Webster residents were pleased with a slight reduction in the proposed operating budget at a time of rising inflation, they said during a public hearing this week.

The proposed operating budget for 2023-24 is $1.64 million, a 0.5% decrease from the current operating budget, residents were told Tuesday night.

The budget has been scaled back because the town paid off the bond for the safety building and select board chair David Hemenway declared Webster to be “officially debt-free.”

“We have done the near impossible, the operating budget has been lowered,” said Hemenway. “We believe this to be exactly what is needed in town.”

In comparison to other towns in the region, Webster’s budget reduction stands out because most are proposing tax increases, and some have increased their budgets by 10% or more.

The town of Boscawen, which has a population of about 4,000, increased its budget by 11% and received strong pushback from residents at the budget hearing. The budget advisory committee decided not to recommend the proposed budget after hearing feedback from the public.

The town of Warner, with a population of about 3,000 residents, proposed a budget that was 19% higher than the current budget.

In contrast to other towns that are seeing tax increases, Webster, which is even smaller with about 1,700 residents is estimating its tax rate would decrease to $6.23 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value, a 9.7% decrease from the rate of $6.90 last year.

Setting a higher salary for the position of town clerk was another warrant article that was discussed at the meeting. The town would set the town clerk’s annual salary at $40,000 if the warrant articles were approved. The compensation will not include benefits like health insurance.

Previously, the town clerk received a $35,000 annual salary plus benefits.

The Trustee of the Trust Funds, Mary Welch, will be on the ballot for the town clerk position, according to Dana Hadley, the town administrator, and she has asked that no benefits be granted. If elected, Welch would handle both responsibilities.

A petitioned warrant article to raise and appropriate $5,000 for operational costs of the Webster Historical Society was also discussed at the meeting.

The local historical society’s chair, Barbara Corliss, said they are asking the town only what is required to regularly maintain the buildings and pay their utility bills.

Webster residents will cast ballots for elected positions on March 14 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Grange Hall, 945 Battle Street. The annual town meeting will be held Saturday, March 18 at 10 a.m. at Town Hall.

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