Crowded field of capable candidates could make for doozy of a race for city mayor

AND THEY'RE OFF: From left, Kelley Potenza, James Gray, Chuck Grassie and Matt Mayberry (Courtesy photos)

ROCHESTER - Less than a week after Rochester opened its filing period for the November municipal elections four well known and prominent residents have thrown their hat into the ring to replace Mayor Paul Callaghan, who announced last week he will not be seeking a third term.
State Sen. and former city councilor James Gray, Realtor and Rochester Economic Development Commission member Matt Mayberry, former state rep and city councilor Chuck Grassie and state rep Kelley Potenza are all signed up for the upcoming mayoral race.
It's been more than a decade since the mayoral contest was this crowded, and there's still almost two weeks left in the filing period, which ends on Sept. 22.
Mayberry, a veteran and executive director of the NH Home Builders Association, said he wanted to change the culture of how city leaders treats their residents.
"We should be more like customer service, we need to treat the taxpayer not as a commodity, but as our customers." he said on Tuesday.
Mayberry also said he was very disappointed with how the city steamrolled the recent assessments on mobile homes, which often tripled valuations and doubled tax loads on so many middle class Rochester residents.
With the Granite State Fair starting tomorrow, he also said the city has got to sop suing RAMA, the nonprofit that owns the Fairgrounds and operates the Granite State and former Rochester Fair.
"Everyone suing each other is wrong, the fair is our heritage and tradition," added Mayberry, wo said he wanted to cooperate with RAMA, not fight with them.
Grassie said he wants to run on a platform that first and foremost will be an honest broker with the press.
"The previous mayor (Callaghan) didn't talk with the press," he said. "I'm looking to have an honest dialogue."
Grassie said the biggest challenge is to get more residents involved in the community.
"Right now the city is being run by administrators, not elected officials," he said.

Potenza, said in part, that she was running for mayor because the people at City Hall need a refresh.

"I decided to run for mayor because it's time for change at City Hall. For too long, the same voices have dominated the conversation, and the result has been a government that feels distant from the people it serves," she said. "Our city deserves leadership that is accountable, transparent, and genuinely committed to the taxpayers who make everything possible. We need new faces and new energy on the City Council, and as Mayor, I will work tirelessly to ensure that every decision respects the hard work and tax dollars of our residents. My goal is simple: to bring integrity, common sense, and a renewed focus on the people back into city government."