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LEGISLATIVE YEAR 2022

ORDINANCE: O-22-009
PURPOSE: Raising the landfill disposal fee for coustruction and

demolition debris from $90 per ton to $300 per ton

ENDORSERS: Mayor Jim Donchess
Alderman-at-Large Michael B. O’Brien, Sr.

COMMITTEE
ASSIGNMENT: Personnel/Administrative Affairs Committee
FISCAL NOTE: The fiscal impact is not knowo at tis time — however with the

increase in the per ton dumping charge tor construction and
demolition debris increasing trom $90 to $300, the City anticipates
less tonnage being disposed of in the landill

ANALYSIS

This legislation increases the amount of the landfill disposal fee for construction and demolition
debris from $90 per ton to $300 per ton.

This legislation was recommended by the Board of Public Works at their meeting on January 20,
2022.

Approved as to form: Office of Corporation Counsel

ay: Vr bee Clare

~ /
Date: |G Ter Aan, F022.

A meeting of the Board of Aldermen was held Tuesday, February 15, 2022, at 7:00 p.m. in the aldermanic chamber
and via Zoom teleconference.

President Lori Wilshire presided; City Clerk Susan K. Lovering recorded.

Prayer was offered by City Clerk Susan K. Lovering; Alderman Derek Thibeault led in the Pledge to the Flag.

Let’s start the meeting by taking a roll call attendance. If you are participating via Zoom, please state your presence,
reason for not attending the meeting in person, and whether there is anyone in the room with you during this meeting,
which is required under the Right-To-Know Law.

The roll call was taken with 13 members physically present and 1 participating via Zoom of the Board of Aldermen
present: Alderman O’Brien, Alderman Sullivan (via Zoom), Alderman Klee, Alderman Moran, Alderman Lopez,
Alderman Jette, Alderman Clemons, Alderman Comeau, Alderman Dowd, Alderman Gouveia, Alderman Cathey,
Alderman Thibeault, Alderwoman Timmons, Alderman Wilshire.

Alderwoman Kelly was recorded absent.

Mayor James W. Donchess, Corporation Counsel Steve Bolton, were also in attendance.

Mayor’s State of the City Address

President Wilshire

| wish to recognize Mayor Donchess

Mayor Donchess

Thank you President Wilshire, Vice President O’Brien, members of the Board of Aldermen, and Nashuans from all
neighborhoods of our City.

This year brings with it optimism and challenges in equal measure. I’m pleased with the accomplishments we were
able to achieve in 2021, and | look forward to continuing our City’s progress through 2022. Before we talk about our
vision for the future of Nashua, let’s review this past year.

COVID CONCERNS

When | spoke to you last February, we were one year into a public health crisis unlike any our nation has faced since
1918. We are still battling that pandemic today. We're all tired of Covid. Covid-19 has ebbed and flowed; last
summer, it seemed that the virus had nearly disappeared, and we were able to resume most of our normal activities in
safety. Then came the Delta variant and Omicron followed.

We are grateful for the vaccines which provide excellent protection against the virus. However, last month the number
of new cases and the rate of infection reached their highest levels ever. There is reason for hope because infections
are now on the decline.

Tragically 137 Nashuans have died from Covid, including one of our own city employees, Andre Pelletier. Our
heartfelt condolences go out to all of the families who have lost a loved one.

| am proud of the way our City has responded to this public health crisis. Our Public Health Department, under the
leadership of Director Bobbie Bagley and Chief Public Health Nurse Kim Bernard, has worked tirelessly.

Our medical community — nurses, doctors, and hospitals have given their all. In recent weeks, hospitals have
operated at capacity, despite the exhaustion and burnout caused by two years of Covid-19.

COVID AND BUSINESS

Back in the spring of 2020, together with the Board of Aldermen, we responded quickly to help small business get
through the pandemic. First, we established a Covid-19 Impact Fund, which has helped small businesses and
nonprofits with low-interest loans and grants. Then we expanded outdoor dining to save our restaurants and their
workers.

