Okay, seeing the time is seven o'clock, I'll do a call to order, and I'll ask Councillor Felch to lead us.

Katie good.

Can I know?

I've been practicing it all day.

Councillor Cheney.

Here.

Councillor Susi.

Here.

Councillor Hockman.

Present.

Councillor Hangs.

Here.

Councilor Bogart.

Here.

Councilor Felt.

Here.

Mayor St.

Clair.

Here.

Thank you.

Stafford and Tennessee.

We have uh City Manager Kirk Bayani and Clint Smith, the finance officer.

And a happy crowd outside there.

We have no proclamations.

How about we have an acceptance without objection of the minutes from the last meeting?

Everybody good with that?

Yep, so we'll okay.

Done.

Okay, I'd like to move without objection.

You do have a um you do have a nine.

Oh, you want to do nine first.

Yeah, let's do nine.

Okay.

Excellent.

Well, uh, if there are any citizens that have comments for matters not on the agenda tonight, this would be your time to uh come on up and uh let us hear about it.

Remember, Matters not on the agenda, Mr.

Mayor, Counselors, uh Patrick Wood, Ward 1.

I just want to say thank you to the city for the wonderful uh Friday luncheon, the Christmas luncheon that the city put on.

It was a great event, extremely well attended, and what was really exciting to see is that we had one employee from the water department that's worked for the city for 40 years.

Very impressive.

So thank you all for being a part of that and uh having the city do it.

So and Merry Christmas.

Thank you, Pat.

It was it was quite uh quite a luncheon, and uh you're right.

40 years is that's a while.

Thank you.

Hi, folks.

Craig Howford too.

I just wanted to come up and take a moment off the agenda, or uh uh not on the things that anybody's gonna talk about tonight, and just thank all of you.

You know, um, we all love this city.

You've all done a great job putting yourselves out there.

You've all done a great job trying to help, trying to do all the work that we need done, and I want to just give you a heartfelt thank you.

I appreciate it.

And for those who aren't returning, I want to wish you well in all your future endeavors.

And for those of you who are gonna stick around, I look forward to seeing you every Monday and two in uh of the second and fourth week of the of the month for the next two years.

Thank you, Gregor.

Thank you, Greg.

Greg, thank you for uh keeping the mail rolling.

Yeah, appreciate that.

Thank you.

What a pleasant surprise.

Go ahead, announce your presence.

Uh yes, uh Doug Lambert, I'm a citizen of Bellno County.

Um two things.

Uh, first of all, Mr.

Mayor, um, you've done a good job as interim.

I've been following very closely, and I must say that you certainly look straight out of central casting as to what uh a mayor would look like.

Um so I appreciate uh you filling in and um done a good job.

Uh the second thing is I would just like to remind the council um that the number one issue that people are buzzing about in the city of Laconia and beyond is the homeless issue.

And um just one quick point on that.

At the last meeting that I attended, um there was discussion about the COP.

Um I call him the Fentanel cop on social media, um, but it was pointed out at the homeless forum and at this, I think it was the governance meeting that um this uh police officer gets invited to speak throughout the state about his program or whatever it is he's doing.

And I would just ask that um somebody give some thought as to how that actually helps people in Laconia that are paying the bill.

So just a thought I had on that.

It struck me at the homeless forum, and then it struck me the other night, and I think that it's something that should be thought about.

Thank you.

Thank you, Doug.

I would just say that that position the the funding is reimbursed, so from the state from the state.

So what is spent is not he's paid through the city, but we're reimbursed and allows us to backfill that position so somebody else can do to focus their job in the city.

Very transparent, thank you.

I'm uh I'm glad to get that with and that's good because you have a question and somebody's able to answer it right away, so that's that's a good thing.

Thank you.

Anyone else hi everybody?

Matt Sowe's award four.

Uh I wasn't gonna say anything, but some of the other comments reminded me.

I've said some of this to you individually, but I'll say it to everybody.

Uh have a great holiday season, and thanks very much for everything that you do and have done for the city.

A lot of people really are aware and appreciate it very much.

Thank you, Matt.

Well anybody else.

Okay, thank you.

Okay, now I'm gonna ask to move uh 14 for uh presentations uh without objection up to this point in the in the agenda.

Everybody all right with that up front here.

Yeah, I know.

Don't forget to get it.

So this is for the uh 2025 Deborah Bienar's Memorial Award.

Most of you should be aware of who she was, and uh very important person in the history of Laconia.

So 38 years ago, the Laconia City Council established a Deborah Bienheur's Memorial Award for outstanding service to children and youth in the Lakes region in memory of police officer Deborah Bienar's late officer BNR served the city and its youth with uncommon with uncommon devotion, dedication, and distinction during her nine years with the police department before her death in 1987.

Uh each year a committee composed of one city council and one member of the police department and one member of the school board selects an individual to be recognized for this award based on nominations for members of the community.

The award honors a member of the community who has enlivened and enriched the lives of young people.

This year the committee has chosen to honor a very special person for her undeniable devotion and commitment to the children and Laconia to our entire community.

This year's winner can be described as an unsung hero.

As a first grade teacher at Woodland Heights Elementary School, she has devoted her heart and energy to guiding Laconia's youngest learners.

She fills her classroom with warmth and encouragement, making sure each and every one of her students feel safe, valued, and empowered to grow.

In the community, she generously and consistently volunteers much of her time throughout the year for the gut luck, excuse me, gut lunch program to ensure that children in our community have access to healthy and nourishing food all summer.

She also volunteers with a greater Lakes Region Children's Auction, dedicating her time and energy to help provide resources and opportunities for children throughout the Lakes region.

You also find her at several sporting events on her own time, cheering on her current and past students.

Without seeking recognition, excuse me, recognition of any kind, she exemplifies the best of our community, inspiring those around her through actions rather than words.

She is a humble reminder that there are still amazing people in this world.

In honor of her quiet dedication to serving our community, enriching the lives of children and families in countless ways.

Very nice.

Thank you very much.

Congratulations.

He has some excuse why he couldn't do it.

But he always wears these ties.

I've complimented them for eight years.

Some of them are hideous.

But in the spirit of Christmas, we've gotten him a Christmas tie.

That's wonderful.

Yeah, you'll put it in the storage.

That always crosses my mind.

Thank you, and congratulations again, Jennifer.

Nice.

Unbelievable.

Nice time.

Okay.

No interviews.

No, nothing until nominations, no community.

Well, okay, we're gonna go to a public hearing now.

Just include Mr.

Mayor, just include that the action may be taken up later in tonight's meeting.

It wasn't written on there.

Just add that.

Okay, we're gonna have a public hearing notice for this public hearing was made available on the December 17th and December 20th, 2025 editions in the Laconia Daily Sun and posted in Laconia City Hall, Laconia Community Center, Laconia Public Library, and the offices of the SAU.

This may this may come up tonight for discussion.

And before I open the public hearing, I just would like we had a lengthy public hearing on this uh last meeting.

So I'd like to try to keep the uh commentary down to about three minutes, if we can, please.

And um, if you don't, I mean if you want to say something that somebody else has said, try to remember their name, and then you come up and give your name and then say, I agree with so and so, and then that will cover it.

Uh we'd appreciate that if you can.

Um we'll open up the public hearing at 7.13.

This is on ordinance 2025-5-25-325-33, amending chapter 5, administration of government article three, boards and commissions, human relations committee establishing the human relations committee as a city committee.

So we'll open that up now at 7 13.

So if you'd like to come up and comment on it in a public hearing, now is the time to do it.

How are you doing, Charlie?

Mr.

Robertson.

Take your hand up.

Doug Robinson Laconian, New Hampshire, Cotton Hill.

Um I'm here tonight because of the proposal to re-establish the humans committee.

Human relations committee is moving forward without the most basic requirements.

Responsible municipal government.

We're being asked to create, or you're being asked to create a permanent city um committee without a mission statement, without a defined purpose, and without policies or procedures.

Um this seems backwards to me.

It's like putting the cart before the horse.

I've never seen a horse push a cart.

They always pull it.

And we're kind of doing it backwards tonight.

Historically, the HRC's functions were things like Martin Luther King, um, Rosh Hashanah, um, uh the Multicultural Day, and other celebrations throughout the city that brought us together.

Um at the last meeting, members openly questioned whether they should even be running the Multicultural Day, noting that Parks and Rec did such a great job with the pumpkin fest that they might be better suited to take it on.

Sorry, I'm fighting a cold.

Um, all this, and this year, Martin Luther King celebration is being organized primarily by local churches, hosted at a church and supported over London by faith groups.

They're already doing the work.

So the question becomes what would the committee actually be doing as an official body?

Parks and rec runs the events, churches run the events, community itself is unsure of what its own role is.

Then the operational justification making it permanent.

Uh, without a clear definition, mission, without policies, procedures, and without demon uh demonstrated municipal needs, there's no foundation for this committee.

Most of the work can already be handled and is being handled by existing departments, community partners, and anyone else who wants to help or volunteer directly with these groups.

I urge the council tonight to pause the proposal until this clear mission statement is defined with measurable outcomes.

