Patrick Christian 'Chris' Parks, Nashua Ward 8 Alderman Candidate

Patrick Christian "Chris" Parks

Age (as of Election Day)

39

Position Sought

Alderman, Ward 8

Party Affiliation

Family

Elizabeth Parks (spouse), Patrick Christian Parks Jr. (4), and Luke Owen Parks (1)

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

Not at this time.

Education

BA Political Science, Auburn University. EMBA Candidate, Auburn University Class 2023

Occupation

District Sales Manager, 3 years of experience; United State Marine Corps Officer, 11 years

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

I am not currently elected or appointed to any office.

Campaign website

parksfornashua.com

Why are you seeking elective office?

I am running for Alderman because City Hall is not working for our residents, our students, or our small businesses with its misguided priorities and overreach. From the unwarranted desire of the mayor to change the independent nature of the police commission to the wasteful spending of the Nashua Performing Arts Center. I will be a voice for reason, respect, and restraint. I hope to earn your vote on November 2.

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

The most pressing issue facing our city right now is the mayor's attempt to take control of the police commission and not keep them independent of Nashua politics. This is part of a larger issue. He didn't get the required number of signatures but somehow got the measure on the ballot anyway. This shows he either doesn't understand the city charter, which isn't likely considering his level of education, or he is just doing whatever he wants to.

Furthermore, when you ask anyone why they want local control of the Nashua Police Commission you can't get a straight answer. When you ask what has gone wrong to warrant local control of the Nashua police commission, you can't get a straight answer. The amount of political capital the Mayor has been willing to expend on this makes me wonder what his actual motive is. What don't we know? What is next? I intend to hold him accountable by challenging him and making voters in my ward aware.

I don't know why anyone would sign his petition without having some serious questions. My suspicion is he got his friends to sign it. Add this to the problem.

The perception is there is a ruling class in Nashua and they do what they want, disregard tax-paying citizens, and only care about attaining and keeping power.

I intend to work for residents of my ward, not political parties or political favors.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

My experience leading people in dynamic environments and having to make life and death decisions in a combat situation. I have lived in many states and been around the world. I worked with local police in Iraq and Afghanistan, worked with local judges and government officials. All of this has given me perspective and a chance to see things that work and don't work.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)

The mayor needs to be reigned in and stop getting a rubber stamp from the alderman on all issues.

How do you think local officials performed in responding to the coronavirus? What if anything would you have done differently?

At first, I think they did okay. They didn't know what we were up against and I understand the need to take an operational pause to figure out the situation.

After the two weeks to flatten the curve, the government at all levels should have stepped back. The sick, symptomatic, and at-risk should have stayed home and the rest of the people should have been allowed to live their lives.

One of the reasons I decided to run was the Nashua Aldermen entertaining the idea of a curfew for businesses last winter. I would never have supported a mask mandate at the local level. I would never have fined privately owned, small businesses for not enforcing a mask mandate. The curfew and the mask mandate enforcement on small businesses highlight the lack of understanding of the difficulties and challenges that business owners face. Both measures were initially recommended by unelected bureaucrats.

The proposal of a 9:30 p.m. curfew as if COVID only comes out after a certain time would have almost been laughable if it weren't so maddening.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

• Keep the Nashua Police Commission independent of Nashua politics.
• Responsible spending.
• Transparency in local government with things like property tax assessments and when someone submits a Right to Know request.
• Pro-Business.
• Supporting in-person learning in our schools.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

• I have worked hard since I was 14 years old when I got my first job as a cleaning boy at a family-owned butcher shop.
• I enlisted in the Marine Corps the summer after 9/11. I went to Iraq in 2003.
• I came back to school and finished my degree in Political Science. I earned my commission in the United States Marine Corps and finished one of the most challenging schools in the entire military, the Infantry Officer Course.
• I lead a platoon of Marines in Iraq, advising local security forces and local government officials.
• I lead a platoon of Marines in Afghanistan in 2010 where we fought in some of the worst areas of the country.
• I taught leadership and decision-making to newly commissioned officers for over three years.
• I am a graduate of the resident course of the USMC Expeditionary Warfare School, where only the top 20% of all officers are selected to attend.
• I was a company commander, leading over 200 Marines for over two years and a deployment where I had Marines on three different continents and over 9 different countries over 7 months.
• As a company commander, I was nominated by my Battalion Commander to compete for the top company commander in the entire Marine Corps.
• Upon returning from that deployment, my battalion had to send one company to Puerto Rico to assist in the hurricane disaster relief in 2017.
• I was selected to take my company and be the senior Marine in charge of ground forces for our MEU. I have received multiple awards for commendation and valor.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

• It's not about you.
• Learn to deny yourself.
• Discipline breeds freedom.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I am an independent thinker, my wife would call me a free spirit, that questions everything. I don't take anything at face value. I stand up for what I believe is right and just. I operate off of reason and logic. I stand up for others. I have a soft spot for those that cannot defend themselves, children, and nature. I truly believe we live in the greatest country in the world where people have the opportunity to make a better life for themselves with hard work, learning, and a little bit of luck.