Board of Aldermen 02-15-2022 Page 2

In spite of Covid-19, Nashua has fought back from the closures of 2020. Since then, thousands of patrons have come
downtown to enjoy expanded outdoor dining. Our locally owned businesses, restaurants, and bars have found new
ways to thrive. Some have reported to me that they saw record sales during the pandemic. New businesses have
opened — new restaurants like Empanellie’s and Raga Contemporary Kitchen; and a new men’s boutique named
CasaNova. Longtime favorite City Room Café has reopened with a new menu and new format. Spyglass Brewery is
expanding and moving from Amherst Street to Gateway Hills. The Lucky Moose casino has opened at the Nashua
Mall at Exit 6. Boston Billiard is buying the Radisson Hotel at Exit 1. The owner of Nashua Paint and Wallpaper and
Ace Hardware has acquired more property downtown. A group of investors has committed $30 million in private
capital to build 150 units of new housing on School Street.

In the coming year we will continue moving the City forward despite the pandemic.
EFFECTIVE, EFFICIENT CITY GOVERNMENT

Nashua’s hardworking taxpayers want and deserve a government that is effective and efficient. We have been
recognized by WalletHub as having the 4th Best-Run City in the United States. We are proud that we now have two
AAA bond ratings. The WalletHub rating judges the effectiveness of city government by comparing the cost against
the quality of city services. WalletHub’s rating says Nashua citizens are getting excellent services at a reasonable
cost and it applauds us for our productivity.

| am committed to keeping property tax increases to a minimum. For example, | have used my veto power four times
trying to limit spending specifically in two areas. First, on operating budgets for independent departments which
exceed the cost-of-living year after year. | have flagged these increases as creating unsustainable budgets. Second,
| have vetoed all proposals to increase the City’s unfunded obligation to pay for unused sick time when an employee
retires. | remain committed to reining in spending in these areas.

For the current Fiscal Year 2022 which began last July 1, we cut the budget for the departments which reside in City
Hall as well as Public Health by almost 3 percent, not including a State-imposed pension increase that | will talk about
ina moment. We cut the budgets for these departments by $534,000 below those passed in Fiscal Year 2021. When
was the last time that City Hall actually reduced its own budget?

| also proposed a Public Works budget that cut spending by 1 percent before the pension increase. In the coming
fiscal year, it is again my intention to propose department budgets which are in line with the cost of living. Hopefully
our Board of Aldermen will back me up in keeping increases to a reasonable level.

We have reduced costs through innovation, by developing a reformed HMO plan for employees. Thank you to
Administrative Services Director Kim Kleiner for spearheading this initiative. In FY 20 and FY 21, rising health care
costs were a major driver of increased budgets. Over those two years, city costs for employee health care rose 20
percent or over $6 million per year. In order to save costs, we devised changes to our city’s basic HMO plan. We
have achieved results. Seven employee groups have agreed to adopt the reformed HMO and as a result, we are
saving, so far, $1.3 million per year. Unfortunately, Covid-19 is now pushing health care costs up. Over the past
seven months the City has spent $1.5 million just for Covid testing. We are watching the trends carefully to make sure
our employees are as safe as possible.

STATE PROPERTY TAXES

When the State of New Hampshire mandates new costs or cuts the limited aid the State sends to our cities and towns,
this is commonly called “downshifting.” This way State politicians claim “no new taxes” while forcing local
governments to raise property taxes in order to meet the need for local services. For the current FY 22, the State
downshifted by raising the City’s forced contribution to the State pension plan by more than $4 million. This single
action raised property taxes here in Nashua by 2 percent. Decades ago the State of New Hampshire persuaded
Nashua and all other cities and towns to join the State pension system by committing in law that it would always pay
35 percent of City pension costs. However, the State broke this commitment several years back, and so far, that
broken pledge has cost city taxpayers $74 million in hard earned tax dollars.

Our legislative delegation led by Chair Jan Schmidt, and including three members from the Board of Aldermen — Mike
O’Brien, Trish Klee, and Melbourne Moran are joined with us shoulder to shoulder in the fight to stop more
downshifting.

INFRASTRUCTURE

Board of Aldermen 02-15-2022 Page 3

When it comes to our infrastructure, we have achieved real, measurable results. Lisa Fauteux, Director of Public
Works, and her engineering staff have worked effectively to oversee this transformation of our infrastructure.

Through the end of 2021, our Paving Plan of Action has paved 114 miles of streets and preserved another 103 miles
with crack sealing. All of this work is based upon the analysis of every street, which we have scored according to a
100-point Paving Condition Index, or PCI. When | came into office as Mayor, everywhere | went, people complained
about the condition of our streets. “Kinsley Street is terrible.” “Concord Street is a minefield.” “Are you letting Main
Dunstable go back to dirt?” “Broad Street has never been in worse shape. ” | often rode my bike on Pine Hill Road
and | couldn’t believe how many patches there were. Now, we have paved Kinsley Street, Concord Street, Main
Dunstable Road, Broad Street, Amherst Street, Somerset Parkway, Pine Hill Road, and many more smaller
neighborhood streets. In the coming paving seasons, we will continue with our Plan of Action and keep improving our
City’s basic transportation infrastructure.

