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Board of Aldermen — 9/12/17 Page 9

wave of revolutionaries bringing brick and mortar shops back to downtown. They’ve been an excellent addition
to the fabulous ones that we already have from Fresh, to Designworks, to Myoptic, and anyone else that I’ve
forgotten. | can only speak for myself, however, | feel that the performing arts center would be a huge draw to
Nashua and the downtown area. It could breathe new life into the city and a time when arts programs are
being pushed aside, reduced, or cut completely in so many places nationwide, let Nashua step forward. Let
Nashua show our youth that the arts are not only alive in our city but are supported and nurtured. That having
a passion and love for creating is at the core of both business and the arts. Pass the performing arts center
this evening and help create the ripple that has the potential to become a tidal wave for change in Nashua and
other small communities. Thank you.

Dave Tencza, 10 Monica Drive

Thank you very much. Dave Tenza — 10 Monica Drive, Ward 8 here in Nashua. | appreciate the chance to
speak in favor of this project. | really think this project is about the future of Nashua which is | think what
everyone has been saying here tonight. | have two children. They've involved in lots of activities here in the
city. They benefit from the sports programs. They benefit from the great parks and recreation area we have
here in Nashua and | see this arts center as an investment akin to those investments that this Board has
already made. The reason | say that is because this summer my two kids fell in love with the program that
they have over at the Palace Theater. They went once a week to see the shows that they have that are
specifically for younger kids. They’re quick shows but they love them. Every week they look forward to them.
Every week my wife took them out to eat in Manchester. One thing that | am afraid that we’re teaching my kids
is that if they want to go to a show, if they want to go have some culture, they have to go to Manchester, or
they have to go to Concord. | think building this arts center having it down here would be a great signal to
them that Nashua is a great place to live. There’s a lot for them to do. It’s a place that they want to grow up
and stay as they get older.

| think the other thing about the program up in Manchester is that every time they would go during the day,
there were groups from the various camps, different programs. So this arts center is not just going to benefit
people who can afford to buy tickets. It’s going to benefit youth in the city, a lot of collateral groups. It’s going
to have a lot of collateral benefits that maybe are not going to be discussed tonight and we can’t even think of
but certainly it is an important message to send.

Finally just as far as the future of downtown, the future of the city is concerned, its vote is being taken tonight. |
heard one of the speakers before say this was looked into 30 years ago. The city cannot wait another 30 years
to develop a project like this. We have an opportunity now. We have an opportunity in a parcel of land that
may never become available again. Tonight's the night to vote on this and | ask that you support this measure.
Thank you.

Lisa Bissonnette

Thank you. I’m reading a letter on behalf of Meri Goyette. She’s at 63 Forest Park Drive in Nashua. “As
someone who’s been passionate in the arts in the City of Nashua and has played a significant role in
leadership, advancing and honoring the arts in the city, | believe that this is the time for the community to
support and create a performing arts center that will not only help our community to thrive but will also provide
a pivotal commitment that the arts play in our community. This decision to support the performing arts center
did not come quickly or easily for me despite my passion for supporting all things cultural in my city but after
much soul searching, | believe that this is the time for people to come together to support the performing arts
center in the downtown. The key word is “together” to describe Nashua. Thank you. Meri Goyette”.

Eileen Beckhardt Freedom, 42 Raymond Street

Good evening. | actually was never intending to speak but | do feel very passionately about this program
project. I’ve lived in Nashua since 1974. | was a long-time teacher at Elm Street Junior High School and up
until just recently, | owned Beckonings on Main Street for 15 years. | have a pretty good sense of what a
wonderful city we have and what a better city we could have. | feel that we have this opportunity. When

Board of Aldermen — 9/12/17 Page 10

opportunity comes knocking, we should take it. There are several different conditions that are coming together
just like | remember years ago there was a movie called “the Perfect Storm” when all these different conditions
come together and one by one, they would have been not a big deal but everything together just made this
magnificent storm. | feel like we have that here, although on a positive note.

We have an analysis done by the Duncan Web group who said that said we could definitely support an arts
center. We have a building that is in the right spot. Yes we have to work on it but it’s there and that building
will not become available again. We also have a community partnership because we're saying that there’s a
contingency that the city and the private sector has to raise | think $4 million before anything can continue.
Now the Currier Gallery has stepped in and wants to also partner with this. So we have all these different
pieces that are coming together. We can’t not act on this. We must vote yes for the performing arts center.
Thank you very much.

Elaine Oulandsen, 21 Raymond Street

|, too, like Eileen | had not intended to speak this evening but this proposal is of the utmost importance. | live
on Raymond Street in Ward 3. I’ve lived in Nashua for 30 years. | am a committee member of the Nashua
International Sculpture Symposium. This opportunity is incredible for all of the aforementioned reasons.
Tonight is the night to take a giant step to further enhancing this incredible city that we live in-— Nashua. So |
strongly encourage your vote in support of the performing arts center. Thank you.

