A new fire truck, saving tax money and collaboration among local officials were the hot topics for Select Board candidates in Loudon at a forum this week, where hopefuls for local office fielded questions from a crowd of nearly 100 people.

Since Roger Maxfield is vacating his seat on the board, Loudon voters will pick their new selectman out of four candidates: Jeffrey Green, Marc Griffin, Ned Lizotte and John Storrs.

Here’s some information about them and where they stand on the issues.

Marc Griffin, who does information technology work for a different county, has lived in Loudon for 17 years and said he’s prioritized local involvement. He’s been to every select board meeting for the past few years, “through thick and thin,” he told residents at the forum. He said he wants to direct his sense of public service, fostered while serving in the Marine Corps, to the town and become part of the team.

Ned Lizotte, a founding member of the Loudon Business Association and former longtime member of the zoning board, now sits on the town’s economic development committee. He said at the forum he’s lived in Loudon for 36 years, and he owns a graphic design business. He did not say specifically why he’s running for office.

Jeffrey Green, who owns a land surveying company, has served on the Planning Board for a total of eight years. Having lived in Loudon his whole life, he’s watched the town weather many changes, uproars and growth during his life. Though it’s not his sole reason for running, he said in recent years, town expenses are going “through the roof” and wants to make sure the budget is the best it can be.

John Storrs, who’s previously served one term on the Select Board and two terms on the Planning Board, said he’s lived in Loudon all his life. He runs a local business, Hilltop Feed, and said he often stops into the town office and local police and fire stations to keep abreast of town happenings. He’s decided to try running local office again, though he declined to share his goals because he doesn’t want to be “the bad guy” if they don’t work out. His philosophy is to “keep quiet, go with the flow and hope things go the way everybody’s happy with it.”

All but one said they support the warrant article that would approve a bond to pay for a new aerial ladder firetruck. The town’s current one is old, costly to maintain and is often out of service for repairs.

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Green was the only candidate to oppose the bond, saying that the past few years, the town has spent more than it should on things like new trucks and equipment.

“We had a capital improvement plan laid out and everything is happening faster than it’s supposed to be,” Green said. “I think it needs to be slowed down.”

Lizotte initially opposed it but said the fire chief’s explanation of the need for a new aerial ladder firetruck based on building conditions and new businesses in town changed his mind. Loudon’s equipment is an asset to work with and have a relationship with other towns, he said, and the “conservative” bond structure that’s been proposed to pay for the truck is worth it.

“By putting a deposit down initially and making payments over time, we’ll help keep our costs manageable in updating the town’s fire assets,” Lizotte said.

Griffin said he went down to the fire station to look at the current truck and said its age and the rare model make it difficult to repair. Plus, he said, even if the town votes to pass the bond this year, it’ll take another three years to actually get the new truck into service.

“We either continue to fix the thing that parts are getting harder for, or we discuss approving that bond and getting a new one,” Griffin said.

Storrs, too, said he’d vote for it because “eventually they’re going to need it.”

WHEN AND WHERE: Voting for candidates and zoning amendments will take place on Tuesday at the Arthur Colby Saftey Complex/Fire Department, 8 Cooper St., from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. The annual Town Meeting will be held Saturday March 15, at 9 a.m. at Loudon Elementary School.