Creating a committee first and then figuring out its purpose later is no good.

It's not governance, and it does not deserve the taxpayers of Laconia's support.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Three minutes, too.

Just for you, Charlie.

Patrick Wood, Chairman of the Human Relations Committee.

I just want to make a correction to what has been represented here.

The Human Relations Committee has been working all year to prepare the event for Martin Luther King commemoration.

It is being held at a church, but the church is not involved in the planning or the preparation.

This is all done by the Human Relations Committee and its volunteers and the people in the community that are willing to help.

Just want to clarify that that this is one of the things that we specifically work on every single year.

And it's coming up again in January, the 18th of January.

So there'll be more, hopefully, that you can hear on that coming forward.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Mr.

Mayor, members of the council, I'm David Osman.

I'm uh I've been a member of the committee for quite a number of years, and it's been a privilege to uh see the committee do its work, and I I hope that the Greater Lacona community has benefited from that.

I had a couple of uh suggestions.

They're going to seem minor in the scope of things, but just something to keep in mind as you work through this process of being clear about the ordinance.

Um I don't think we've been a burden on the taxpayer.

Um we've actually received some grant money to help on some of these matters that line up with the purposes of the grant from the endowment for health.

Um I hope that the council can try to either work into the ordinance or into some procedures, would be the ability of the committee to call an emergency meeting to move very quickly.

You know, normally you have to have certain notice provisions, and that can take a certain period of time.

But I'm hoping that uh as we never want these horrible events to occur, but when they do occur, our committee wants to be clear and make a statement.

Of course, it's subject to the council.

This is the process.

So there are guardrails that are going to be put in place, and if it's consistent, if if we can have the ability to respond quickly when certain difficult situations arise.

Um leave that to your good judgment to consider and implement.

Um question I have, uh, I don't have an opinion about this, but I think it ought to be clear.

What some member of the council will be a member of the of the committee.

If that happens, let's let's say councilman Felch is the designated person, and let's say at the last minute he can't make it.

Would I think it would make sense for either the council or perhaps Tony himself to say, can you fill in for me, and that that would work?

It may not be baked into the language.

Uh it's probably baked into the spirit of it, but you might want to try to sharpen your pencil on that if that makes any sense to you.

Um Pat mentioned the uh MLK celebration coming up, and I'm hoping there's at least a presumption of continuity that that event will go forward on under that aegis of the human relations committee, at least for this year.

Um the the other note that I wrote down is um what level of detail would be required if the human relations committee said we want to do something, for example, in on the homeless issue, we had a general forum.

If the committee thought, for example, that it would be a good idea to have some subsequent hearings on that, let's say uh each ward to have uh uh a mini version of that.

I'm sorry, I'll try to wrap this up.

What level of detail does the council want from the committee?

And would we be given enough ability to follow through with the details of the planning of that?

So I think the proposed ordinance makes a great deal of sense.

Those are just a few small suggestions that I have as you think about it.

It may just be something that gets worked out later on as we go forward.

Thank you very much.

I'm sorry for taking so much.

No, no, no, no, no.

Thank you.

Ronnie Abbott Gilford.

Um I just want to say, you know, I've had the pleasure of meeting the human relations committee, and I and I had really good rapport with a lot of them.

But I do feel that making a permanent committee based off a retaliatory act isn't what we should be doing.

It's something that's already been spoken about on social media as a retaliatory act towards our next mayor.

And I don't feel like this should be the group making that decision.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Anyone else?

I'll be brief.

My name is Mike Conan.

I'm from Ward 6.

I live on Sheridan Street.

First and foremost, I'd like to acknowledge all the work that the human relations committee has done to this point.

They volunteer their time and efforts, and that should be appreciated, and it certainly doesn't fall on deaf ears.

But the reality is that the HRC as it's currently comprised is broken and inefficient, and it has no definitive purpose.

Why would we create a permanent committee when there's no clear purpose, no policies, no values, no mission statement?

That just doesn't make sense to me.

There's many complex issues that need to be defined and resolved before this becomes a permanent committee.

And I think the folks that just spoke before me made that clear.

And I appreciate you guys listening to me.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Good evening.

How is everybody?

Mike Boards, Ward Six.

I have a few concerns about this Martin Luther King celebration.

First off, why is it being held out of church?

Are we saying Jewish people can't attend this event?

Is the Human Relations Committee part of local government?

Should we be having local city events at a church?

I know Pat Wood had reached out to our city manager Kirk Beati, and I said it's fine to go ahead and move forward with the Martin Luther King celebration for next year or for January 18th.

I have another issue.

In their meeting minutes, the subcommittee would like to coordinate a service project as part of a volunteer week.

Perhaps bake or make food for the homeless.

What does that have to do with Martin Luther King Bay?

This is this committee going off on its own path with no guidance.

I really feel this matter needs to be tabled so the new mayor and the new city council can take a further look at this and see where we want to go with it.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Patrick Hi, I'm Archie Kelts, Board 3.

Um, I kind of just want to bring out the point that the nature of this committee's work in its best light is the subtlety, giving voice to the marginalized, touchy-feely issues that I really don't think that the next iteration, which is very similar, by the way, of the city council is going to want to have to approve every single statement that comes out of the mouths of the HRC in whatever form it takes.

Because the nature of their speech is going to be somewhat controversial, no matter what they say, because they're subtle issues, they're complex issues.

And I think you should consider very carefully before you make them a permanent committee under the city council, that everything that they say will have to be, it's you guys that are going to have to approve it.

So if nothing else works, I thought I would just put that out there too.

Thank you.

Thank you, actually.

Anyone else that hasn't spoken yet?

Okay, come on up, Pat.

Oh, wait, I saw a hand back there.

Hold on.

It's all right.

You can speak before me.

I'm sorry.

I just want to correct a couple of things and ask.

I'm not sure what this is.

Well, she might have something you want to correct too.

You don't want to wait.

That's all right.

Okay.

Um, Patrick Wood again.

I don't know what this bake-off is.

That's not something that came before the human relations committee, so I'm not sure what that is.

Um, as far as the um holding the uh MLK event in the uh basement or in the not in the sanctuary, but in the church hall of the congregational church.

It was done.

We've had our meetings at those MLK events at the Belknout Mill.

We've had them at the middle school.

We had them in different places.

We're going to have food as part of this event this year.

They have the kitchen that's well supplied, able for us to provide the food and for the event.

And it's accessible.

It has an elevator so people can get to it.

It's centrally located.

It was a decision that was made by the committee that this was a good place to try this with regard to our sharing of space for people of different religions.

They've all been held at the Congregational Church because it is accessible, it's convenient, and it's appropriately sized.

So this is a community event.

It's not limited to anyone because of their faith or any of that.

So thank you.

Thank you, Pat.

We have somebody in the back still.

Come on up.

Sue Higgins, Ward 2 Laconia.

First, I would um just like to thank Pat Wood.

He um met with me yesterday and spent a couple of hours of his Sunday with me, and um I appreciate it, appreciate him doing that.

Um I went through several things with him, and um the the main message that I tried to give to Pat was that um as chair of the committee, I thought that he would be best served to ask you to table this and um to wait until the issues that people talked about were solved.

That as a as a chair that it it would be in his best interest to do that.

And um he basically told me that um how this moves forward is up to the city council, and that he doesn't really feel as though he should make a position statement as to whether it should move forward now or not.

So I talked till I was blue in the face to try to get him to change his mind because wouldn't it have been a much easier night if we could have just all said, hey, let's work on this and then make it a committee that really is working well.

That didn't quite work out for us, so I just wanted to talk about a few things that we talked about, and um my point is at the end, so I just asked that you indulge me for a minute.

Um I asked um Mr.

Wood if um he he told me that one of the reasons why he couldn't make a statement tonight was that um aside from the fact that he didn't feel that it was something that he should do, that if he decided to make one, he would have to go back to his committee and get the committee to approve the statement before it could be done.

Um so I asked him if he did that at the last meeting when he made a statement, and he said that he did not, but that at the last meeting he was speaking on behalf of Pat Wood and not that of committee chair.

So went back and listened to the tape, and he did not identify himself as speaking on his own behalf.

He identified himself as Pat Wood, chair of the Human Relations Committee.

I then talked to him about the fact that when we were um talking about this event, um, I grew up on Stratford Street, which is um where one of the locations for the God pods was, and um somebody who's a really close friend to mine um called me and said that when they homeless committee came there and kind of searched out that that area, he got in a fight with them.

It was a verbal fight with a lot of not good language, and um, and Mr.

Wood said that that sub that had nothing to do with the human relations committee, that it was the homeless thing, not him.

Um I asked him about um when he was at his HR last HRC meeting, he mentioned something about being urged not to write some stuff down, and so I asked him if what he was trying to do was to subvert 91A requests, and he said that that was not what he was talking about in the committee.

He said that um he didn't remember saying that, but that what he was talking about that he remembers was um that they were making a position statement on the Brown shooting, and they wanted to go to a subcommittee, and he did not want to go to a subcommittee and then have to go back to the committee to the whole before the position statement was written.

