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Board of Aldermen 10-13-2020 Page 7

Fred Teeboom, Cheyenne Ave. Do you recognize me?

President Wilshire
Yes, | do.

Mr. Teeboom Ok my name is Fred Teeboom and | wish to comment on three of the items on the Agenda.
First of all, R-20-071. | did not support that in the past and | now fully support it. My comments are in the
minutes of the Public Hearing but just to summarize briefly there is no second-floor deathtrap in the current
design which is excellent. There’s no need for a $4 million-dollar endowment fund to support operations,
because the operator will operate the theater for the cost of $1.00 per year. And finally, the $5 million
dollars, can you hear me ok? The $5 million dollars which have been deliberately underfunded as was first
proposed and ignored the professional estimate for Fennesy, that will now be covered pretty much by the
$5 million which is now proposed at the current bond. So given these three conditions, | am now fully in
support.

The second item | want to comment on is R-20-077, the naming Columbus Day as Indigenous People’s
Day. | think that some Alderman here that carry a personal agenda but that agenda is mistaken. First of
all, Columbus Day is a regularly scheduled, recognized Federal Holiday one of 10 federal holidays. It’s
also a State holiday and | think yesterday, | don’t know if the City formally recognized it but | think the City
at least took it as a holiday as well. In the comments, in the Administrative Affairs Committee, what is being
considered and discussed, Alderman Lopez, one of the strongest supporters of it mentioned, | quote, Page
17, | quote, “I think we give the opportunity to the public to debate the issue”. The public has not seen this.
The public certainly hasn’t debated it. He also says, | am quoting again, Alderman Lopez, Page 17, | must
also agree that there are going to be people who want to be heard and | want to hear from them. This
board has not given the opportunity for the public to be heard, for instance, the American Italians, in whose
honor Columbus Day was initially passed about 100 years ago, maybe 150 years ago. | think this ought to
be put on the Agenda of the next election as a non-binding election question so the public can debate it.
This may be well intentioned but this a misplaced personal agenda item that should be placed before the
voters.

Finally | would like to comment on the — let’s see — O-20-009, Public Comment. Many years ago, | was the
first Ordinance passed in 2000 and 1994 O-94-001 there was a public comment period, no condition.
(inaudible) more conditions placed for public participation and this Ordinance is no exception. On the other
hand, the Aldermen placed absolutely no restrictions on the comments even if they are not on the agenda.
Case in point; on the Public Hearing of R-20-071 out of 20 pages, that’s maybe 100 minutes, 5 minutes a
page of discussion, 9 % pages of 45 minutes was Aldermanic comments. Well Aldermanic comments are
not on the Agenda for public hearing. There should be no Aldermanic comments on the Public Hearing
that’s for the public. And | score Chairman Budget Committee Dowd for completely losing control of the
intent of that public hearing. So even though there are ever long restrictions for the public comment on the
public comment period of these meetings, there seems to be unrestricted uncontrolled Aldermanic
comments on the Public Hearing, which are designed to hear public comment and for the public to ask
questions and what they propose. So this is bad news. This ought to stop, the public hearing is for the
public not for Aldermen. Discussion of the Aldermen who are unprepared and just use that period to try to
get information which they shouldn't, discuss during the Committee Meeting not during the Public Hearing.
Thank you.

Latha Mangipudi Thank you Madam President and Board of Aldermen. | am here in support of R-20-071
Performing Arts Center. It is a critical piece of our culture downtown that will add to the vibrancy and also
bring people to downtown. Arts & Culture is the heart of a community and having such a diverse
community you are in Nashua. This will only enhance and bring more people to downtown and bring the
vibrancy. So | am really eagerly looking forward to seeing this project come to fruition and just like the
lighted kayak parade, we will have more concerts and more performances downtown and that would be a
joy. Thank you, Madam President.

Board of Aldermen 10-13-2020 Page 8
President Wilshire

Thank you. Bob Keating?

Bob Keating Hello, can you hear me?

President Wilshire

Yes.

