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City of Nashua
; . Planning & Zoning 603 589-3090
Planning Department Fax 603 5803179

229 Main Street WEB www. nashuanh.gov
Nashua, New Hampshire 03061-2019

MEMORANDUM

Date: September 11, 2020

To: Ald. Lori Wilshire, President, and Board of Aldermen
Aid. Michael B. O’Brien, Sr., Chair and Committee of Infrastructure

From: Linda McGhee, Deputy Planning Manager

RE: Referral from the Board of Aldermen on proposed R-20-059, authorizing the sale of
City real property located at 141-143 Burke Street. (Map 11, Lot 158) to Burke Street
Nashua, LLC.

At the Nashua City Planning Board's regularly scheduled meeting of September 10,
2020 the Planning Board voted unanimously to make a favorable recommendation
on R-20-059.

If you have any questions concerning this notification, please contact me at 589-
3110

cc: Mayor Jim Donchess
Donna Graham, Legislative Assistant
Susan Lovering, City Clerk
Scott LeClair, Chair, NPCB
Sarah Marchant, Community Development Director

Board of Aldermen

City of Nashua
229 Main Street
Nashua, NH 03061-2019

(603) 589-3030

TO:

FROM:

DATE:

SUBJ.:

MEMORANDUM

Board of Aldermen
Donna Graham, Legislative Affairs Manager 7
September 18, 2020

Communications Received from the Public

Attached please find communications received from the public as follows:

From:
Re:

From:
Re:

From:
Re:

From:
Re:

From:
Re:

Mark Johnson
Performing Arts Center

Ellen Valade
Performing Arts Center

Andy Cooper
Mask Ordinance

Laurie Ortolano
Right to Know Position in Legal Office

Laura Colquhoun
RTK Manager

Graham, Donna
(nr rere ee

From: Mark Johnson <mejcopy@gmail.com>
Sent: Wednesday, September 09, 2020 10:41 AM
To: Board of Aldermen

Subject: Performing Arts Center

CAUTION: This email came trom outside of the organization. Do not click links/open attachments if source is
unknown.

Dear Aldermen:
Thanks for all that each of you does for our wonderfill city.

In my opinion, this a bad year for the city to be committing to a multi-million project for arts and entertainment.
In typical years one would weight the pros and cons; in 2020, it needs to be necessity vs. merely 'nice to have.'
This project is expensive and unnecessary should be shelved indefinitely while the city recovers from the
current economic climate.

Mark Johnson
1 Clocktower Pl, Apt 418, Nashua, NH 03060

Graham, Donna

To: edvalade@aol.com
Subject: RE: Performing Arts Center

From: edvalade@aol.com [mailto:edvalade@aol.com]

Sent: Wednesday, September 09, 2020 11:43 AM

To: Caron, June; Clemons, Benjamin; Dowd, Richard; Lu, Elizabeth; Gathright, Linda; Jette, Ernest; Kelly, Shoshanna;
Klee, Patricia; Laws, Brandon; Lopez, Thomas; Graham, Donna; Cleaver, Skip; O'Brien, Michael (Alderman); Schmidt, Jan;
Tencza, David; Wilshire, Lori

Subject: Performing Arts Center

CAUTION: This email came from outside of the organization. Do not click links/open attachments if source is
unknown,

Hello,

| am a Ward 6 citizen but | am choosing to email you all. Please vote no to the Performing Arts Center. This is going to be
a huge waste of taxpayer money. Put that money into improving schools and roads and affordable housing. All the money
was supposed to be raised privately and now because no one wants to donate, you are taking the money from the city.
Every day | see parents complaining that the schools gave them defective equipment for their children for school. | know
many of them were returned broken but lets take the money the city would spend on this horrible project and get what the
schools need.