So he wanted them to write it there, and that's why it was being done at that time.

Um we also brought up the fact that there were minutes um that and posting of meetings that hadn't been done properly in the past.

And she talked about how, as a mayor's committee, they have not had to follow guidelines of regular committee work.

And that if things didn't work, they would just keep trying it and try it again until it did work.

I asked the city for the members of this committee, and most of the members of this committee have been on here since at least 2017, which were the records that I was given from the city.

So I guess what I'm saying in closing is there are a lot of things on this committee that have been done inappropriately, and I think this committee itself needs some committee training.

And some of these committee members have been on here for such a long time that they're used to doing things in a way that is not necessarily up to city city standards.

So the question that I ask this council is if you approve them as a committee tonight, are you as a council prepared to um take the heat for all the things that are going on wrong while you try to correct this committee and make it work properly?

Wouldn't the better thing to be do to correct the committee and then make it a committee?

That's it.

Thank you.

Thank you, sir.

Okay, last call uh thank you, Mr.

Mayor Doug Lambert, Belknap County.

Guilford, New Hampshire.

Let's give the residency.

Thank you.

Um I'm gonna dedicate my remarks here to Neil Young, former city councilor.

I took a trip down memory lane and did some searching in my memory bank too and work I did with him.

And um he was very vocal about this committee almost since its inception.

Um he was very concerned about um how it might marginalize Laconia citizens, not ones that were kind of singled out as being um people that this committee uh interested itself in.

But um I took this trip down memory lane, and it seems to me that the committee um found itself with a different mission statement depending on who was the chair and who was on the committee at the time.

Um for quite some time they seemed to specialize in film screenings in educational events to educate on social issues.

I believe at the last meeting, I think Councillor Bogart mentioned that he was concerned about this committee being in the job of educating people.

Um they got involved in flag and banner policies, um, collaborated with the city council.

To me, that would be the city council's uh job.

Um the committee also organizes vigils, signage campaigns, and subcommittees for specific efforts, such as anti-discrimination awareness, which certainly isn't a bad thing, by the way.

Um in 2013, the Human Relations Committee supports the expansion of Medicaid uh addressed to our state senators and representatives.

We asked that you vote for Medicaid expansion.

Now it through many years and documents, they claim that they're nonpartisan and non-political.

I would ask how could you be more political than to as an official committee act uh addressing state senators and representatives to take a stand on a political matter.

Um they had the community aspirations petition.

This goes back to 2012.

I remember this quite plainly.

It did cause some controversy, and part of it was because it was touched off by uh uh an event hosted and featuring the Southern Poverty uh Law Center, which is certainly uh come under fire in more recent years.

Certainly not a nonpartisan group.

Um world AIDS events.

Um we know that they've gotten involved in the homeless situation.

Um which again, as I said earlier, I think the city council really needs to take the lead on that, or create, I don't know, a subcommittee of your council to take a good hard look at that.

Bottom line, it's been said earlier.

There really is no mission in to create a committee and then look for a mission after the fact.

I don't see the harm in tabling this, having discussion.

It's been said, well, there's only going to be one new city council member, but every new council is a new council.

So I think it should be tabled.

And I think people would appreciate that.

Thank you, Doug.

I appreciate the opportunity.

You have no idea how hard it is for me to city or not answer some of those statements you've made, but we'll do that later.

But thank you, Doug.

You know how to get a hold of me.

We can have a coffee.

Okay, well, we could do that.

Okay.

Thank you.

Okay, let oh, we got somebody else come on up.

Oh no.

Hi, my name is Fran Caraselli.

Um Ward 6.

I just got up and heard somebody behind me say, oh God.

Um so I'm not one to speak publicly as a rule.

And I have come late to this table.

Uh, but I've come late because I've been involved in uh another project that had wonderful outcomes with uh one of the things I've I noticed about the committee is that um you know the very welcoming of folks from out of our country coming and helping.

And so what I've been involved in for the last 13 years is with a very small group.

Uh we had some of Rwandan family come into our group, and I'll just give you a quick out of that.

Uh we discovered that this family was supporting uh 13 students in Rwanda on their income.

And so over the time in discovering that uh there was a group who joined forces with them and has over time gained sponsors, and now in Rwanda, um I there's a purpose for my telling you this.

Uh there are now 173 students who are able to go to school, being supported by individual sponsors and companies.

Uh there has been uh have been uh 13 units of housing.

Uh there is uh a church that has been built at their uh their request, a pastorage uh parsonage, I'm sorry, and uh now a medical clinic is being built.

This is over the last 13 years, and I mentioned this because it's a small group has who has worked within this community, uh brought other people on board um and have this these are the outcomes.

Okay, the reason I mention it is because I was I went to the um November 12th meeting at the high school uh to discuss the uh to hear about what was being done about the homeless situation, and the one thing that has continued to concern me is that there wasn't one, I don't believe there was one person on the stage who could state outcomes of the work that has been done, and uh I find that troubling to know that so much we say federal money, state money, this is taxpayer money that is going into these programs, uh, and to not be able to state outcomes as a taxpayer.

That's as uh um as United States citizen that is really troubling to me.

Um I've probably used up my three minutes, but I want to say honestly, I am just asking this uh you folks who are gonna make the decision.

Um Tony knows I was um a part of the parts committee, and he knows that I don't speak much.

Um I think a lot and I listen.

Um I'm gonna ask you please not to make this commission a permanent commission.

Uh I would really rather that there is a study, and never mind a study, that we would please as a community work together to to help this problem of homelessness and addiction.

If we could focus on those things as a community in small groups, uh the group that I work with, you know, started it starts with uh, I don't know, I think there's probably five people on the board, and and we've been able to accomplish a lot uh working with different folks, and we it's something we need to do as a community.

Are people being so devastatingly affected, whether it's on the homeless side or the people who have to deal with the um the effects of the homeless.

And just uh I'm sorry, it's just we've been here 50 some odd years, and I know Pat, uh, you know that the Human Relations Committee.

I have to tell you honestly, I I'm not familiar with everything they've done.

I've seen some of it.

I don't know.

I can't comment on it.

They're obviously people of good faith and goodwill and want to do things for our community.

But this issue is is so big.

Please can we I ask you to not make so don't go that route.

Oh, figure out other things.

Thank you very much.

Did it make sense?

Oh, sure.

Please ask you to consider.

Okay.

Oh, if I make one more comment.

Okay, sure.

And I think this is really important.

I don't think the taxpayers of this, the working people of these communities are being considered enough.

Please.

Thank you.

All right, last call.

I'll make it quick.

Very quick.

I'll make it real quick, I promise you.

Give us your name again.

Doug Robinson.

Thank you.

Um I'm gonna read you the minutes from the last HRC committee.

Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.

Listen, I don't want to interrupt.

But those minutes are a matter of record now, right?

Am I right?

So just but they were just contradicted, and I just wanted to point it out.

But if you could just encourage people to read the minutes and then they can see what the minutes tonight, if it's going to be conflicted.

We we just don't want this to go on.

I understand that it's like 20 words.

It's like how how much?

No, thank you.

It's how long?

About 20 words.

Just one paragraph.

Right.

Martin Luther King celebration in the event scheduled for January 18th at 2 p.m.

Congressional church Laconia, moderator in place, music scheduled, uh played, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.

Flyers advice and subcommittee would like to coordinate services project as part of a volunteer week.

Perhaps baked goods and food for the homeless.

Um, when that was stated by Mike, it was then contradicted by Pat Ward, who's actually the committee chair.

How does the committee chair stand up here and not even know these own minutes?

I don't know.

I I suggest you asking that.

Thank you very much.

Uh okay.

That's that's it.

We'll close the public hearing at 7 43.

Thank you all very much.

We have so much planned for tonight.

Yes, go ahead.

Uh did you have something you want to say?

No.

Well, I yeah, I know what you want to say, but why I I didn't know if you were gonna move that up around the case.

Well, you it's your call.

You guys all I don't know.

I don't know.

I don't know.

We don't have to.

No, I think we'll just go a few people if it's important.

All right, so we're gonna go now to uh there's no interviews, no nominations, no community.

We've done the public hearing, we've done the presentation.

Ah, we're at the mayor's report.

So I just want to go over a few things here.

This is gonna be my last city council.

Council council meeting is the mayor.

Uh so I just want to cover a few things that have gone on both in the news, public hearings, and um in the four months I've been doing this.

Uh there's been a lot of questions about people not doing anything or the city council, our present city council not making decisions because there's a new mayor coming in and the potentially a new council with two new uh members.

But I I just want to remind everybody, in case they're not aware of it, the council and the mayor uh are elected to a two-year position.

It starts on one day and ends two years later.

So I don't think it's um it's right to expect any counselors that are here now or previous in the last few months to not do their uh the job that they're elected to do.

That's just how I feel about it, and I think that's the new the new mayor and the new council will start in January, and they'll be here a full two years.

And that's how it's written, and that's how it's supposed to be.

I've also wanna just uh say how great it is to not have a uh a partisan type council here.

