Town Clerk/Tax Collector proposes large wage correction; board agrees to budget 10% adjustment as placeholder

Town Clerk/Tax Collector Sam Jerome presented his 2026 budget Jan. 12 and asked the Board of Selectmen to correct multiple pay‑line errors and to realign TC/TC office wages with regional averages.

Jerome told the board his analysis of peer towns showed higher combined pay for similar combined TC/TC positions and proposed a larger base wage for the elected TC/TC, plus adjustments for deputies and assistants. He said the draft wage‑adjustment line had been calculated incorrectly and that his corrected request reflected both hourly corrections and a one‑time wage adjustment to bring staff closer to market; Jerome warned that without correction “there will likely be 100% turnover in the office.”

Selectmen pressed for clearer math and consistency with townwide budgeting practices. Vice Chairman Charlie King said he accepted the premise that TC/TC pay had lagged but asked for supporting history and a more defensible phased approach. Selectman John Scruton proposed an intermediate figure, and members discussed using the town’s general 5% wage placeholder used elsewhere versus a larger, targeted correction.

After discussion the board voted (King moved; Vachon seconded) to budget a 10% wage‑adjustment placeholder for the current TC/TC office positions (two full‑time, two part‑time) so figures can beverified and presented to the Budget Committee. The vote was intended to reserve funding in the 2026 budget; individual raises and exact amounts will be finalized after staff provides corrected calculations and the board reviews them.