Liot Hill prepares to lead Lebanon

Karen Liot Hill is preparing to lead her first City Council meeting as Mayor.

Last week, the twenty-nine-year-old was elected to a year-one-term as Mayor of Lebanon.

"I think it's important for us to build a consensus around a common vision for Lebanon," Liot Hill said.

She cited a recent vote against updating the local building ordinance as an example of the need for all sides to reach a common ground.

Liot Hill said she would also like to improve communication between residents and the city government and focus discussions during Council meetings.

"I'd like to improve the communication between the city and citizens. This would give people a greater voice in their government," Liot Hill said. "I'd also like to help focus discussion around strategic questions that the city is facing. Questions like how do you handle issues as a regional hub and how can we adapt to a changing economy."

Similar to many cities and towns throughout New Hampshire, Lebanon is trying to deal with a growing population and a changing economy.

"I see Lebanon as a microcosm of the state, in terms of what's the state is dealing with. We were once a manufacturing center, but now we're seeing a growth of technology companies and a population increase. In the face of pressures for growth how do we keep Lebanon's character?"

Lebanon is also facing challenges from a slowing economy.

"We're facing concerns from people who feel they don't have anymore to give."

"In Lebanon, as a regional hub, that problems is exacerbated. We have the hospital, a shopping center and we're an employment center," she added. "We are going to have an honest discussion about the services the city provides, the level of that service and the costs related to those services."

"If we need to cut taxes, we need to talk about the services we're going to have to cut."