Uh when I look at my fellow counselors, and when I'm sitting in the audience where you are out there now, I look at my counselors as members of uh representing their wards in the city, not a Democratic Party, not a Republican Party, not whatever party you want to come up with.

And I think that's a great thing.

So when people start throwing that around, I think they're I think they're well, I know they're doing a disservice to the citizens of Laconia and to the very uh members that sit up here at this table.

So try to keep that in mind in the next couple of years and for the next 10 years.

I also want to comment about protocol at this meeting.

Now I know that one of our uh citizens out there uh likes to wear his hat up here, and that's I guess that's his call.

Uh, but at some point, we gotta have rules because where do we draw the line?

Can this council say, well, it's it's the citizens' right to do what they want to do.

But what happens if somebody comes up here with a tutu on or just a bathing suit or whatever?

Does the council have the right to say, yes, citizen, you have freedom of choice and you have your free to do what you want.

But this council has a right to set rules for this room.

Uh, just like any business does, when they put a sign up on the door and say no shirts, no suit, uh, no shoes, no service, or whatever.

I mean, that's the right of this council.

And like I don't know what the new council is going to do.

Uh maybe nothing.

Maybe just leave it open to whatever.

But that's that's just something to think about.

I don't think it's unreasonable to have protocol.

I'd also like to encourage our local newspaper, uh, the editors or who's ever in charge of the information that goes into that paper, especially in the letters, to have some verification to go on, to verify some of the information that people write about.

Uh stuff that this council has done, or they say it's been done, or things like that.

Buzzwords, uh, you know, the midnight meetings, 2 a.m.

meetings, secret meetings, whatever.

When letters go into the paper like that, I would think that the paper's editors would say, upon further investigation, we can find nothing like that has happened.

And I think they were being a service, doing a service to their readers.

Just my opinion here.

I um also want to talk about the um committees that we do have.

Uh we've got a planning board, we've got a historical district uh board, we've got many different boards.

Uh I hope that the uh incoming council and mayor pay attention to some of the things that some developers would like to do in our city.

Laconia is known for what we have here.

It's a great tourist destination, it's a great water destination.

It's a great um, it's just got so many different things.

So I encourage our newcoming incoming council and mayor to pay attention uh to what some of the people would like to do to our city.

We've got some big plans coming up at the state school.

Uh, but I would hate to see the waterfront of our area turn into Salisbury Beach.

Not that Salisbury Beach is bad, but when you go down there, you can barely see the ocean anymore because everything is built up so high.

And I think that would be a detriment to our to our city.

We don't want to lose what we have.

We we really have we've got some great stuff here.

We're very lucky to grow up in Laconia.

I love Laconia, and I know most of our citizens do, and we should think about that.

And I want to give a shout out again to the departments, to our police, our fire department, the public works, all of the departments that make this city function and and move along.

They do a great job.

We all have our gripes.

I gripe about traffic lights not working right, others gripe about the condition of the roads.

But those are things that will come along as time.

And if you don't have a, if you're not happy about it, come here to the city council meetings and and voice your complaints, or go to the city manager's office, or reach out to your in your um your counselors.

And I hope that a lot of you are here tonight, we'll keep coming to the meetings and not just watch them on YouTube or not just write letters to the paper uh to gripe about things without following it up on that.

I want to also say um that it's been an honor and a pleasure to sit here in this seat.

I hope I've done a good job.

I hope I haven't irritated too many people, uh, but I'm not going anywhere.

Uh I'm I'm gonna still be involved with uh with the city council and uh I and city government, and I think that's a great thing.

And I just thought of one other thing I wanted to encourage our council and and new mayor to do, uh, and that is to look hard at forming a an events department.

You know, we have the pumpkin fest, the city took it over.

Uh they did a great job.

We have motorcycle week.

I, as much as I hate to admit it, I'm not going to be around forever.

Um, and that's a very important event.

We've lost events, um, the coffee festival, all these different things.

I'd love to see the sled dog races start right down here on right down here in the corner of Hanover and Main Street again.

If some of you may recall the reason that stopped, and we moved it up to a peachy park, and then further out from that, uh, was because some people cried about snow being put on the road, and oh my gosh, people are gonna have to drive around it.

Well, we've shown that with Motorcycle Week, we've shown that with Pumpkin Fest, we've shown that with the Coffee Festival and other such things that you can close streets off, and you can mitigate that, and it's good for everybody.

Uh so I want to I didn't want to forget that about the uh real truly independent events department to work on that stuff.

I think uh that's about covers it.

But again, thank you all very much, and I want to thank my fellow counselors for uh uh dealing with me, and you too, Katie.

So thank you.

Okay.

Now we're gonna move on to council comments.

Councilor Cheney.

I know this comes as a surprise, Mr.

Mayor.

If I may, I'd like uh a moment, perhaps a little more than a moment.

You all know me, so you know it's gonna take more than a moment to thank the residents of Ward 1 for their allowing me the privilege of serving as their ward counselor for the past eight years.

I'd also like to thank the members of this and previous councils I've served with for their nonpartisan willingness to work through issues to arrive at what we believe was the best for our constituents.

Over eight years, I've never once seen a counselor vote on anything for personal gain out of animus or to allow a petty criticism to affect their decision on any matter.

Finally, I'd like to thank our city manager Kurt Beatti for everything he has done to assure this council did things right.

I've told the story many times of how I hesitated to vote for Fire Chief Beatty as our new city manager, probably because as a former police chief, I was uh wasn't sure a fireman could do much of anything beyond make great spaghetti dinners.

They're good dinners.

That's true.

It wasn't I wasn't sure.

Uh I'm sorry.

It was the single biggest mistake of my professional career.

And I should add, I've since learned that our firefighters are a hard working first-class group of men and women.

As it turns out, of all of city managers I've worked with here in Laconia, and for that matter, the managers around the state I worked with, while director of 911.

Kirk Beatty is one of the best managers in the state of New Hampshire.

The people of Lacconia are lucky and should uh rest easier, knowing Kirk has their back.

Mr.

Mayor, I have a couple of couple of other comments about the suggestions of non-transparency, poor road maintenance, budget handling, and questions about human rights committee, and of course, homelessness.

I assure every resident of the city that the councils I've worked with have been more transparent than most public bodies I've worked with in my 50-plus year career in public service.

Every council meeting I've attended was open to the public, televised on Facebook during the meeting and available at any later date on Facebook, and finally written minutes are kept and copies are available to the public.

Meetings closed to the public because of state statute, because a state statute requires it, have minutes kept, and those minutes will be published and available in a set amount of time, usually once the privacy of the matter can no longer hurt someone, or give them an unfair economic advantage in any issue.

Poor roads.

Well, the roads in Laconia are intended to be made passable within the budget constraints we have.

It helps if you notify public works of problems so they can be fixed as soon as possible, keeping in mind that total repairs can be very costly.

As an aside, my wife and I recently spent a few days in Newport, Rhode Island, one of the wealthiest towns in New England, if not the country.

And the one thing we both commented on was the fact the roads were nowhere near as good as Laconia's, despite the fact they have money rolling out their ears.

Budget handling and taxes.

Laconia has maintained maintained its budget within the within the constraints of a 2% tax cap as required by our citizens' vote to establish the cap.

Laconia has done every year, Laconia has done that every year.

I have been on the council.

I've had several folks complain about their tax bill going up substantially.

And I'm sure that's true, but their increases beyond the 2% is due to state mandated reappraisals every five years.

I would put the value of services we receive for tax dollar up against every city and most towns in the state.

Our manager and department heads deserve a lot of credit for the level of service they are able to provide within the 2% tax cap.

As it pertains to the possibility to vote for a human rights committee by ordinance, I would suggest to folks who have expressed concerns about how the mayor appointed the committee in the past that a committee created by ordinance has all the controls they want to see, including council appointment of the committee members and council approval of the mission statement and specific areas of activity.

If in fact the new council for any reason doesn't like the committee that may be created, they can remove it.

Last but not least, homelessness.

If any of the folks who have expressed such significant concern about the homeless problem, I'd be forced to ask where they have been these past eight years with suggestions about how to fix the problem.

Downtown has substantially reduced issues related to homeless.

Rotary Park is now a park for all of us, and every report of camping on private property has been dealt with by the police department expeditiously.

Encampment on public property are cleared as soon as identified, keeping it mind, keeping in mind that there is a difference between city and state property in terms of enforcement.

The city cannot enforce homelessness issues on state land.

By reminding people I was elected for two years, not one year, 11 months.

Tonight I will review issues and vote on them in the manner I believe the majority of my constituents would prefer.

I wish the next council and especially the incoming mayor, my very best, and I hope they are able to improve all the things they see as needing improvements.

Good luck.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

Thank you, Counselor.

Counselor Poker.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

I just have uh a few comments I would like to make concerning a few counselors that I've had the honor to serve with.

Bruce Cheney, when I was first appointed, going on two thereabouts a half years, you took me under your wing.

You taught me things I about the city, about Laconia in particular, that other people have not taken the time to do.

Which is an honorable position.

You have served the council, the city forever, at least in my terms.

In two towns.

You've been a police chief in two towns.

