Spagnuolo, Hough and Soucy seek council seat

LACONIA — A state Senate candidate, a state House hopeful and a man who served on the City Council five decades ago are all interested in succeeding the late David Bownes on the Laconia City Council.

The council will conduct interviews for the position at its July 27 meeting.

Bownes died July 3 at age 71. He had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He was in the middle of a two-year term representing Ward 2, having run unopposed in 2019.

Phil Spagnuolo, who is seeking to unseat Sen. Harold French, is filling out an application for the council position.

Gregg Hough, who is running to represent Belknap County District 3 in the state House, has filled out an application, as has Robert Soucy, who was on the council for one term in the 1970s.

Spagnuolo, 52, served in the state House in 2018 after winning a special election. He failed to retain the seat in the general election.

He is active in the drug recovery community, runs two sober houses and is a case manager at the Green Mountain Treatment Center in Effingham.

“I want to be involved in decisions being made in my hometown,” he said. “David did a great job, outspoken and opinionated, and I am as well.

“I can bring a voice to the City Council that's unique.”

The COVID-19 pandemic has put many issues before local officials.

“These are crazy times,” he said. “How do we educate our children in a safe way?”

Remote learning doesn’t work for everybody.

“Some of the folks in our district don’t have Internet service,” he said. “They can’t afford it.”

Spagnuolo said economic development is occurring downtown and in Lakeport and he would like to continue this trend and draw more young people to the area. He grew up with economic challenges and wants to be a voice for the less fortunate.

Hough, 54, works at a hardware store and is a caregiver for an octogenarian family member who has diabetes and is legally blind.

He said he’s been closely following City Council activities.

“I just feel that now is a good time to get in and help out,” he said. “I’m not an idealogue. I don’t bring a particular persuasion.”

He said he appreciates the way the City Council strives to find solutions that work for the city and all involved.

Hough said he believes more in helping than criticizing.

“A long time ago, when I was younger, I played in rock and roll bands, and one of the things that would aggravate me is the guy sitting in the audience complaining about the ones performing,” he said.

“Instead of being one of those who sits on the sidelines, I want to step up and do the best that I can.”

Robert Soucy, 70, a longtime employee at Aavid Thermalloy, said he and his wife have resided in Laconia for 50 years and raised seven children here.

“I love this city,” he said. “There are great people here and I just want to return and provide service to the city.”

Soucy, who holds an MBA, said he is a big believer in education.

“I want to make sure we have help for the people who need help and that as issues come up, we take care of them.”

He believes in growth.

“If you don't have growth, you have stagnation, which creates challenges and problems. You need growth to bring jobs.”

Under the city charter, vacancies occurring in the office of councilor or mayor are to be filled by a majority vote of the City Council within 30 days following creation of the vacancy.