Jamie Turbine, 35 Chester Street

Good evening. My name is Jamie Turbine. |’m from Ward 3. | am in complete support of the performing arts
center. | agree with what’s been said so far with the benefits to the community, to the city, to the tax base.
The points that | would like to discuss is about risk. The process of getting us to tonight, there’s been studies
done to identify what the market could bear. What Nashua could bring to the table as far as size, location, sort
of the amenities of what a performing arts center in Nashua could be.

The Alec’s Shoe location ticks most of the boxes, what the study said we could bring, we could bear, and we
could run successfully is met by that location. From a funding perspective, $15.5 million that’s a scary number.
From a financial market perspective, bond rates are cheap. That can be issues and our balance sheets will
allow for that to be paid for from just the sort of mechanisms we already have in place.

In addition to the risk that’s there for doing this, there’s also the risk for not doing it. We've had speakers talk
about the demographic impact that the arts bring. We have a gentleman from the Currier he wants to come
and partner with us. If we don’t do this, that goes away. We become less appealing. We don’t have that
attraction to demographics. We don’t have the partnerships coming in. Nashua has to think of itself regionally
and in competition with the other mid-sized cities in the area. If we’re not keeping up with what they offer to
their residents and what they offer to bring people in, then we’re treading water. We're standing still. They will
attract the demographic. They will bring in the businesses, the people, the partners, the culture. When you
vote, please keep in mind that voting no is not necessarily a vote against the risk of making that choice. Thank
you.

Philip Scontsas, 14 Ashland Street

I’m a third generation business owner on Main Street. I’ve seen a lot come and go and very excited about this
proposal this evening. I’m hoping to see a positive outcome. | hope that you all think long and hard about
what everybody has been saying tonight, what we’ve all been reading, and really the bottom line is it’s not
rocket science. This stuff works. It’s what we’re peaked for. We're ready for it. | know it’s a challenge.
You're job isn’t easy and it’s hard to make these decisions but make the right decision tonight. Make the
decision for Nashua. Make it for all of us to go forward and | think you'll all be happy in the end.

| do want to read a short letter that was sent to us from the Silverstone Living which is the Hunt Community.
It’s just a show of support. It’s “I am writing to express Silverstone Living strong support for the proposed

Board of Aldermen — 9/12/17 Page 11

center for the arts to be located at the former Alec Shoe Store. Beyond the positive economic impact, we
believe this project will bring to Nashua and the downtown area. It is our view that our Hunt Community and
the Huntington at Nashua residence along with members of At Home by Hunt will use and enjoy this venue as
active citizens of Nashua. We believe the proposed center will provide an intimate, cultural experience for our
residence and members that is not currently available here in Nashua. The mixed use of this venue provides
an added attraction to the downtown area that our residence and members will enjoy for years to come.
Bringing this proposal to reality is something we endorse without reservation. Sincerely Peter Worecki, CEO of
Silverstone Living.” Thank you for listening and thank you for your vote tonight.

Al Sewell, 5 Lincoln avenue

Good evening. Thank you very much. | originally also was not going to speak but I’m going to speak from the
heart this evening briefly. Al Sewell, 5 Lincoln Avenue, Ward 7. My wife and | have lived here in Nashua for
25 years. Third generation here in Nashua. | didn’t grow up here in Nashua but my grandparents were natives
of Nashua and my Mom grew up here as well. The last year or so of my grandmother's life, | lived with her.
She was one of the original founders of the Nashua Center for the Arts over on Court Street where there’s a
mural there in her memory. So this is very, very passionate to me. | can’t think of a more ideal location. The
people of Nashua clearly want this. That’s just volumes. So the last year or so of my grandmother’s live, my
wife and | got married shortly after her passing and my wife was really enthusiastic about Nashua. She said
why don’t we live here and bring up our children. We ended up — and | of course love Nashua and we decided
to settle here in Nashua. We have two children one of which is away at college and one in high school. | look
to the future. I’m looking at Nashua where we're going to be 5, 10, 15 years out. We've missed some
opportunities whether it’s Holman Stadium, the Verizon center, or you look at other communities that has been
stated — Concord, Portsmouth. We have a gem here. Let’s not miss it. Let’s maximize our potential here. |
called Alderman June Caron and I’ve listened to some of the concerns on the opposing side and | understand
that there are risks involved but the risks of not doing this is just catastrophic. It's mind-blowing if we don’t do
it. We need to do this for the future of Nashua. Thank you.

Fred Teeboom, 24 Cheyenne Drive

A lot of emotion here but the Mayor mentioned some figures. Let’s talk figures and cents and let’s talk facts.
First of all it's going to take 10 votes of the Board of Aldermen to pass this — 2/3 vote. That’s a 2/3 vote — 10
votes. Second of all, has anyone looked at the details? First of all the bond for $15.5 million, you’ve got to
take $21 million to pay it back. That means $1.1 million a year for 20 years. On top of that, there’s a $37.5
million bond. The Mayor mentioned it but when you lay it out, it’s not fully self-supported. When you take your
other $37.5 million on top of debt on a $75 million street program, 5 years from now you’re looking for another
$37.5 million and none of that is going to be supported because you have to continue paying for the first bond.
Now | hear there’s another $50 million come off of Elm Street.

