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2025 Town Wide Goals
Department goals
On May 19, 2025, Town Departments presented their 2025 goals to the Town Council. You can find the PowerPoint presentation linked here or by clicking below.
You can find the video of the Department goal presentations linked here.
For a memo summarizing all Department Goals click here. To view each Department goals, see below.
1. Hire a full-time Commercial Appraiser
2. Public Relations/Transparency
3. Delegation of Assessing Authority to Chief and/or Deputy Assessor
1. Finish various existing planning efforts including the Depot Master Plan, Recreation Master Plan, and Open Space Plan Update and present each of these to the appropriate boards and committees by December 2025
2. Initiate and complete comprehensive zoning ordinance update by December 2026 which will ensure congruence with the 2025 Master Plan
3. Continue to roll out asset management programs and custom GIS solutions to various Town departments
4. Ensure 75% compliance with code enforcement complaints and continue educational opportunities as a part of the remediation / complaint process
5. Carry out a town-wide flyover project to update GIS base mapping, including change detection for buildings and paved surfaces
6. Enhance departmental expertise by pursuing targeted professional development opportunities in urban planning, site plan review, GIS systems, asset management, and long-range planning to improve service delivery and operational efficiency
7. Fully review the Town website with each department or appropriate group to ensure accurate, easy to access, and consistent information by April 2026
1. Identify parks and outline annual and anticipated maintenance needs to develop a budget
2. Develop and implement a post-event/program survey process for residents and staff
3. Facilitate Senior Vs. Senior Games
1. Procure New Financial Software
2. Perform Internal Audit of Two Departments
3. Work with Town Clerk to Update Cash Handling Procedure
4. Go Live with New Budgeting Software
1. Advance the South Fire Station Project
2. Enhance Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI)
3. Strengthen Employee Engagement and Organizational Culture
4. Improve Emergency Management Preparedness
5. Expand Access to Online Permitting Services
1. Enhance Organizational Resilience through Strategic Succession Planning
2. Improve New Employee Integration and Retention through a Structured 90-Day Check-In Process
3. Enhance Employee Experience and Benefits Administration through the Successful Launch of Employee Navigate
4. Improve Recruitment Efficiency and Candidate Experience through the Implementation of an Applicant Tracking System (ATS)
1. Establish a Community Resource Group (CRG)
2. Increase Community Awareness of Available Resources
1. Review and Update/Add IT Policies and Procedures
2. Review Organizational Structure and Needs
3. Add a Chatbot to the Current Website
4. Review and Decommission Legacy Telecom and Network Infrastructure
5. Modernize Police and Fire Dispatch Centers
6. Complete Win11 Desktop Migration
7. Migrate from Public Cloud to Government Cloud
1. Butler Street Pump Station
2. Veterans Memorial Plaza at Depot Village
3. Brady Ave. Water Main Replacement
4. Brookdale Road Sewer Pump Station
5. Bridge Street Bridge Replacement
1. Maintain Efficient Operations at Temporary Facility (21A Cross Street)
2. Implement Taser Upgrade
3. Oversee Construction of New Police Facility (9 Veterans Memorial Parkway)
4. Map Critical Sites for Rapid Deployment
5. Digitize Microfiche Reports
1. Continue to Promote a Staff Professional Development Program
2. Expand Interaction with Town Departments
3. Create Spinoff SCTV Podcast ‘Who’s Talking Salem?’ to Promote 275th Anniversary
4. Highlight Archive Show to Play at Historical Museum
5. Increase Volunteers
1. New software for tax payment/invoice generation while retaining historic billing and payments data
2. Install 2 public computers in the downstairs Collections space
1. Certify all Collections Clerks as agents for the NH Vital Records Administration, able to issue vital records, Marriage licenses and make corrections to vital records held in the NH Vital Records Information Network (NHVRIN)
2. Commence selling dog licenses on Jan 1st for the next registration cycle. This will require working with ACO O’Brien to confirm scheduling changes as well as Purchasing to order new licenses in a timely manner
3. Commence selling landfill & bulky item permits on Jan 1st for the next registration cycle. This will require working with the Municipal Department to modify the landfill permit cycle from Oct-Sept to calendar year Jan-Dec. Further, working with Purchasing to ensure landfill & bulky passes are ordered in a timely manner
4. Designate one day to sell dog licenses and/or landfill permits remotely at the Senior Center for the next registration cycle. This will require working with the Community Services Department for scheduling and logistics; IT to ensure the Town Clerk’s laptop interfaces with ClerkWorks, the software used for dog licenses and landfill permits
5. Commence selling landfill permits online through the EB2Gov portal. This would require working with Interware/Avenu to allow residents/property owners to upload their current registration to the portal and pay for their landfill permit (much like dog licenses and updating the rabies vax information)
6. IAW the State of NH retention schedules, continue holding Motor Vehicle Applications for Certificate of Title (CTA) for the required time, however, electronically. This would require attaining scanner(s) to scan/upload the Town Portion of the CTAs to an OCR and database approved by the Division of Safety-Dept of Motor Vehicles/Title Bureau
1. Explore the possibility of offering more services outside of Town Hall
2. Manage and plan capital investments and improvements ensuring proper maintenance, care, and stewardship of public assets
3. Increase and improve the availability of information to the public and identify new ways to communicate and engage residents in local government
4. Review, Scan, Move to Storage and/or Purge all Town Manager Files in Accordance with RSA 33-A (Disposition of Municipal Record)
5. Prepare and Complete a Town Manager's Office Manual
BOARD AND COMMITTEE GOALS
On June 2, 2025, Town Board and Committees presented their 2025 goals to the Town Council. You can find the PowerPoint presentation linked here or by clicking below.