Mr. Keating Ok, thank you. My name is Bob Keating and | live at 5 Colburn Woods in Nashua. And! am
speaking as a member of JSOP on behalf of the residents of Bronstein and other low income families in our
neighborhoods. There are many, as we know, of low income households with over 3,000 on the Housing
Authority and Redevelopment, Housing & Redevelopment Authority’s list both for public housing and for
Section 8. | am going to read the opening of the petition signed by 28 households of Bronstein. Hopefully
you’ve had a chance to see it. It sets the stage for the expression of the residents hope.

Dear Mayor Donchess, Board of Aldermen, and Board of Directors of NHRA, We the residents of Bronstein
are asking the Board of Director of Nashua Housing & Redevelopment and our elected officials to make
every effort to enable each family who wants to remain in our neighborhood to be able to do so. This will
allow our children to attend their same schools which is very important. It will allow us to maintain our
relationships with our friends as much as possible, we also more easily work and go to our doctors and use
other services and shop at the stores we use.

It is difficult to move especially when you do not choose to do so. We hope you will keep this in mind as you
think about the demolition of Bronstein which means we lose our homes.

The essence of this petition is to give the residents of Bronstein more choices in what happens to them
about their future in regards to the homes that they will lose. The parking garage nor the Performing Arts
Center will have no direct benefit for the Bronstein residents nor likely many low income residents.
Probably few residents will be able to attend events at the Performance Arts Center because of the cost,
the case of the proposed School Street project; none will be able to be houses as the project has studio
and one bedroom apartments.

The development of the project may, in fact, actually lead to increased rental costs in the area as has been
true in many other communities that have gone through a process of gentrification. We know in our own
community that despite adding a certain amount of housing, that rental costs have continued to go up. And
in fact with that | Know many of the residents, many of the Aldermen have spoken about this, that without
assistance low income households and we are talking about families that make less than 50% of our mean,
so about 36,500 and many families are making far less than that. So they are without some kind of price
support, vouchers, tax credits, they will not be able to secure affordable housing, meaning housing that will
be less than 30% of their income.

So the Aldermen today have a chance to assist 48 families of Bronstein in their transition. They can help to
enable residents to stay in their neighborhoods by ensuring that the design of the new project at School
Project, if it goes through, allows those families from Bronstein who wish to be able to move, can stay in
their same neighborhood. | feel that there are families lost in relocation will enable (inaudible) inside about
170 families or thereabouts to have affordable housing that previously would not be able to be housed as a
result of the redevelopment of Bronstein. Because of their loss if you will, | think it’s all the more
appropriate that they deserve our support in the sense of all the people in our community, they are the ones
who are experiencing the loss, it is their relocation that is enabling our community to serve more people,
which is what we want to do to get affordable housing.

So | would ask in closing here that, that’s the official position of Bronstein and GSOP and we are just
minimally asking well for the Board of Aldermen and for the Board of Nashua & Housing Development

Board of Aldermen 10-13-2020 Page 9

Authority to sit down with the residents and to look at ways in which we can honor what is happening with
them. Because | do know from people | know on the various boards that nobody here wants to see people
be relocated when that is not what they wish to do. And | know none of us, | don’t know that for sure, but |
am venturing that none of us would want to be relocated without our own choice.

So | am going to end with what the petition says and it says, “Ve would like to meet with the Board of
Nashua Housing & Redevelopment Authority, the Mayor and the Board of Aldermen as soon as possible.
We ask that no decision be made about School Street Flats before we meet. Thank you, The Tenants of
Bronstein’.

So like | said, there are many other things that we can honor them in terms of cash payments and all that
but if we had enough money to build a $25 million dollar Performing Arts Center and a $2.5 million for the
parking garage, sitting down with the residents there and looking at how the School Street Project could be
redesigned for those families who wish to move there. So that’s the simple request and | hope that,
although tonight it will not be the final decision because | know we have to come back and see, if it goes
forward tonight, then you still would have to sell the lot. But before signing the dotted line please reach out
to the residents, sit down with them and look at ways that they too can get something directly out of this
move. So thank you, appreciate it.

President Wilshire

Thank you. There are a lot of people who want to speak; some people still have their hands up that have
already spoken. If you would please do me a favor and lower your hand, because there are 64 people on
here and a lot of them would like to speak. And | recognize those of you who are on chat, | have written
down your names. So | am going to try to take this in order. | have Aron DiBacco?