Now when | was here during the public hearing, | asked where is the details for the $15.5 million. If you
remember, the figure showed up from Director Cummings. Some of it hidden behind the George Washington
Bridge and | wasn’t able to tell what it was. There were no details. Strangely enough during the Board of
Aldermen meeting from 2 May when the consultants came and made the presentation, all this fancy emotional
discussion and guess what there were not details presented on the $15.5 million. None. It was just a number
thrown out. | asked for those details. | suspect the details someone provided because if you look at the
consultant’s studies, there were four consultants. There was Webb doing the marketing study; Bruner/Cott
doing the architectural study. Fantasy Consulting doing the constructing costing and Fisher Docks Associate
doing theater equipment study. Four consultants. They came up with a number. If you add it up, | can’t do it
now with all these people waiting, $20.9 million to do this job. $20.9 million. Now included with that is $2
million for land. What’s the land for? It’s not identified for parking? Well of course there’s no parking. How
are the trucks going to deliver the stage props? How are handicapped people going to have access? Are they
going to walk 400 feet to one garage and 300 feet to the other garage? How are people going to get dropped
off? Is that what the $2 million is for? There’s no land. All you have is a little alleyway behind the store, the
building behind Alec Shoe Store. It’s actually two buildings. It’s a four story building and a two story building in
the basement. Where are they going to park? Where are they going to buy the land? It makes no sense.

Board of Aldermen — 9/12/17 Page 12

If you look at the operation and maintenance costs, it’s even worse. There was a lady here to talk about the
capital thing in Concord. They expect in a pro forma several hundred thousand to $900,000 annual for an
income. Where is that going to come from, Nashua? They expect $160,000 income for a $4 million
endowment that no one has identified as who’s going to provide that $4 million. They expect on top of that
$160,000 from the $4 million endowment another $100,000 from additional contributions or gifts to make this
thing operate. Why? They project $500,000 to $600,000 in staffing costs. Eleven people to staff this thing.
Eleven. Four full time, four part time, and three event. Eleven people and the total cost of $500,000 -
$600,000. That’s why you need $1 million to operate and that’s why you need all this money from
contributions. How is that going to operate? How is this realistic compared to what happened at Court Street?

Tracy Hatch was here as an alderman. Well | was here also as an alderman twenty-five years ago. It was all
the same emotion. Got buy Court Street. Got to buy Court Street. What happened? The whole thing
collapsed. It’s a farce from all the budget and one director is still — it was gifted. There’s no bond. It was gifted
by the family and it collapsed. What about the Keefe Auditorium? Have you been there? Have you ever gone
to the men’s room or the woman’s room? The place needs a lot of work. That’s where the work has to be
done right now.

Now if you look at other theaters. People brought these up. In the study as in your presentation as you
receive at 2 May, there were four theaters mentioned. Out of the four, only one was profitable. The other
three lost money up to $929,000 — Vermont. Connecticut | think made money but the other three failed. One
of them was New Hampshire. | happened to be the one in Keene — the Colonial in Keene. Guess what? It is
running an angle deficit of $232,000. Who’s making this up? This facility is going to be owned by Nashua
taxpayers who pay the $1.2 million bond a year. If it’s a deficit, the taxpayers have to make it up. It makes
really not a lot of sense. Now if you look at the layout, this is a two-story building made by Alec Shoe Store
and then there’s a four-story behind it. The way they configured this thing, they’ve got to raise the roof on the
two-story of Alec Shoe Store because they've got tiered seating and it’s up on the second floor. They got two
stair cases to the left, none to the right. They have cramped 500 seating. There’s no center aisle. There’s a
small 800 foot performance stage. I’m telling you if you sit in the corner of that room on the second floor the
way it’s laid out and there’s a fire — you’re a fireman — you’re in a heap of trouble. Has the fire code bought off
on this thing? Has the fire code bought off on this thing?

Economic impact. | heard of millions of dollars annual report into May it does do an economic analysis. That’s
what the consultant Duncan Webb does. Guess what the impact is? $400,000 in net spending. $400,000 -
$139,000 net earnings — 5 jobs. For debt you pay $1.2 million a year. Like Dan Richardson said, give them
the $1.2 million. It’s a lower risk and better use of the money. Meanwhile, you have Court Street. What
happened to Court Street? Here you're creating a space of 7,000 square feet performing center but you’re
renovating 57,000 square feet. That sound strange? Look at your report. Look at the 2 May report. You don’t
have that. That’s in the detailed construction report that you don’t have - 57,000 square feet. It has to be
renovate it because you’re going to put stuff downstairs. You'll put meeting rooms in. We have a meeting
room in the Hunt Building. We have a performance area in Court Street. In fact doing your meeting in 2 May
because the architect consultant mentioned $2 to $5 million if you want to do some stuff and make it work and
do some minor fixing in Court Street. No one five years ago, Alderman McCarthy, that was in your 2 May,
2017 report he mentioned $2 to $5 million.

