The Beginning Of A New Era For Concord: Champlin Sworn In As New Mayor

CONCORD, NH — It is a new era in Concord.

Byron Champlin, the former at large and ward councilor and retired business leader, was sworn in as the 57th mayor of Concord on Thursday in a ceremonial meeting.

After invocations by the Rev. Lourey Savic of Wesley United Methodist Church, where Champlin attends services, as well as Imam Jabir Ahmed of the IQRA Islamic Society of Greater Concord, Champlin welcomed 12 of the 14 city councilors to serve their terms. They included Nathan Fennessy, an incumbent at large councilor, and Judith Kurtz, who was elected in November. Nine of the 10 ward councilors — incumbents Brent Todd of Ward 1, Jennifer Kretovic of Ward 2, Karen McNamara in Ward 4, Stacey Brown of Ward 5, and Paula McLaughlin of Ward 6, along with newly elected councilors Michele Horne of Ward 2, Jim Schlosser of Ward 7, Ali Sekou in Ward 8, and Jeff Foote of Ward 10.

Kristina Schultz of Ward 9, who also represents Wards 4, 8, 9, and 10, one the city’s floterial district, as a state representative, was late to the meeting and apologized, saying it was a busy day at the Statehouse. She was sworn in later.

After councilors were seated, nominations for mayor pro tem were requested.

Todd nominated Sekou and commended him for having experience outside the council in bringing people together, serving as a panelist and speaker, and graduating from Leadership New Hampshire, NHTI, and UNH.

McLaughlin nominated Kretovic, saying she had the experience and worked well with others.

Amanda Grady Sexton, an at-large city councilor, asked if the outcome of the majority would determine the vote, and Champlin said it would.

Brown then requested a roll call vote.

“This is a ballot vote,” Champlin replied.

When Brown challenged the ruling, Danielle Pacik, the deputy city solicitor, stepped in.

Pacik said it was the mayor’s discretion to decide how the votes would be cast. Since Champlin earlier said the council was using Robert’s Rules of Order for the meeting, a balloting process was justified in those situations, she said.

Brown, though, challenged Pacik, saying Section 7 of the council Rules allowed her to request a roll call vote. Pacik countered, “If you were doing a voice motion, then you would be able to do a roll call. But a procedure where a ballot has been chosen, there would be no roll call in that situation.”

According to several sources, Todd initially attempted to seek the mayor pro tem position. But neither he nor Kretovic could secure the eight votes needed to win. He and others then pivoted their support to Sekou, an alternative candidate, since some councilors were actively attempting to keep Kretovic out of the position. As City Clerk Janice Bonenfant counted the paper ballots, the effort proved successful, with Sekou winning the position by a 9-6 vote.

Sekou thanked everyone and said he was honored and humbled by the vote. He thanked the mayor and the city solicitor for holding the election and organizing the swearing-in ceremony.

“I’m honored,” he said, “and I am going to serve Concord as I have always done … I am asking all of you guys, please guide me, support me … I will say, I am new to this role, but as I have said many time, if I can learn English, I can learn anything.”

Councilor Comments

Todd said he was grateful to be re-elected and the council had previously “accomplished a lot.” He said he looked forward to working with everyone for another term. He thanked his wife and family and admitted his wife, Althea Barton, should be the councilor since she was smarter and more talented than he was. One city official muttered, jokingly, “We say that, too,” to laughs from the audience.

Horne thanked the voters of the ward, her friends, and family, and was ready to start “the hard work.” She said she would adhere to many of the issues she raised in her campaign and be transparent. She added that she looked forward to working with everyone to keep the “amazing community” going.

Kretovic, who had laryngitis, thanked her husband for driving her and congratulated Sekou for being elected mayor pro tem.

“Let’s do some good work,” she said.

McNamara said she was grateful and humbled by the voters and said she was excited to see all new faces at the table because they bring “fresh ideas and that keeps us vibrant.” She also thanked her husband and looked forward to working with everyone.

