Copyright keenesentinel
Eight candidates are vying for five at-large seats representing the entire city in Keene’s election Tuesday. And as they pursue the two-year terms, they’re focused on a range of topics, including the downtown infrastructure project, housing and local spending. Here’s a look at who’s in the race: Bettina Chadbourne Bettina Chadbourne, who has been a member of the City Council for over a decade, hadn’t planned on seeking reelection. But the Keene resident of more than 40 years learned she was being written in just days ahead of last month’s primary election. After receiving 80 votes, she decided to accept the candidacy. Chadbourne, 66, said she heard from constituents that her experience is needed right now, and they told her she’s good in the post. In addition to being a property manager, Chadbourne runs a gardening business and is a caretaker for somebody outside her own home. She believes federal policies are going to make life tougher at the state and local levels. On top of that, Keene faces the upcoming downtown infrastructure project, she noted. “How do we support local businesses and make it sustainable … make it so that they feel they can stay?” As a councilor, Chadbourne said, “I always listen to what other people have to say … and weigh all of that as well.” Before the end of the year, or in the next term if reelected, Chadbourne said she’d like to address constituents’ concerns about drones hovering over properties. Short-term rentals are another area of interest for her. “Lots of people in Keene already have either Airbnbs or furnished temporary housing available for traveling nurses and such. And I think that we as a city need to look into that further. And are there regulations? … How does that affect homeowners and neighborhoods?” Another housing goal is to create a tiny home community. Chadbourne’s top issues include housing affordability, keeping taxes low, creating job opportunities, incentivizing businesses to come to Keene and retaining businesses. Michele Chalice Michele Chalice’s bid for the City Council has roots in the life she’s lived in Keene for the past 18 years. “I’m running to attempt to give back the really wonderful experience that I have had raising my daughter,” said Chalice, 62. “I came here with her at 8 weeks old to live in a walkable community.” Chalice’s policy ideas include getting creative when it comes to affordable housing efforts, and she sees tiny home communities and container housing as viable options. “Just small places, so that people can have the opportunity to have a roof over their head, even under these very challenging economic circumstances,” she said. Additionally, she aims to bring “the voice of a working-class environmentalist” to the council, a perspective she thinks would help guide the city to make more decisions based in environmentalism. An environmental landscape educator and designer with Healthy Home Habitats, Chalice sees stormwater infiltration, toxic landscape chemicals and increased heat as issues affecting Keene now and potentially in the future. At the same time, Chalice feels her life experience, which includes a seven-year run as a planner with the city, would give a lens into the experiences of working-class people. Like Chadbourne, Chalice thinks the future will be difficult. She’s interested in exploring creative ways to bring good jobs at decent wages to Keene. She recently took a grant-writing class with the county, and thinks the skill could help Keene reduce downtown infrastructure project costs. Another priority for her would be reducing tension after hearing what she considers divisive opinions from people attending City Council meetings, and she cited some regarding the downtown project and taxes. “There’s got to be some type of way to be a ... calming presence to help us figure out how we’re going to handle these difficulties,” she said. Randy Filiault “I’ve always considered it an honor and a privilege to represent … the hometown I was born and raised in, and I continue to feel that way,” longtime Councilor Randy Filiault said of why he’s running again. He’s been on the council for about 28 years. Downshifting of costs from the state is Filiault’s biggest concern heading into the next couple of years. He said holding the state accountable is his number one priority. “No matter what we plan as far as infrastructure or improvements or housing or [the] homelessness situation … the current financial situation and the current downshifting coming out of Concord [has] already surpassed unsustainable,” Filiault, 69, said. “… We’re already at an unsustainable level for many people; we simply cannot continue that negative trajectory.” Like other candidates, Filiault, who is semi-retired, said he would focus on housing in the new term. He pointed to issues of affordability as a piece of the puzzle. “As we’ve seen, mortgages and rentals have almost doubled in cost, whereas people’s wages have only gone up relatively insignificantly. So people find themselves homeless for no other reason than the changes of financial stability.” Mitch Greenwald Mitchell “Mitch” Greenwald said he wants to continue to serve Keene because he enjoys it and is dedicated to the city and the public. He has been a councilor for over three decades. “My philosophy, that I think is quite important, is to be conservative, yet also doing the right thing for the public in terms of services,” he said. Greenwald, 73, pointed to the downtown infrastructure project scheduled to start in the spring. The current Ward 2 councilor noted he’s been working on it for four-plus years, and would like to stay on the council to keep moving it along and make sure it has minimal impact on downtown businesses. Greenwald, of Greenwald Realty, is also concerned about housing. “We need more housing. We keep hearing that, and some of the new housing regulations that are coming for us will help,” he said. “But I’m also concerned that some of these changes could damage neighborhoods and damage the rural character if we don’t think pretty heavily about it.” He said he’s in favor of “rational conservative spending, but still maintaining the services that the public demands.” He’d also like to see the city spur business growth through simplifying building codes, but wants to strike a balance that still protects the public. Additionally, he’d like to see the council come to decisions more efficiently. “I think it’s very important to make decisions, not just talk about things endlessly. So if anything, maybe that would be part of what I’d like to push forward more — to make decisions, to simplify the process of making decisions.” Sam Jackson In addition to housing, transportation is a top concern of