Mayor and Council work for us; ask about our concerns

To The Daily Sun,

Statement to the mayor and the city council at the 10.28.19 meeting.

I come before you tonight to say the following:

First and foremost, I would make it known to this counsel that what I am about to say to you is my thoughts and mine alone.

I once heard the mayor make a comment something to the affect that he was tired of hearing or reading about bad and negative publicity concerning how the council and the mayor govern this town on social media and other sources. He also indicated that he and this council are the rule makers of this town, and if the people who live in the city do not like the way they are governing, then they need to show up and vote.

Further, Mayor, you recently made the comment concerning the street you live on that there used to be many children that lived on your street and now there is none. As a reminder to you, children grow up and move away. My guess, the reason that there is no children on your street now is that they have all grown up and the parents remain, not selling the valuable housing stock that you have so pubicly championed to keep in your argument against short-term rentals. Not that you have forgotten, Laconia is a tourist city, a fact that will not change. The people that live here have adjusted to life in a tourist city. Yes, there are a handful of people that have come before you with concerns of noise levels, and other issues, that to them are a serious issue, but to others, not so much. The businesses that are here depend on those employees that come from out of town who rely on the short-term rentals for a place to stay. As far as your opposition to the short term rentals, I would indicate to you and this council that there are more for than against.

I would ask you, when was the last time any of you have just gone out in the districts that you represent, and just walked down the streets and talked with the people you represent? I have been living is Laconia since March of 2010. I have lived in my current house just over 5 years, and I have never once had any of the members of this council, current and past, just walk up to me as I walk my dog on the street and ask me of my concerns.

I would like to remind this governing body that I, as a resident, and the rest of the residents of this town, do not work for you, you work for us. Your personal views or biased opinions should have no place in weighing the good or bad that comes before you.

I would conclude by stating this. If you cannot represent your constituents in a nonbiased, fair and reasonable manner, then I would call upon you to tender your resignation.

Marc Burre

Laconia