Aron DiBacco Thank you very much, my name is Aron. | Aron DiBacco work with Granite State Organizing
Project its (audio cuts out) because he said a lot of what | was going to say. So | will save you some time
there. For us, Granite State Organizing Project (audio cuts out) will be among communities of faith and we
have been working with the residents of Bronstein and our main concern is that the residents of Bronstein
(audio cuts out) and voice in the way that this coming highly disruptive process is managed. While we are
appreciative of what the Mayor (audio cuts out) to affordable housing, we also really recognize that there’s
opportunity for creative interaction between the two projects given that the School Street Flats Project is
very close as you mentioned about two blocks. And should it work to use that as part of the temporary
housing during the move, that would enable people to stay in their neighborhoods and not lose their
communities and their support systems. So for us it is very much about the residents of Bronstein having a
say in how this move is handled and that they get to explain what their needs are and how they would
prefer to have them met. And also this is GSOP is in support of R-20-077, the adoption of Indigenous
People. Thank you.

President Wilshire
Thank you. Mike Apfelberg?

Mike Apfelberg Good evening, Mike Apfelberg, President of the United Way of Greater Nashua located
at 20 Broad Street in Nashua. | would like to speak this evening in favor of R-20-071. To be sure, United
Way is not an Arts Organization. Our focus is typically on the health, education and financial stability of the
communities we serve. So you might ask where does a project like the Performing Arts Center fit into this
value scheme. You have and will of course hear about the economic value of the Performing Center, the
PAC. This includes, of course, the generation of business revenue as theater goers go out to eat, and
shop in our downtown. It will also very likely increase property values as Nashua becomes an even more
attractive community to live in and work. One aspect of the Performing Arts Center you might not have
thought about is the value in the community to health as well as community connectedness.

Board of Aldermen 10-13-2020 Page 10

Specifically, we know from extensive research that the health of any given individual and the community in
general, is primarily a function of factors related to the quality of life or lifestyle factors. This is why
communities invest in things like bike lanes and green spaces as well as the Performing Arts, In fact, it has
been demonstrated that the overwhelming majority of a person’s good health outcomes are due directly to
these social determinates and to a much lesser extent, the factors which we often think of such as
medications, doctors and surgeries.

A second aspect | would like you to consider is civil unrest. All of us have borne witness unfortunately over
the past several months to the civil unrest in so many parts of this country. This unrest fueled largely by
social media and prejudice is much more likely to occur in communities which are not closely connected.
The connectedness of people to one another is often cited as a major factor in community resilience. It is
kind of like an inoculation against unrest. Aldermen and Alderwomen, | appreciate the importance of your
decision this evening and | hope that you consider a vote in the affirmative for R-20-071 and take into
account not just economic value but also the many positive health and community consequences of a
strong and vibrant arts community. Thank you for your time.

President Wilshire

Thank you. Lindsay Rinaldi?

Lindsay Rinaldi Good evening, can everyone hear me alright?
President Wilshire

Yes.

Ms. Rinaldi That’s great. Hi, my name is Lindsay Rinaldi, thank you everyone for giving me the opportunity
to speak. My name is Lindsey Rinaldi and | am here speaking on behalf of the Nashua Arts Commission. |
am the Chair of the Nashua Arts Commission.

Alderman Caron
Can we just add addresses please?

Ms. Rinaldi Sure the Nashua Arts Commission address is the Hunt Memorial Building. | would have to
look that up real quick.

President Wilshire
| believe its 6 Main Street.

Ms. Rinaldi 6 Main Street is the address for the Nashua Arts Commission, so thank you. On behalf of the
Nashua Arts Commission, as the Chair, | would like to speak in favor of all Resolutions related to moving
the Performing Arts Center project forward. | believe that is R-20-071 and O-20-030. The need for a
Nashua Performing Arts Center was expressed in the City’s Arts & Culture Plan from 2014. This Arts &
Culture Plan was put together on the basis of input from several different arts organizations and the general
public.

At this time we saw so many people speaking in favor of needing a Nashua Performing Arts Center, not just
for the health and well being as Mike spoke to, as well as the cultural benefits. But also for the incredible
opportunity in terms of economic development. The Nashua Arts Commission plans on having the Nashua
Performing Arts Center become an integral part of the next phase of the Nashua Arts & Culture Plan which
is currently being updated and in motion.