Also, affordable housing is a must. All the new apartments built lately are so expensive. How can a single parent or retired
person afford rent like that. You are forcing people to move into unsafe situations. What about building a big dog park with
some of that money. Or here's a crazy idea, give us homeowners a break during these difficult times. | sure could use a
break.

| know this email won't make a difference but I had to at least say my peace.
Thanks,

Ellen Valade
7 Wason Ave Nashua, NH 03060

Graham, Donna

Ta: Andy Cooper
Subject: RE: Nashua Mask Ordinance

From: Andy Cooper [mailto:andrew.john.cooper@gmail.com]
Sent: Sunday, September 13, 2020 1:36 PM

To: Board of Aldermen

Subject: Nashua Mask Ordinance

CAUTION: This email came from outside of the organization. Do not click links/open attachments if source is
unknown.

Dear Aldermen

In response to some of the comments that the board of aldermen had on Tuesday's meeting with respect to the
mask ordinance - and I specifically refer to Elizabeth Lu's comments on "who has time to validate all these
articles" - | want to note that (a) I do. I read them all. I validate them all. As city officials that are intent on
imposing draconian measures on the population it is absolutely incumbent upon all of you to do this kind of due
diligence. Anything less is, in fact, a dereliction of your duties as aldermen. I find it unconscionable that you
have that attitude.

Furthermore, I want to call into question Tom Lopez’ statements about suggesting to people that they supply
false names - and in particular they supply Ben Clemons’ name - to the police if reporting people who are not
comphant with your ordinance. This was, in my opinion, a not-so-veiled attempt at intimidation of Ben
Clemons’ stance against the mask ordinance. At best it was humor in extremely poor taste. As an alderman, I
would have expected more from Tom Lopez. After all, you are elected officials and should rise to the occasion,
not rush towards the basement.

Next, I want to point out two things with respect to Jim Donchess and covid-19. It has been shown in public
forums that employees of City Hall are not wearing masks behind their plexiglass shields. The state of NH has
deemed that plexiglass shields are "not a substitute for masks". Secondly, the Nashua mask ordinance as it
currently stands, requires that employees wear masks in a place of business. | find it extremely disturbing that
City Hall has clearly adopted a "do as we say, not as we do" attitude, which strongly suggests that they feel that
they are above the law. Related to this, as you all know, Jim Donchess and other City Hall employees have been
reported to have tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. Regardless of the veracity of the tests and the fact that PCR
tests are using an unusually high amplification factor of 40 (as opposed to a more usual factor of 30), the fact
that three people from City Hall have tested positive can really only yield two facts: (a) the mayor and other
employees were not wearing masks, in contravention of the mask ordinance that Jim Donchess and others have
been pushing, or (b) as is indicated by multiple scientific articles that have been peer reviewed, masks are in
fact ineffective with respect to transmission of SARS-Cov-2. The first illustrates a massive hypocrisy on the
part of the mayor and suggests that he is, in fact, unfit to hold public office. The second illustrates just how
misguided you are with respect to a mask ordinance.

Finally, | want you ail - since you have suggested that you are unable, unwiiling or incapable of applying
critical reasoning to the analysis of peer-reviewed scientific articles - to please watch the following video. It

1

contains multiple nuggets of information with respect to SARS-CoV-19 that I feel you are all either ignoring, or
are unaware of. All of the data presented in the video is available from governmental organizations, and is not
"junk science", is not "fake science" and bears thought and introspection on your part. In particular, please pay
attention to the laws of unintended consequences that are associated with reduced immunity caused by
excessive mask usage, and the notion that you are perhaps causing an unanticipated excess mortality fom
various Causes as we move into the fall 'flu season.

And with that, here is the link to the video: https:/Avwww.youtube.com/watch?v=8UvFhIF zaac . I strongly urge
you to watch it. Regardless of whether or not it changes your opinion, it is valuable information, and it
behooves you all to pay attention to this kind of information. In closing, please review this information, and J
most respectfully and strongly urge you all to reconsider your stance on mask ordinances.

Sincerely,
Andy Cooper
24 Forsythia Dr, Nashua, NH 03062

Graham, Donna

rea Tae otae ERATE
From: Andy Cooper <andrewjohn.cooper@gmail.com>
Sent: Sunday, September 13, 2020 7:44 PM
To: Lu, Elizabeth; Board of Aldermen; Lopez, Thomas
Subject: Re: Nashua Mask Ordinance
Attachments: covid-nashua-response.pdf

CAUTION: This email came from outside of the organization. Do not click links/open attachments if source is
unknown.

