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Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 2/22/2022 - P12

By dnadmin on Mon, 11/07/2022 - 07:48
Document Date
Tue, 02/22/2022 - 00:00
Meeting Description
Board Of Aldermen
Document Type
Minutes
Meeting Date
Tue, 02/22/2022 - 00:00
Page Number
12
Image URL
https://nashuameetingsstorage.blob.core.windows.net/nm-docs-pages/boa_m__022220…

Board of Aldermen 02-22-2022 Page 12

R-22-007
Endorsers: Mayor Jim Donchess

Alderman-at-Large Michael B. O’Brien, Sr.
Alderman Patricia Klee
Alderman-at-Large Melbourne Moran, Jr.
Alderman Thomas Lopez
Alderwoman-at-Large Shoshanna Kelly
Alderman Alex Comeau
Alderman Richard A. Dowd
Alderman Tyler Gouveia
Alderman Derek Thibeault
Alderwoman-at-Large Gloria Timmons
Alderman-at-Large Lori Wilshire

RELATIVE TO THE ACCEPTANCE OF $98,250 FROM THE STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, DEPARTMENT OF
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES INTO POLICE GRANT ACTIVITY “FY2022 COVID-19 VACCINATION AID GRANT”
Given its second reading;

MOTION BY ALDERMAN LOPEZ FOR FINAL PASSAGE OF R-22-007
MOTION CARRIED

Resolution R-22-007 declared duly adopted.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS — ORDINANCES

O-22-001
Endorsers: Alderman-at-Large Lori Wilshire
Alderman-at-Large Michael B. O’Brien, Sr.
Alderman-at-Large Melbourne Moran, Jr.
Alderwoman-at-Large Shoshanna Kelly
Alderman Alex Comeau
Alderman Tyler Gouveia
Alderman Derek Thibeault
Alderwoman-at-Large Gloria Timmons
Alderman Richard A. Dowd
DISSOLVING THE SUBSTANDARD LIVING CONDITIONS ALDERMANIC SPECIAL COMMITTEE
Given its second reading;

MOTION BY ALDERMAN O’BRIEN FOR FINAL PASSAGE OF 0O-22-001

ON THE QUESTION

Alderman O’Brien

Thank you, Madam President. | was one of the first members to serve with my fellow Ward 9 Alderman Siegel on this
particular committee. It was formed because we had a particular problem and one of the camping living areas within the
city. That eventually did get resolved but in looking at the whole context, many of the things that can be done within the
domain of Substandard Living Conditions Committee can be done by other committees. So at this time, | think it's a little
bit archaic and | urge you to support me in eliminating this committee. Thank you.

Alderman Lopez

Yeah, it's fun to comment that | also served on the committee. | believe other than the initial issue presenting, there
wasn't actually any legislation that was forwarded to that committee for the following two terms. This does not mean that
all housing in Nashua is perfect and that renters are experiencing any kind of utopia. There are a lot of city departments
where it helps to inform the public or educate them as to what's available with Code Enforcement or Public Health and the
different city services that are available. And it is on occasion apparent that there are some gaps where city interventions
on behalf of its citizens are not effective.

So what was happening in some of those committee meetings, though, was in presenting it and then bringing information
forward departments were able to course correct are able to upgrade. They did things like creating the landlord lists or in

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Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 2/22/2022 - P12

Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 2/22/2022 - P13

By dnadmin on Mon, 11/07/2022 - 07:48
Document Date
Tue, 02/22/2022 - 00:00
Meeting Description
Board Of Aldermen
Document Type
Minutes
Meeting Date
Tue, 02/22/2022 - 00:00
Page Number
13
Image URL
https://nashuameetingsstorage.blob.core.windows.net/nm-docs-pages/boa_m__022220…

Board of Aldermen 02-22-2022 Page 13

cases of emergency so that we knew which tenants were being displaced from whatever was taking place. There were a
number of good things that came out of that committee but as President Wilshire pointed out, its role is more appropriately
situated with the Human Affairs Committee. So we will be as a committee continuing to tackle some of the issues that
Substandard Living Conditions was looking at and one of the things we'll try to work to do is make sure that the public
knows that they are struggling with issues of housing quality and housing standard that we can look at them in that forum.

