When a group of neo-Nazis gathered outside Teatotaller cafe on Main Street this summer, Kris Schultz expected to hear an announcement from the Concord Police Department about what officers were doing to keep the city safe.

But instead, she said the department remained silent. It’s one of two recent incidents – the other being the fatal shooting of Steve and Wendy Reid – where Concord police could have provided more information about police activities to alleviate residents’ concerns, she said. Open communication and messaging from city leaders should be at the forefront of transparency, Schultz said.

“We needed to hear confidently that Concord would be safe, that the investigation is moving forward. Just the basics,” she said.

For Andrew Georgevits, who is running against Schultz for the Ward 9 seat on Concord’s City Council, transparency is better thought of as fiscal responsibility. Honest communication with residents comes when city councilors can have line-item answers for budget decisions.

When it comes to state politics, Schultz and Georgevits are the antithesis of each other. Schultz, an outspoken Democrat, is in her fourth term as a State Representative, while Georgevits chairs the Concord Republican Committee and has unsuccessfully run for state office four times.

Races for Concord City Council, however, are nonpartisan elections.

For Georgevits, a lifelong resident, some aspects of the city – like the number of people experiencing homelessness and rising property taxes – don’t mimic what Concord used to look like, he said.

“Being active in the community is something I’ve done my entire life,” he said. “The city is changing and it’s not the city that I grew up in, but I can take an active role a little bit further by stepping up to run for Council.”

Taxes are a common theme for Georgevits. He knows the stress of the city’s quarterly property tax bills as a homeowner. The burden can be alleviated, especially for residents on a fixed income, by lowering the tax rate to bring in more commercial development and growing the city’s tax base, he said.

Ward 9, on the city’s east side, contains a mix of businesses and housing from single-family to apartment buildings. Georgevits said the city clearly needs more development and it could incentivize developers to construct taller buildings.

Concord should also be a place where people want to stop when they’re driving by on Interstate 93, he said. The first step to making this happen is the redevelopment of Storrs Street.

Another way to alleviate the pressure of rising costs, according to Schultz, includes working with the state to shift the tax burden. Several statewide programs have helped residents who are struggling to pay their taxes, said Schultz.

The city has the means to generate revenue from its investments, like renovating the clubhouse at Beaver Meadow Golf Course. Georgevits said the new space, which could cost millions of dollars to build, could hold political events and other functions year-round. 

Growing up Schultz remembers driving her father around in a golf cart around despite her family being working class. The city-owned golf course brings community members together and should remain accessible in Concord, she said.

As the new council continues to debate whether the city can afford clubhouse renovations, a private-public partnership could be something to consider to offset construction costs, she said.

For over a decade, Candace Bouchard has held the Ward 9 seat on the city council, while also serving as a state representative until 2014. Having called Concord home for 14 years, Schultz wants to follow the same path by serving her community at the state and local level.

“I genuinely believe in the love-your-neighbor spirit. All of my neighbors,” she said, gesturing to Georgevits.

Serving Concord is a family tradition that Georgevits has embraced throughout his life, he said. And whether or not he’s elected, it’s what he’ll continue to do.

“I’m going to stay here in this city, I am going to keep volunteering in this city,” he said. “I love this city and that’s why I want to continue to help and serve.”

The two candidates took part in a Concord Monitor forum for City Council candidates held last week. It was recorded by Concord TV and can be viewed online.