In the last year, Loudon has seen firefighters, EMTs, a highway employee, the planning and zoning board secretary and members of police department hand in letters of resignation.

A pattern is clear among these losses – employees are leaving as other towns offer higher wages and comprehensive benefit packages.

In order to compete, the Loudon Board of Selectmen know higher wages are a must. This is the main focus of the proposed budget for fiscal year 2023-24.

“Our focus was this year to bring the salaries of our employees up to line with competitive wages in other towns around us,” said Roger Maxfield, the chairman of the board.

The proposed budget of $5.7 million is an 8 percent increase from last year. This rate is on par with inflation and the rising costs of town expenses, like fuel for vehicles, said Maxfield.

Many town employees will see salary raises, if the budget is passed.

The town clerk will see a salary increase from $31,000 to $40,000. EMTs, firefighters and police officers will also see an increase to their salaries ranging from 5 to 11 percent.

The library director and children’s librarian will also receive raises, and 1 percent will be added to the New Hampshire retirement system fund.

These raises are all part of the effort to increase employee retention. When staff come and go, especially if they are in an position that requires outside training and certifications like firefighters, it is an additional cost to the taxpayer, said Maxfield.

Last year, a firefighter was hired with a base level EMT qualification. The fire department then spent money to allow for the employee to take further certification classes. With this increased training, they then left the Loudon Fire Department after six months, for a neighboring town department with higher pay.

These are the types of situations Maxfield wants to avoid next year, in hopes that higher pay and better benefits are incentives for town employees to remain.

But Jeff Miller, a Loudon selectman, admits that it is still hard to compete with towns like Henniker, where police officers can receive a starting salary of $68,000, on top of a signing bonus and other perks like vehicles and scholarships.

“They’re offering all these things. For us to talk about just getting salaries up is astounding,” said Miller. “It’s a recruiting nightmare.”

Following the increased salaries this year Miller acknowledges that a full overview of salaries and potential benefits should be a focus for next year’s conversations.

Maxfield also points to the organization of other towns as a potential focus area for Loudon. Other towns with smaller populations pay their town administrators more money than in Loudon, which has just under 6,000 residents, said Maxfield.

“We’re growing, we’re getting bigger and we have to face up to the fact that we need to pay our employees a good wage,” said Maxfield.

Warrant articles will also ask residents to vote on purchasing a loader, dump truck, police cruiser and ambulance. Bridge replacements and road reclaiming and paving are also of question.

Come election season, voters could also head to the polls an hour earlier if residents approve a warrant article to change polling hours. If approved, polls would open at 7 a.m., instead of their current time of 8 a.m..

Residents will vote on the budget and these warrant articles at town meeting on March 18 at Loudon Elementary School, beginning at 9 a.m.

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