Ayotte to speak at mayoral, council inauguration

LACONIA — City councilors new and incumbent will gather on Monday, Jan. 5, to conduct the city’s inaugural ceremonies, and Gov. Kelly Ayotte is scheduled to offer her comments at the event.  

The city’s inauguration is set for 6 p.m. at the Belknap Mill downtown. 

Mayor-elect Mike Bordes, who won the seat in a narrow election over former Ward 1 City Councilor Bruce Cheney in November, along with the elected city councilors, will be seated, accompanied by the City of Laconia Police Department Color Guard. 

Belknap County Sheriff Bill Wright will serve as master of ceremonies. Following his comments, a salute to the flag and an invocation, Ayotte is expected to speak. 

Then the 2026-27 mayor and council will be introduced: in Ward 1, Jon Hildreth, who beat Mike MacFadzen for the job in November; in Ward 2, Bob Soucy, who retained his seat in the election over Gregg Hough; in Ward 3, Eric Hoffman, who ran unopposed; in Ward 4, Mark Haynes, who beat state Rep. Sheri Minor (R-Laconia); in Ward 5, state Rep. Steven Bogert (R-Laconia) retained his seat, beating Douglas Robinson in November; and in Ward 6, Mike Conant, who beat incumbent Councilor Tony Felch.

A presentation to Mayor Charlie St. Clair, who also serves Laconia as a Democrat in the Statehouse, and was appointed to fill the vacancy left by former Mayor Andrew Hosmer, who resigned his position to become the city manager of the City of Lebanon in Grafton County, will be made thereafter. Then, St. Clair is scheduled to make comments of his own.

Presentations to outgoing councilors Cheney and Felch will be made before the ceremonial swearing-in of the 2026-27 councilors by City Clerk Katie Gargano, who will then perform the ceremonial swearing-in of Bordes. 

Bordes, who also serves Laconia as a Republican in the Statehouse, will then offer his inaugural address, before opening the first regular meeting of his city council. They’ll nominate and vote on a mayor pro tem — Haynes served that position on the previous council — then make committee and liaison assignments of councilors. 

Committees and commissions include finance committee; government operations committee; land & buildings committee; public safety committee; public works committee; Belknap Economic Development Council; capital improvement projects; heritage commission; human relations commission; Lakes Region Public Access; library; parks & rec; planning board; police commission; Laconia Motorcycle Week Association; and the water commission. 

They’ll then adjourn before a benediction and reception. 

The following meeting of the Laconia City Council is 7 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 12, at City Hall downtown. Council meetings occur on the second and fourth Monday of the month, unless otherwise scheduled.