Fred Keach, Concord City Council At-Large Candidate

CONCORD, NH — Fred Keach

Position Sought

City Council At-Large

Family

I have three grown children who all reside and work in Concord

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

None

Education and-or work experience

BA, Communication, University of NH Durham 1985 ~1988-1993 City of Portland, ME, Police Officer ~1993 - 2023 D. McLeod Inc., Dir of Operations ~2023 - Present City of Manchester, NH Office of Planning and Community Development ~Served and chaired numerous city Committees ~ Served on varies local non-profit Boards of Directors

Previous or current elected or appointed positions

Current At-Large Councilor (18th year) Seeking re-election

Campaign website

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The single most important pressing issue facing the community is _______ and this is what I intend to do about it

The single most important issue in our community is clearly the city's ever-increasing tax rate, and with that issue, the resulting lack of affordable housing for our residents. It's great to talk about creating jobs in our community, but we need the ability to house those workers in our community. The ever-increasing tax burden on our residents, in particular for those just entering the housing market and with our seniors, is approaching a crisis.

List three other things you would like to work on if elected or re-elected

1. If elected, my focus would be on maintaining public safety. A safe community is the cornerstone to everything else we wish to achieve. Successful policing is truly a community effort, with enforcement being part of a broader strategy by our police department. The reality and perception of a safe community is critical to our success as a city.
2. Economic development is a key goal of mine if elected. Expanding our commercial tax base is key in mitigating the tax burden of residential property owners. As a city, we need to do a better job at facilitating developers and moving them through the process more expeditiously. This applies to both city staff and boards. Developers value consistency and predictability. We must do better with both.
3. Property taxes and spending must be tightened. As city spending increases, we should continue to aggressively look at state and federal grant opportunities. Additionally, the city should engage with our state elected representatives and work with them to stop, and reverse the state down cost shifting that continually affects our local tax burden. I would also actively pursue policies that incentivize development, such as 79-E and TIFF districts.

Name a couple of accomplishments in the past that show you can handle this position

The Main Street renovation is a project I am particularly proud of, as it serves as an exemplary model of community collaboration and forward-thinking vision. It demonstrates how local stakeholders can unite to make meaningful improvements, and it's a prime example of how federal funding can be leveraged for local projects. Without the federal TIGER grant, it’s unlikely that Concord would have been able to undertake a project of this scale or achieve such a significant financial impact on the downtown area.

One of my key accomplishments has been supporting policies that enable the city administration to effectively recruit, hire, and retain high-quality employees. I believe that, like any successful organization, the city's most valuable asset is its workforce. In contract negotiations, I have been effective in striking a balance between providing fair compensation for employees and maintaining fiscal responsibility to ensure reasonable tax rates for the community. This approach not only benefits the city's employees but also serves the taxpayers, aligning both interests for long-term sustainability.

Share any other thoughts or ideas you would like voters to know about yourself

I bring a pragmatic, commonsense approach to my work on the Council, and I plan to continue in that spirit moving forward. Unlike some others running for this seat, I don’t have a specific agenda or cause I’m pushing. My focus remains on making thoughtful, balanced decisions that serve the best interests of the entire community. I am not beholden to any political party or special interest groups. I listen to the voters and make decisions based on facts and data, not on arguments that lack evidence or substance.