During the last several years, we have lined or replaced more than 20 miles of our sewer pipes — some of which date
back to the 1800s and we have rehabilitated the wastewater plant which is heavily regulated by the federal EPA and
the State of New Hampshire DES. We have expanded our City landfill so that it will have 10 to 15 more years of life
and we are seeking to permit Phase 4 which will give us a total of 40 or 50 years of life. Our investments in
infrastructure pay dividends because they help us build a stronger, healthier economy and improve our day-to-day
lives.

REVALUATION

For the past year we have been conducting a revaluation of all Nashua properties. Periodic revaluations are required
by the State of New Hampshire. We have hired an expert firm, Vision Government Solutions, to do the work. For the
first time since 1991, we are doing what is called a “full measure and list” revaluation. This means that Vision
appraisers will inspect each property from the outside and will also offer every homeowner the option of an internal
inspection.

Home values in Nashua, and in New Hampshire, and across the country have skyrocketed over the past few years.
For Nashua, Redfin reports that in December 2021 home prices were up 13 percent in just one year and homes were
selling for a median price of $387,000. According to home price industry expert Case-Shiller, home prices nationwide
are up 22 percent since the beginning of the pandemic. Covid-19 has only accentuated this underlying trend with
more people working and spending time at home. For homeowners, the good news is that they have increased their
wealth a lot. But unfortunately, the dramatic increase in home prices will mean that this State-mandated revaluation
will raise property taxes for our Nashua homeowners.

Our Assessing Department is committed to making sure that home values are fairly assessed. Any homeowner who
believes their assessment is not correct will have the opportunity to talk with a Vision appraiser about the possibility of
a correction.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING

A major challenge we face is a lack of affordable housing. As | discussed earlier, home prices have taken off and so
too have rents. Rent in Nashua has seen an 11 percent increase in just one year with the average 1-bedroom
commanding $1 ,600-$1,800 per month. We are taking dramatic steps to increase the supply of affordable housing in
the City. We allocated federal Home Funds to enable the development of 150 units of workforce housing on Marshall
Street.

Nashua has been also remarkably successful in winning competitive grants for millions of dollars of de-leading money.
These funds are used to help landlords de-lead their apartments to make them safe for kids. These projects help
increase the supply of affordable housing because every landlord as a condition of accepting the funds is required to
cut rents for 5 years. Over the past two years, we have de-leaded and rendered more affordable 77 apartments.

We are working with the Nashua Housing Authority to build Monahan Manor, 200 units of affordable housing on
Central Street. These homes should be available by the fall of 2023. They will be on the site of the former Bronstein
Apartments and all residents of Bronstein are guaranteed to return to a unit of an equal or larger size. We also have
created an Affordable Housing Trust Fund. Based upon the input of the Board of Aldermen and of community
advocates like Rabbi Spira-Savett, the Nashua Interfaith Council, and Bob Keating, | will propose that we fund the
Trust with millions of dollars of American Rescue Plan money that we are getting from Washington, DC. And atthe
end of 2021, we passed an inclusionary zoning ordinance which requires that all new developments include a share of
affordable housing. This applies to both apartment developments and new homes for sale.

Board of Aldermen 02-15-2022 Page 4
SCHOOLS

As the Covid-19 pandemic continues to challenge us, we need to focus on our schools. An excellent education is
essential to the future success of our young people of and our community. Our kids have been significantly affected
by Covid-19 disruptions and we need to pay special attention to them. We must make sure classrooms for all
students get what they need to ensure that every child gets an excellent education.

Our teachers, paraprofessionals, and other school staff have given their steadfast efforts to teach our kids under the
difficult conditions — first, of online learning, and now with the challenging daily presence of Covid. Our teachers are
inspiring, passionate, and effective. They are showing every day in every school that they are committed to making
sure that every child and every family have access to an excellent education.

Better pay for better teachers.

