnh.tv.
- An update on the new police station was provided. Work is expected to begin on the current building demolition / new construction in Spring 2025.
- Lastly, we say a fond farewell to Municipal Services Director, Roy Sorenson. In February 2025, he will be moving on to be the Town Administrator in Hudson, NH. Thank you to Roy for all you have done for Salem and we wish you the best of luck on your new adventure!
Joe ended the Week in Review with heartfelt holiday wishes to the Salem Community.