Ward 5 Newsletter - July to Mid-August Highlights

Lots of room for improvement

July included the City Manager's Evaluation. Per our City Charter, it should have been done in April. Unlike other municipalities, there was no guidance available for councilors in advance of the process, no evaluation form for councilors to complete, and no input taken from City staff. The Manager's Review Committee didn't exist on the City's website until I pushed for it. Councilors were told the committee has existed for a long time, but there is no account of it in any City of Concord Annual Reports. I requested the Council consider a more transparent, inclusive process by December.

More accountability needed

The Annual Report lists department highlights and financial reports. The golf course was transferred from Parks and Recreation to the Finance Department in Fiscal Year 2018. However, our City Ordinances still outline responsibility for the operation, maintenance and repair of the golf course under General Services. While under Finance, golf course was converted to a Special Revenue Fund and costs of major projects were transferred to taxpayers. Strangely, none of the golf course capital projects while under Finance are listed in the Annual Reports even though over $2 Million was bonded for irrigation alone.

Who benefits? Spoiler: it's not taxpayers

The City Manager stated that he would work with the Golf Advisory Committee strategically on rates so that folks using the clubhouse paid for the clubhouse. However, the rates he and the Committee approved for 2026 allow NHGA to choose what, and if, they pay to use our golf course. The NHGA charges for all of the tournaments listed below but pays nothing or ridiculously low rates while taking tee times from regular rate-paying golfers.

When compared to the FY2026 Operating Budget Golf Fund and FY2025-FY2031 Golf Fund Pro Forma, the rates approved do not come close to generating the extra revenue necessary to cover the debt service for existing projects, the recently approved parking lot expansion, and nothing towards a new clubhouse that will have an annual debt service of $476,000 for the next 20 years. Guess who picks up the slack? Taxpayers.

Stepping back to step forward

Council approved moving forward in the process of building the Merrimack River Greenway Trail by purchasing 5.7 miles of rail between Horseshoe Pond Lane and the Contoocook River from CSX. In 2021, CSX was in the process of purchasing Pam Am when Council approved $700,000 for this purchase ($100,000 from Conservation Reserve funds and $600,000 from General Fund supported bonds). The delay and negotiations with CSX since then resulted in an increase of $150,000 ($105,000 in general obligation bonds on taxpayers, the remainder coming from recreation impact fees). All councilors present, but one, supported this motion, and one recused acknowledging that a subsidiary of his law firm represents CSX.

Books I recently read/listened to for the Ultimate Book Nerd 2025 Challenge:

No More Tears: the dark secrets of Johnson & Johnson by Gardiner Harris. Book and audiobook available at the Concord Public Library. This was a personally painful read. The first 84 pages detail company denials of asbestos in baby powder and later lawsuits linking the powder with ovarian cancer. My grandmother, an avid J&J powder user, died of ovarian cancer.

How to Raise a Citizen (And Why It's Up to You to Do It) by Lindsey Cormack. Ebook available at the Concord Public Library. Written for parents, this author will be leading an interactive session at this year's annual International County/City Manager Association conference. Encouraging civic engagement is critical!

Scenes from Ward 5: Brueggemann's Bench

After 30 years, Don Brueggemann is stepping away from bagels at The Works on Main Street, but you can still enjoy his company and a treat on the Marjory Swope Trail! This is the view from a bench placed in his honor for his unwavering commitment and invaluable contributions to our community. The blueberries are just to the left. Enjoy!

"It is, Sir, the people's government, made for the people, made by the people, and answerable to the people". -Daniel Webster