MOTION CARRIED
Ordinance O-22-001 declared duly adopted.
O-22-002
Endorsers: Alderwoman-at-Large Shoshanna Kelly
Alderman-at-Large Ben Clemons
Alderwoman-at-Large Gloria Timmons
ALLOWING ALDERMEN PARTICIPATING IN MEETINGS THROUGH VIDEO TELECONFERENCING TO BE THE

PRESIDING OFFICER AND CONDUCT THE MEETING
Given its second reading;

MOTION BY ALDERMAN CLEMONS TO TABLE

A viva voce roll call was taken which resulted as follows:

Yea: Alderman Sullivan, Alderman Klee, Alderman Lopez, Alderman Jette,
Alderman Clemons, Alderman Thibeault, Alderwoman Timmons 7

Nay: Alderman O’Brien, Alderman Moran, Alderman Comeau, Alderman Dowd,
Alderman Gouveia, Alderman Cathey, Alderman Wilshire 7

MOTION FAILED
MOTION FOR FINAL PASSAGE OF 0-22-002

ON THE QUESTION

President Wilshire

Can | interrupt you for one second? No one actually made a motion.
MOTION BY ALDERMAN O’BRIEN FOR FINAL PASSAGE OF O-22-002

ON THE QUESTION

Alderman Comeau

Thank you. No problem. | was present at the committee meeting where we discussed this and if my memory serves
correctly, there were | believe five additional Aldermen that participated in that meeting. It seemed that we had fairly
overwhelming support for this ordinance. | do have respect for my colleague that isn't here but | don't think that there's a
whole lot of testimony that we could add tonight that's going to change the outcome of that vote. So that's why | would
support moving this forward and voting on it tonight. Thank you.

Alderman Thibeault

Thank you, Madam President. | just want to say one thing. A bunch of people spoke on this tonight. | just want to make
it clear, this does not make it so Aldermen can't use Zoom. It's specifically for being chairman of a committee. So | just
wanted to make that clear that it's not getting rid of Zoom for Aldermen to use in times that they need it but it's there for
committee. So it's a little different than what people were kind of talking about. Thank you.

Alderman Klee

Thank you, Madam Chair and thank you for allowing me to speak. | attended a meeting where | sat in that seat to kind of

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Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 2/22/2022 - P13

Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 2/22/2022 - P14

By dnadmin on Mon, 11/07/2022 - 07:48
Document Date
Tue, 02/22/2022 - 00:00
Meeting Description
Board Of Aldermen
Document Type
Minutes
Meeting Date
Tue, 02/22/2022 - 00:00
Page Number
14
Image URL
https://nashuameetingsstorage.blob.core.windows.net/nm-docs-pages/boa_m__022220…

Board of Aldermen 02-22-2022 Page 14

help a Chair that was not here. Through the meeting, it was cumbersome. | don't think it was as productive as it would
have been if the Chair had been here. The Vice-Chair was at the meeting and | really think the Vice Chair is the person
who should have sat in at that meeting and not me kind of coaching, and helping, and so on. | am not for this type of
thing. Truthfully, I’d like to see Zoom gone but, you know, that's just my opinion. The bottom line is, | think the Chairs
have got to be here to conduct the meeting. | think someone referred to them as being, you know, the leader of an
orchestra. They don't see what's happening in the audience. They don't see what's happening in the horseshoe and it's a
detriment. So | believe the Chair at a minimum has to be here. So thank you very much.

Alderman Lopez

Yeah, | just wanted to comment on the public comment made earlier. | want to apologize to Miss Hogan regarding her e-
mail. Her e-mail has a username which looked like a random collection of letters at first glance but in reviewing it, | realize
it's actually an anagram of her name. When | had seen it go by, it looked like it was one username and then a different
person signing it which can look like it might be a hack. So | erroneously concluded that | shouldn't answer it and would
just wait for more. | appreciate her coming in person in order to make sure that she put her face to her name.

| agreed that that's why if you're chairing a meeting, it's important to be in person in the chamber managing it. | think
there's going to be situations that will happen here in the chamber that a Chair really needs to be able to take note of and
be able to respond to where having that limited by the technical capabilities of any teleconferencing software is
problematic. Cameras not necessarily pointing in the right direction. You're not getting the whole sense of what's going
on. It is challenging enough to Chair a meeting and have Zoom as well. Doing it the other way around, | understand
Alderman Klee struggled with that. She did not struggle with regular clerking the other night. So | think it's just a
testament that some things are times better spent focusing on who's in the room with us not necessarily trying to Chair a
meeting.

Alderman Comeau

| requested a roll call vote please.

President Wilshire

Yes. Further discussion on the motion?

Alderman Jette

| just want to clarify something. | was confused by Alderman Comeau said that he attended the meeting and there was
substantial support for this. Did you really mean to say “support”? This ordinance is proposing that a member who was

not here was participating by Zoom can Chair the meeting? Are you in support of that?

