Ward 5 Newsletter - November 2025
- Stacey Brown
- Nov 24
- 7 min read
Thank you, Ward 5! I am honored to continue serving you!
I am deeply concerned by the large number of multimillion dollar capital projects under consideration by both the City Council and School Board with no consideration of how the revaluation will affect Concord taxpayers. Projected tax increases from the revaluation and utility fees combined with cuts to crucial services at the federal level places an inequitable burden on those who can least afford it. For these reasons, I believe there should be a moratorium on new spending. As elected representatives, the City Council and School Board, must reassess our priorities together and align our spending with the community's ability to support it.
I am grateful to those who have reached out regarding me participating in the discussion and action regarding the new police station. The definition for a conflict of interest has changed dramatically during my time on the City Council.
Conflict of Interest -
When I started in 2022:
"A conflict of interest exists when a person takes an action or makes a decision that would affect his or her financial interest, the financial interests of the person's family member or the interests of any organization in which the person is a member of a governing body."
During my first City Council meeting on January 2022, I voted for the city to accept an $11,741 donation from the Concord Public Library Foundation who I work for. I did not benefit financially in any way but was accused of having a conflict of interest and the matter was transferred to the Rules committee. I learned a few days later that the councilor who accused me was using an outdated definition.
Since then, the Rules committee recommended changing the definition (changes are bolded). The current definition:
"A conflict of interest exists when an officer or elected official takes an action or makes a decision that would affect his or her financial interest, the financial interests of the officer or elected official's family member or the interests of any organization in which the officer or elected official or the officer or elected official's family member is an employee of the organization or a member of its governing body. For employment with the City of Concord and for other governmental entities, a conflict of interest shall exist when the matter before the Public Body involves the department for which the officer or elected official or officer or elected official's family member is employed. A conflict of interest shall also exist for an officer or elected official whose family member is employed in the City of Concord when such family member is a member of a union in the City and the Public Body is discussing any collective bargaining matters in a non-meeting, under RSA 91-A:2, I (a), relative to strategy or negotiations with respect to collective bargaining."
During the November City Council meeting, the mayor read off the City's ordinance but did not explain how participating in the discussion or vote contributed to a financial benefit for me.
Capital Reserve Trust Funds - "It's been this way for years and years and years" -Brian LeBrun, Deputy City Manager of Finance, City Council Meeting, 9/8/2025
Capital Reserve Trust Funds serve as savings accounts to offset the cost of a planned capital project. The trust funds are created for a specific purpose and can only be used for that. The Trustees of the Trust Funds are the stewards of these accounts and verify withdrawals align with the purpose of the fund. There are three strange things I've discovered about Concord's Capital Trust Funds:
We've put $3.5 Million into the Recreation Reserve that was created in 2016 by Resolution 8935 for future projects related to the City-wide Community Center (Capital Improvement Project #443). Only $838K remains and there is no evidence any funds were directed to CIP #443. In fact, $130K was approved for bonding in the FY2026 budget, when it could have come from the Recreation Reserve.
There is an existing reserve fund created in 1998 for Fire Equipment Replacements, but it hasn't been used to save for fire department vehicles in eight years. There is less than $10K in it now.
There was no reserve trust fund created to offset costs for a new police station.
What troubles me the most, is the repeated misinformation by the City Administration about these taxpayer-funded capital reserve accounts to City Councilors.
In May during budget hearings, the City Manager stated he planned to use the Recreation Reserve for a new golf clubhouse. When I asked if we could use it for any recreation purpose, he said, "anything". This is not true. Per RSA 34:10, expenditures shall be made only for or in connection with the purposes for which said fund was established. Both the Recreation Reserve and Economic Development reserve were created for a specific purpose. In the case of Economic Development, it was created in 1995 by Resolution 6572 to invest in an office park, industrial park or a civic center.
During the September Council meeting, the MS-9 report listing FY2025 investments and capital reserve funds showed $205,000 was withdrawn from the Recreation Reserve. The Deputy City Manager of Finance couldn't say where it went, and the mayor accused me of wasting staff time by asking about it.
