In Loudon, like town meetings across the state, attendance was higher than usual due to the concern over high taxes. 

Throughout the meeting, residents spoke of their disappointment.

“I want to thank everyone for turning out today, this is by far the biggest turnout I’ve ever seen,” Therese Bastarache said. “And I would hope that the town would take note that those who are concerned about tax and spend are growing in numbers.” 

Still, every article recommended by the town’s select board passed, including the proposed operating budget of $6.45 million, an increase of roughly half a million dollars from last year.

Select board member Jeffrey Miller explained that the increase in the operating budget was mostly due to raises the board thinks are necessary for town employees because of problems retention in almost every area. Voters ultimately agreed.

They approved the purchase of a new police cruiser and gear for the fire department. They granted the replacement of a truck used by the transfer station that has 407,000 miles on it, and is currently “barely road-worthy.” The purchases of an excavator and trailer were also approved.

The Clough Hill Fire Station will have a solar array installed to help with costs. Many residents urged the Alternative Energy Committee to look harder for grants and other federal money to use going forward.

The town passed the Loudon Community Power Plan, which allows residents to buy energy outside of Unitil and Eversource. 

Residents will get a letter 30 days in advance and giving them the chance to opt-out, or else they will be automatically opted into the plan, which currently has a power rate of 8.1 cents per kilowatt. 

“Even if there is an opt-out, I don’t want to be opted in,” said Mary Cozzens. “My bills are just fine, and I don’t want to be automatically opted in.”

All petitioned articles failed, including an effort to discontinue a portion of Old Wales Bridge Road, switch elections back to entirely hand counting, and to build a third playground for the town costing $95,000, which most residents saw as a want versus a need. Speakers urged the recreation committee to look to private funding instead.

There was no petitioner present to speak on the article about no longer using the new voting machines. Despite this, two residents spoke for it out of distrust for the machines for inaccuracy and hackability. Eight citizens spoke against the article.

A flyer paid for by the Citizens of NH Voter Integrity Group out of Salem, NH was sent out earlier this week urged Loudon residents to vote for paper ballots that can only be counted by hand. 

Rodney Phillips stepped out of his moderator role to speak against the effort. 

“To hack the VotingWorks hardware you would need to gain access to the town office, update the software, know where we store the keycards and replace them with new ones, reinstall new seals, log that event with our signatures, lock everything back in the town office without being discovered,” he said.