By BOB MARTIN
Eagle Times Staff
Joe Osgood is completing his first term as a Sullivan County commissioner, and the Republican is now vying for another four years serving Claremont and Cornish in District 1. Osgood will take on Democrat Benjamin Nelson in the upcoming election, and he prides himself on his experience in government and the business world as areas that set him apart as the right candidate.
Osgood is retired but has business experience dating back to the 1980s, and also has spent ample time serving in state and county government.
The Claremont resident owned and operated three auto-related businesses from 1981 to 1987, and then from 1998 to 2017. He was the Cornish police chief from 1984 to 1998 and was a state representative for multiple terms. Osgood served as the chair of the Sullivan County Delegation Finance Committee for two years and was on the Claremont Airport Advisory Board for 10 years. He was also a member of the Claremont City Manager Hiring Committee. Away from New Hampshire, from 2018 to 2020 Osgood was on the Beach Quarters Resort board of directors in Virginia Beach.
Osgood said that he brings excellent leadership skills to the commission and has proven skills in decision-making. He notes that he has a general understanding and knowledge of business policies and processes, and also has extensive private and government job experience that helps in his role.
“As police chief of Cornish, I bring a level of law enforcement to the table when dealing with the Sheriff Department issues,” Osgood said. “Accomplishments during my term as state representative are county jail renovation and a biomass plant at the county complex that has saved heating costs at the entire Unity County Complex. As county commissioner, balancing expenses with keeping taxes at an acceptable level.”
The long overdue renovation of the county nursing home is a highlight of his time on the commission, Osgood said. He explained that this was a challenge to get going, but he brought “in-depth knowledge” to the process. Osgood also has experience in the automotive business, which he said has helped when purchasing and disposing of county vehicles.
“First and foremost, the nursing home renovation is a big plus,” Osgood said. “The county departments work closely with each other, and this is very important during the upgrade and renovation project. We are a team and work closely together and this creates a favorable work environment.”
Osgood said that the county has assisted municipalities in grant programs, which includes the lead eradication grant program that is going into another season. He takes pride in its success and said it will help make older homes safer.
Osgood said that the county’s involvement in Discover Sugar River Region helps promote outdoor activities and also helps with the economy by bringing people into Sullivan County.
There are some challenges moving forward that he foresees, and he feels his experience on the commission over the past four years will help address these. The workload for departments continues to increase, which is apparent in all government agencies, he said. This is something that Osgood noticed during the budget cycle this past year.
Osgood said that new revenue sources need to be considered to help cover expenses in a time where demands for services have increased across the county.
“Some ideas are on the table,” Osgood said. “Over the last decade the county has entered into a grant program that many very deserving organizations apply for. These grants are not under any county department and have no line item in the budget. This puts a heavy burden on the commissioners and the delegation who have to decide how much of the county funds will go to those grants. I feel that a policy guiding how these grants are applied for and distributed needs to be clarified.”
Osgood will take on Democrat Benjamin Nelson for the District 1 Sullivan County Commission seat, with the election taking place on Nov. 5.