You can find the video of the Board and Committee goal presentations linked here.
To view each Board and Committee goals, see below.
- Goal 1 - Pending Federal and State Funding reductions, present respective Town and School budgets to the voters that ensures any tax increase does not exceed the forecasted 2026 New England Region CPI Index rate of 2 to 3%, including debt service.
- Goal 2 - Recommend to Budget developers to consider allocating more tax revenues or other revenues to decreasing Town tax rates instead of being used to fund specific longer term capital items which could be Bonded.
- Goal 3 - To request the following requested information:
- Continue Debt service reports that includes both School & Town debts
- Timely YTD quarterly budgeted amounts comparing budget & actual amounts
- Summary budget in excel spreadsheet that allows us to change line-item values and calculates the tax rate.
- Goal 1 - Attendance at a minimum of four Town or local events to generate awareness, distribute access flyers, and obtain opt-in email addresses for Town communication.
- Goal 2 - Minimum of six Town Hall Times and / or local news outlet articles throughout the year, with Town approval prior to publication.
- Goal 3 - Launch Town’s inaugural Resident Guide.
- Goal 1 – Purchase, install, and update information for three kiosks.
- Update information to be more educational.
- Town Forest parking lot & inside of Town Forest
- Valentine Memorial Park
- Goal 2 - Adding plantings to help pollinators and aesthetic appeal in various town locations.
- Town Hall
- South Broadway
- Idea for planters / adopt an island
- Goal 3 - Creating and promoting a rain barrel program for 2026
- Goal 1 - Present the Depot Master Plan, including conceptual design, precedent images, and preliminary cost estimates, to the Town Council.
- Goal 2 - Create a design, development and implementation plan that identifies potential funding sources, cost estimates, and phasing and work with the Town Council to implement it.
- Goal 3 - Pursue land acquisition for the various Depot parcels that are partly owned by NHDOT.
- Goal 1 – Evaluate the proposed “Freedom and Prosperity Overlay District” and make recommendations to the Town Council.
- Goal 2 – Develop a Master Plan awareness program to engage the business community.
- Goal 3 - Explore state laws and municipal programs that could encourage housing and economic development as identified in the Master Plan.
- Goal 1 – Provide ethics training to newly elected and appointed elected officials.
- Goal 2 – Resolve any conflict or duplication between Chapter 33 of the Municipal Code and Article 6 of the Town Charter.
- Goal 3 - Clear up the language regarding “Use of Influence.”
- Goal 4 - Educate the public about the role of the Ethics Committee and scope of its authority.
- Goal 1 – Finalize HDC regulations (vote/adopt)
- Goal 2 – Support Project Salem with the redevelopment of the Veterans Park at Salem Common.
- Goal 3 - Encouraging economic development that aligns with the zoning in the HDC. This includes discussions with repurposing the property for light retail at 300 Main St (Sevmar/Jocelyns/ADEP).
- Goal 4 - Begin the process of creating the framework for HDC design guidelines. If good progress is made, share with the community through a community outreach at the old Town Hall.
- Goal 1 – Complete comprehensive zoning ordinance update, to ensure congruence with Master Plan outcomes, by June 2027, with target to post RFQ by December 2025.
- Goal 2 – Update School, Recreation and Public Safety Impact Fee Schedule by January 2026.
- Goal 3 - Update Planning Board Site Plan and Subdivision Regulations by September 2025.
- Goal 1 - Identify and address the Utility requirements, Environmental Issues, and Required Structures at Hedgehog Park.
- Electrical – uncover all wires and ensure up to code for usage.
- Pavilion – identify location, design, and construction of structure.
- Aerators – locate and repair or replace damaged aerators and lines.
- Tree Removal – identify trees needed to be removed around Basketball Courts and entrance to Hedgehog Park that are safety issues.
- Goal 2 – Recommend and implement a broad spectrum of Recreational Activities across all age groups at Hedgehog Park
- Basketball Tournaments for Charity/Fundraising.
- Winter Sports Activities – provide availability for Cross Country Skiing, Snow Shoeing, Ice Skating, and Ice Fishing.
- Goal 3 – Meet the ADA/ABA Handicap Accessibility requirements at Hedgehog Park
- Trail – design and install around Hedgehog Park that meets the ADA/ABA Handicap Accessibility Act.
- Designate Shade and Meditation areas along the Trail.
- Parking Lot – ADA/ABA Handicap Accessibility Parking locations
- Goal 4 – Determine Conceptual Plan for Parks and Recreational Master Plan
- Collaboration with Tighe & Bond to identify the final plan to present.
- Utilize the data collection, recommendations, and determine location sites.
- Apply for LWCF Grant for funding on proposed Parks and Recreation Master Plan.
- The Road Stabilization Committee had their first meeting of 2025 on April 3, 2025 and presented the updated road program to the Town Council on April 7, 2025. The FY25 road program is set and approved.
- The engineering department has procured contractors and are looking to begin the construction season in early May 2025. The goal is to have most of the construction completed by September 2025.
- In August 2025 the Road Stabilization Committee will meet to begin discussion of the 2026 road program and will set the goal to finalize by September 2025.
- In October the Road Stabilization Committee will present to the Town Council an update on the 2025 road program and adjust as funds are available.
- In November the Road Stabilization Committee will present the finalized 2026 road program to the Town Council for adoption and will draft the warrant article for consideration by the Town.
- The ultimate goal of the Road Stabilization Committee is to stick to this schedule and constantly evaluate PCI (pavement condition index) to create a well-balanced road program taking into consideration every road while at the same time being fiscally responsible.
- Goal 1 – Update Zoning Board of Adjustment Rules of Procedure (by-laws) by July 2025.