Mayor Blastos is Stepping Down

(A Polar Express reading ambience, fading at the bells)
In what’s almost become a Keene tradition, Mayor Mike Blastos reads The Polar Express to kids during the town’s Christmas tree lighting festivities.
These kinds of ceremonial jobs are typical for small town mayors.
But supporters AND critics say Blastos has brought much more to Keene.
After more than a decade on the city council, Blastos was sworn in on January first, 2000.
The millennial mayor had won the post as a write-in candidate, and was never again challenged in the polls.
Phil Jones: “He would have been a tough guy to run against because he did such a good job, and because he didn’t make enemies.”
That’s city councilor Phil Jones.
He says he often disagrees with the Mayor, but always parted friends.
During his 8-year tenure, Blastos presented hundreds of declarations, congratulating residents for serving on local committees or in the military.
Blastos expanded what had been a part time job into a more than full-time position,
He imposed a dress code on the city council and required civility in chambers.
Blastos: “It is what you want it to be, quite seriously … I think what they want you to do is cut ribbons and greet people and make a little speech here and there or make a proclamation and just, you know, be another little pretty face in the crowd type thing.”
But by all accounts, the 74-year-old Blastos has been a bit more than just a pretty face.
Councilor Fred Parsells, first worked as a city cop when Blastos was on the city council.
Fred Parsells: “He has raised the bar substantially in terms of the time he was committed to doing that … to him it was clearly a labor of love, he thrived on it.”
Blastos proposed and the town passed the state’s first local ordinance banning smoking in restaurants.
Opponents successfully challenged it in court, but since then the state legislature has made the smoking ban state law.
The mayor uses first names when he speaks to former Vice President, and Nobel Laureat Al Gore.
During his term in office, Keene has become the first New Hampshire city to join an international climate pact.
And as Keene’s Mayor, Blastos has made more than one trip to Sundance, Utah for climate change talks.
There, he exchanged ideas with the likes of Chicago Mayor Richard Daley and actor and environmental activist Robert Redford.
Blastos decided not to run for reelection this time around because of a problem with his legs that forces him to walk with a cane.
But not much is expected to change in city government when he leaves.
Voters elected a friend and protégé to replace Blastos last month.
Blastos: “My successor, Dale Pregent, is a sharp boy and he’s cut from the same cloth. He has the same ideals, the same feelings, very accessible. I know it’ll be like it’s the same guy, just moving, looking a little different.”
Blastos says he hasn’t taken a vacation in a couple of decades, so he doubts he’ll do much traveling after his retirement.
He does get to slow down a bit, though:
He has a manager running The Pub, a local restaurant he’s owned for nearly 40 years.
And, after Monday, he’ll have an extra 50-60 hours a week to play with.
He may even give Pregent the annual job of reading The Polar Express to local kids at the city tree lighting.
(back to Polar Express sounds)
Blastos: “You’re a good audience, very good now. I think Santa Claus is coming pretty soon.”
For NHPR news, I’m Donna Moxley, in Keene.