Ward 7 Community Meeting, and more

Ward 7 Community Meeting

The Ward 7 Community Meeting was attended by more than 50 residents on Tuesday April 2nd at the West Street Ward House. Participants initially identified aspects of the community that they valued. These included:

Things we value

• Walkability

• Safety

• Friendly neighbors

• Community pool at Rollins

• Recreation close to home

• Close to downtown

• Neighborhood school

• Character lots of neat history

• Close to the hospital

• Green spaces

• Sense of history in the south end that people treasure

• Not massive push for new houses

• Still small town feel and worried that we will lose it

• Small feel but also has city administration that does things

• Multi-family housing that’s nestled into the neighborhood

Issues identified included crime and safety; increase in taxes; increase in homelessness and cost of housing; Rundlett Middle School; accountability and trust ; garbage and litter; green energy; walkability and bike-ability; paving of West street (and all the streets); and of course, skunks. We didn't have time to discuss all of these issues.

Middle School: The middle school was an important initial topic. School Board Member Care Meeker fielded many comments and questions about the cost and location of the middle school. An important concern was voiced about the potential cost of the building project. Meeker explained that the initial cost estimates were based on the Clinton Street location and that a team of citizens, board members and staff were working to specify the design and bring down the costs. Interested residents are encouraged to attend committee meeting as they are able and follow the progress of the deliberations at the SAU8 Middle School Project site.

A number of residents raised strong disagreement with the middle school location decision and advocated for a charter amendment to change the powers of the School Board. While supporting the planning work of the design committee, Meeker remains open to additional input and comments from concerned residents.

Homelessness and safety: Residents expressed concern about homelessness and safety issues in the South End. Several acknowledged the difficult circumstances of many homeless persons but voiced a need to urgently address the issues. The changing face of the area's drug issues (a move to harder, more dangerous drugs like fentanyl and methamphetamine) coupled with the widespread shortage of affordable housing is making the homelessness issue more difficult to address.

The Committee for Concord's Plan to End Homelessness, of which I am a member, is hoping to develop a more action orientation with specific steps to accelerate progress. Key elements guiding any specific actions should include:

• Agreement on the shared aim of achieving "functional zero homelessness" and increased collaboration and coordination among the more than 60 non-profits and government departments touching the issue;

• Quality, real time data on the number of area homeless persons;

• Strong action accountability for rapid tests of possible solutions; and

• Flexible funding for identified needs in housing and social services (e.g. mental health and substance abuse services).
  

Property taxes: The impact of city and school spending on potential property tax increases was a strong concern. Some also voiced appreciation of the value we get from our tax dollars (e.g. a vibrant downtown, good parks, etc.). The City Council will face very difficult decisions this spring balancing important infrastructure needs (e.g. new police station, water and sewer upgrades, street paving, etc.) with the very real impact on property taxes. Citizen voice and participation is critical in the coming weeks and months as the city budget is presented to the Council and the public.

Meeting participants expressed appreciation for the opportunity to meet and agreed that this format should be repeated in the future.

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April City Council Meeting

Highlights from this week's City Council meeting include

• Approval for the city to purchase the former property of the Concord Mutual Insurance Group on Bouton St./North State St. for a potential new Police Department. Renovation of the existing building seems to be the most cost effective use. However, specific costs will depend on design details and will need a public hearing and Council approval in the future.

• Approval of changes to the property tax exemptions for Elderly, Veterans, and Blind persons. The deadline for exemption/credit requests is April 15.

• Approval of spending to modify the entrance to the Transfer Station on Old Turnpike Road to prevent Saturday vehicle backups.

• Unheralded, but much appreciated was the approval of the updated Hazard Mitigation Plan. While running to more the 300 pages this reading is not for the faint hearted. And yet it summarizes an enormous body of work by city staff led by Fire Chief John Chisholm, citizen volunteers, and staff from the Central NH Regional Planning Commission. It covers threat hazards to our community from flood, fire, wind, cyber attacks, violence and more. It is a testimony to the often thankless work of planning and prevention. The hazards that are prevented do not make the nightly news.
  

Afterthought on PFAS in Drinking Water

You may have seen in the news that the US Environmental Protection Agency issued new rules to limit, virtually eliminate, the PFAS cancer causing chemicals in drinking water (to 4 parts per trillion!). The City Manager, Tom Aspell, reported this morning that Concord drinking water has already met that standard and is PFAS free. Kudos to the city's Water Treatment team.

Jim Schlosser

Ward 7 City Councilor

Concord, NH

781-879-2089

jim4concord@gmail.com

jim4concord.com 

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