In a heartfelt announcement Monday night, Concord Mayor Jim Bouley said he will not be running for reelection this November. 

After serving the city for 26 years with 16 as mayor, Bouley tearfully notified the community of his decision. 

“Serving the people and the city I love dearly as the 56th mayor has been a joy and a privilege I can’t even describe,” he said at the City Council meeting Monday night. “There have been so many moments where I have witnessed first-hand the city’s resilience, where I’ve seen people rise above adversity and we’ve accomplished great things.”

Preceding his 16 year stint as mayor, Bouley served city council for a decade. As mayor, he’s most proud of the economic growth he’s seen in the city, the presentation of balanced budgets, the council’s continued consideration of all members of the community, his involvement in the redevelopment of downtown Concord and his commitment to transparency, he said in an interview with the Monitor. 

Others agree.

“He has done an outstanding job and given a ton to this community,” said Tim Sink, president of the Concord Chamber of Commerce. “His vision and leadership in the community resulted in the revamping of downtown Concord at a time when that really needed to happen.” 

The revitalization of downtown provided better handicap accessibility to disabled residents, safer transportation routes for pedestrians, reunited downtown and promoted economic development, making it the Main Street of the state, Sink said. 

In partnering with the chamber, Sink and Bouley spearheaded projects together that changed the dynamic of the city like the construction of the Storrs Street parking garage, which aided in the redevelopment of the Sears Block, the Exit 17 redevelopment and his continued support of the nearly 900 Concord businesses and nonprofits. 

“The chamber is interested in economic development and quality of life issues, which dovetails with what someone like Jim would be interested in,” Sink said. “The chamber and city initiatives were parallel and when he would knock on our door saying ‘hey, we want to make this happen,’ we would support him.”

During his time as mayor, he also focused on the public’s access to government, making sure the community was livable and affordable while providing high-quality services, he said. He aided in establishing winter shelters for the unhoused and advocated for food security and affordable housing. 

Though Bouley didn’t give a reason for his decision, he thanked the city, its people and his family for their continued support and acknowledged the lifelong friendships he’s made in councilors Keith Nyhan, Candace Bouchard and Amanda Grady Sexton. 

“Mayor Bouley has been a transformative leader in the community and he is a throwback to a time of more functional politics,” Sexton said in an interview with the Monitor. “People have no idea just how much he’s done during his time as mayor because he doesn’t advertise it. He never did anything for the glory, it was done out of his love for the Capitol City.”

Additionally, in a world where politics is becoming more divisive, he created an environment where people of broad political backgrounds could come together to do what’s best for the people of Concord, she continued.

Bouley demonstrated that again Monday when he complimented councilors for their work together.

“It has been an honor of a lifetime to serve with you around this table through both disagreements and consensus,” he said. “I believe we as a council have been able to accomplish some incredible things in this community. I’m not sure what the future holds but I trust that my next season will continue to be one full of passion and purpose guided by the belief that in each of us is the power and responsibility to make a positive difference in the lives of others.”

He said he looks forward to watching the city continue to grow as an everyday community member and emphasized he will not be running for governor, despite speculation. In fact, he doesn’t know what he’ll do as a regular citizen, he said, but he looks forward to figuring it out. 

“My love for Concord, its citizens and this institution has never wavered and it never will,” Bouley said. “I thank you all and as my son reminded me today, 16 years ago when I first was elected I started saying ‘it’s another great day in the city’ and today is another great day in the city.”

Councilors around the table stood in applause in recognition of Bouley’s service as someone shouted “motion to reconsider!” Bouley then closed the council meeting as its head for one of his last times.

Formal announcements have not been made for mayor or city council positions but candidates from the council itself and within the community are expected. Both at-large councilors Byron Champlin and Nathan Fennessy are at the end of their two-year term and are up for reelection while other councilors may be stepping down from their posts. 

Kate West, a former Concord School Board member who was unseated due to her housing situation, said last week she plans to run for the Ward 9 City Council position.

To run for mayor or city council, filing will be open to the public between Sept. 8 and Sept. 18. The fee is $5 for mayor or city council positions and $1 for ward officials. 

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