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Source: Nashua CPW

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Page 3 of 4

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Source: Nashua OPW

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Outdoor Dining
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Page 4 of 4

@Nashua

Source: Nashua DPW

ORDINANCE:

PURPOSE:

ENDORSERS:

COMMITTEE

ASSIGNMENT:

FISCAL NOTE:

LEGISLATIVE YEAR 2022

O-22-008

Relative to Seasonal Road Closures and Elimination of Certain
On-Street Parking for Extended Outdoor Dining and Other
Non-Vehicular Use

Mayor Jim Donchess

Committee on Infrastructure

The redaction in meter revenue is estimated to be from $30,000
and $45,000. The reduction in parking enforcement revenue is
estimated to be from $5,000 to $8,606. Cost to move the
barriers is estimated to be $60,000 a vear. Painting cost is
estimated to be $20,000.

ANALYSIS

RSA 41:11 enables the Board of Aldermen to regulate the use of all public highways and

sidewalks,

Approved as to form:

Office of Corporation Counsel

By: /s/ Celia K. Leonard

Date: February 16, 2022

O-22-009

ORDINANCE

RAISING THE LANDFILL DISPOSAL FEE FOR CONSTRUCTION AND
DEMOLITION DEBRIS FROM $90 PER TON TO $300 PER TON

CITY OF NASHUA

In the Year Two Thousand and Twenty-Two

The City of Nashua ordains that Part I] “General Legislation”, Chapter 270 “Solid
Waste”, Article III “Sanitary Landfill”, Section 270-9 “Fees for deposit of waste” of the Nashua
Revised Ordinances, as amended, be and hereby is further amended by deleting the struck-
through language and adding the new underlined language as follows:

Ҥ 270-9. Fees for deposit of waste.

All permittees holding permits under § 270-8 shall pay the following fees in connection
with waste matertal deposited by them at any iand fill:

Cc Construction and demolition debris shall be charged on a per-ton basis at $300 per
ton. Feral Other acceptable municipal solid waste otherthat-that not defined in
other subsections of this section, a-sem shall be charzed on a per-ton basis not less
than $60 per ton and not more than $90 per ton to be established from time to
time by the aldermanic Finance Committee in consultation with the Director of
Public Works and Board of Public Works. There will be a minimum charge not to
exceed 1/2 of a ton as established by the Board of Public Works for commercial
disposal of municipal solid waste, construction and demolition debris and
sweepings. Waste from mobile home parks and multifamily residences, including
apartment, condominium, rowhouse and townhouse complexes, shall be exempt
from such fee in accordance with written procedures established by the Division
of Public Works.”

This ordinance shail become effective upon passage.

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.