Ward 8 Concord City Councilor Matson Seeks Another Term

CONCORD, NH — Ward 8's Concord city councilor is asking residents of the east side of the city for a fourth term representing them. Gail Matson, who was first elected in 2013, enjoys the work, helping friends and neighbors navigate city services such as issues with trash pickup and working to expand economic development in order to stabilize property tax rates. Ward 8 runs from the Merrimack River along the city's border with Bow up to the Gov. Meldrim Thomson Jr. state office complex and the southern side of Loudon Road east to Pembroke and Chichester.

The ward inhabits two of the city's four economic hubs – Manchester Street and Loudon Road, along with a myriad of issues that come with those sectors of the city.

Matson agreed with the sentiment that during council meetings she is kind of like a church mouse; she doesn't speak a lot like some councilors. But when Matson does, she made her points heard.

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"I will not repeat that I agree with everybody else," she said. "If I agree, that's enough. (But) if I feel that something that needs to be said has not been said, I will say it. I'm trying to make sure my points are impactful."

Planning and not repeating mistakes or revisiting issues of the past is something Matson likes to focus on because, before becoming a councilor, it seemed to happen a lot. Things like utility companies ripping up streets after they had all be re-tarred. A lot more work is being put into following the utility companies with paving projects.

Matson is also proud of the work she did as the city's point person on the Northern Pass project because she thought it would have done a lot of harm to the city. The project's towers would have cut right through her district.

However, she's not anti-development. If fact, Matson understands the need to expand the property tax base in order to stabilize property tax rates. She is excited about the potential of a mixed-use project proposed for the old Concord Drive-In parcel as well as adjacent land along the Merrimack River and hopes it can capitalize on the success of the Main Street project.

"There's a lot of folks who are really getting pushed by taxes," Matson said, "and we're trying to (do something about it). You do what you have to do."

In the wake of the rejection of the employment security building project, housing issues, expensive property taxes, on top of the cost have already high home sale prices, due to lack of inventory and low vacancy rates, have also been on the mind of councilors. Construction of affordable and accessible units is something Matson believes is needed in the city, which is why many councilors supported the construction of 54-units at the tannery site in Penacook, after many, many years of trying to find a developer that would construct a mixed-use project that never came to be. Commercial development "wasn't happening" at that site but something had to be built there. Assuming those units will house current residents of the city, they will free up other housing units around the city, and more mixed-use development will come to the village once the housing is built because there will be more people to serve there.

"I think we're doing, the best we can, to try and find housing because we do have a housing crunch," she said. "And, again, the cost of housing is high. There are people who can't afford to live in Concord. We are doing what we can to bring housing where we can."

On the employment security building project, Matson added, she liked the concept … just not the price, essentially millions of dollars of incentives to a very successful developer. If it were less, it might have been doable. At the same time the council is tackling that issue, it also needs to work on developing a vibrant city, and should ensure young people and families stay in the community. More nightlife, as well as opportunities and activities, too, are something the council should be supporting, she said. Matson's waiting for when "that tipping point" hits where the city "starts to see that exponential movement where people want to stay here."

Matson said the economic development piece is also part of the property tax rate issue because the city has so many constraints when it comes to budgeting. A large portion of the city's land is not taxed due to nonprofit statuses and the state controlling so much land that is tax exempt. At the same time, all costs, including personnel, public safety, and everything that is needed to run a city, are increasing. She said more development, mixed-use, and density, should be a focus for the future.

Matson is also focused on constituent services, traffic enforcement, increased police patrols, and other issues in and around the district's main thoroughfares. Ward 8 voters seemed to appreciate her efforts, she added.

"I view them as being very independent," she said of Ward 8 voters. "They don't call at the drop of a hat when they call. For the most part, they are always very kind and respectful, and even if I can't fix it 100 percent, they are very grateful. I think they are really appreciative that you have made the effort."

This year, not unlike the previous three elections, Matson has a challenger: Long-time east side resident Dennis Soucy. Soucy, Matson said, had not reached out to her before running and had not offered criticism or complaints about her role as a councilor. In fact, they are "cordial," actually, she said, adding that in 2017, he hugged her at the polls.

When asked if Matson had or ever thought about asking Soucy not to run, so she could sit out an election season without a challenger, like so many other incumbent councilors around the city, she said, No.

"It's a free country and he's entitled to do whatever he wants," she said. "I assume he has his own reasons to run."

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