For Champlin, Council Role Is About Helping Concord Grow

CONCORD, NH — When voters go to the polls in Concord on Nov. 5, they will have three choices on the ballot for two at large city council seats. One of those three candidates, Byron Champlin, is kind of an incumbent, having won the special election in March to fill out the remainder of the seat vacated by Stephen Shurtleff, who is now Speaking of the House. Before, Champlin served a little more than five years in the Ward 4 seat – the district that encompasses the northern part of downtown, the North End, the eastern part of the West End, and NHTI.

Champlin easily bested three other candidates in the special election, spending nearly $10,000 to win what is essentially a volunteer position. This election season, he's not resting on his laurels or expecting an easy win of one of the two seats.

"It's not going to be the same," he said, speaking of next week's election compared to the special election. "But when I play, I play to win. And I think that the voters deserve to have a candidate who gives it his or her all in order to get their vote. And, so, that's what I do."

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Champlin has been at the forefront of a lot of endeavors the city has undertaken: He is a connection to business community, due to his many years of activity with the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce, and has been a cheerleader for a lot of projects like the downtown revitalization project, expanding the creative economy and opportunities for young people in the city, and the construction of more housing. Champlin was, as an example, one of a handful of votes in favor of the development of the employment security building that fell way short of the two-thirds needed to be approved, something that is still disappointing weeks later.

Many of these issues, while connected to the health of the city overall, were out of his district before. But now, as an at large councilor, Champlin can speak with more people about all of the facets of life in Concord, not just issues going on in the North End.

"When people talk to me, they general talk about bread and butter issues," he said. "It's about road paving; it's about the tax rate. And that is what I would expect – it's what directly impacts them. But what makes me know they also support my bigger vision issues, is when they say to me, and this happens, 'I know who you are, thank you for serving, I support you.'"

Some voters, he admitted, with a laugh, also are direct when they say they won't be supporting him or one of his "hot-button issues," comments he welcomes. Councilors though, he is finding, tackle a lot of similar issues whether in the ward or at large.

Parking and absentee landlords, which was a major problem on Rumford Street a few years back, can happen anywhere. Another issue in Ward 4 was the skate house construction and where to locate the building. Many wanted the project on the east side of White Park Pond, Champlin said, but people in the neighborhood wanted it where it had always been before. In the end, the latter was chosen and now, the Concord Parks & Recreation Department has beautiful facility available to everyone. This type of consensus, he said, is something the council should be striving for as much as possible even though it can be difficult, he said.

Housing is going to be one of those difficult issues the council tackles and something Champlin has been working on for a while, hence his support for the employment security project and low-income apartments at the tannery project in Penacook. The failed employment security project, he said, was market rate units downtown where a lot of people would be living and spending money that could have freed up units in other parts of the city. The tax valuation, as well, was also very high, which would have assisted other property taxpayers in the long-term, Champlin said.

The vacancy rate in the city is nil; at the same time, zoning, planning, water and sewer access, profitability, and other issues are obstacles for construction at price points most people can't afford in Concord – which is limiting production of housing and accessibility. Right now, Champlin said, the cost to build a home in Concord is about the same as it is in Portsmouth. The difference is that in Portsmouth, the developer can charge and sell the home for a lot more money.

"There's a reason that developers are building great big single-family homes," he said. "It's because the return is much greater for them on, essentially, some of the same risks. But, as a city, we have to figure out some solutions."

The city's form-based codes with planning and zoning and working toward greater density in the city, including detached accessory dwelling units on single-family homes, could allow for the flexibility with construction projects. Micro-apartments downtown should also be expanded especially since the city is trying to attract young professionals to work and stay in Concord.

"Increased density is an option," Champlin said. "There is a lot of opportunity. How many people even notice anymore the Crutchfield Building? People drive by that all the time. I don't know if we need a lot of high rises, even though we are growing as a city, but we certainly need to think about how to get more people into a smaller space in a way that is amenable to everyone and still maintains the (city's) quality of life."

Focusing on economic development to broaden the tax base will also be important during the next two to four years for the council due to the increasing cost of running the city – employment, health care, and public safety, he said. The city, Champlin added, has to live by what the free market wants but at the same time, can prime projects that offer return on investment for the city and taxpayers. Development projects downtown, in Penacook, and at Exit 17, will help stabilize property tax rates, Champlin said. The I-93 widening project and Storrs Street extension will also, hopefully, be future opportunities for mixed used development, he said.

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