And then specifically Laconia, I do believe for 13 years.

You were the director of the New Hampshire Division of Emergency Management.

You helped and gave personal direction on setting up something that New Hampshire has taken for granted, which is a 911 system.

Forgive me.

And I personally would like to thank you for the work you've done.

Thank you.

Tony.

But you know what?

You have served this city with your best most honorable intentions.

That is all one can ask for when there was a parade it needed.

Who was there?

Tony.

The children's option.

Tony.

Anything that had to do with the social aspects of our city.

Who is there?

Tony.

And he gave freely of his time.

In spite of all the radar and stuff like that.

He too has been an extremely honorable person in trying to fulfill the needs and stuff for this city.

And I'm honored to have served with you.

Thank you.

Mr.

Mayor.

Counselor.

I would like to thank you also.

And my going on two and a half years of being a city councilor.

You are the mayor who made me feel part of this council.

You have addressed me appropriately.

You have done everything.

Doesn't mean we had to agree, and probably didn't, but you never have taken it out against me.

You have allowed me that freedom to have a conversation as you do now.

And you don't realize what that means to a person when they are treated as an equal part of the city council.

And I want to thank you.

And it's been an honor to serve with you.

Thank you, Councillor.

Thank you very much.

Councilor Felch.

Yeah.

Um it's been my honor to serve the citizens of Ward 6 and the rest of the city.

Um it's been my honor to work with this council here.

Every one of you have been great to work with.

The city manager couldn't ask for a better city manager.

Glenn, Katie, the entire staff in the city, public works, parks and rec, fire department, police department, city hall.

We've got a great, great city here, and a lot of great people that work here.

And I'm going to make mine really short by saying everything councillor Cheney said.

A hundred percent.

This is a great city.

Thank you, everybody.

That's the first time.

Probably so.

Thank you.

Uh thank you, Counselor.

Um, any other council comments?

I'm just going to throw this out.

I want to remind people that we have the inauguration on January 5th, and that'll be at the mill.

And that's at 6 o'clock at the mill.

Six o'clock at the mill.

No, that won't be a full council meeting.

But that obviously everybody should be there that can that can make it.

And I also want to put now you've already seen it's here tonight.

John Hildreth, uh counselor elect from ward one.

And saw uh mayor elect boards who has left the room.

So uh good to see them all here tonight, too.

Okay, we're gonna move on now to new business.

So this is 21A.

This is an authorization for both.

We you missed a bunch of things.

I did miss the oh, I did.

Moving along.

Um you're right.

Any committee reports tonight?

Uh government ordinance and operations met.

Um same conversations that uh have transpired over the last uh two months.

I know I'm being vague, but we've heard from the same characters, we've heard the same stuff and uh and this is about and we did meet with legal counsel.

There was some recommendations from legal counsel.

But this is about what?

You didn't say what you did.

I miss it, which you were I'm talking about uh human relationship.

Human relationship, thank you.

So we did hear from legal counsel, we did take under advisement uh what legal counsel have to say, and that's what's gonna be presented later on.

Okay.

Anybody else?

Okay.

No appointments tonight.

Liaison reports from anybody.

Okay, you're right.

I did move right along.

Okay, uh we have citizens request to comment on current agenda items items.

Okay, seeing none, we'll move into I skipped right over you too, didn't I?

You missed basically a whole page, which was uh uh that's okay.

I'll the city managers report.

I'll be very quick tonight as well.

No, I will be.

Uh thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

Um I just want to make a comment to thank Council Cheney for those kind words and certainly enjoyed working with you over the last little over three years.

Same with you, Councilor Felt.

Uh both of you, all of you as counselors are not afraid to call me or to stop in and say, hey, I get the suggestion or idea or concern or complaint, whatever side of that is.

Um but you two are both very active in that, and uh, and I certainly makes my job easier.

And same with you, Mr.

Mayor, in the short time you uh you weren't afraid to stop into my office and chat.

Nor shall I be in the future.

No, but I can say no now, right?

Because that's no, but it's been great.

You know, it it uh all joking aside, it makes my job easier when I know you know what you're thinking as individuals, not you know, it's it certainly makes it easier.

And and your other half in the office is also a great tribute to you.

Uh she makes you look very good.

She makes me look very good, yes.

No, I appreciate uh I don't hide that fact.

I don't hide that at all.

Just in case people don't know who we're talking about.

Nancy.

Nancy.

Yes, I don't hide.

I don't hide that at all.

Um the only thing I want to mention the project updates is in the packet.

If you have any questions about it, be glad to answer it.

The only thing I do want to mention on it is it's on the third page of my document, the Winnipegsacki River Basin project.

Uh as you recall, um, under your advisement, we sent out a letter.

We signed on to a letter um with the other the other nine communities that make up the Winnipegsacry River Basin program.

Um in conjunction with uh the LSR, which is now a House bill, um, with the concern of the uh the the way the capital improvement program for the Winnipeg River Basin was funding.

We believe we were over being charged too much because it was the calculation we believe to be wrong.

Um that letter has got the attention of uh the DES commissioner for the state.

Um he has been working with the um the advisory board for the Winnipeg River Basin, which we're one of ten communities.

We have a representative to it.

Uh Wes Anderson is our representative to it.

Um they he has reached out wanting a meeting with the committee with their public meetings.

Um the date hasn't been set yet.

We're shooting for the mid-January.

Um and it's it's to kind of see where that direction goes.

Uh so hopefully, you know, again, just as a reminder, the whole goal of this um is to make sure we know we certainly don't have a problem being uh paying into the system to make sure the capital improvement program is correct or is taken care of with the with the sewer system.

So a lot of work going on.

The timing is great for it.

I'm glad it's obviously it's in LSR and then in House Bill, so it has to be now, but certainly as we build out our budget for um FY27.

Seeing this conversation starting early is uh is really a positive.

So I'm glad to see that happening.

Well quickly, I have a question.

Will will Wes continue to be on that?

Yeah, at this point, uh yes, yes.

Um the uh uh certainly with an interim.

Um I I've asked Wes to stay handling the Winnipeg Saki River Basin in uh liaisoning with uh um Council Bogart as representative Bogart.

Um but moving forward after that, once we um are able to hire uh Wes's replacement, he'll probably stay very active in that in that role because it's so um the the so the details are so finite that you know he his knowledge will is very important during this time when you guys are working at the state level.

Okay, great.

So any questions on this, I'm glad to answer, but otherwise that's all I'm gonna report out tonight so we can continue the meeting.

Okay.

And Wes knows that, right?

Yes, he does.

We may chat once in a while.

Thank thank you, Kirk.

Boy.

Correct.

This one's Katie's.

Oh, okay.

The last time I cut you off, so I want to make sure okay.

So tonight I'm asking for your authorization for the I think there's seven dealers that are listed.

It is um flight clap, flight craft general, Northwater Marine, Watermark Marine, Pogas Bay Marine, Lake Portlanding, Irwin Marine, and Winnisquat Marine.

And what you're doing is you're giving them authorization to act as boat agents for us to register boats at their facilities, and then they turn over the monies to us.

So last year we received approximately 101,000 in how much 101,000 from those um entities.

So they just have to get reapproval every year.

So moved.

All right, I'm gonna make a motion.

Any more discussion?

Yeah, councillor Swiss.

This is the same list as it was last year.

Is there some been removed?

It is the same.

Same?

It's the same list as last year.

Council Felch?

So Linnisquad Marine that includes includes all of their locations.

I know they have four or five now.

It only includes the location in Laconia.

So if they do registrations in Belmont or Tilton, that money would go to those communities.

Okay.

Anybody else?

Okay, I'm gonna move to approve the renewal of the boat agent agreement between the state of New Hampshire DMV and the Laconia City.

Excuse me, the city of Laconia and boat dealers as presented.

Look for a motion.

Council of Felch, seconded by Council Cheney.

All in favor.

Council Bogart.

Okay, that was six in the affirmative.

Thank you.

Now I'll move to authorize the city clerk to sign the boat agent agreement on behalf of the city of Lacone.

I look for a motion on that.

Councilor Hoffman, seconded by Councillor Bogart.

All in favor.

Okay.

21B.

This is a request to schedule two public hearings for the community development block grant.

Bellnap House Emergency Project.

So what this is, um the Balknap House on Court Street has a uh sewer line that has a uh uh leak in it.

It um coming from the road, it has had a temporary repair, but it's not going to be sustainable.

Uh so they need to replace their line.

Um the community development block grant money is is federal HUD money that comes in through the states through the um uh community uh development finance authority with the state uh and municipalities municipalities are eligible to receive the money.

We're just a pass-through for the uh projects that go on within the city.

We've done things like um uh the boys and girls club, we've done stuff with the uh senior center.

This is emergency money um which has uh when we when we talk to the state, uh apparently the emergency money is very rarely tapped into.

Um where this is a a shelter, um it should fit what their um what their requirements are.

So what they're looking for is up to a hundred thousand dollars.

They're still finalizing uh exactly what they need.

Um they're getting quotes and and doing all that because they they it does increase what they have to do as far as uh receiving uh their quotes or bids on the project.

