Selectmen approve paving, dry-hydrant work, grants and event permits; raise large-event police-detail rate

Loudon selectmen on Tuesday approved several contracts and permits and moved to revise the town’s large-event police-detail pay structure.

Key actions taken - Paving: The board voted to award a paving contract for Young's Hill/B Hole Road and Crossbrook Road for $50,050 (motion by Selectman Miller; second by Selectman Griffin). The motion passed by voice vote. - Dry hydrant: The board accepted the lone bid from E HOP Excavation LLC of Canterbury to install a dry hydrant on Stanels Road for $5,286 (motion by Selectman Miller; second by Selectman Griffin). The motion passed by voice vote. - Traffic-enforcement grant: The board voted to accept a New Hampshire Office of Highway Safety traffic-enforcement grant for $10,500 (motion by Selectman Miller; second by Selectman Griffin). The board authorized signing the grant document. - Tax payment agreement: The board approved a tax payment agreement presented by the tax collector; the tax collector noted first payment has already been made and said the agreements are used to help residents remain in their homes. - Event permits and conditions: The board approved a craft fair scheduled for Dec. 7 and agreed to waive the $150 permit fee for the nonprofit organizers. The board also approved a flea market and 5K run at 137 Chichester Road on Oct. 25, 2025, and attached safety conditions: a police detail at the church and advanced-warning measures as determined by the police chief. - Large-event detail rate: The board voted to increase the chief-level event-detail rate to $85 per hour for events that will draw more than 1,000 people. Selectman McMillan moved the measure and the motion was seconded; the board took a roll-call vote and approved the change.

Public-safety and organizer comments Organizers and the police chief discussed safety plans for the Oct. 25 5K and associated flea market. Jamie Kolodish, who said she is organizing the run, described the route as a 5K starting at Benjamin Franklin Academy, proceeding to Landmark Baptist Church for loops on the fields, then returning to the school. "It'll be a 5K... we'll go up to Landmark Baptist Church and do a loop of their fields and then come back," Kolodish said.

Police Chief Dana Flanders, speaking about the same event, said a police detail at the church was appropriate for runner and traffic safety and recommended use of a speed trailer and advanced warning signs. "I think we need a police detail at the church to make sure runners are in and out of there safely," Flanders said. He suggested a police detail for events expected to exceed 50 participants and said a larger presence is appropriate when planning for 150 to 200 runners.

Fee and payroll discussion A separate discussion revisited earlier event-detail pay practices after an amendment increased some fire-department detail rates. Several selectmen argued for parity across departments for very large events. Selectman McMillan moved to raise the chief-level police-detail rate to $85 per hour for venues with more than 1,000 people; the board approved the change. The board authorized use of the standard detail rate for events until any revised form or schedule is finalized and advised that retroactive pay for details not previously authorized would not be automatic.

Why it matters The approvals fund near-term maintenance (paving, hydrant installation) and allow the town to accept state enforcement funding. The permit approvals and new detail-rate threshold affect how the town manages traffic and public-safety resources at large events, including the upcoming race-week activities tied to New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Ending Selectmen directed staff to prepare any revised detail-rate paperwork and to circulate updated event-detail forms; selectmen also asked organizers to coordinate final routes and safety plans with police and fire departments.