We must have competitive teachers’ pay to retain and attract the best teachers to Nashua. Nashua ranks about 79th
among the 160 or So school districts in New Hampshire in terms of average teachers’ pay, which in Nashua is about
$61,000. Nashua schools have had the problem of mid-level teachers, who have been trained and seasoned here in
Nashua leaving for neighboring districts which offer better pay. The Board of Education and the teachers are in
negotiations for a new teachers’ contract. The parties are very close — only about a 1/10th of a percent apart for each
of four annual raises.

During the negotiations the teachers have agreed to an important heath care change that the City is seeking — that is,
the reformed HMO plan that | spoke about earlier. This change for the teachers will save the City $2.3 million per
year. Given the need to become more competitive when it comes to teachers’ pay and given this health care
concession by the teachers, | believe the teachers’ most recent position regarding raises is reasonable.

With respect to the school buildings themselves, we are in the midst of a citywide program to improve our middle
school infrastructure led by Alderman Rick Dowd. We have already upgraded Fairgrounds Middle School with new
classrooms, new technology, and solar panels which provide all the electric power the school needs. Work is
underway at Pennichuck Middle School and when that is done, we will begin construction of a new middle school in
the southwest neighborhood of the city to replace the aging Elm Street Middle School.

DOWNTOWN

We cannot have a successful city without a thriving, active downtown. Downtown must be a place where people
gather, where people want to be, and where they feel a sense of vitality and life. When | meet with Mayors from
across the country as part of the US Conference of Mayors and when | meet with New Hampshire mayors, all are
focused on their downtowns. All are trying to make their downtowns people-friendly, walkable, and bikeable. A city’s
downtown is the symbol of the community. A stagnant downtown signifies a declining, troubled city. Thank you to
Economic Development Director Tim Cummings for leading our efforts to grow a stronger, healthier downtown and
City economy and with it a bigger tax base.

What do we need to make a vital, active downtown a reality? Measures like enticing more people to live near Main
Street with new housing; a beautiful Nashua River waterfront; our upcoming Nashua Center for the Arts; and
expanded outdoor dining. A downtown renaissance relies upon entrepreneurs, chefs, and artists. By attracting
restaurant goers and art lovers — along with more downtown residents — we build the clientele to grow retail not only
the creative shops we already have, but new entrepreneurs. Perhaps a toy store, a bookshop, or a movie theater.

In order to increase downtown living opportunities, we are building new housing. We added Lofts 34 on Franklin
Street and we have 150 units of downtown housing coming on School Street. These new residences add to those
already at Clocktower Place and Cotton Mill Square and we are exploring even more opportunities to expand the
supply of downtown housing.

We are creating a beautiful waterfront based upon our Riverfront Master Plan. We have already added lighting along
the north river walk and have illuminated the Cotton Transfer Bridge. We have an expanded Renaissance Park,
docks, landscaping, and suspended walkways in design right now. We expect work to begin on these new amenities
by the fall.

The Nashua Center for the Arts which will attract over 50,000 people to downtown each year will open this fall. It will
provide entertainment to Nashuans and is already helping us grow the downtown tax base. Thank you to the
anonymous donor who is giving $1 million to the Center for the Arts and also to Philip Scontsas for his success in
securing this very generous donation.

Board of Aldermen 02-15-2022 Page 5

Expanded outdoor dining from May through September has proven to be a boon to downtown businesses, to the
many restaurant workers who depend on it for jobs and income, and to the City as a whole. Although we began the
program as a way to save restaurants devastated by the Covid-19 pandemic, it has attracted thousands of people
downtown. It is clear that people love to sit outside for a meal or a beer in Nashua’s downtown.

The positive economic impact of the expanded outdoor dining cannot be overstated. A 2021 study of visitors to our
bars and restaurants during the summer months reveals that at least 400,000 patrons came downtown to enjoy the
expanded outdoor dining. If we consider how much each person spends, this adds up to millions of dollars, millions of
dollars in additional revenue. A recent Economic Development survey revealed that 80 percent of visitors to Main
Street come for the restaurants and bars.

| have heard from the owners of one of our downtown restaurants who say they will go out of business without
expanded outdoor dining. Other businesses are concerned about how their business would be affected without it.
Now hundreds of Nashuans contributed to the recently adopted /magine Nashua master plan. This Master Plan says:
“The temporary outdoor seating... along Main Street... presents the community with a vision of a new downtown...
[T]he increased option of outdoor seating and reclamation of a significant slice of the street away from purely
automotive traffic has shown that a dramatic rethinking of the public realm can work in Nashua... It is the opinion of
this planning group that the benefits of these temporary improvements should be made permanent and even
expanded as the city looks forward to a broader reinvigoration of the downtown businesses.” Imagine Nashua goes
on and the hundreds of people recommend that in the longer term, the City rebuild Main Street, narrowing it to one
lane each way, and by adding trees, wider sidewalks, and more public pedestrian space.