Board of Aldermen 10-13-2020 Page 11

The next thing that is really exciting to share is that the Nashua Arts Commission has just completed an
economic study with American for the Arts taking a look at the economic impact in the Nashua Region.
That study was able to show that the Nashua Region Industry brought in $11.3 million dollars within that
year that studied. The same study was actually completed in Concord, New Hampshire a sister study. It is
also by the American for the Arts. It is used to evaluate the arts and economic prosperity of any given City.
And | think a quick comparison of the result would be very helpful and telling and to show hopefully all of
the Aldermen the tremendous economic impact and opportunity that was there. In Concord, the total local
non-profit and artistic cultural economic activity was $31.2 million dollars. And as a result of that study they
saw that number, they reached that $31.2, they say that number as a result of an increase of $13.5 million
dollars in just five years. That’s a potential 43% increase in economic activity.

What's very exciting is that if we parallel that to Nashua, if we are so fortunate to have similar results with
our number being $11.3, that could potentially increase our economic activity in the area by $4.86 million

dollars in a matter of five years and potentially could be more than that considering the size of the venue

that we are looking to build is significantly larger and has a little bit of a larger capacity to it, bringing more
people to the downtown area.

As a member of the Nashua Arts Commission, what is further exciting is that we do have an intention to
hopefully repeat that study again in the future. So that would also give us the ability to measure that impact
assuming the project moves forward and is completed. So that way we would be able to see and measure
the impact within a few years of the Performing Arts Center being open. And | think that having that
measurable, that ability to create that type of measurement and to have access to that type of data will
hopefully reaffirm the decision to move forward with the project today at its new budget point. So with that
being said, | ask all of the Aldermen to please consider voting in favor of all of the Resolutions that are
related to moving the Nashua Performing Arts Center Project forward. Thank you.

President Wilshire
Thank you. Next we have Faustin; Faustin if you could give your name and address for the record?

Faustin Greetings everybody, my name is Faustin. | live in the Nashua Bronstein building. | hope
everyone can hear me. All | needed to say they are about to switch this building and we have got to move.
So | have to give a little story about my parents. My dad he came from a place named Congo, tough place
they used to have wars and stuff; they used to be moving all kinds of places. And they switched places and
kids would have to switch schools and all that stuff. And me hearing that we have to move to a different
place that we are, it’s a whole different thing. Bob Keating from GSOP came and told us that they are
about to building some buildings, School Street Flats. And we were talking about it and we said it would be
a good thing if we could move close to there, if those buildings are done, those who want to move from
here to there it would be a great idea. So | am asking the Aldermen if they could make that happen
because | am speaking on behalf of my family and all the people that live over here, they all signed a
petition. The petition was to say that we all want to move close to hear and we heard about the School
Street Flats and everybody was so glad that they could (inaudible) and move over there, of course if the
Mayor and Aldermen agrees to the idea, that would be very helpful. And | think a good thing to think about
(audio cuts out) you know because given the story of my dad, this idea of moving it’s really hard, you know.
So Basically | was asking if you understand the petition and try to help us. That’s basically all. Thanks for
listening.

President Wilshire

Thank you. Next | have Brian Grip.

Brian Grip Yes hello, Madam Chair, it’s an honor to be with all of you, it’s Brian Grip, Ledgewood Hills
Drive, Ward 5, Nashua. So | had an opportunity to speak at the Budget Committee Meeting so | will be

very brief. | primarily wanted to again just acknowledge to all of you, we, my wife and | Kelly live here and
we started our careers here in the 1980’s and had an opportunity to work in downtown Nashua, both of us

Board of Aldermen 10-13-2020 Page 12

did. Later we raised our family in Bow, New Hampshire and had the very good fortune to be able to serve
on the Board of the Capitol Center for the Arts in Concord. And that’s the primary thing | just wanted to
relay on to all of you as you are getting ready to make this important decision tonight and also acknowledge
the hard work that all of you have been doing, it’s an important question and important issue for the City of
Nashua.