Now they also did a very detailed study for Court Street. They did what they call a less complete analysis for
Court Street and a more complete analysis of Court Street. The less analysis for Court Street was $9 million
that compares with the $60 million with Alec Shoe Store. The full construction, complete reconstruction at
Court Street was $14 million. Both of them less than Alec Shoe Store. Of course, it’s already a theater. This
study gets funded mostly by the Downtown Economic Development Expendable Trust Fund. | think it was 60
percent of it. $29,000 out of the $51,000 for the study came from this trust fund and they steered it! In fact an
alderman caught that. He says how can these costs be so high? Remember that? How can these costs be
so high? They started talking about Court Street. Mr. Clemons interrupted and he said we’re getting off track.
“Court Street is not our preferred site.” Quoted on page 4 of the minutes of 2 May. “Court Street is not our
preferred site.” The architect said we focused on Alec Shoe Store. He was steered by the downtown money
and the downtown committee to look only at Alec. To only look at Alec. When | mentioned too the $5 million

Board of Aldermen — 9/12/17 Page 13

of upgrades, that’s all you really need if you want to do some minor, minor stuff on Court Street it’s immediately
disregarded.

Before you proceed, there’s no rush. If you okay this bond which is 10 votes, nothing happens because the
bond says you can’t do a thing until you have the $4 million in endowment fund. Well just hold it. Hold it.
Take a look what Cookson came up with the Daniel Webster College thing. Get the money first. Why can’t
you get the $4 million before you approve the bond? Why do you have to have a steering committee to look at
all kinds of construction if you have no construction done yet? Bonds should come last. It’s like a Purchase &
Sales Agreement, first you do the purchase. You close the deal. The financing was when the bonding comes
very last just like Pennichuck. The Purchase & Sales Agreement was signed and months later the bonding
was a $150 million was arranged for it. I’m not against a performing arts center. This if you look at the details
passed a motion of having something on Main downtown. If you really want to do something for downtown
lead with this. Close off Main Street, make Main Street pedestrian from East Hollis Street to Water Street.
You can drive down the Broad Street Parkway. You can drive down Spring Street — make it pedestrian only
from Water Street to East Hollis Street. Then you'll really have something. Thank you.

Paula Johnson, 15 Westborn Drive

I’ve lived in this city for 33 years. Also was an alderman at one time. I’m very proud of the way | voted to make
sure costs was under control. I’m here tonight, again, to talk about the performing arts center. I’ve sent some
blogs on Facebook when people talk about that we need a performing arts center. | don’t remember Mrs.
Hatch if you were on the Board when you voted for the Stabile’s building. Were you one of the aldermen that
voted for it? | think so. It was a long time ago.

President McCarthy

Mrs. Johnson would you address the Board and not the audience please.
Paula Johnson

That’s okay Alderman McCarthy. | just wanted to set the record straight. | wanted to make sure that I’m right
about things. Back then Mr. Stabile had the arts and science building down on Court Street. Mr. Stabile said
he was not going to let it be put back on the tax rolls. He said if the city did not buy it, then he was going to
donate it. How do | know, Mr. Stabile was in my house with several members of the Nashua Taxpayers
Association back then. | believe that building we purchased it for about $300 to $400,000 back then with a
leaky roof and a bad heating system. See we have a habit of buying things in this city without doing our due
diligence on checking buildings out. The other one is on Riverside that we bought for Public Works. |
remember being on the Board. That was over $2 million. While if some of us are a little bit skeptical here, |
guess we have a reason why who sat on this Board and watched legislation go through and questioned.
Although people in the audience might not like what Fred says or what I’m saying, it’s because when you sit on
this side of the horseshoe and you see the numbers that come through, you have to do your due diligence
because you’re representing the people. Whether you like the project or not, it is your duty to check the
numbers and make sure that everything agrees on what’s going to be built or what’s going to be purchased.

Now my concern with downtown, | mean there was a Letter to the Editor written from a woman who works for a
nonprofit a couple weeks ago. Unfortunately | couldn’t make the meetings because I’m one of these suckers
that have to work for a living so | can pay my increase in taxes that are probably going to up maybe 2, 3
percent again this year. So | look at what you’re going to do. I’ve questioned it and | was talking to Alderman
Wilshire prior to the meeting and | was saying you know where has been the arts community to raise this
money prior to this? One would think, one would think that maybe you would have your money already to go
so if you found a building and you wanted the project to go, you had at least $4 million to put into the pot to
show that you’re serious about the money. My question is why would you as $15.5 million why wouldn’t you
make them come up with half the money? Why should the taxpayers have to pay for this? This is a
government project basically government. What is government’s responsibility? It’s not to have an arts center.