With the expanded outdoor dining, there are some valid concerns about traffic congestion and removal of parking
spaces. Last year, the expanded outdoor dining removed some 70 parking spaces, but remember that there are a
total of more than 3,000 parking spaces downtown.

| am proposing to the Board of Aldermen a compromise to address concerns about congestion and parking. | am
proposing that we shorten the outdoor dining season from 8 to 5 % months. We will have outdoor dining on fewer
blocks where there is a high concentration of restaurants and lower traffic impacts and | will be proposing that we
reduce the expansion on the west side of one block where two of our businesses have objected. But we must keep in
mind that other retailers, like DesignWares, Scontsas, and Camaraderie have indicated that the additional foot traffic
resulting from the outdoor dining helped enable them to grow their sales and strengthen their businesses. | believe
that the Board of Aldermen will approve a modified outdoor dining plan so that we can retain the many benefits while
alleviating concerns.

COMMUTER RAIL

Our businesses, our citizens, and our Board of Aldermen are solidly behind our efforts to bring commuter rail from
Boston to Nashua and Manchester. Connecting us by another mode of transportation to the largest economy in New
England will help us add jobs, and grow opportunity, and it will enable us to attract the young families we need to
ensure our future success.

Our employers often have jobs without people to fill them. These job creators tell me that when they are trying to
attract qualified applicants from outside the area, a common question is, “Does Nashua have commuter rail?” Young
people often see the train as an attribute that they want in a community in which they choose to live. We are making
progress. The State of New Hampshire Department of Transportation has hired engineering firm AECOM to perform
the required final planning phase of the Capitol Corridor Rail Project. Also former Mayor Pete Buttigieg, now the
Secretary of Transportation in Washington, has shown an interest in considering commuter rail here as a potential
project to be funded by the Infrastructure and Jobs Act passed in DC.

There is one dark cloud on the horizon when it comes to commuter rail. There is a bill in the legislature — HB 1432 -
that would prohibit the State of New Hampshire from spending one dime on commuter rail. Some State funds will be
required to make commuter rail a reality.

MASTER PLAN

As | mentioned, during this past year the City completed our first Master Plan in twenty years. A citizen’s advisory
group from across our City and chaired by Amber Morgan helped lead this effort. We focused on a number of areas -
the South End commercial district, the Amherst Street corridor, Daniel Webster College, downtown, and Northeastern
Boulevard. These are areas where we see future development that can strengthen Nashua’s economy and

Board of Aldermen 02-15-2022 Page 6

strengthen our tax base. | am excited about the opportunities to reimagine all these areas. You can view the entire
Imagine Nashua plan on the City website.

A GREENER NASHUA

We have ambitious green goals to make our contribution to combating global warming as much as we possibly can.
We are seeking to reduce the City’s carbon footprint 25 percent by 2025. The Board of Aldermen is committed to
these goals and we are well on the way to achieving them. We have reduced the energy consumption and carbon
emissions of our Public Works and Nashua Transit vehicles by 40 percent. We have incorporated solar arrays on the
Fairgrounds Middle School, the Dr. Crisp Elementary School, the Lake Street Fire Station, and the transit garage.

We are working with the Chief Kevin Rourke of the Nashua Police Department to purchase hybrid cruisers. We are
working to expand the number of charging stations for electric vehicles in our parking garages. We are working with
Dante Castellano and other students at Nashua South to provide hundreds of tree saplings to our residents. And with
the leadership of Energy Manager Doria Brown and Committee Chair Bob Blaisdell, we are working with Cheshire
County, Portsmouth, Lebanon, Dover, and Hanover to adopt community power which will enable us to increase the
proportion of green electric power supplied to Nashua residents.

Overall, there is much to be grateful for living in our great City. We are hopeful, looking towards a future that is safe,
healthy, and successful for all Nashuans and their families.

THANK YOU TO OUR CITY TEAM

Before | close, | want to thank our 2,800 City employees — our City team, including my small and hardworking staff for
giving your all in navigating the headwinds of the last two years. | greatly admire you and | am inspired by your
commitment to our city and our citizens. Always remember that your efforts are appreciated by me and many others.
Thank you all and God bless you in our fair city.