But as a resident of Nashua, having had the opportunity to live in the Concord area and participate on the
Board of the Capitol Center for the Arts from 2001 to 2007, really had an opportunity to see first-hand the
exciting change that really did take place in Concord. The way that | see the community by the way coming
together in Nashua is really wonderful and exciting. | have to say | have heard some comments on the
negative side from some folks who are concerned, well this is really not going to benefit everybody in the
community. That just could not be further from the facts based on what | know them to be from the time
that | served on the Board and beyond that time period watching what happened in Concord. School
children, community groups, non-profit organizations all benefited from that organization and continue to do
so. | see the same thing happening here, frankly in a very energized way.

So for all of you, you are really sort of at the ground base here of something that | think is going to be so
additive to what my wife and | have found to really be an amazing quality of life, right? Things from Mine
Falls, the Nashua Rail Trail, the Nashua Library all serve a special purpose to this quality of life that is really
building and evolving and really developing a wonderful reputation for Nashua. So we are excited to be
here to be part of it. | will also say that my employer, Bank of American, | am very proud as many of you
we made the leading donation here, $250,000.00 which was one of the leading grants that we’ve done here
in New Hampshire to date as an investment of the future of downtown Nashua and a belief in downtown
Nashua.

Our roots are here, dating back to Indian Head Bank so we are part of the community, we have employees
that work here as well. So speaking for Ken Sheldon who is our company president and others, we believe
in what is happening here. So just speaking to you tonight as a resident, | am excited for all of you. It’s an
important decision but it is the right decision. Thank you, thank you very much.

President Wilshire
Thank you. | have Catherine Sofikitis.

Catherine Sofikitis Hi, thank you. | am State Representative Catherine Sofikitis from Nashua Ward 7. My
address is 54 Marshall Street and tonight | have come to speak about R-20-077, Indigenous People’s Day.
It is often quite easy here in Colonial New England to think that the history of this area started when it was
“discovered” by European Explorers. Nothing could be further from the truth. Our archeological history
brings the indigenous people back 11,000 years in this history in this area; The Penacook, The
Winnipesaukee, The Pequawket, Soco, Key, Koasek and Ossipee among other. They all spoke related
dialects of the Abenaki Language (audio cuts out). Strong, vital indigenous people thrived here.

They did not own the land. They hunted and fished in their homeland area. They lived in small family
bands and joined to form tribes and confederations as their needs dictated. By the late 1600’s their
population was declining due to interactions that brought sickness to the tribes and skirmishes for land.
Between 1615 and 1620, there were epidemics of the flu and smallpox. A remnant of Abenaki
Descendants remained in their homeland including present-day New Hampshire. They are working hard
to preserve their customs, language, and culture. Their current status is as a pre-constitutional tribe that
has filed for Federal Recognition with the Bureau of Indian Affairs Petition Number 151. They were
originally recognized by George Washington as the nation was being formed.

| believe that is vitally important to honor our indigenous peoples and recognize the rich history they have
given us and the contributions they continue to make. We are a state rich in indigenous history and names
for towns, lakes, mountains, and rivers. It just remains for us to honor their past. Thank you.

Board of Aldermen 10-13-2020 Page 13
President Wilshire
Thank you. Next up | have Rich Lannan.

Rich Lannan Good evening | am Rich Lannan with offices in 7D Taggart Drive in Nashua. | spoke a fair
amount two weeks ago so | will make it brief. | am the Chair of the Nashua Community Arts, the non-profit
for the PAC. And just wanted to make a point to the Board and the public is listening in for the first time
tonight that even in spite of what we have all witnesses in the last 8 to 9 months with COVID, the Capital
Campaign Committee has continued to raise funds even though we had our hiatus for a little while due to
COVID that made our lives a little difficult. But we are here, as you already know that the total of the $4
million dollars has been raised, including $1.5 million dollars of private money along with the New Market
Tax Credits. We have | believe it’s about 174 individual donors that made up that. So it’s not just two or
three or four big ticket donors, it just shows that there is a lot of commitment from the public, from the
businesses. We continue, we are not done, we are not at the end of our road. We are going to continue,
we are in conversations with many, many other business owners and individuals throughout Nashua that
are very committed. We are seeing a lot of people; the interest level has just continued to rise. And justa
lot of people have been involved in this with the various committees and the boards and obviously
employees of Nashua that have committed a lot to this. And we’ve gone this far and we are right at the end
pretty much on that finish line and | hope that the Board of Aldermen can see that and see all the people
that have been talking about it at least so far this evening. This is not important just for downtown but the
entire City of Nashua and quite frankly the region. So we would love your support this evening and look
forward to that. Madam President, | have a question if | could. Kate Luczko of the Chamber asked me to
read just a couple of quick sentences, since she couldn't be with us tonight if that’s ok with you.