Um that is going to include uh we hire a um we hire an administrator to handle that.

It's private, it's not part of the city.

They technically work through us and receive uh receive the funding.

It's um Donalane, who you see come to all the meetings and and have uh she'll do the public hearings with us.

Um but the city is the one that technically has to receive the money and then it's passed through to the agency.

So what these are looking for is there's two motions.

Um is to schedule a public hearing to apply for uh and then accept this money if if it's approved.

The second one is all the um uh any public hearing or any receiving of money also have a public hearing about relocation of people.

So if you were going to be doing a project within an apartment building or something like that, you would have to say what are you gonna do with the people that are moving out.

Historically, we don't do many of these in residential, they're generally like I said, the boys and girls club or something like that, where there is no relocation, although we have to have the public hearing.

Uh this one there is a possibility that they may have to uh relocate for a couple days if they have no sewer, so that'll be part of the public hearing.

Um so these two motions are just to send to a public hearing.

Uh and then like I said, we'll have our administrative rep that does these uh for us, we'll be uh running the not running, but speaking at the public hearings and giving all the details as uh as needed.

Thank you, Council Bogart.

Uh just a question on the second portion of the uh motion uh on the displacement and stuff.

Uh they do have a plan, and it's gonna spell out in that plan who pays for the this if there's a dislocation.

Yeah, that would be part of this money is what they're that's why there's it's not a that's another reason why it's not a finalized dollar amount yet.

They're hoping they don't have to, but if it does, um they'll most likely end up having to relocate to a hotel for a day or two while this gets while this gets done, and that was all factored in there.

And that would be Mr.

Mayor.

And as indicated, that would be part of the grant money.

Yeah, no money from us.

Thank you.

Yep.

Council Haynes.

Thank you.

Mayor.

Um Kurt, I might be getting ahead of myself, but does that impact Court Street or is that gonna be Pearl Street?

I believe it's Pearl Street.

I think it comes off that side.

Okay, thank you.

Good question.

Anyone else?

Okay, I'm gonna move to schedule a public hearing on January 12th, 2026 during the regular city council meeting regarding a proposed application to the community development finance authority for up to 100,000 in C D BG public fund facility funds of the grant funds up to 15,000 will be retained by the city for administrative labor compliance cost associated with the project, up to 100,000 of the funds will be subgranted to the Belknap House, a family shelter located at 200 Court Street for emergency repairs, replacement of the sewer line servicing the building.

The shelter serves low and moderate income persons.

Look for a motion.

So counselor Susi, second, council Felch.

Any discussion?

All in favor.

That's six in the affirmative.

Thank you.

I'll now move to schedule a public hearing on January 12th, 2026 during the regular city council meeting regarding the anti displacement and relocation assistance plan for the Belknip House Emergency Sewer Project.

Look for motion that councillor Felch, second, Councilor Hoffman.

Any discussion?

All in favor.

That's six in the affirmative.

Thank you.

Okay.

Now we're gonna go to unfinished business.

This is 22A.

This is ordinance 2025-25-32, 5-33, amending chapter 5, administration of government, article three, boards and commissions, the human relations committee.

I move to take it off the table.

Okay, there's been a motion to take it off the table.

I need a second for that.

Second by councillor Haynes.

Any discussion?

All in favor opposed.

So that's five to one.

Thank you.

Okay.

So we're open for discussion here.

Counselor Susi.

I have a number of items I'd like to bring up concerning this.

The first is some of the comments I've heard this evening.

Some of the comments I've heard this evening come from people have identified themselves from being outside the city of Laconia.

And they're talking about this, you know, the vote or whether direction we're going to take has been retaliatory.

I find that to be really, really off the wall.

And I mean, I listen to the people who are citizens of Laconia, not the taxpayers.

Okay, and that is way off the wall.

There's not been retaliatory at all.

I don't know where it all came from.

If everybody wants to listen to the garbage that you read on social media, or the letters that are ended up being published in this sun that have no truth to them whatsoever, go right ahead.

But that's not how I base my facts.

I have screenshots, thank you.

So go sorry.

Go ahead.

Go ahead.

Secondly, the uh if we don't move ahead with something like this, I I'm pretty sure, and I'm I have no basis for this, but this might be the way it happens.

That group is going to turn around and form their own 5013 and be able to do whatever they wish with no city oversight at all.

So regardless of what the mission statement says or whatever it is like that, I mean that's that's what will end up happening.

Okay.

This group was put together as if you look at the sun this weekend.

Hopefully that was correct.

You'll see there was an article uh 25 years ago.

This was put together by Mayor Leahy.

Put together by Mayor Leahy for a number of people because of the uh incoming um new residents we're gonna have coming from through with Chief Baker of the police department at the time.

And I understand the reason why they did it.

I think we should have the human relations committee.

I really do.

But I also think it should go through the government operations to set the mission statement or whatever the the guidelines are that thirdly, it says in here that and the thing that we're looking at that we made by uh one member appointed by the manager, two members appointed by the mayor, okay, nine members by the city council, but also says people members who own property, reside or own manage, own, manage, represent business within the city.

I'm offensive, I don't like that at all.

I think every member of that board, whatever it is, should be a taxpayer of the city of Laconia, not somebody else making making decisions for them.

We should have the committee, but it should be a compromise by all everybody who's the who's paying taxes here in Laconia, or somebody paying taxes through the rent or anything else like that.

Not made by anybody else.

I'm tired of listening from people coming outside.

Bellknap County, for example, has a number of properties in the city that we support as taxpayers.

We sub all the other taxpayers in City of Laconia pay the taxes for those buildings.

They all support towns outside the city.

We get nothing.

It's about time the city of Laconia stands up for itself.

Can I can I just ask you a question, Councillor?

If would you say that a person that owns a business or business property in the city, they're gonna be paying taxes.

Well, they resident they could be a resident of Massachusetts or North Carolina.

But that's true.

But uh I'm just asking, are you so you would not include in your mind uh somebody that owns property, does business here, but perhaps lives out of the city?

It should be a person who lives here.

They're the ones who are not.

Okay, so not just taxpayers, not just taxpayers, not just tax, they have to live here also.

In other words, let's take a look at the uh uh the law that we have for uh uh short-term rentals, they're gonna be six months and one day.

Same situation, okay.

The lot the last thing I like to bring up is the fact that as was mentioned, okay.

To come back when I look here and I see this, we want to send it back to uh government operations to to the new mission statement.

Well, okay, so let's say government, we don't know what that committee is gonna, who's gonna make up that committee, how long it's gonna take it to take months to come up with that statement.

Does one mean as long as there's a statement there that gives us the outlines of what's it gonna do?

There's no taxpayer funds going to this committee whatsoever.

None that I know of.

Is there mr.

Mayor, Mr.

Manager?

Uh the committee does have a line in the budget for I believe it's two grand.

I I have no idea what it would be for, but you know, I don't know.

I honestly I'd have to go back and look to see if it's ever even been spent out of that money, but we do we put it in.

Right, and then whatever that the government operations committee, and who knows who's gonna be on it, okay, comes up for the guidelines and everything else is gonna be part of that mission statement or whatever you want to call it.

Fine.

But I think we're gonna really take a look at being the people of Laconia.

I agree to have the committee.

I think it's a good thing to have, because that's not to have it means we're throwing everything under the bus.

I think it's a good thing to have, but it's got to have the guidelines done by that.

It's got to go to that committee first.

I mean, if you're on the motion, on the motion, I would say, sure, we took it off the table.

But like we're asking here, it should go to government operations to get that done.

Okay.

Thank you.

Thank you, Counselor.

Anyone else?

Counselor?

Yes.

I agree with Councillor Susan.

However, we were advised by our city attorney that we need to uh look at our rules and regulations of how the council is conducted as far as people from outside uh I agree with you.

Wow, as no, they have no place here.

Kirk, you want to say something?

Well, yeah, I mean I'd like to just reference the what he's talking about.

If if I may because you were it's I just summarized a few things from the uh subcommittee meeting the other night, but also I did a follow-up with the attorneys.

We didn't get it till today.

Um I have submitted this uh to the record.

Um if you you you can follow along in the ordinance.

Um had no they didn't have any issues with A.

Uh B, when when that was talked about, uh there were questions.

Um what I put in here for the couple of questions, only I think three questions on here.

It is not related to the the public comments.

You've heard all those.

These came up at the meeting that night.

They were just they were just some questions that came up at the subcommittee meeting.

Uh B, which relates to who appoints members.

There was a question about uh whether or not I should have a or the city manager's role, not I, um should have our member selection.

Uh and there was also talked about, but there was no real discussion on to the best of my recollection.

Uh recommend recommendation by um human relations committee that the school board should have a selection into this.

That might adjust your numbers a little bit.

Um, but that that got brought up under C comprise the members.

Uh this um in conjunction with what uh Councilor Susi was saying, there was also a question about if we were going to leave business in there defining business profit, not for profit.

Um, or if the committee should have any members outside Laconia, that came up again.

Nothing was finalized, it was really, but other than to continue the conversation on that.