Alderman Comeau

Thank you for the correction. Alderman Jette is correct. | meant opposition to the ordinance. Thank you.
Alderman Jette
Okay.

Alderman Lopez

If | might clarify in the committee, there was overwhelming objection by the members in the room, | guess, present but the
committee members themselves supported a recommendation for final passage.

Alderman Jette

If | could clarify. | watched the meeting and | understood that there were three members of the committee there. One of
the members of the committee said that he was voting in favor of it because he thought the full Board should have an
opportunity to vote, but also said that he would probably vote against it. | think he was under the impression that the
committee had to vote in favor of it in order for it to come before us. But actually if the committee had voted against it, it
still would have come before us. So | just want to clarify that although the committee vote was in favor, it is kind of
questionable whether — and the Alderman in question can speak for himself.

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Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 2/22/2022 - P14

Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 2/22/2022 - P15

By dnadmin on Mon, 11/07/2022 - 07:48
Document Date
Tue, 02/22/2022 - 00:00
Meeting Description
Board Of Aldermen
Document Type
Minutes
Meeting Date
Tue, 02/22/2022 - 00:00
Page Number
15
Image URL
https://nashuameetingsstorage.blob.core.windows.net/nm-docs-pages/boa_m__022220…

Board of Aldermen 02-22-2022 Page 15

Alderman Comeau

That would be correct Madam President. That would be correct. | did think it would die in committee and | wanted to get
the full Board to discuss it. | didn't realize till today that that's how a denial happened. So I'm learning every day but I'm
glad it's here to be discussed either way. So | get.

Alderman Sullivan

Thank you, Madam President. That's what | was going to ask you what we were voting on.

President Wilshire

That's what we're voting on for final passage. So if you want the Chair of a committee to be able to Zoom in and Chair the
committee, you'll vote yes. If you don't think they should, you'll vote no. Okay. Done with discussion on this? Would the
Clerk call the roll?

Alderman O’Brien

Question. Did you have that backwards?

President Wilshire

No. If you're in favor of them chairing a committee from home, you'll vote yes. If you're not in favor of that, you'll vote no.

Alderman O’Brien

Thank you, Madam President.

President Wilshire

You're welcome. Madam Clerk?

A viva voce roll call was taken which resulted as follows:

Yea: Alderman Clemons 1
Nay: Alderman O’Brien, Alderman Sullivan, Alderman Klee, Alderman Moran,

Alderman Lopez, Alderman Jette, Alderman Comeau, Alderman Dowd,

Alderman Gouveia, Alderman Cathey, Alderman Thibeault,

Alderwoman Timmons, Alderman Wilshire 13
MOTION FAILED
MOTION BY ALDERMAN O’BRIEN FOR INDEFINITE POSTPONEMENT OF O-22-002

ON THE QUESTION

Alderman Cathey

Legislative inquiry?

President Wilshire

Yes.

Alderman Cathey

Why do we need to make it indefinitely if we voted it down?

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Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 2/22/2022 - P15

Finance Committee - Agenda - 5/4/2022 - P125

By dnadmin on Sun, 11/06/2022 - 21:42
Document Date
Fri, 04/29/2022 - 14:39
Meeting Description
Finance Committee
Document Type
Agenda
Meeting Date
Wed, 05/04/2022 - 00:00
Page Number
125
Image URL
https://nashuameetingsstorage.blob.core.windows.net/nm-docs-pages/fin_a__050420…

| = Public

June 14, 2021

To: John Griffin, CFO
From: Jennifer McCormack, Director
RE: Facility Assessment for the Nashua Public Library RFP 0357-100421

Mr. Griffin:

After 50 years of heavy use the library building, grounds, and mechanical systems are in poor
condition and in need of major repairs or replacement. The Board of Trustees is working to
address this deterioration by engaging a firm to do a thorough facility assessment and draft a
master plan for the building. This assessment will help us and the city prioritize needed repairs
and improvements, identify costs (and potential cost savings) for those projects, and establish a

maintenance and capital improvement plan for the future.

An invitation for bids (RFP 0357-100421) was sent to 6 vendors and posted on the city’s website
on September 3, 2021. Bids were received from 5 companies, an evaluation of the bids
received is attached to this memo. Based on our evaluation of the proposals on Dec. 15, 2021
the Board of Trustees voted to recommend that the contract for the facility assessment be

awarded to designLAB architects in the amount of $88,830.

This purchase will be paid for from the Bloomfield trust account TF79.7546 53999, and with
city funds allocated to this project in R-22-014. Delivery of the final report is expected by
August 30, 2021.

Sincerely,
Jennifer McCormack, Library Director

2 Court Street | