I'll never stop caring about Laconia & people who live here

To The Daily Sun,

In 2005, Michael Kitch of The Daily Sun quoted me as saying, “Some of us don’t know when to stop.”

That is still true. I will never stop caring about my City of Laconia and the people who live here. The average normal citizens who are the workers, the elderly, the young families struggling to get ahead and the young people looking for something positive need someone with a history of doing what she thought would best serve them. Not always successful, not always right, but nonetheless achieved a good measure of success.

For example, during my terms every school in the city was renovated or built, coming in under budget and on time in every case. We also built a new police station and fire station. I didn’t always agree on the amounts asked for, but did feel the need for them.

There were increased investments in our infrastructure, i.e. Weirs Beach reconstruction, new Weirs Park, LED lighting installed in the whole city, creation of the Downtown TIF District, which has financed many city projects, the Lakeport and Weirs TIF Districts, which appear to have a good future. The restructuring of health insurance program saved thousands of dollars, and a stabilization account was created to accommodate challenging years. The River Walk is completed with TIF funds as well as a big portion of the WOW Trail’s second phase. During my last term, we undertook major road infrastructure and paving. It is still going on. We modernized the Public Works vehicles and equipment, replacing decades old equipment.

The eligibility requirements for the elderly to receive exemptions in their tax bills were lowered, as well as opening the veterans’ bonus to all veterans, rather than just certain war time periods.

I fought for and won money for improvements to Wyatt Park. I fought for and won money for the hiring of an additional police officer a few years ago, and more recently fought for and got approval from the council for a patrol officer in the downtown area. I also spearheaded a local movement which fought and defeated a law to make seniors take driving tests every year.

Many of the projects and problems we had two years ago and more, are still on the table, like the Colonial, parking, the garage, the State School property, rezoning, the AirBNB rental business, recapturing state funds taken away from us and protecting the tax cap law.

My personal information is widely known. I am 93 years of age, widowed, mother of four great children. While serving on the council, I wrote a column for two years called “Sensible Seniors,” which was published in both The Daily Sun and The Citizen. I write many letters to the editor, both as a citizen and former councilor, to inform the public of a different point of view and possibly some new information. My work history started at age 16, as one of 14 children. Many jobs in the secretarial field, 10 years at Lakes Region Hospital as a department head, and also, did medical transcription, was a paralegal for a few years, and had many part time jobs such as waitressing, baking at the Windmill Restaurant, cashiering at the Globe Dept. Store, all in addition to my regular job. Doing what had to be done to help raise a family. You meet and understand people and what they think by experiencing everything in these many multi-purpose jobs.

Unfortunately, the primary will not be held this year, due to a lack of candidates, so it will be a while before the November election. So, please pay attention to those who are running and keep informed so you can vote with knowledge of who they are and where they have stood on the important things. You can catch council meetings every second and fourth Monday of the month at 7 p.m. live on Public Access, Channel 26 for those in Laconia, and Channel 98 for those voters getting feed from Belmont. That is mostly in Ward 4.

Feel free to write or call me at 524-6349. Feel free to write to The Sun.

Brenda Baer

Laconia