Elizabeth and Tom
Firstly, thank you for actually responding. I'll address each of you in turn.

While there may be over 2,000 reports, there are far fewer peer-reviewed scientific articles, which is what I was
referring to. And yes, I have read pretty much every single report relating to masks. Honestly, that does not take
a significant amount of time when you consider that (a) this situation has been going on for some six months,
and (b) there are perhaps 2 newly-reviewed articles released per day at a maximum, and those articles are
typically of a 7-10 page length. So yes, I read them.

Elizabeth, even though your background is not medical or science, if you are legislating in that area you have a
responsibility to those who elected you to do due diligence. Your statement amounts to a cop-out. When I make
decisions on things for my job, I ensure that I have read all relevant articles and done due diligence. I expect
nothing less from others, especially from elected officials who are, after all, ultimately responsible to the
electorate and who have chosen to perform this task. As such, you do not get to make excuses about failure to
perform your job. I stand by my criticism of your statement and your performance.

It seems appropriate at this time to explain my credentials, since those were questioned by Tom Lopez in his
response. | have degrees in Statistics, Computer Science and Actuarial Science. I have worked as an actuary, as
a statistician, and as a computer scientist. I have spent some 30 years practicing my craft, and have over a
decade of experience in big data analysis, artificial intelligence and related fields. This provides me with the
background to perform statistical analyses on scientific data, and I am therefore able to perform this analysis on
the wealth of data that has been collected during the COVID-19 pandemic. Given that, | am as expert in this
regard as your board of health with respect to statistical analysis. Note that I am not suggesting an equivalence
between medical science and statistical science, but what we are talking about is more pertinent to the former
than the latter. Since Alderman Tom Lopez made a presumption regarding medicine, it seems appropriate to
point out the logical fallacy in his thinking. My qualifications are perhaps more humble than Dr. Capetta's with
respect to medicine, but most certainly not when it comes to statistics.

You asked for a synopsis of the link I sent you. Iam gladly providing it to you and to the entire board in the
expectation that since you actually asked for it, you will read it. It is, however, some fifteen pages and 4,000
words in length. I wrote that this afternoon, obviously after receiving your response. In the words of Albert
Einstein, forgive me for the length - if I had more time I would have made it shorter.

Tom, unfortunately while I find your sense of snark and humor most excellent if not misguided, it appears that
you have missed the point. I do not particularly care one way or another whether you attempted to intimidate
Ben Clemons or not (and again I’m most definitely giving you the benefit of the doubt in this regard), I care far
more that you have uttered those words in a foram where members of the public - potentially including

1

members of the press - were present. What are they to assume when you suggest that? Regarding personal
privilege, if you are referring to section 127.3, yes, although that does not pertain to this situation. I am similarly
aware of sections 220-226. However, since ] am not an expert in legislation - and this is also not the topic of this
discourse - I will simply point out that Ben Clemons could simply have exercised section 226.3. Again,
however, the point that you missed was simply one of the audience.

As to the rest, I will let my synopsis speak for itself, and instead will leave you with the following: As elected
officials, it behooves you to analyze data, to not react with panic and lack of understanding of the facts behind
something. Your mask ordinance is one such example. Your reaction to spend city funds to create a never-used
field hospital is another example. The inane signs that you have spent thousands on and posted throughout the
city is yet another example. Do you for one minute think — to use a phrase quoted by a judge recently ~ that the
citizenry have been living under a rock and are not aware of COVID-19?

Please take all the above under advisement as you consider your next moves with respect to COVID-19. Start
thinking about how you extricate yourselves from a situation that has spiraled out of control and for which you
currently have no end game in sight.

Sincerely

Andy Cooper

24 Forsythia Drive
Nashua, NH 03062

PS: Tom, please note the inclusion of the address.

