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Hooksett council approves larger pay for town clerk staff, boosts checklist compensation
Summary
The Town Council approved a $103,670 operating budget for the town clerk's office for fiscal 2026'27, including new hourly and stipend pay for supervisors of the checklist and equal stipends for the deputy clerk.
The Hooksett Town Council voted to approve the town clerk's operating budget for fiscal year 2026'27, increasing the office's appropriation and changing how election-related workers are paid.
Councilors approved an operating budget of $103,670 for the Town Clerk's office, a package that includes a revised stipend structure for the town clerk and a switch to hourly pay for the town's supervisors of the checklist.
Town Administrator Andre Garren summarized the proposal and the reasons for the increase, saying the budget request represents a roughly 64.5% increase over the prior year for that departmental line and that the change largely reflects the workload for election years. He said the town clerk currently receives $20,000 with a $5,000 stipend for federal elections; the proposal would set a $5,000 annual stipend and add a $5,000 stipend for the deputy clerk to match the extra election workload.
Supervisors of the checklist, who perform voter-registration and election duties, are to move from a flat $750 annual stipend to compensation based on hours worked. Mike Horn, a supervisor who addressed the council, said the supervisors surveyed other towns and found wage ranges typically between $12 and $17.50 per hour; Hooksett's proposal used $15 per hour and an estimate of 141 hours to calculate a proposed $2,115 per-supervisor figure for the next fiscal cycle.
Councilors questioned the magnitude of the year-to-year increase and requested clarifications on the hourly assumptions and how the budget fluctuates depending on whether a fiscal year contains a state or federal election. Garren and supervisors explained that the work and hours vary by election year and that the proposed changes were meant to reflect actual hours worked in busier cycles.
After discussion, the council moved and seconded the budget. A roll-call vote recorded all councilors present in favor; the motion passed.
The council noted the clerk's office budget will continue to fluctuate with election cycles and that the town is required to meet state election requirements.
The council also discussed administrative cuts elsewhere and that the town clerk had previously reduced deputy hours in the current fiscal year in anticipation of quieter months between elections.