And the last thing I just would like to mention, if you don't mind me, Mr.

Mayor, I'd like to read this into record.

Um, and I did Katie does have a copy of this because we didn't get it until today, um, just timing-wise.

Um under D, it talks about the first thing it talks about in there is the human relations committee will create policies, procedures, and the council will, I'm paraphrasing now, the council will uh approve that.

Um I know that that had a lot of uh concern at the beginning that it should go the other way around.

It should be you know the council driving the bus and then uh and still bringing it back here.

So I'd like to just read in uh legals.

Uh they I drafted some language, they added and made some adjustments to it, and this is what their recommendation is, if we were to go with this ordinance.

Um D.

The City Council's government operations and ordinances subcommittee shall create a human relations committee purpose statement to identify the purpose of the subcommittee as well as to delineate its manner of operations, which shall be approved by the city council prior to adoption.

The purpose statement will be reviewed by legal council prior to approval by the full city council.

As the human relations subcommittee operates at the behest of the city council with no independent authority, the purpose statement shall be reviewed and ratified by the city council every three years after adoption.

So that those things that I just those questions, and then that would be what you'd want to consider if you if you were gonna if you were going to move this forward tonight.

Mr.

Mayor, question Councilor Susi.

The only question I want to have just definition of.

Uh it was mentioned earlier by someone.

So let's say the the uh does the subcommittee, the operations and government committee turn around and say to the HRC, let's say you can have the Martin Luther King Day, you can have the multicultural festival, but we want you to come back to us if you're gonna have anything that's uh citywide.

Okay, I mean, how do you how defined?

Yeah, not to get but yes, that would be that has to come back.

That would be the the the new um government operations in order to subcommittees building of their purpose and mission statement.

It would be it would be the sub the HRC people to determine who's gonna be their chairman, vice chairman, all that kind of stuff.

Right.

Yeah.

What I'm trying to do is say it comes under the oversight of the city council, not like that be a splinter off organization setting up their own 5013.

Correct.

Okay.

Thank you.

Councilor Hoffman.

Yeah, I just wanted to say it.

I think uh, especially with uh the change to letter D, I think it addresses uh a concern, but I think what's before us addresses all of the legitimate concerns that people had about the human relations committee.

Um I understand people's hesitation with I guess doing this in December, but this really puts the puts the approval of the mission statement and the appointments into the next council.

So I think it's a good idea.

Thank you.

Counselor Bulgart Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

In reflecting on the events over the last several months, these are some of the thoughts I came up with.

The formation of a committee is one of the most important decisions the city council can make.

The committee shall serve a defined purpose.

Defined purpose.

If we look at each of our current boards, we would see that they serve a distinct defined purpose.

They all fulfill a statutory need for the city by reviewing applications or requests by various four various actions by the citizens of Laconia.

As citizens have First Amendment rights to speak their minds, government voice is based on current law and city councilors' interpretation of the laws based on the advice of the city attorney.

So each committee that is formed must abide by the rule of law and its voice is the reflection of government speech, not their interpretation.

As the city of Laconia and all of its departments, boards, and commissions operate under federal, state, and local laws, RSA's and ordinance, where every citizen is already treated equally and with respect.

The formation of a human relations committee would indicate that the city of Laconia does not operate within federal, state, and local laws, or treat its citizenry equally.

As stated, each current committee or board has a purpose that fulfills a particular statutory need for the citizens in its it serves.

Form a new committee that has no purpose, which I haven't heard, is a committee in search of a problem.

Remember that famous quote.

Therefore, this item should be tabled until the city council has a chance to define its purpose and then set up how it will operate.

And Mr.

Mayor, that is a motion.

What's the motion?

To table.

Okay, but before I get to that, can you tell me who said that quote Nancy Pelosi said that quote to the Affordable Care Act?

Okay, thank you.

Okay, there's been a motion made to uh table the this uh topic again.

Is there a second to that seeing then the motion dies for lack of a second?

Thank you, counselor.

I'll just make one more comment, please, Mr.

Council Susi.

Okay, and Councillor Bogots, I understand what you were going through and everything else like that.

I I think what I'm trying to get to, me personally.

I'd like to see us send it to the committee, have the committee come up with something.

It's gonna who knows who's gonna be on the committee, how it's gonna be addressed, it's gonna come back through the next council.

Let me finish, please.

Okay, yeah.

It's gonna come back through the next council and be rewritten probably ten times, okay.

But here is a here's a way for us to make sure it gets acted upon instead of dying and never come forth and giving the group an opportunity to bypass the city.

This way here, we're gonna bring it under city review of city ordinance, whatever way you want to call it.

I think it's the right way to go that way.

That way then the city maintains control.

Isn't that but wait a minute before we get before counselor if it bear with me a second?

It if I recall right, when this all came up two or three meetings ago, uh there was a complaint about this committee not following rules, minutes, things like that.

And a suggestion was the suggestion was made to make it a city committee, so that that oversight would be there.

And if I recall, Katie can maybe back back me up on this.

If I recall, I think the suggestion was made by you, Councillor Susi.

And if I recall, Councillor Borga, you said that's a good idea.

So that's I may sure please the question was raised because of the uh city council's rules of procedures did not support the mayor making reappointments to a committee to to a mayor's committee.

There was no rules in here, and the question was discussed, and uh councillor Hoffman brought up that would make in a committee help solve some of these problems.

And I agreed with the fact that it could solve some problems, but the question was posed to the city manager to come back with all options available to deal with the situation.

And the option that came back was let's make it a committee period.

So for the record, that was it.

Now are you gonna you're gonna respond now to councillor Susi?

I still have not seen or heard a purpose for this committee.

Everybody's talking about this committee deserves an opportunity, this committee this, this committee that, but no one on the council or anywhere has told me what is the purpose of starting this committee.

All they're saying is, well, they could form a a committee of their own.

Well, anybody can form a committee of their own.

We can't change that fact.

That is their God-given right to make a committee if they want to.

And if they're not happy with the city council, they can make their uh 5013.

Who cares?

There's a lot of them out there.

You know, I when you say uh you don't know what the committee's purpose is or what they've been doing.

You know, I haven't paid a thousand percent attention to this committee uh in the last 25 years, but I know enough about it uh with that, even with that lack of attention to know what they have been doing, uh, because when I see things happening in a city, whether it's a celebration of this or that, or putting on this or that, their name pops up as the is the group that's behind it.

So it it's so I definitely know what they've been doing, and other than people complaining about some of the things that they're promoting, um, I have not seen a uh an enraged citizen of citizens you know coming up and saying this is outrageous, we've got to get get to the bottom of this.

Most people, quite frankly, most people aren't paying attention to that.

Most people will pay attention to different things that go on.

But again, I uh you know, other than just recently, I've not heard people, you know, beating their heads against the wall saying, What in God's name is going on now?

And you're correct.

They've been doing the uh multicultural and they've been doing the MLK.

So you may you know some of the stuff they do.

Oh, I do I do.

But we also have other committees that do that.

We have Parks and Rex who does all of our pumpkin fests now.

We have pumpkin fest and stuff like that.

So could this committee not be just as equally called an events committee?

Well that purpose.

Now that that to me in my mind, that's totally different.

Did you have anything else you want to say to Councillor Susi?

No, I okay, Councillor Susi.

Right.

When you talk about earlier about uh people not raising up, I remember a person who was here earlier.

I think he's gone now, getting up and making a comment that the committee, as it is today, okay, was too far left.

Okay, I could tell you right now, there's one of the things that really ticked me off in this whole operations of government in this city is that we are nonpartisan, and what is best for the city of Laconia.

And somebody make a comment like that, as far as I'm concerned, that guy doesn't know what he's talking about.

Number two, okay, when it comes to let me ask you this.

The committee itself is formed 25 years ago with Matt Leahy, okay.

But it was formed as whether it was formed that is a continuation or is it is it already dead or has it not been re-established by the mayor or whatever else like that?

Is this is this a continuing thing with the same people on it?

Well, it won't it won't be now with uh oversight from the council.

So as of this time now, let's say, was sending it back to government operations to review it and everything else like that.

The committee as it is, is it dissolved?

Uh I look to Kirk for that.

Generally, with any position like this, a committee, if it doesn't um if it's not reappointed for the committees like you're talking about like this, um, if it's not reappointed, they can they don't just dissolve immediately.

Um I forget which committee we just dealt with this on, it was a different committee.

We ran into the same problem.

Um it doesn't just go away.

I'm just wondering wondering what what's keeping this moving forward, that's all.

That the committee.

I think 25 years of not being, you know, being that's good.

I mean, I hate to say it that way, but that's that's what's the truth.

Council Hoffman, you raising your hand.

I just want to make the point that you know people keep mentioning that they don't have a uh policy or mission statement, and we did ask them for a mission statement, which they did provide.

Um I guess another point I want to make is that I think a lot of people are upset at the Human Relations Committee tackling the issue of homelessness, and I I think the city's strategy in response to homelessness should come from the council, not a subcommittee of a subcommittee or a mayor's committee.

Um that's something we should be working on, not not delegating to other committees.