Board of Aldermen — 9/12/17 Page 14

Government’s responsibility is Police, Fire Public Works and schools. That’s what government’s responsibility
is. This should be a private project, private money. We shouldn’t have to be bonding all this money because
when you say our children’s future here what about every time you bond that’s another loan that our children
have to pay back. Look at the federal government. We're over $20 trillion in debt. It’s so easy to say that
we’re going to be retiring bonds but every time you retire there’s always another one coming and that’s what
we leave for our children — a legacy. I’m not a crazy woman here either like you said about that other one.
Matter of fact that woman who was sitting right there, she nailed it on the head. This is a business which
government does not ever do a good job of running a business. We see that time in and time out. We don’t do
a good job of Medicare. We don’t do a good job of Medicaid. There’s fraud in the system. Yes there is
Alderman as you shake your head and there is.

What we need to do this has to be a private endeavor, private business has to run it, Board of Directors, and it
needs to be straight and the business had to be profitable. If it isn’t and we the taxpayer undertake this
endeavor, we will pay for this if it fails because why, we hold the bond. It’s a loan. It’s aloan and you don’t
want the city to get a bad credit rating because then when you really need to do something and you don’t pay
anything and things happen, guess what you don’t have that AAA rating that we brag about. The reason we
can brag about it is because we pay our bills right now. Bonding is a serious issue here. $15.5 million I’m not
comfortable with Alec Shoe Store downtown and why don’t people come down? The parking you have to pay
for the meters number one. | don’t go to the parking garage because | remember when | was on the Board
with you Alderman McCarthy, Alderman Wilshire, Alderman Deane, Attorney Bolton we used to have people
manning the parking garage. Then we took it away and my question are we going to have cameras there?
Who’s going to man the cameras? If anything happens, who’s watching? It’s not a live body that’s there.
People don't like to go to the parking garages. In case we forgot, Nashua has a big drug problem here and
most of the cops are out there on the drug problem. When people run the red lights, you can’t get anybody.
Let’s do our due diligence tonight. No reason to have to vote on this immediately. Let's see the arts
community step up already with that $4 million to show us in good faith and make them come up with half the
money before we'll even think about bonding. Let’s start taking a look at the buildings. Look at the Jan
Streeter building how deplorable that building has been over the years. We didn’t’ do anything like that. We
don’t’ have the money to fix our buildings. Our schools show it and yet we’re going to get another building and
go into a project like this. Thank you.

Latha Mangipudi, 20 Salmon Brook Drive

Good evening Mayor and Board of Aldermen and President McCarthy. My name is Latha Mangipudi. | reside
at 20 Salmon Brook Drive and serve as a State Rep. for Ward 8 and this is my third term. I’m here to support
the performing arts center. Mayor Donchess alluded to former Congressman who made — | have his testimony
but I’m going to paraphrase what he had to say. He was here. He heard about this and on NRP this morning
and he was very excited with the fact that Nashua is going to get a heart and soul in downtown Nashua which
in his words “if you invest one dollar in performing arts center which bring art and culture to downtown Nashua
and to the surrounding communities, it brings dividend not $7 dollars but about $7 to$10. So one dollar of
investment brings in $7 to $10 in return.” That’s his testimony.

Personally for me, I’ve lived in Nashua for over 26 years, raised 2 children who are 28 and 26. Neither one of
them live here. | would love to see them back here. This past weekend they were home and when they were
hearing about this performing arts center, the response from the two youngsters — the millennial generation
that we are trying to attract was finally Nashua is waking up to the fact that we need a heart and soul in
downtown.

The other hat | wear is as many of know 6 percent of Nashua population is Indian American and very vibrant in
terms of art, culture, music, and performing arts. The minute they heard about the fact that there is this talk
about performing arts center, I’ve been getting calls. When is it going to be so we can have some
performances? Right now on an average | get invitation for an art show, music, dance, and drama theater
from just the Indian community just across the border 3 to 5 per week. | cannot keep up with the requests and
amount of cultural activity that’s happening. We have young families from different diverse communities that
have made home in Nashua. Here is an opportunity that we open up no silos, no boundaries to celebrate and

Board of Aldermen — 9/12/17 Page 15

come together as a community come together. Like Meri Goyette said, come together as a community to
celebrate our rich, diverse, cultural and art heritage that we have right there in Nashua.

I’m a first generation. | moved here in ’89. | moved here with a year old daughter and my son was born here.
| can’t say I’m a third generation but I’m proud to be in Nashua. I’m proud to be here and this is my home. |
would like to say this is an opportunity coming as across 10,000 miles with one-way ticket. | had to take the
chance. | had no option or | did have an option to go back if | didn’t succeed. Being a first generation,
crossing the ocean as a young 22 year old and coming here making it work, | Know we have to take chances.
Opportunities don’t come knocking on your door every day. This is a perfect moment for Nashua not to lose
the opportunity but to celebrate and move forward. | sincerely hope that every single one of you who served
as alderman | think you for your service and | know having served on the School Board when we did two high
schools how difficult, how diligent we were and how it has benefited our community. With that, | would request
that you all support and let us work together. Let us have the pride of Nashua as a community. With that, |
truly hope and pray and wish you all good luck and let us do it together. Thank you.

