Here's why many Rochester city councilors, School Board members aren't running in 2023

ROCHESTER — There were a lot of new names when the filing period for the city's 2023 election closed Monday, and a lot of familiar names were missing.

Eight sitting councilors have chosen not to seek reelection. Deputy Mayor Peter Lachapelle, and councilors Laura Hainey, James Gray, Harlan "Skip" Gilman, Steve Beaudoin, John Larochelle, Ashley Desrochers and Dana Berlin did not sign up to run.

Four incumbent School Board members also chose not to run, including current chairman Paul Lynch. Also not running are Audrey Stevens, Matthew Munn and Thomas O'Connor.

Hainey cites lack of respect among some city councilors

Laura Hainey has served on the city council for four years. She said there were many reasons she chose not to run, but strife among councilors is a big part of her decision.

Hainey called it a very frustrating past year or so, citing a lack of respect among council members.

“I do not hold back, and I will say what I want to say, will express my opinions, but I always try to do it in a respectful way,” Hainey said. “That’s what a council is supposed be, people who have different opinions and are working for what' 's best for the city. It requires that we respect each other and that has not been happening. There is only so much stress you take. I had to do what was right for my own mental health.”

Hainey said she always wants to do what is right.

“I get talked down to, and it is very disrespectful,” she said. “I am not saying this is all the council members. We have some excellent people on the council, but the few are making it very hard for the rest of us. I have tried to talk to certain people only to have them turn and walk away. That is so frustrating.”

It doesn’t need to be that way, she said.

“Councilor Steve Beaudoin and I are on opposite ends of the spectrum,” she said. “But we can have a conversation. We can listen to each other and be respectful of opinions. That surprised me. My view is this: If I can respect you, why can’t you offer me the same respect?”

She had other reasons for choosing not to seek reelection.

“The council is a lot of work, and that is one reason,” Hainey said. “Another is that I am caring for a family member who has health issues.”

It was not all bad. Hainey said she feels the council does some amazing things and she is proud to have been a part of that.

Criticism of family put veteran School Board member over the edge

Audrey Stevens has served on the School Board for more than 20 years.

"I always enjoyed it and felt we were working in the best interest of the kids," said Stevens. "I have not felt that way in the last few years."

Stevens said the combination of unfriendly public comments, social media and the tone of meetings lately got to her.

"I felt exhausted, and I just don't want to do it anymore," Stevens said. "The latest involved my daughter, who graduated in June and that was the final straw. You can attack me but when you go after my child, I say no."

The Rochester School Board gives a small, annual scholarship. The criteria includes having a connection to the board. Of course, Stevens' daughter does, and she was awarded the scholarship.

"One of the local community Facebook pages started attacking and implied I pulled some maneuvers to get her the scholarship," she said. "I did not. She earned it with her grades and now she is happily studying at the College of New England. "

Stevens said she did not respond to the criticism but noted that others on the page were quick to come to her defense. But she said when it affected her family, she was done.

"Things are not the same today," she said. "Politics are not as friendly and in fact tend to be mean-spirited. I felt it was time to go.

Stevens' husband David is the Ward 1 moderator, and she is the ward clerk, positions they are both seeking again in the election.

"I love Rochester," she said. "I can still do that for the city."

Mayor's race follows trial in City Council

Mayor Paul Callaghan filed for reelection in what promises to be an interesting race. He is challenged by Susan Rice, mother of Christopher Rice, a city councilor ousted in a 2022 City Council trial that Callaghan presided over.

Christopher Rice was ousted after the council found charges that included sexual harassment and intimidation tactics were true following an investigation. Susan Rice attends just about every City Council meeting, openly challenging the councilors and particularly the mayor, often calling for his resignation.

Reached after the filing period closed, Susan Rice said "I am announcing my candidacy for Mayor of Rochester, NH. I feel Rochester deserves better leadership, accountability and to have a better vision for our future. I will bring experience, leadership and the knowledge of how government works from day one. Top concerns include the unassigned fund balance, school building concerns, and taxes."

Lead exposure issue remains important to Desrochers

Ashley Desrochers, who is not seeking re-election, said she ran for the council in 2021, when she won her first term, because she wanted the city to take action about Rochester's child lead exposure rate, which is one of the highest in the state.

"Every year, over 600 children in New Hampshire are exposed to lead, which is more than the incident in Flint, Michigan. Every. Single. Year.," she said. "In 2020, out of 453 children in Rochester that were tested for elevated blood lead levels, 161 tested positive."

Desrochers said in Rochester lead exposure rates are almost entirely attributed to lead paint in the roughly 19,000 homes and rental units.

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Desrochers said she was committed to serving as long as it took to move the city toward action to prevent further harm to children in Rochester.

"My intentions have been clear since the beginning and I've have spoken about lead exposure at every opportunity available," she said. "In the past year and a half, I was able to raise enough awareness for former City Manager Blaine Cox to activate our Board of Health. Additionally, City Manager Katie Ambrose has brought the matter to Finance Committee, and I have been given Mayor Callaghan's word that he will continue to address this issue if he is reelected this November. I did what I set out to do. I stuck to my word. And I will continue to hold Mayor Callaghan to his word, as a proud citizen of Rochester."

Veteran councilors step aside, say it's time for new voices

Callaghan said he spoke to some of the councilors. He said he believes Steve Beaudoin is moving out of Rochester. He said Skip Gilman told him his business has gotten very busy and he no longer feels he has the time to devote to the council. He said Peter Lachapelle and John Larochelle have been on the council for 20-plus year each and are ready to "retire."

Deputy Mayor Peter Lachapelle thanks his constituents in Ward 3 (Gonic) for the trust and confidence they have bestowed on him. He called it an honor to have served.

"When I first ran, I thought two or three terms, I did not plan on 10," Lachapelle said. "Twenty years have passed, and it's time for someone else to step up and bring fresh ideas and have an ardent desire to give back. I always felt the seats we hold are not ours to hold indefinitely. I want to focus on me and not be married to the city, which consumed a considerable amount of my time."

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City Councilor John Larochelle was first elected in 2004 and served one of his terms as mayor.

"I was off the council for a while and then back on again," he said. "Two years ago, I ran because no one signed up and I was concerned. I was born and raised in this city, and I loved being able to serve. But it's time. I think the city needs new blood, new ideas."

Being a councilor is a lot of work and requires a big-time commitment, said Larochelle.

"There are council meetings, committee assignments and a lot of reading, preparing," he said. "I liked the complexities of the position. I think some of the first-time councilors not running again are realizing it might be too much of a commitment. I get that and I hope we get some good new people. The people who did sign up are committed, and they can offer a lot of guidance."

Asked what he felt were the most important qualities for incoming councilors, Larochelle said, "integrity and character."

Berlin said he wanted to run again, but is moving due to "a decision out my my control."

School Board leader points to new job as reason not to seek reelection

School Board chair Paul Lynch said he is not running again because he began a new job in June, one that requires a lot of travel.

“I just can’t devote the same time that is needed,” Lynch said. “We have done some amazing things on the board, and I am proud of that. There have been problems and hindsight is always 20/20. But we do our best.”

Lynch said it has been a very trying four years, mostly due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We made it work, for the students, for the staff,” he said. “It was pretty intensive, especially at first.”

Lynch wishes the board well and promised to continue to follow what is happening in the district.

This article originally appeared on Fosters Daily Democrat: Many Rochester NH city elected officials are not running in 2023