By Chris Frost
EAGLE TIMES NEWS EDITOR
CLAREMONT, N.H. — Michael Huse will throw his hat into the upcoming November 7 election telling the Eagle Times in an exclusive interview that he will run be a Councilor at-Large. Huse said his administrative background and college education make him stand out as a candidate but didn’t make him better than anyone else.
He is currently the vice president of the largest nursing home in New Hampshire. He said they brought the company back from the brink of bankruptcy, turning it around by putting the right people in the right places over the past three years.
Huse said it’s time for a change at City Hall because many of the nine councilors have been serving too long and are out of ideas. “There needs to be some new direction. We need to take a serious look at our city’s finances and I think we need to do an audit on our books. We’re behind two years.”
He said the city doesn’t have accurate numbers reflecting its finances. “I think it’s time we aggressively spend some money and get some experts here, a group of specialists, to come in and look at the books. I don’t think we’re at a point where we can borrow money for a bond. Much like buying a car or house, if you don’t have your finances in order, you can’t get a loan.”
He said the city needs to set goals and deadlines. “It should be ordered. There isn’t enough attention being put forth on issues like this. This is the number one issue.”
Huse said the city has computer programs it uses and employees don’t know how to use them. “I think it’s important that certain people become educated. It’s an absolute training issue.”
Huse said the city has the wrong people working in the wrong place. “I think we have some great people working but there aren’t enough. That doesn’t mean expanding the government. That means, right now, we have a situation where we need training, and we need to have people in areas that need some help.”
He said some city department heads need to be held more accountable and Claremont is hemorrhaging money for no reason with no solution. “I’m not saying to privatize some areas, but I’m open-minded. There are some areas in particular that are ridiculous.”
He pointed to the Claremont Savings Bank Community Center as an example of management not having go0d ideas. “They’ve been given multiple opportunities to come up with recommendations and I don’t think they have anything. We’ve spent good money in the past more than once and we’ve had people come in, consultants, and for some reason, there are no viable solutions.”
Information about Huse’s candidacy is in development.
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