Sam Jackson’s. People need transportation, she said, including if they can’t drive. “They need to be able to get around town, get to their groceries, get to their appointments, ideally be able to see their friends and family, even if it’s outside of town.” If elected, Jackson, 32, wants to do what she can to make it easier to travel throughout Keene and beyond, though she noted the expenses of any project would make that difficult. “At some point here, I would like to look into grants to see if there’s anything available to help the city of Keene bolster its transit system,” she said. When it comes to housing, the Fire Dog Breads baker feels old zoning codes need to be updated. She also thinks the Kingsbury property is an opportunity for greatly needed new dwellings. She wants to be a voice for people who don’t often find themselves in the City Council chambers. “I’m really engaged with folks in the community that are more disadvantaged,” she said, pointing specifically to work she does with Keene Mutual Aid. The group distributes food, hygiene products and tents every Saturday in Railroad Square to people who are unhoused. “I am interacting with the homeless a lot … and people who don’t really get to have a chance to speak at City Council meetings, who may need more help than they’re getting or more voice,” Jackson said. Robert Johnson Robert Johnson said he’s running because of a drive to serve the public. “I believe it’s ... a duty of every American citizen to be involved in some capacity,” he said. And he said he’s concerned to see taxes rising while the tax base stays stagnant. “It’s always good to have new faces,” he added, and he said he’d serve for two terms at most. “I believe public service is a duty. It’s not a career.” He feels having a variety of opinions from people with different backgrounds is important for the City Council, and that he’d bring that. And the 34-year-old said he might be able to contribute some out-of-the-box thinking when it comes to increasing city revenues. Johnson works in sales and marketing at The Keene Sentinel. His top issues include fiscal responsibility and economic development. I think that’s key,” he said of the latter, “as far as retaining employers and making an atmosphere or an environment that ... makes it so other employers, either outside of New Hampshire or within New Hampshire, want to move to Keene.” Steven William Lindsey Steven William Lindsey decided to put his name in the ring after what he felt were some abrupt decisions by city officials — the closure of Airport Road in Keene to recreation during business hours and the possible sale of a small greenspace at 100 Church St. “I just thought the way it was rolled out showed a certain indifference to the public that they serve,” he said of the Airport Road closure. Public Works Director Don Lussier ultimately reopened the road to recreation at all times on a two- to three-month trial basis, at which time he will reevaluate based on people’s compliance with rules about sticking to the shoulder and staying out of the road. While city staff have recommended the parcel of land at 100 Church St. be sold, a City Council committee recently recommended Keene retain the land after several residents advocated for this. City Councilors will consider the topic during their next meeting in early November. “I’m just wondering why we have to run and rally up and push back when I think the city should be more proactive and reaching out to the citizenry,” Lindsey, 65, said of both instances. Lindsey, a hospital custodian, said the City Council needs to be less “corporate” and promote more free speech by allowing comments at full council meetings and not just committee meetings. “I’d like to see some systemic reforms to the city charters at City Council,” he said. “And I know this binds things up, but I feel that’s very important … I’m more concerned with people having a voice than just merely delivering government edicts.” As evident in his stance on the Church Street parcel, Lindsey’s an ardent supporter of saving public places. He’s also concerned with Keene’s sole casino, which he says is “growing by leaps and bounds.” The casino plans to eventually move from Emerald Street to a plaza on Key Road and occupy the unit that Toy City currently occupies. Lindsey doesn’t feel the Council’s decision to accept a donation from the casino, as charities do currently, was prudent. Laura Ruttle-Miller “I decided I wanted to throw my hat in the ring and learn more about Keene’s government, because I’ve been around the area for a number of years, and I think I potentially have something good to contribute,” Laura Ruttle-Miller said of her bid to be an at-large councilor. “I think being a 34-year-old woman offers its own unique perspective in certain ways. But beyond that … I’m a kind person, and I want people to feel like somebody can represent them, who will treat people with respect and be there to listen and make sure that they feel heard,” she said. “And I know that I could do that for people.” Ruttle-Miller, who has lived in the area for about 16 years, said if elected, she’d focus on housing, which she called a “huge economic crisis” in the city and state. “What we’re feeling in Keene and in Cheshire County is being felt across the state, so I really just want to make sure I’m putting a lot of focus on that.” The Badger deviations coordinator said she’s been reading up on housing in an effort to learn about solutions being tried in other places. Another top issue for Ruttle-Miller is the downtown infrastructure project. “So really focusing on making sure that the businesses downtown feel supported by the city, and really making sure there’s a lot of attention locally on how we as a community can support those businesses best.” She said she’s been encouraging people to vote in the city election because of how much it counts. “I keep bringing up ... how big of an impact their vote has at a local level, and I just, I truly don’t know if people necessarily think of it like this, because national elections and state elections get so much more turnout,” she said. “... I know that people have a lot of feelings, and that people have a lot of opinions on things that happen in the city, and I just really want people to know that this is the best way to get the people that you feel would best represent you in office.” Editor’s note: Candidate Robert Johnson is a multimedia account executive in The Sentinel’s advertising department. He is not involved in the newsroom, nor in the reporting, editing or decision-making related to Sentinel news coverage. Emily Benson’s name will also appear on the ballot, but she withdrew from the race before the city’s primary election.