ADJOURNMENT

MOTION BY ALDERMAN O’BRIEN THAT THE FEBRUARY 15, 2022, MEETING OF THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN
BE ADJOURNED BY ROLL CALL

A viva voce roll call was taken to adjourn the Board of Aldermen meeting which resulted as follows:
Yea: Alderman O’Brien, Alderman Sullivan, Alderman Klee, Alderman Moran,

Alderman Lopez, Alderman Jette, Alderman Clemons, Alderman Comeau,

Alderman Dowd, Alderman Gouveia, Alderman Cathey, Alderman Thibeault,

Alderwoman Timmons, Alderman Wilshire 14
Nay: 0
MOTION CARRIED

The meeting was declared adjourned at 7:36 p.m.

Attest: Susan K. Lovering, City Clerk

7:00 PM MEETING OF THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN FEBRUARY 15, 2022

Aldermanic Chamber and by Zoom

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PRESIDENT LORI WILSHIRE CALLS ASSEMBLY TO ORDER

PRAYER OFFERED BY CITY CLERK SUSAN K. LOVERING

PLEDGE TO THE FLAG LED BY ALDERMAN DEREK THIBEAULT

ROLL CALL

MAYOR’S ANNUAL STATE-OF-THE-CITY ADDRESS

ADJOURNMENT

A regular meeting of the Board of Aldermen was held Tuesday, February 8, 2022, at 7:30 p.m. in the aldermanic chamber
and via Zoom teleconference which meeting link can be found on the agenda and on the City’s website calendar.

President Lori Wilshire presided; City Clerk Susan Lovering recorded.
Prayer was offered by City Clerk Susan Lovering; Alderwoman-at-Large Gloria Timmons led in the Pledge to the Flag.
Let’s start the meeting by taking a roll call attendance. If you are participating via Zoom, please state your presence, reason

for not attending the meeting in person, and whether there is anyone in the room with you during this meeting, which is
required under the Right-To-Know Law.

The roll call was taken with 15 members of the Board of Aldermen present: Alderman O’Brien,

Alderman Sullivan, Alderman Klee, Alderman Moran, Alderman Lopez, Alderman Jette, Alderman Clemons, Alderwoman
Kelly, Alderman Comeau, Alderman Dowd, Alderman Gouveia, Alderman Cathey, Alderman Thibeault, Alderwoman
Timmons, Alderman Wilshire.

Mayor James W. Donchess, Corporation Counsel Steve Bolton, were also in attendance.

REMARKS BY THE MAYOR

Mayor Donchess

So | wanted, again, as | have been doing over the last number of meetings, a couple of years give you the latest COVID
numbers but let me make clear first what I’m giving you. | tell you about the hospital statistics every time. We get these
numbers directly from the hospitals. We have a weekly call. They go through their census and they tell us how many
COVID patients they have. So if you wonder about the accuracy of those numbers, talk to the hospitals because that’s
where we're getting the information.

When it comes to the other COVID numbers, we're getting those from the State of New Hampshire. We are not
tabulating. We are not counting. We are not massaging. We get these directly from the State of New Hampshire. So if
you think they’re not accurate, please contact Concord.

Now what we have this week is still numbers that are high but certainly they are a lot better than they were a few weeks
ago. In terms of hospitalization, we have 20 people hospitalized in the two hospitals. Now we’ve seen in the last month,
six weeks, there were 70 people. So now it’s only 20 which is good but relatively good but certainly not as good as it was
over the summer.

Alderman Comeau asked about primary diagnosis. | did ask that question of the hospitals. It’s an interesting question.
They say that it is very hard to sort that out because often times people come in reporting something other than COVID —
stomach ailment, a heart problem, other things. In the end, the ultimate diagnosis is that even a heart issue, a stomach
issue, is caused by COVID so it’s very hard to kind of determine sort it out. It is because we have gotten numbers on the
same standard for months and months. The fact that we have 20 now is better than 70 a few weeks and it’s not as good
as 5 over the summer. So we know that the hospitals are less stressed than they were. Now they still have FEMA —
people in both of the hospitals as well as National Guard because they have had trouble keeping themselves staffed with
the COVID patients, with their other patients, with staff shortages, and people leaving the profession. There are just a lot
of issues that the hospitals have. So that gives you some insight | hope about the hospitals.

