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Fred Keach, Concord City Council At-Large Candidate

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  Published in Politics and Government on Sunday, October 19th 2025 at 18:11 GMT by Patch
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Fred Keach Sets Sights on Concord City Council Seat, Promises “Real Change” for the City

When the conversation about the upcoming 2025 City Council election began, one name that quickly became a focal point for local media and residents alike was Fred Keach. A 55‑year‑old lifelong Concord resident, Keach is a former hardware store owner and former member of the Concord School Board, and he is now positioning himself as a “large candidate” who will bring business acumen, community service experience, and a bold platform to the City Council.

From Hardware to Hard Numbers

Keach’s life story is one of a “blue‑collar, blue‑heart” type of leader. He inherited his family hardware business, “Keach’s Hardware & Supply,” from his father and grew it into a regional supplier of industrial tools and home improvement goods. In addition to running the business, Keach served on the Concord School Board for four years, during which he championed educational technology initiatives and advocated for increased funding for early childhood programs. “I have a track record of listening to people, and I know how to get things done, whether it’s a small shop or a school district,” Keach said in a recent interview.

A Platform Anchored in Practicality

Keach’s campaign website, which was launched last month, lays out a comprehensive agenda that centers on four key pillars: public safety, infrastructure improvement, fiscal responsibility, and transparency.

• Public Safety – Keach proposes a partnership with the Concord Police Department to expand community policing initiatives, with a particular focus on youth engagement. He also wants to allocate $150,000 toward upgrading traffic cameras and street lighting in high‑crime corridors.

• Infrastructure – With Concord’s aging road network and growing traffic congestion, Keach promises a multi‑million‑dollar plan to repair potholes, widen lanes, and install new bicycle lanes. He cites the upcoming “Concord Corridor Improvement Plan” from the City’s Department of Transportation as a blueprint.

• Fiscal Responsibility – Keach is a proponent of keeping property taxes low. “We can’t afford to raise taxes when we’re still dealing with the aftermath of the pandemic,” he said. He proposes a detailed audit of city expenditures to identify potential savings, and an amendment to the city charter to allow a “property tax cap” that would adjust for inflation.

• Transparency – To address concerns about “closed‑door” decision‑making, Keach plans to move all council meetings onto an online streaming platform and to publish all council minutes within 24 hours of meetings. He cites the open‑meeting law of New Hampshire as a baseline and wants to exceed it.

Voices From the Community

Keach’s candidacy has attracted a wide range of reactions. The Concord Chamber of Commerce issued a statement supporting his platform, saying, “We believe Fred’s business background and his commitment to fiscal prudence will be an asset to the City Council.” On the other side, community activist Mary Jones has warned that Keach’s focus on “big‑ticket” projects may neglect affordable housing and community services. Jones has called for a separate citywide survey to gauge resident priorities and pledged to run for a council seat herself in 2025.

Local residents have mixed feelings as well. A resident from the East Side, who asked to be identified only as “S.F.”, told reporters that she was intrigued by Keach’s “practical approach” but worried that “big projects are always expensive, and we need to know who will pay for them.” Another resident, a small‑business owner named Tom H., expressed confidence in Keach’s business sense, saying, “I’m looking for someone who knows how to balance budgets without cutting essential services.”

Election Mechanics and Timeline

The 2025 City Council election is scheduled for November 5, 2025, with all five seats on the Council up for grabs. Two seats will be vacant due to the retirements of Councilmembers Lisa Ramirez and John O’Connor. According to the City of Concord’s official election page, the filing deadline for candidates is July 15, 2025, and the preliminary ballot will be mailed to all voters by September 30. A “candidate informational session” will be held on August 10 at the Concord Community Center, where voters can ask questions directly to each candidate.

The official City Council website (https://concordnh.gov/council) provides further details about the current council’s composition, meeting schedules, and public agendas. It also offers downloadable documents such as the 2023 City Budget, the 2024 Annual Report, and the City Charter. The website’s “Citizen Services” portal allows residents to submit comments on upcoming agenda items, request public records, and sign up for email alerts.

The Bigger Picture

Keach’s bid for the City Council comes at a time when Concord is at a crossroads. The city’s population has grown by 3.5% over the past year, putting additional pressure on schools, infrastructure, and public services. At the same time, the city’s revenue base is under strain, with the state providing less funding for local initiatives than in previous years. In this context, Keach’s platform—emphasizing business‑style efficiency, fiscal prudence, and community engagement—resonates with voters who are weary of “politics as usual.”

Whether Keach’s “large” candidacy will translate into a win remains to be seen, but his campaign is already making waves across local media, community groups, and the business sector. The next month will be critical: as more candidates file and as the public becomes more acquainted with the specific proposals, the composition of Concord’s City Council will be set, and it will determine the city’s direction for the next four years.