Liz Racioppi, 15 Middle Dunstable Road

Good evening Mayor Donchess and Board of Aldermen. Thank you for the opportunity to come forward and
speak in support of the performing arts center. I’m a resident of Ward 8, 15 Middle Dunstable Road. This is
my adopted town. I’ve lived here for 21 years. | love Nashua and | feel that I’ve seen a lot of growth, a lot of
change, and a lot of evolution. I’ve spent as a volunteer hundreds of hours as part of the community. I’ve
serve with City Arts Nashua and with the Nashua Arts Commission. I’ve worked with some of you here in the
horseshoe — Mark Cookson and others. Really | know this is not a simple slam dunk decision. It’s difficult. |
can tell you from my perspective as resident and business owner, | don’t have a stake particularly in the
performing arts center beyond that I’m a resident but | love this city and I’ve heard the voices both from the arts
community and from the audiences and even from people outside of the city who want to come and really take
advantage of what Nashua has and are learning in fact what Nashua has. As part of Ward 8, a lot of people in
Ward 8 don’t know really even know what’s going on in downtown. A performing arts center could really, really
be a keystone for bringing a lot together downtown and in the rest of the city. | ask for your support and
consideration in supporting the measure. I'd love to see a performing arts center and would love to offer more
of my own time to make it a success. Thank you.

Paul Shea, 102 Tolles Street

Good evening my name is Paul Shea. |’m a resident of 102 Tolles Street in Ward 3. I’m here this evening to
share with you some feedback from the community that we’d gathered regarding the extent of the support for
the performing arts center. If it's more appropriate to present this during the petitions portion of the meeting, let
me know and I'd be glad to do so.

President McCarthy

You can present it now.
Paul Shea

Thank you. | also have additional petitions that I’d like to submit. These are petitions from out of town. Some
are notarized, some are not but either way | wanted to kind of present those separately as | think it’s perhaps
an important distinction. There is support from outside of the community but it’s my goal this evening to
demonstrate the depth of support in the community. This packet is for Ward 1 Alderman Sean McGuinness.
This is for Ward 2 Alderman Rick Dowd. This is for Ward 3 Alderman Dave Schoneman. This is for Ward 4
Alderman Tom Lopez. This is for Ward 5 Alderman Don LeBrun. This is for Ward 6 Alderman MaryAnn
Melizzi-Golja. This is for Ward 7 Alderman June Caron. This is for Ward 8 MaryAnn Melizzi-Golja and Ward 9
Alderman Ken Siegel. When we’re done we can give them to Lori.

Board of Aldermen — 9/12/17 Page 16

“Dear Nashua Board of Aldermen. We believe that the majority of Nashuans support the initiative to bring a
modern performing arts center to downtown Nashua as proposed at the 201 Main Street location. At a recent
meeting of the Budget Review Committee, we shared results of our survey which indicated over 65 percent
support for the initiative. This survey, however, is just one data point. Over the past two weeks, Great
American Downtown has been working to garner signatures from community members to demonstrate the
depth of support of the proposed performing arts center and illustrate that level of support by Ward. These
additional data points further illustrate support for the performing arts center. You have received the document
which demonstrates signers from our on-line petition with their home addresses and their ward number. These
are signatures received through September 9" and you’ve also received a second set of signatures that were
brought in over the weekend.”

You'll have to excuse my informal attire tonight. | was hoping to go home and change but | was surprised to
find this afternoon that we had over 100 additional signers for the on-line petition. It took a good bit of time to
compile that data this afternoon. Our on-line petition reads, “We the undersigned petition the Nashua, New
Hampshire Board of Aldermen to unanimously vote yes on the passage of legislation relative to bonding the
proposed performing arts center at a meeting of the full Board of Aldermen at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday,
September 12". We believe the arts enliven, connect, and approve quality of life in our community. We
believe that a missing piece of the puzzle to success and vibrancy in downtown Nashua, New Hampshire lies
in having a modern performing arts facility. We are in support of efforts to make a well thought out vision for
modern performing center possible and want our local elected officials to support these efforts too. Over the
past several years the City of Nashua has been conducting exploratory and planning exercises to determine
the feasibility of and build a vision for a modern performing arts center.

