Why I will be voting NO on the Charter Question 

On November 4, we’ll be asked to change Claremont’s Charter and how we presently govern ourselves. Supporters advocating the proposed charter have not explained what’s wrong with the present charter and why such a drastic change is needed. Before we turn everything upside down, I’d like to know what’s so wrong with the present charter.  

  

Under the present Charter – we elect 9 councilors whose job is to set policy and establish priorities. The city manager is a professional public administrator accountable to the council and tasked with implementing council policies & priorities in a fair and transparent manner. 

If the manager does something the people or council don’t approve of, his services can be terminated immediately by a simple majority of the Council. However, under the proposed Charter, the mayor will be responsible for day to day operations and, since NH has no recall provision, an elected mayor cannot be terminated so we’ll be stuck until the next election. 

As someone who’s lived in Manchester where this proposed charter was modeled after, I know the existing Claremont model is the better system. People from Manchester have told me how their “strong mayor” form of government has held them back and wish they had a system like Claremont’s. 

Why? Because the skills it takes to get elected are not the skills you need to manage. Nationwide – the preferred practice for municipal government is to hire trained professional administrators with the technical skills and experience needed to run a 21^st Century city. With the proposed two year term, the person elected mayor will need the 1^st year to learn the job, and the 2^nd year will be dealing with getting re-elected.  Doesn’t give much time for governing! 

The pro charter change crowd contend that the 8 aldermen will be a check & balance to the mayor, but their way gives the mayor a vote on everything, and if it doesn’t go his way – he can use his veto power. They’ll need 6 of the 8 aldermen to over-ride a veto. Not exactly the best odds – unless you’re the mayor.

On Nov 4, VOTE NO – the alternative is too risky. There’s no reason for changing the Charter. 

Thank You,

Raymond Gagnon, Claremont

CLAREMONT WARD 3

RE-ELECT

RAY GAGNON

STATE REPRESENTATIVE

A RECORD OF TEAM WORK & GETTING THINGS DONE

ü   Voted to end the downshifting to NH Cities & Towns and return funds to communities like Claremont,

ü  Helped pass a law permitting a bus service between Claremont & Lebanon,

ü  Supported a bi-partisan state budget that addressed the concerns of a republican senate & a democrat house,

ü  Supported Medicaid expansion that provides health insurance for 50,000 low income NH residents. This also helped to relieve the over-reliance on hospital emergency rooms,

ü  Worked to resolve the previous legislative actions that created a potential 400 million dollar hole in the NH Budget,

ü  Member of the County Executive Committee that passed a level funded County Budget. 

ü  Supported the new bio-mass plant in Unity which has already saved the county thousands of dollars.

ON TUESDAY NOV 4 – RE-ELECT RAY GAGNON, STATE REP

“A proven Voice for Claremont”