President Wilshire
It is Rich.

Mr. Lannan. Yeah and Kate did read, she was part of the meeting two weeks ago and she read nota
lengthy letter but a letter with a lot of facts from the Art Economic Impact Study which | will not repeat.
There are a lot of very interesting facts about benefits of Performing Arts Centers from all over the country
and again it’s already in the minutes. So basically Kate just wanted me to reiterate from the Chamber and
the Board on behalf of their entire membership stand in support of this Performing Arts Center. And she
wanted to thank everybody for their time, thank everybody who has contributed to the project and
encourages the Board to please vote affirmatively this evening. Thank you.

President Wilshire
Thank you. Next we have Fawn Gaudet? We need your name and address for the record please?

Ms. Gaudet My name is Fawn Gaudet | live in Rumney, New Hampshire. Ok, hello, my name is Fawn
Gaudet, | live in New Hampshire and | am requesting Columbus Day change to Indigenous People’s Day. |
have strong pride in ancestry and | am a descendant of the Black Feet Nation. Growing up in New
Hampshire as a child | was keenly aware of the injustices committed against Native Americans, this being
our nation first. Before the Columbus era, there were millions of indigenous people in North America,
Central America and South America. The Abenaki known as the people of (inaudible) lived in New
Hampshire long before colonists arrived. There is the (audio cuts out) Abenaki that are strong leaders that
Catherine just spoke about. And indigenous people lived here and thrived in harmony with (audible) which
means world for the Abenaki. Their culture is rich with tradition, honor and respect for their people, land
and wildlife. For me, Columbus Day is not a day of joy, it is a day of mourning. During this period of
terrorism, indigenous people were massacred, raped, enslaves, tortured and genocide occurs. Changing
this Holiday to Indigenous People’s Day offers honor and respect to our people. As Columbus Day, the
Day only marks a false representation of what happened in the past. We must never repeat this. By
changing the name to Indigenous People’s Day, you will offer truth. It is a chance for New Hampshire
residents, indigenous and non-indigenous to honor those who came before them and respect indigenous

Board of Aldermen 10-13-2020 Page 14

people who survived to carry out such rich native traditions for our future generation. Please, | humbly ask

that you change Columbus Day to Indigenous People’s Day. | just want to note that 12 states in the United

States have changed it including Washington, DC and 130 towns and cities have changed it. Thank you so
much.

President Wilshire
Thank you. Next we have Paul Shea.

Paul Shea Thank you, Madam President, Mr. Mayor, Board of Aldermen. My name is Paul Shea and | live
at 102 Towle Street in French Hill in downtown Nashua. | serve as the Executive Director for Great
American Downtown and this evening | am speaking on behalf of our organization and Board of Directors.
As you may know, our work is centered around economic and cultural vibrancy in downtown Nashua. Our
mission is to provide coordination, collaboration and partnerships that unify that entire Nashua Community
around a common vision for an attractive downtown that is vibrant, viable and truly reflects the character of
our City.

This evening, you are taking up a measure which will establish a Tax Increment Finance District to
actualize the potential of the School Street Lot as well as provide a funding mechanism to service the bond
relative to the construction for the Performing Arts Center. We know that the Performing Arts Center, one
of the additional benefits beyond the direct, tangible enjoyment that people receive by going to shows will
also work to drive development. We here in Nashua are in a housing crisis and interest from developers in
under-utilized parcels will help to address some of that need through a combination of market rate and
workforce housing.

This School Street Development as | understand from taking in the last meeting, is largely driven, the
interest is largely driven by the impending arrival of this Performing Arts Center. So for us, it makes a lot of
sense that this Tax Increment Finance District would be established to facilitate the funding for the Center
as well as address the needs of adjacent businesses to the School Street parcel through the establishment
of the parking structure and will hopefully be not the last of the level of interest from developers to bring
more housing to Nashua.