Brown said she was grateful to family and friends and the voters for re-electing her. She said she was looking forward to working with councilors and the “stellar staff” to end homelessness in Concord, attain sustainability goals, and ensure equitable access to resources to all residents.

Kurtz also thanked her family, voters, and her colleagues for “adopting her as a transplant” to the community. She thanked the councilors for meeting with her before being sworn in and looked forward to working with everyone.

Fennessy also thanked voters for another four years and congratulated Champlin and Sekou. He thanked his wife and three sons, who helped out with his campaign in the fall.

“I really enjoyed knocking on doors with them,” he said. “It was great.”

McLaughlin also thanked her husband for driving her to meetings and to the voters for reelecting her.

Schlosser spoke the longest and also had a lot to say. He thanked prior Councilor Keith Nyhan, who served for 18 years and steadfastly kept the voters of Ward 7 at his heart, and the fiscal responsibility he brought to the role.

“It’s an honor and a privilege to proceed him in this role,” he said.

Schlosser, who worked for 40 years in public sector health, knew the challenges and rewards of working in government. He said the city was blessed to have staffers who were committed to the city. He called for “facilitating open and honest dialog about the challenges we face and the inevitable choices we must make … who pays and who benefits will be a will be a perennial dilemma.” Schlosser said councilors should craft a budget and sound policies to “consciously evolve our community to work for all residents” as well as ensure safe streets, a sound environment, homes for the homeless, and care for the less fortunate.

Sekou thanked the councilors for the trust placed in him and said he was looking forward to advancing “this great city.” He also thanked outgoing councilor Gail Matson for guiding him about the council as well as Champlin, City Manager Tom Aspell, Tom Raffio of Delta Dental, Reagan and Gilles Bissonnette, who helped to get him elected, and too many others to mention, he said.

“Let’s put Concord first and let’s work for the city of Concord,” he said.

Schultz said she was deeply grateful and honored to be elected as a state representative and now, a councilor, with big shoes to fill after Candace Bouchard stepped down. She commended the “love your neighbor” spirit and was proud the city stood up to bigotry and hatred when there were some incidents that were difficult.

“I hope that I can make Ward 9 proud,” she said.

Jeff Foote, the newly elected councilor from Ward 10, said there was not much left to say. He reconfirmed he was not a politician and appreciated all the guidance other councilors gave him after winning the seat. He also commended his wife and when he campaigned around the ward, he was often asked if he was related to his wife. Foote added there were some large and serious issues on the horizon.

“We need to make big choices and I’m really looking forward to collaborating with all of you,” he said.

New Mayor’s Remarks

Champlin thanked voters and said he was surprised there were only 57 mayors in the city.

“I will work hard for you the next two years,” he said.

Champlin called his campaign volunteers “amazing” and thanked his wife and family.

By stepping into the role, he said, he was aspiring to be a mayor for everyone. He had heard “clearly” from voters that five areas needed to be addressed: economic opportunity, securing public safety, addressing the national affordable housing crisis, investing in critical needs like infrastructure and workforce, and respecting the burdens property taxpayers face.

Champlin called for retaining and attracting new business and said he would create an economic development advisory committee and reinstitute the mayor’s business visitation program with the chamber of commerce.

“We need to be smart and strategic in this area,” Champlin said.

Champlin said national models to solve the homeless crisis would be eyed. He said ensuring “everyone feels that they belong and they can succeed” would be a priority. He called for recruiting top quality police and firefighters to ensure people are safe, including building a new police headquarters to ensure national accreditation and meet the needs of modern law enforcement. Champlin said neighboring communities and state government needed to be pushed to assist Concord with its problems.

Opinions may diverge, he said, but councilors need to step back, hear others, and be flexible. Sometimes, he said, councilors can be partially correct; other times, their opinions will be wrong. They should strive to reach consensus.

“Our constituents expect us to focus on the core responsibilities of city government,” Champlin said. “There is an immense amount of talent on this city council. And a great deal of love for this city. What it is and what it can be. I look forward to working with all of you in the months ahead to build toward that vision.”

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