As soon as the polls closed at Salisbury Town Hall on Tuesday evening, residents streamed through the doors to help reconfigure the space, unfolding chairs and lining them up in rows right in time for the annual town meeting to begin.
In a consistently efficient affair, several dozen residents moved through the warrant articles almost at lightning speed — very few “nays” and a regular chorus of “ayes” — with everyone heading home within the hour.
The only topic that elicited conversation was the financial impacts of the creation of a highway department. In 2025, the town bought land where the department will reside. Now, it’s looking to construct a highway department building and salt shed.
One of the warrant articles placed over $161,000 into a capital reserve fund for highway equipment. Residents had questions about other aspects of establishing the department and how that will determine future finances.
“What are we looking at for building there?” said Marcia Murphy, chair of the Budget Committee. “Will that be a bond issue? When are we going to plan on getting equipment? And we’re also going to be needing to have employees with salaries and benefits, etc. And I’d just kind of like everybody here to know where we’re going in the future, because this is going to cost us all money.”
James Hoyt, chair of the Board of Selectman, explained that the money allocated for this year will allow for the creation of a road into the property and, hopefully, the installation of electricity.
He anticipates a bond will come into play for financing the building.
“We’re just taking it one step at a time, and we’ve got to figure out what we’re going to get for equipment. That’s trying to put some equipment away for employees.” Hoyt said. “I mean, hopefully right now, we’re thinking three employees to cover it, but it’s all a work in progress.”
Hoyt hopes that by next year, the town will be ready to start construction of the building and the salt shed. He and the other board members encouraged residents to attend meetings and voice their thoughts as plans continue to develop.
The warrant article passed, as did all others, most of them unanimously and with little-to-no discussion, aside from a few clarifying questions.
The operating budget also sailed through, with an added $2,000 to accommodate for a solid waste engineering contract the town received late last year.
The meeting concluded with a standing ovation for Town Clerk Jim Zink-Mailloux, who did not seek re-election this year.
“I think this town owes Jim Zink-Mailloux a huge thank you. He got us through COVID. He came in and out of that building hundreds of times. He was at people’s houses delivering ballots,” said Tax Collector Gayle Landry, who teared up as she spoke.
The entire town hall erupted in applause, and people crowded around Zink-Mailloux at the conclusion of the meeting to share their gratitude.