In terms of COVID, over the last two weeks 974 cases have been reported in Nashua. A lot of cases but a lot better than
several weeks ago when that number was up around 3,000. During the summer months, it was down in the low double
digits over two weeks. Not a particular big number of cases but it is coming down rather dramatically and that’s of course
very good news. Still a lot more than we’d like. There are currently 406 active cases and the positivity rate over the last
seven days on average has been 14 percent. Too high but again it was 28 a few weeks ago. So 14 is relatively good.
We're looking forward to it coming down further. Bobbie Bagley of course is constantly working and Kim Bernard on this
issue.

On a medical subject, | wanted to mention that AMR announced today that they are beginning a program here in Nashua
that enables people to become EMTs. They will pay people go through the EMT program which will further and expand
the number of EMTs which we desperately need. So they're paying people and they will then take them to be EMTs once
they're educated. It’s like a 10 to 12 week program. It’s pretty expensive for AMR but they are also focusing and trying to
get as many Nashua people into the program as they possibly can. They’ve previously done this in Manchester now

Board of Aldermen 02-08-2022 Page 2

they’re doing it in Nashua. AMR has been serving the city for a long, long time and have done a really good job and this
hopefully will help us strengthen our medical community.

On another subject Madam President, Matt Sullivan is in the room here. | think you’re all familiar with him. He’s currently
the Planning Director. | have nominated him subject to your confirmation to become Community Development Director.
The job previously held by Sarah Marchant. We had an interview committee interview 4 or 5 people, including Matt. Most
of the others from out of State but the committee was unanimous in suggesting that Matt would be the strongest applicant.
We know he’s done a very good job as Planning Director, works very well with the Planning Board, Chair of the Planning
Board thinks he does a very good job. In addition, we’ve gotten good citizen feedback. | personally have thought he’s
done an excellent job. So I'll be nominating him. Of course this will get referred to the Personnel Committee and you will
assume next time you meet you will interview him to the extent you think you'd like to.

| also wanted to mention Madam President concerning downtown. We have an environment down here where retailers
can succeed. We've seen it with a number of new businesses, new restaurants but the most recent one which has now
been with us for several months is CasaNova which is a men’s boutique near where Ja Ja Belle’s is. They’re doing very
well. Kate Dagiais a Nashua person is the proprietor, the owner of that business. | went in. | gota shirt. It costs only
$98. It was really a good deal. It was great and | hope that you all will consider patronizing it. We've seen Camaraderie.
We've seen (inaudible), Raja, a lot of new businesses are opening and they seem to be doing very well. We're seeking to
build of course — I’m sure you agree — a stronger, healthier economy for the city including downtown. The stronger the
businesses are downtown in the long run, the stronger tax base we willhave. Other than that Madam President, | think
I’ve concluded but of course if anybody does have questions, I’m certainly available.

President Wilshire

Thank you Mayor.

RESPONSE TO REMARKS OF THE MAYOR

Alderman Sullivan

Thank you Madam President. | would like to also speak highly of CasaNova. | bought a sweater there. It wasn’t $98 but
they didn’t have it because of supply chain. Kate the CEO was in constant contact and | just got the e-mail today that the
sweater is in. I’m Sure we have good taste in clothing so nice job.

Alderman Cathey

Thank you Madam President. Mr. Mayor two questions. One would be have the hospitals talked about a plan to increase
the staffing or how the city could help in that way. | know that they have been struggling over the past some months to
get staffing. Have you guys talked in depth about that or has that not been on the table?

Mayor Donchess

Several weeks ago we had rather than the regular meeting, an emergency meeting really and they asked what could the
city do to help them. So what we lined up was the police and fire departments both agreed that they would provide — they
could get volunteers to come on a detail rate basis. We offered that to the hospitals but in the interim, they reported that
they had less employees on quarantine or isolation so that helped and they got these FEMA people. The FEMA people
are actually paramedics so that’s very helpful and they got the National Guard. So in the end although the police and fire
departments were both very helpful in sort of making this a possibility and in the end, the hospitals have not called on us
to provide people on that basis.

Alderman Cathey

Okay great. My second question would be if people wanted more information about the AMR EMT could they just go to
the website or is there a better way to look up that information?

Mayor Donchess

| don’t know if it’s on their website. | think just call them, especially if they’d like to apply. They're looking for applicants.
Chris Stawasz is one of the people that’s very familiar here in the city and he could provide I’m sure all the information.
There was a press thing today and he was there. Very well known in Nashua.