Ward 1's Miller Says Penacook Needs A Fresh Face On City Council

CONCORD, NH — While voters in Penacook, like any other voters in Concord, always have a reason to go to the polls, they have an added bonus reason to vote in 2019 – a competitive ward city council race, the first in six years. Penacook resident Kevin Miller, who lives in the ward with his daughter, decided to run this year after hearing from a number of residents upset with what they feel is the lack of representation on the city council on issues like members of the American Legion Post 31 not being treated fairly, low-income housing being built on the tannery site when residents were promised mixed use development, and delays in bringing a new grocery store project to the area.

"I wasn't going to run but residents around here asked me to," he said. "I said I would if they helped me. I can't do it alone. People feel like Penacook is left behind and (the rest of) Concord gets everything."

While many people in the village are excited about the grocery store project, a new Market Basket planned for Exit 17, he was a bit surprised that the ward's current city councilor was taking credit for the project. Some in the community, he said, had worked to delay the project, dating back to 2011 when the developers first proposed the store there.

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Miller said the project still needs traffic and intersection changes, or street lights – improvements that could have been worked on years ago. He doubts the project will start next year and so do other residents who are ticked off by the delays and whether or not people were being told the truth about how long it will take to build the grocery store.

"I see Facebook feeds of residents saying the same thing," he said.

Miller added if tax-increment financing was used for the intersection improvements at Whitney Road and Route 4, Penacook might not see any revenue from the project for two decades. The project, he said, is important, but the expanded tax revenue was needed as soon as possible.

"I think people care about right now, not 20 years from now," he said, with a laugh. "It's, 'What can you do for me now?'"

Village residents, Miller said, were also upset with the low-income tannery housing project because it would probably bring more school children into the Merrimack Valley School District, causing higher school taxes – which are already some of the highest in the state. It was supposed to be a mixed development of commercial and residential, as well as the length of time it had taken to be proposed. More affordable housing with no new business property was going to be a drain on resources.

"It sat there for so long," he said, "and now, that's what they are getting. People are tired of the promises not being delivered. If you can't deliver, don't promise; say, 'We'll try and get that done.'"

Crime also seems to be increasing and some fear that the new low-income housing project would bring more crime to the area, he said.

Miller stated, as an "everyday person," he understands the struggles of residents in Penacook. He brings a perspective that was different than most councilors: Working in retail, living on a fix income, and renting an apartment. At the same time, property taxpayers were seeing large increases which then raised rents. Many homes in the neighborhood were for sale with people trying to get out of Penacook instead of staying and trying to improve it.

As a veteran, having served in the Marine corps, he and others were upset with the treatment the American Legion post received from some members of the community, including the current city councilor, who blamed members for the neglect of a historic building that was torn down earlier this year.

The lack of road repairs was also an issue in the neighborhood with many roads in the village badly in need of repaving, he said, adding that empty storefronts were also a problem.

Miller said he would work to improve the relationship with city officials to get improve services like the cleanup of litter, weeds, and unkempt brush at some of the village planting spots. He would also like to see something done about the high car registration fees. His truck, as an example, cost nearly nothing to register in North Carolina when he served there but was hundreds of dollars in Concord.

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