9 Candidates Enter Concord City Council Races On First Day Of Filing

CONCORD, NH — When Mayor Jim Bouley announced last month he was not seeking reelection after eight terms, he noted he made it a regular habit of trying to be the first person to file, every two years. One year, most of the incumbents all filed together with him.

But not this year.

So, it was a curiosity if anyone would continue his tradition of filing when the city clerk’s office opened at 8 a.m. on Friday. In the first few minutes, five candidates filed.

Nathan Fennessey, an at-large councilor seeking a second term, was the first to file in 2023. Last month, he said he anticipated running again and made it official with his son.

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Fennessey said he enjoyed his first term, but there was still a lot of work to do, including expanding economic development and tackling the housing crisis. He said the city offers great services, but that comes with a cost.

“The big challenge, as everybody knows, with increasing housing prices is that we’re paying more on tax bills and the downturn in the commercial market,” Fennessey said. “I think we need to focus again on economic development to bring in some commercial property taxpayers to offset costs that our residential property owners are paying.”

Keith Nyhan of Ward 7, who has been on the council since 2005 and will be its longest-serving member if reelected, said he was running again to keep the budget balanced and tax rate low. A steady hand will be needed with all the transition on the council.

“I think it’s critical to have some consistency from one administration to the next,” he said. “Equally important, we need to address the homeless situation in the city.”

Byron Champlin, an at-large councilor, filed to run for mayor, saying the city had made “great progress” in the past few years. While his wife accompanied him, he said they moved to the city four decades ago and fell in love with the place. Champlin also focused on economic development and the homeless crisis, encouraging people to move to the city and expand the tax base.

“I love the city,” he said. “It’s just the place I wanted to be … it’s the right size … I felt like I fit right in.”

State Rep. Matthew Hicks, D-Concord, a native of the city, said he decided to file for an at-large run after Champlin decided to run for mayor.

“There’s probably no person who loves Concord more than I do,” he said. “It’s my turn to give back to the city.”

Michele Horne also filed to run in Ward 2 on Friday morning. She has lived in the ward for nearly two decades, raising three daughters and volunteering in various roles. Now that they had grown, she had more time and felt the city needed changes.

“Most importantly,” Horne said, “there is no place for people to live in this city. Housing, especially affordable housing, is non-existent, and that has to change.”

Horne is an office manager for IBEW, and the housing issue “comes into play” there because the union is trying to find more employees. However, there are limited places for them to live.

“We hear a lot of talk about the housing issue, but there seems to be no forward momentum,” she said. “So, we are losing our young people while also not being able to attract others.”

While Horne had never been involved in politics, “I have two key attributes that I knew would serve me very well in this position: I can listen and I can communicate.” She said communication and transparency were two things lacking on the council. Also, being a “working class, single mother,” owning homes in both the village and the city, and the ward being in both Penacook and Concord, she offered a “unique perspective from both sides of the line.”

Thinking about running for office in Concord in 2023? Let Patch know! Email me at tony.schinella@patch.com.

Brent Todd, the incumbent from Ward 1, filed again, as did Zandra Rice Hawkins in Ward 10. Karen McNamara also filed to run again in Ward 4. Todd was first elected to the council 10 years ago, while Rice Hawkins seeks a third term. McNamara was elected in a special election in June 2019 and is pursuing her third full term.

Ali Sekou, the president of the Islamic Society of Greater Concord, filed to run in Ward 8. He holds an Associate’s degree in hospitality management, a Bachelor’s in tourism management and political science from Plymouth State University, and a Master’s in community development program at UNH’s Carsey School of Public Policy and was named to the New Hampshire Union Leader’s 40 Under Forty list in 2021. Sekou immigrated to the United States from Niger in 2012.

Also filing to run at large was Judith Kurtz, the board vice president of the Concord Greenspace Coalition, who has a master’s in education and a background in library services. She is also a member of the city’s Solid Waste Advisory Committee and previously worked as GunSense NH Youth Advisory Board curriculum director with Granite State Progress, where Rice Hawkins is the founding executive director.

Other Candidates

Ward 3 City Councilor Jennifer Kretovic is on the fence about what she will be doing in 2023, while Amanda Grady Sexton, an at-large councilor not up for reelection, has hinted at a mayoral run but has not decided yet. A former state representative candidate, Kevin Moore, is also considering a mayoral run.

With Erle Pierce out in Ward 2, it will be an open seat this year. Rob Kleiner has announced he will be running, while Allan Herschlag, a former Ward 2 councilor, has also not decided.

Stacey Brown in Ward 5 said she was committed to running again, as is Patricia McLaughlin in Ward 6. Ward 9 will be an open seat in 2023, with Candace Bouchard stepping down.

Kevin Porter also indicated he would be running at large this year, as is Taylor Hall, who ran for mayor in 2021.

Ward 8 City Councilor Gail Matson has not returned a request for comment about her intentions.

1 Filing For SAU 8 Board Of Education Seat

Only one person filed to run for a board of education seat on Friday.

Brenda Hastings, the current Zone C, Ward 8, 9, and 10 board member, filed to run for a second term.

She said during the past three years, the schools, their students, their families, and staff and educators had faced “unprecedented challenges,” and she had “tried to be an effective lead on their behalf.” There is still, however, a lot of work to do. She said students were not where they needed to be academically and ensuring they had resources to succeed was a top priority.

There was also the issue of the Rundlett Middle School project as well as other capital needs, including upgrading our school buildings’ heating and cooling systems and making improvements to Memorial Field — while balancing “our wants and needs with our means” and making fiscally responsible decisions.

“In making these important decisions, I look forward to the public’s input and will make sure that they are in the best interest of students throughout the district,” she said.

2023 Candidate Signups

Candidates for the board of education can file on weekdays between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. through Monday, Sept. 18. The filing will take place at the SAU 8 district office at 38 Liberty St. The filing fee is $5.

Three seats are up in November: Zone A, representing Wards 1, 2, 3, and 4; Zone B, which covers Wards 5, 6, and 7; and Zone C, for Wards 8, 9, and 10. All three terms end on Dec. 31.

The treasurer position is also up for a three-year term.

To serve, a candidate must be a registered voter of the Concord School District and domiciled in the school voting zone. According to the district’s charter, zone members cannot serve if they fail to maintain a domicile (residency) in the district.

Filing by candidates for the mayor’s race, city council, and ward officials also run through Sept. 18. The fee is $5 to run for mayor and city council; $1 for a ward official.

Filing will be held at the Concord City Clerk’s Office at 41 Green St. from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. On Thursday, the clerk’s office is open until 6 p.m. On the last day of filing, the clerk’s office will be open until 5 p.m.

Candidates can also obtain ballot access via a signature petition drive.

Potential candidates must live in the city and the ward they are a candidate in to be elected.

Free Profiles & Debates

Once again, for the 2023 election cycle, Concord NH Patch will offer candidates free profiles before the election and will team up with partners to bring voters debates for competitive races.

Concord TV has agreed to allow Patch to use its studios for recorded debates between the candidates. The nonprofit will also be posting the videos on its YouTube.com site. The New England Take podcast, based out of Concord, will also share the information with its audience.

More information about debates will be forthcoming.

Candidates will also be allowed to put together a free Patch Candidate Profile. Fill out the g-doc here, after nominations have been confirmed.

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