On a personal level, my wife and | have committed to the project. We are looking forward to hopefully
someday sitting in some seats with our name on a little tag. We know that there are many Nashuans who
will continue to step up to support this project through their donations, their time, their interest, their support
and eventually their patronage as attendees at the performances at the facility. This action being
considered by the Board tonight will represent the culmination of many moving parts, many professional
and volunteer efforts that have been taken up in earnest over the span of several years. We commend the
Board of Aldermen, the Performing Arts Center Steering Committee and Nashua Community Arts as they
work continues to making a vision for Nashua’s Performing Arts Center a reality.

Though the progress for Nashua’s Performing Arts Center has largely taken place recently in the past few
years, this vision for Nashua’s Performing Arts Center has been developed and recommended for some
time. Establishing such facilities is represented in the City of Nashua’s 2000 Master Plan and the 2015
Nashua Arts & Culture Plan, both of which will be updated in the year ahead to reflect and build upon this
great progress as well as the 2003 Downtown Master Plan and recommended by the Performing Arts
Center Feasibility Study.

The vision for Nashua’s Performing Arts Center has been developed and refined over many years with
great attention to detail. Nashua stands to benefit a great deal from this good work as we approach
execution in the months ahead. It is your dedicated work and diligence and through it that we will see the
Performing Arts Center thrive and in doing so bring more opportunities for enjoyment and economic growth
to our downtown and to our City as a whole. Thank you all for what you do continually to improve city life
not just with this piece of business but every day, every week that you dedicate yourselves to Nashua. This
is going to bring arts and culture to the citizens of Nashua and the surrounding area. We want to thank you

Board of Aldermen 10-13-2020 Page 15
for your continued support for making this community -driven vision a reality. Thank you.

President Wilshire

Thank you. Next we have Kramer.

Nathan Theriault Sorry this is my first time. So | am taking part in this for the overnight parking, lowering of
the fine, I’d like to see it disappear to be honest. But lowering it | feel like is a great compromise. | know
we are talking a lot about the Art Center, you heard the term “starving artist”. Most of the people in the
community that is policed heavily by the overnight parking is the Tree Streets and Crown Hill and by the
way 28A Lowell Street, Nashua is my place of dwelling. Nathan Theriault is my name. So | see it a lot in
the morning, | see the tickets overnight. | mean | understand it’s a lot of revenue in the City but up until a
year ago we didn’t have 20 overnight parking enforcement officers or vehicles, it was policed by the Police
Department.

So we have created a business on ticketing people and the ones most ticketed are ones parking overnight
because they live in affordable housing in the City that has no overnight parking. So you are let to park on
the street. It’s not just people that live downtown, its people that work downtown. So it’s the people that
work at your Dunkin Donuts, it’s the people that — your favorite bartender. It’s your favorite server, those
people work downtown. Yeah they can park in the parking garage, most of the people in this community
are afraid to park in the parking garage. But we are having employees of local businesses downtown send
their employees to the parking garage to walk down there and go in there at 2:00 in the morning when most
of the people that are opposed to getting rid of the overnight parking ban and the ticketing wouldn’t go
down there themselves.

So | think it’s an unfair poor tax, | know Alderman Laws said that and people disagree, but for myself | have
an overnight parking pass but during COVID | paid for it but it took four weeks for them to process it in City
Hall. | got ticketed three times; | had to call every day, | took hours out of my day, waited to get call back a
week later and got ticketed even after | got my sticker because overnight parking department it was a new
person, they had never worked the street before. If we can’t process these tickets through City Hall, and
people can’t get an overnight parking pass and they are not even processing the mail for a week for
someone that paid their ticket but in 7 days their ticket goes up to $35.00, like | had the time to do it. Most
of the people in my neighborhood in French Hill do not have a computer, they do not have internet access,
they frankly just don’t’ have the time to deal with it. So | am against overnight parking tickets, but | would
take the compromise to help the people in my neighborhood and the people in the City that area or don’t
have a voice here tonight because one — they are probably working; two — they don’t have the internet or
they don’t have the time or even the knowledge that this is going on. So Nathan Theriault, 28A Lowell
Street, Nashua, New Hampshire, that’s my thing.