At their October meeting, the treasurer/tax collector asked the Trustees of the Trust Funds to approve the same MS-9 report that was already submitted to City Council in September. When I asked if they would be verifying withdrawals, the Trustees stated they had never done it before.
This misinformation is reinforced by omissions.
The City Council agenda includes the minutes from Boards and Committees, but the minutes from the Trustees of Trust Funds has never been included.
Concord's Trustees of Trust Funds webpage omits any mention of capital reserve funds where other municipalities explicitly list it.
The FY2026 budget describes both the Economic Development and Recreation Reserve funds vaguely, omitting the specific purpose they were created.
Why does this matter?
As Councilors, we cannot verify that taxpayer dollars are being spent as intended.
New Police Station-
Their current work environment is unacceptable and hasn't been for some time. Why wasn't this prioritized and why was there no public outreach?
Priorities: The FY2026 budget shows a new police station and a new golf clubhouse, but only the clubhouse was included in the budget.
Public Outreach: Committees serve as a good forum for the public to learn about a project, yet the Public Safety Board has only had one meeting (11/20/2025) about the new police station and it was after the presentation to City Council.
Golf Clubhouse-
The Deputy City Manager of Finance recently invited councilors to a groundbreaking ceremony for a new golf clubhouse on December 10th. A Construction Manager for the project was selected in 2022 when a new clubhouse was listed as one of two "primary projects" ahead of new or renovated police station, fire stations, or the library. A lot has changed since 2022 that justify pausing the project:
The NH Golf Association is not contributing any funds, even though they regularly use the course for free.
There have been no donations received, even though the Friends of the Beav group has held four fundraising events since June.
The 2026 golf rates will not cover operating expenses, let alone be able to contribute to the debt service of a new clubhouse.
The Recreation Reserve cannot be used to pay the debt service of a new clubhouse, even though the City Manager claimed he would use it to offset the tax impact.
Concord School District financial red flags-
The Business Administrator signed a $16.1 Million sole-source contract with Trane for HVAC at Concord High School in violation of the School District's policy (#322) requiring competitive bids for services or products over $20K. He did not disclose publicly that the contract included replacing equipment in the new elementary schools with Trane products.
On October 23, 2025, with no school building aid available, the Business Administrator listed the tax impact of a $168.8 Million middle school at $0.69/per thousand on a 30-year bond in the first year and lowering further in the second. Yet on November 10, 2025, Council learned the tax impact of a $45.5 Million new police station peaks in the fifth year at $0.74/per thousand for a 30-year bond. It is not possible that a project almost 4X more expensive would have a smaller tax impact.
This holiday season, please consider shopping locally. "For every $1 spent in our community, $0.70 stays right here, supporting local jobs and businesses." - Bryanna Marceau, President, Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce.
Friday, Dec 5, Home Sweet Home Gingerbread Festival, 5-7pm, Woman's Club of Concord, 44 Pleasant St. Stop by for free homemade cookies, a ticket to select the “People’s Choice Award” gingerbread house, and to celebrate accessible housing with us. Awards
ceremony at 7pm with Mayor Champlin awarding the key to the City!
Scenes from Ward 5:
The donations voters brought to the polls filled my vehicle. I delivered them the next day to the West Congregational Church food pantry on Hutchins Street where they were gratefully received.
What I am reading now:
Defy: The Power of No in a World that Demands Yes by Dr. Sunita Sah. A fellow classmate recommended this and it's fantastic! I bought my copy at Gibson's Bookstore and recommended the library order it.
*If our library doesn't have a book, you can request it by interlibrary loan, recommend ordering it by talking with staff, or clicking on 'Send a Request' in the blue bar on the library's Search the Catalog page and then using the gray dropdown button.
Managing and Leading Nonprofit Organizations: A Framework for Success by Paul L. Dann available at UNH. This is the textbook for my Leadership Theory and Practice course. I highly recommend the UNH Carsey School of Public Policy!
"It is, Sir, the people's government, made for the people, made by the people, and answerable to the people". -Daniel Webster
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