Over the course of that time, the city Economic Development Department and consultants with expertise in
architecture, market analysis, performance venues, community outreach and other areas have been hard at
work. The City of Nashua has brought together community leaders, arts and performance organizations,
private performance oriented businesses, elected officials, and the broader community to the conversation.
After review of the regional market demand and several possible sites, the city and its consultants have
produced a report and plan that indicate that the 201 Main Street building would be the best site and that the
audience size of 500 to 700 is the right fit for the region. Since that time, the Board of Aldermen has
authorized a $3,600 amount of money to secure the building. We ask that you this evening support
unanimously the initiative to bond and build this facility.”

l’ll give you the breakdown of our on-line survey. We have received a total of 510 responses. In Ward 9, we
received a total of 47 signers. Ward 8, we received a total of 40 signers. Ward 7 we received a total of 40
signers. In Ward 6 we've received a total of 31 signers. In Ward 5 we've received a total of 50 signers. In
Ward 4 we received a total of 40 signers. In Ward 3 we’ve received a total of 100 signers. In Ward 2 we
received a total of 58 signers and in Ward 1 we've received a total of 60 signers. Our on-line petition used a
number of methods to ensure the validity of the information from signers including geographic IP restrictions,
duplicate e-mail address, and individual IP address restrictions, follow up questions designed to identify home
address, and ward of signers, and language geared to Nashuans specifically. However, we recognize that it is
important to take additional measures to confirm the identity and home address of signers if possible to
improve the validity of our efforts.

We've taken additional measures that allow us to demonstrate the level of support for many individuals in the
community using Notaries and Justice of the Peace to confirm the identify and address of individuals who have
taken the time to sign physical petitions. | have produced this evening for you an additional set of petitions
outlined by name, address, and ward with the data on the individual signers kind of organized by ward. These
physical petitions have been distributed to their relative ward aldermen at tonight’s meeting. Those are the
white copy officially notarized and | would ask that those be placed on file after you review them.

The way that it breaks down for a physical petitions, | was thinking that on a Thursday we might receive
somewhere between 40 and 60 signers for our petition. However over the course of the day from 7 a.m. to 7
p.m. at JaJaBelle’s last Thursday, we received a total of 198 physical signatures. Almost 200 people came out
that day to sign and met with about a dozen notaries who were on site throughout the day to verify their identify

Board of Aldermen — 9/12/17 Page 17

and address. In Ward 9, there are a total of 17 signers. In Ward 8, there are a total of 14 signers. In Ward 7,
there are a total of 12 signers. In Ward 6 there are a total of 12 signers. In Ward 5, there are a total of 15
signers. In Ward 4, there are a total of 28 signers. In Ward 3, there are a total of 40 signers. In Ward 2, there
are a total of 23 signers and in Ward 1 a total of 25 signers. So we are hopeful that this demonstration of
support will earn the affirmative vote of aldermen who are working to evaluate constituent feedback prior to
making a final decision on the measure. Open this to constituent feedback and a commitment to truly
represent our government and our elected officials our qualities of leadership that are worthy of a great level of
trust from voters. If you’re on the fence on the existentially important investment for our community, | hope that
this effort has earned your support for bringing a modern performing arts center to 201 Main Street. Through
your support for the initiative, you’ll continue to earn the trust of Nashuans who you have been elected to
represent.

You’ve also received a digital copy of these petitions. It is my belief and the belief of Great American
Downtown and | would argue the folks that are in this room that there is a massive groundswell of support for
this project. | hope that you take that into consideration. It is a good and it is a worthy project. It is an
investment and it stands to make all the difference in our downtown community. Thank you so much and
thank you for your time.

Marje Hogan, 67 Cannongate

I’ve been involved in this community since 1993. | was drawn here by the community arts community which is
incredible. When my late husband and | married, we were looking for a place to buy a house and there was no
more perfect place than Nashua. We moved here in 2003 and this is my home. I’d like to ask everyone what’s
the number one industry in New Hampshire? Can anyone answer that question? Where is our piece of the
pie? | have been advocating for the arts since | was involved in City Arts Nashua from its inception in 2004.
We had to go to the State Arts Council and ask them what they funding. What percentage of their money was
going to Nashua and it was nothing.

We are the second largest city in this State and most of the State thinks we’re part of Massachusetts. We are
content to have people come up from Billerica and buy their groceries at Market Basket on Saturdays and
that’s all we need as far as tourism goes. What are we going to do to stand up for ourselves and do something
to draw people from outside of Nashua to do stuff? The people who live here already invest in this community
and they do so much. This is an amazing place. We need to give them an opportunity to get here and spend
their money here because it’s worth it. Thank you.

Kellie Carin, 37B Boyd Road, Hudson.

Hi. I’m Kelly Caron and | live in Hudson, New Hampshire. Does that mean | have to sit down? Good. So I’ve
lived in this area for 35 years. | was originally for born in Cedar Rapids, lowa. You know why | don’t go back
there? There is nothing to do. Kelly Carlin, 37B Boyd Road, Hudson, NH. So! would like to first thank the
Mayor for his very supportive comments in support of this project, the Currier Gallery of Art, the Chamber of
Commerce. | enjoy movies on Main Street, dinner on Main Street, dancing on Main Street and | know | have
them to thank. I’ve seen the emergence of downtown also and you have some spectacular business and
restaurant owners that are responsible for that. | followed Michael from Levi Lowell’s in Merrimack when he
opened Michael Timothy’s on Main Street. My favorite restaurant by far. Surf, Stella Blue, Philip Scontsas
who also spoke earlier this evening. Lovely business on Main Street. He’s been there a long time. Love that
place. They’ve done their part and they’ve contributed to this community.