President Wilshire

Thank you Mr. Theriault. Next we have Tracy Pappas, you’re up Tracy, name and address for the record
please?

Tracy Pappas Tracy Pappas, 12 Swart Terrace, Nashua, New Hampshire. | am glad to call in on a night
where folks aren’t getting cut off by the Board President. | am here to speak regarding Public Comment
period and | also would like to speak regarding the overnight parking. So prior to 2017 members of the
public were permitted to speak during the first public comment period regarding new ordinances. This was
very helpful and the public was able to state their position to the entire Board of Aldermen before the
members had made up their mind regarding Legislation. Additionally, it was a way for other members of
the public to be aware of upcoming Ordinances. In 2017 this (inaudible) was put, was put on the public
comment period and as an example of this Board’s objection to listening to the public Additionally the Board
President began to object and interrupt members of the public with who she disagreed. Those she
disagreed with were interrupted, but before the five minutes were up, those she agreed with were not, were
able to go on for quite some period of time. The example | have is 12/23/19 | spoke regarding the DPW

Board of Aldermen 10-13-2020 Page 16

Facility. | was interrupted by the President several times. The Assistant Police Chief was allowed to go on
at length regarding a 3% raise for one of the unions which | have no problem with that gentleman being
able to speak to that, but | don’t think | should have been interrupted because | did have some very
important information and that was that those members of this Board who did go ahead and vote for the
office facility were ignoring our two facilities that were in most need of repair.

And in order to replace those facilities, that would be an extra $50 to $60 million dollars and | was unable to
state that. So | suggest that this Board send the Legislation back to Committee on Personnel and
Administrative Affairs and amend the Ordinance regarding the public comment period so that members of
the public are able to speak during the first reading of new Ordinances, because | think it’s really important
that the officials do listen to the public. If members of this Board don’t want to listen to the public perhaps
they should ascertain as to whether or not they want to run for office again.

Regarding overnight parking, | heard | was not going to speak to that. The last gentleman who spoke to it |
thought was very eloquent. | was very delighted to hear when we first allowed folks who have very limited
parking in the Tree Streets and in French Hill that they were able to do overnight parking. The initial plan
was to expand some of the parking so that other folks in the community would be able to park on the street
overnight. And | think due to COVID, a lot of people have, even if you have parking, children who would
normally be out on their own, like when | say “children” | mean in their 20’s but due to COVID there are not
jobs out there. So a lot of times it means starting your day moving cars all over the place and if there’s
plenty of parking that’s really not necessary. So | think reducing the parking, the overnight parking from
$25.00 to $10.00 | think is a good idea. And | haven’t even thought about how it impacted other people; it
was very upsetting to hear that this gentleman had an overnight parking permit and still had to pay fines
because it took so long for City Hall to react to those. So | fully support reducing the fine to $10.00 for
overnight parking. Thank you.

President Wilshire

Thank you, next speaker is Jonathan Spira-Savett.

Jonathan Spira-Savett Hi, | am Jonathan Spira-Savett, I’m in Ward 1, | live at 39 Colburn
Avenue. | am also the Rabbi at Temple Beth Abraham and one of the conveners of the Greater
Nashua Interfaith Housing Justice Group. | just wanted to speak just to stand behind Faustin who
spoke earlier as a resident of the Bronstein Apartments and to each the words that he said
supported by Bob and Erin too, hoping that all of you will use your good offices to make sure that
he and his neighbors are able to speak with you and all the appropriate people in authority to help
settle things and to make their lives good and for all of us to pitch in together and collaborate with
them on a good solution for our community as their area is redeveloped for more affordable
housing.

Our group had a chance to meet last week. | wanted to say publicly a thank you to Mayor
Donchess, to Director Marchant, to Director Cummings for sitting with a group of us talking about
these kinds of issues as they related both to Bronstein and School Street and everything else.
And just so encouraged by your increasing and increasingly vocal support for affordable housing
issues and goals. Thank you.

President Wilshire
Thank you. And | have a first name of Lisa? Is there a Lisa who would like to speak?

Lisa Bissonnette Can you hear me.