By Patrick Adrian
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CLAREMONT — Two Claremont auto dealerships demonstrated the season of giving this week by making donations to the city totaling more than $45,000 in value.
For the third consecutive year, McGee Toyota, located at 114 Charlestown Rd. in Claremont, donated $8,000 to the Claremont Parks and Recreation Department to help fund the city’s annual fireworks show.
In a second donation, Ford of Claremont, located at 155 Charlestown Rd., donated a new 2020 Ford Police Interceptor to the Claremont Police Department, a vehicle valued at $38,000.
“It’s like Christmas for the council,” Mayor Charlene Lovett remarked as the council transitioned into a public hearing to accept the second donation. The council held public hearings to accept the gifts at their regular business meeting on Wednesday.
Police car donation
Chris Gomes, owner of Ford of Claremont, said that donating a new police vehicle was “the best way he thought to give back to the city,” whom he credited for helping him open his dealership.
“Without the city, I wouldn’t have been successful,” Gomes said. “I thought hard about how to make a donation and help the city.”
Claremont Police Chief Mark Chase said that Gomes’s donation is equally a donation to taxpayers, because it will spare the community from replacing at least one of its older vehicles.
“We usually rotate our vehicles every three to four years and this vehicle is coming in more than midway through our current fleet, and is going to last a lot longer,” Chase said. “So this is a significant savings for the city of Claremont, the tax rate and the taxpayers,”
Chase said that the police department has enjoyed a close working relationship with Gomes since he opened the Ford dealership in Claremont in 2018. The police department, which owns several Ford vehicles, has already replaced one line of police cars through Gomes.
Chase also noted how quickly Gomes showed his eagerness to become part of the community. Between Chase’s initial meetings with Gomes and seeing Gomes presence at community events prior to the dealership opening, Chase knew that Gomes intended to be invested in the city.
“Since the dealership’s opened, he’s been a great partner for [our department] and our service,” Chase said.
Chase said that he plans to schedule a formal presentation with the vehicle present once it is set up with its equipment.
Fireworks fund donation
McGee Toyota began funding the bulk of the cost for Claremont’s Fourth of July fireworks in 2018 after the city announced it could no longer fund the fireworks in the city budget. The dealership’s donation covers 75% of the $10,000 cost for the fireworks. The city collects individual donations, including at Monadnock Park where the celebratory event is held, to cover the remaining $2,000.
“July fourth is just one of the events hosted in the city but it’s certainly the largest,” Director of Parks and Recreation Mark Brislin said. “It draws thousands of people into the city, not only to Monadnock Park to enjoy the band and the vendors, but also people lining the streets just to enjoy this spectacular fireworks display.”
Brislin thanked McGee Toyota for their years of generosity, saying the city was fortunate to have them as a sponsor.
Claremont Rep. Walt Stapleton (R-Ward III) also expressed thanks to McGee Toyota and spoke to the importance of preserving Claremont’s annual celebration.
“I think the fireworks have proven to be a great unifying event and lifts our community up through participation and enjoyment,” Stapleton said.
City Manager Ed Morris expressed appreciation to Brislin and the department staff for cultivating these partnerships and the businesses who help make many city events possible.
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