The arts community also does their part every day and I’m a little angry about when somebody says they ought
to step up. They step up every single day. There’s a core group that runs the Greeley Park Art Show of about
7 to 10 people. That’s it. | personally ran the kids art show for over 10 years while my daughter grew up
around this area because that gave her an outlet for her art. | spent hundreds of my own dollars on prizes for
the kids because while artists have a lot of talent, and energy, and enthusiasm, they’re often quite short on
money. So they have to step up in other ways and they do every day. I’d like to see us support this project
because as somebody said when the river rises, we all rise. Your businesses owners have given you a great

Board of Aldermen — 9/12/17 Page 18

foundation in downtown Nashua. You have some terrific restaurants and terrific businesses. It’s really grown
and become more vital and they’ve done that for you. So now let’s support them. Let’s support the Peacock
Players, the Nashua Actors Guild, the Nashua Area Artist Association, the Sculpture Symposium. These are
organizations and efforts worth lifting up with us. | would like to close with | think there’s nothing that brings
people together as a community more than a love of music, art, theater, and good food. Thank you.

Nelson Hernandez, 19 Spring Cove Road.

I'll keep it brief since other people have said a lot more eloquent stuff than | can. I’m Nelson Hernandez. I’ve
lived in and out of 19 Spring Cove Road in Ward 5 for the past 16 years. | want to say that | graduated from
Boston University about five years ago and | work in the marketing technology sector. | want to say that
people like me so my peers and | what we look for in a town when we’re trying to look for a place to live is how
vibrant is the cultural community in that town. Most people my age and in my social economic group always
took to Boston, or Manchester, or Cambridge, or so on because those cities offer a lot of cultural opportunities.
That’s why | think that this center would be great for Nashua because it brings those type of amenities that
those cities have right here in Nashua. So we don’t have to go elsewhere or when we go to college and come
back and graduate, we can just come here. We don’t have to look elsewhere.

My generation is going to be the future of the country so | think that for us we would really like to have a center
like this come to our city so that when we come here either to move here or to visit our parents or whatever, we
can also partake in the Nashua community and buy whatever stuff after the show or whatever and just partake
in the greater community in Nashua. That’s all | wanted to say. Thank you so much for letting me speak and
thank you for everyone who has already spoken. A lot of good points have been brought up. Thank you.

Jessica dePontbriand, 15 Bailey

Board of Aldermen and Mayor Donchess. Jessica dePontbriand owner of jajaBelle’s. Mostly Ward 1 life-long
resident, mostly. | left at the last meeting at about midnight and | woke up at 3 a.m. My wheels were turning.

When you own a coffee shop going to bed at midnight and waking up at 3 a.m. is not fun. | was really thinking
about a city in a downtown that | grew up in. | was thinking about the city that | left and the city that | returned
for no other reason but to bring my business to Nashua.

One thing I’ve learned in life and definitely business is that we have to take risks sometimes that we don’t
necessarily know we can afford but we know we can’t afford not to. The performing arts center is one of those
crossroads. We are at the crossroads with this. Nashua has played it safe for a very long time and as a result,
we are in trouble with attracting and retaining our millennials. | grew up in Ward 1 before | Knew what
millennials were. My friends they’re graduates of Duke University, Bentley, Notre Dame but no one chose to
return to Nashua. They visit at Christmas time and at Thanksgiving. As a business owner, I’ve been blessed
with a wonderful staff. When | do lose my girls, | lose them to much more exciting cities and that’s the truth.

| Know it’s not the city’s responsibility to claim the success or the failure of my business. Itis mine. However
when | don’t know some of you may not recognize is that the downtown merchants and restaurants we’re the
welcoming committee to your city. When people come into our town they don’t go to the south end to check
out Nashua. They come straight to the downtown and we’re the ones that welcome them and we are the
reason they return to Nashua. A few things I’ve learned about visitor to Nashua. First of all, they never
complain about parking. It’s really kind of a local thing. It’s the truth. The next thing they always do is always
comment on how beautiful our downtown actually is. A lot of come into my shop wanting to move to downtown
Nashua and then they ask me the dreaded question. What is there to do? That’s where I’m at a loss. | started
my business JaJaBelle’s over 10 years ago in Vail, Colorado.

| have maintained my customer base. My customers who have multiple homes throughout this country and
some pretty magnificent spots and whenever they’re on the east coast | get a phone call. Hey how far is your
show from and they get in the car and they have driven hours to come check out my hometown of Nashua,
New Hampshire, and come and check out JaJaBelle’s. The first comment they always make — not it’s actually
the second comment. The first comment is they’re proud. The second comment they always make is they