That's all thank you.

Vince Councillor Cheney.

I'd like to point out to Councillor Bogart that uh uh or ask him if he can tell me sitting there what the uh purpose statement was for the uh committee uh assignment, what's your committee appointments?

Appointments, appointments committee.

We approved it, and there was nothing.

Nothing.

We all knew what was gonna happen, but I mean he could he could technically, I suppose, come up with all sorts of crazy things.

So I uh the only thing I'm trying to point out to you, Steve, uh this isn't the first committee it was ever appointed or created that wasn't built afterwards Council of Ogert.

If I may respond, those committees that were being spoken of are made up of city councilors, not general public, and so therefore they did serve a purpose of appointments to uh planning boards and zoning boards and historical societies and stuff like that.

There were not outside people being appointed to some of these committees to select other people.

Now, if I may uh on the question of the timing of this committee, and if I can uh refer to City Council rules and procedures, uh Rule 24 under B, uh, and I'm not gonna read the whole thing, it's the last statement in it.

Special council committees shall sunset at the end of their mission, but no later than the end of each calendar year unless specifically continued by a council thereafter for a specific time period.

That's talked right there.

Did you say special committee?

Yes, I did.

And then under section K, subitem two, it says City Study Committee is created according to Section A shall sunset at the end of their mission, but no later than the each of calendar year, unless specifically continued by the council, thereby a specific time period.

So basically what they're saying is if they were formed properly under this document, which is our guiding guidelines, they would have had a sole purpose, in which case that that sole purpose was to help incorporate a group of people into our society based on request and a mayor.

The mayor created the committee by all rights, the committee should have died at the end of that year or the completion of that mission.

And it was continued and continued for 25 years outside of the rules, and now everybody's going.

Well, I don't remember a mayor ever saying I'm gonna continue this committee.

So based on these things, under the rules and operations that we all operate under theoretically, is if y'all if it is determined that this committee is acted, these people are done.

Okay, well, I guess we're answering that by starting a potentially starting the committee, a city committee.

So I understand your concerns about the last 25 years with that document.

Oh, I have no concern because you can't change that.

Well, I'm glad you mentioned that.

Um councillor Felch.

So yeah, I just want to go over a couple of things that were brought up by the city manager.

As far as the city manager appointing a member, our city manager runs a city.

I wholeheartedly believe he should appoint somebody.

It's one of 13 people.

Um as far as the school board.

Um I don't think we need to designate a spot for the school board, but I have no problem with somebody from the school board that lives in Laconia if they want to apply for that position and be appointed.

Doesn't everybody in a school board have to live in Laconia?

The school board.

Right.

Yes.

Okay.

Well you said if if they're Laconia.

Okay.

Get picky on me.

Well school departments.

As far as the business.

I think if that business owners owns the property that they have a business in and they live in Laconia, or even if they don't live in Laconia, you said right.

You're talking about if they're paying taxes if they own the building.

It's a little different if you're talking about a business that rents the property.

But if that business owner owns that property, and maybe you limit it to just one, so the businesses have some say.

But that's what I'm saying.

And definitely on the on D, everything the city manager read that's in red here, definitely has to go into it.

Um even says Human Relations Committee purpose statement to identify the purpose of the subcommittee.

So that will come about the the attorney said it doesn't need to be done before the committee is a committee.

So I'm when the motion is made, those are where I'm at with all those.

What's that?

Say that again.

If the motion is made, if I thought you were making it because any all the stuff in red, I think believe we need to come to a decision before we make the motion.

I got one more thing, Mr.

Mayor.

Go ahead, Councillor Susie.

I know that um Patrick Wood gave everybody, I think the chairman of the committee, Mark.

I think that he gave you his what his mission statement was, or something like that.

And I think he represented that to legal, and a lot of it kind of got thrown out.

Yeah, that will be redrawn by the sub by the right.

And then the subcommittee's like he the lawyer looked at a lot of what Mr.

Wood put together and threw that out and said, you've got to do this, this and that.

All that's I think the subcommittee now has to, based upon what it would decide to do, subcommittee's gonna take a look at that, work it through it.

Could take a while.

It could, or it could happen in a couple of weeks.

Who knows?

Right.

It could be, it depends on what happens.

Okay, and then if I just have a question, uh Counselor Felch, because you you said that uh so you're saying in a motion, if a motion is made in that motion would be that everything that's in red and letter B would be included.

Is that which is what I read just so well as long as the council's agrees on the right?

Well, they would have to vote on that.

Yeah, and um and also that says that this would be reviewed and ratified by the city council every three years after adoption, right?

So the council would review that committee every three years and decide to keep it going or not.

Is that what this says?

The purpose statement.

The purpose statement, okay.

Thank you.

Council Hoffman.

Yeah, so like Tony was saying, we have to, I guess, kind of agree on these red items.

I agree with him that the city manager should get a selection, and I'm not sure it's it's as important as that the school board gets a selection, you know, they can apply if they'd like to, but having a designated spot for them, I think doesn't make a lot of sense.

Um I also agree that well, I understand the human relations committee might be better served by having businesses participate and having their input, but maybe if you're not a resident of the city, you can't be a voting member, would be a good compromise.

I also agree that well I understand the human relations committee might be better served by having businesses participate having their input but maybe if you're not a resident of the city you can't be a voting member would be a good compromise makes sense makes sense stagger the terms I'm sure that's a good point as well counselor City just made is there there's no language in here to stagger the terms and we should really as people get appointed to this committee some of them should be appointed for a one year term or a two year or three year just so that they're not all up at once.

Would that have to be covered in a motion tonight uh Kirk or would that I would just say well what I would recommend is that we just go through these um this potential ordinance right down through ABCD and just if there's something that you guys want to vote on to put in or you know whether you're gonna vote on the whole thing or not that's up to you guys but uh just so there's nothing left out that you might want in there um for example a um you could put staggered three year terms as determined by the appointments committee would probably be the easiest way to do it that way they can put let's add that's a little onus into them let's let's do each one oh do we all agree on that or at least majority of us staggered terms staggered terms as designated by the appointments committee okay counselor bulgar what do you agree with that the staggered terms staggered thank you that that's six in favor of that without a vote so um next uh unless you don't have a problem with B with with you know the 13 members being chosen by what you have there then we're good on that one it's up to you you know if you want to change or not it's up to you guys which includes the city manager but does not include school board so I'm good with the way it's written everybody consensus I think you can do consensus because you're voting on the whole thing as a package right yeah um and then C this is one you I think you guys have been debating tonight on a few uh for a little while um how you want to put uh whether or not you want people from you know outside the city businesses that or not if you want just residents do you want I mean that's up that I thought that counselor hoffman's uh suggestion about them being a non uh voting member um makes sense but I don't know what it would I'm not voting on this anyway but I don't know what everybody else thinks I will say I don't know is if we need that they can go to any of the meetings or all public meetings and voice their opinion so I don't I'm I'm good without a business being on that okay so we just make it for residents just call it residents yes so I would what I would do is change so after the word who it'd be reside in the city of Laconia or reside within the city of Laconia and I don't need the last sentence on this so basically human relations committee shall be comprised of members who reside within the city of Laconia yep and then D I think I mean that's legal that was pretty straightforward stay with the red and again that's what I read into the record and these notes that I've taken and and wrote down I I did give to the city clerk for uh inclusion into the minutes mayor counselor may I have permission to uh ask for a vote I'd like to call the question call the question okay the question has been called uh do we want to make a motion that was that was the motion that was the motion oh to call it I'll second okay so um with the adjustment yeah there is a proposed motion if you're interested uh you would want to change presented to amended um in the motion that is in here does also send uh both to the appointments committee as well as government operations and ordinance subcommittee after January 1 of 26.

Can I read that or have to add anything no I would read it but that I'm just explaining what the motion but I would read it with the word amended as a case as opposed to proposed at the end of it or the beginning of it.

You'll see when you get to the word presented probably halfway down third line okay all right I'm gonna make a motion to move to approve ordinance 2025-5-25-325-33 amending chapter five administration of government article three boards and commissions human relations committee as presented and amended and to refer appointment of membership to the appointments subcommittee as well as referring this matter to the government operations and ordinances subcommittee to prepare a proposed draft of the human relations committee purpose statement these referrals should be sent after January first 2026 I look for a motion made by seconded by okay so the motion's been made by counselor haynes and seconded by counselor fouch any more discussion all in favor raise your hands that's five opposed councillor bogoritz that's a five to one

These referrals should be sent after January 1st, 2026.

I look for a motion made by seconded by so the motion has been made by Councillor Haynes and seconded by Councillor Felch.

Any more discussion.

All in favor, raise your hands.

That's five.

Opposed?

Councilor Bogart.

So that's a five to one.

So the motion passes.

Okay.

Any future future agenda items here?

I don't see anything, nothing on there, Kirk.

A motion to adjourn.

Second.

Okay, the motion was made by Councillor Cheney and second by the discussion.

I don't think we have discussion.

And uh Councillor Felch, second in all in favor, raise your hands.

I'll see you all, I hope, on uh January 5th.