On Sun, Sep 13, 2020 at 1:50 PM Lu, Elizabeth <LuE@nashuanh.gov> wrote:
Mr. Andy Cooper:

The last time I looked, there were over 2,000 different scientific reports on studies of Covid] 9 or related
immunological issues, If you or anyone else claims to have read them all you are either mistaken or you may
be a superhuman speed reader. Even if I could read each report, my background is not medical or science,
therefore I leave it to the Health specialists in our community for guidance. I seriously doubt that anyone can
be on top of every complex issue that this novel coronavirus raises. I don't click on random videos I am

sent. Feel free to write a synopsis of the assertions it presents, and the supporting points if you would.

Elizabeth Lu

Alderwoman - Ward Six

LuE@nashuanh.gov<mailto:_LuE@nashuanh.gov&gt;

Tom Lopez wrote:

Thank you for your observations. Personally, I don't think Alderman Clemons was particularly intimidated, as
I have never known him to be so. | think he would likely have raised some objection to me personally, or, if
history is ANY indicator, more likely on the spot, if that were the case. I think based on your commitment to
validating every article regarding the pandemic, you have no doubt reviewed Masons Manual For Legislative
Procedure, in order to fully discern the meeting you attended, and so are no doubt familiar with the concept of
personal priviliege. Alderman Clemons has a fairly significant history as a legislator, and I am of the opinion
he is familiar with this as well. I am confident he can navigate a meeting very effectively with his knowledge
of such procedures and experience in doing so.

For my part, despite the evident weightiness you place upon your opinions, and the sincere gratitude I have for
your estimation of quality,

I am afraid [ can't agree that I have raised any particularly high expectations regarding my sense of humor.
Perhaps some day, my time will come as a rising star on the comedic circuit, but my sense is that I am still
some ways away from such a career change, this, my humor may lack spice, but instead carries the soothing
consistency of peanut butter. I suspect that if Alderman Clemons were so offended, I am fairly certain he
would let that be known as well.

Now as a member of the public, I hope it is clear that you are always welcome to share your impressions, and
I am sure they will be given the fll weight of consideration that they merit. As aldermen we try to be
responsive to individuals indentified as our constituents. If you don't identify your address however, they aren't
added as an official communication, so if that was your intent, you may want to observe that piece of house
keeping. J would also include the full breadth and scope of the medical credentials, you have no doubt acquired
through your careful study, which could only further validate your assertions.

Personally, I think Alderman Lu's opinion was well stated, and I invite you to further research the board of
health that she referred to, as well as the humble credentials of it's members to better understand the context of
her suggestion, as she was describing their exact role and purpose per state statutes. I think it speaks highly of
her character that in the midst of a highly controversial and politically charged climate, she is willing to
acknowledge a desire for a qualified objective opinion, whatever it may be, in order to best represent the needs
of her constituents as an elected official.

Of course again, that is my opinion as one of her fellow Alderman, you are certainly welcome to a different
interpretation of how elected officials should evaluate their positions.

Note that all diagrams in this document refer to their sources. All sources are publicly verifiable
and, in the majority, come from government sources.

The GOMPERTZ Curve

We'll start with a little study of the curves for deaths per million for several European countries.
The following chart — source is the European CDC — shows how all of those countries’ COVID-
19 mortality curves follow a classic GOMPERTZ curve, exactly as per normal influenza deaths.

As can be seen, the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic ended around May through to
early June. This is entirely in line with influenza epidemics in the past according to Professor
Michael Levitt of Stanford, who has done considerable work on biostatistical analysis with
respect to flu epidemic modeling. This curve is caused by several factors, including the fact that
as the SARS-CoV-2 virus arrived in each country, those who were more susceptible become
infected first, mortality is front-loaded by virtue of their susceptibility, and following that you get
a Classically modeled decline after those who are most susceptible die.

Dally confirmed COV ID- 19 de alhs per million, rolling 7-day average
im) i te gat mearn thet he shunner of cordismed
5 fra. OC ihe 4

44 Raly
, GOMPERTZ Curve throughout
- As per influenza Epidemics

EUROPE

ey

Sweden

ApriG 45°30 May3G Jun? Jun 2¢ Jld@ Aug

Next, we see the following curve — also a classic GOMPERTZ curve — but this time it’s for the
Spanish flu epidemic of 1918-19. As you can see, without any kind of a lockdown, without any
kind of face masks, without any kind of mass governmental intrusion into the lives of the