Czarkowski to Challenge Blanchard in Ward 1

The first day of filing for Concord City Council and school board candidates started off with a bang on Sept. 9, as political newcomer, Adam Czarkowski of Penacook, filed paperwork to run for Ward 1 city council in the seat currently held by long-time councilor and Merrimack County Commissioner Elizabeth Blanchard.

Czarkowski was one of the first people to file paperwork this morning to run, along with Ward 8 City Councilor Dick Patten and Concord Mayor Jim Bouley. He said that he had new and different ideas to improve Penacook and was running to be “a new voice” for the village.

“I think she’s been in office long enough and I think it’s time for a new perspective,” he said.

Czarkowski said there were a number of people in the northern part of the city who believed that Blanchard should be challenged based on the interaction they have had with her as constituents. He said traffic was a large issue in the area and some people had not found her representation responsive.

One issue the village and city has been grappling with for years is how to get a grocery store built in Penacook. The tannery project site has been one place city officials have tried to pitch to developers with limited interest. Laurie and David Rauseo, the owners of Concord Crossing and a parcel near , are requesting that the city council remove covenants from the parcel in order to allow construction of a grocery store on the site. Others want to hold out for a bit longer in the hope that the tannery site will include a grocery store.

Czarkowski said he supported the Exit 17 plan.

“Absolutely,” he said. “It’s plenty close to the Penacook area.”

Czarkowski added that, “I think that is a major concern for more of the people in the Penacook area, having to come into Concord to get groceries. I would to do what I could to get a market in the Penacook area.”

Taxes were also on the candidate’s mind, with Czarkowski stating that he would like to keep property taxes “as level as possible” while still maintaining the current level “of great services” the city offered. He was impressed with the Concord Fire Dept., offered to work to keep police coverage and general services work, including snow removal, a top priority. Czarkowski also supported the construction of an office park or any other development that would expand the tax assessments at the tannery site.

Czarkowski acknowledged that running against Blanchard would be a David vs. Goliath battle. But he said after talking to a number of friends and neighbors, he found a lot of support for a challenge.

"There's going to be a lot of grassroots campaigning to get their votes," he said.

Czarkowski is a husband and father, and works at DSCI, a telecommunications company, as a director.

Blanchard has previously indicated that she would be running for re-election this year.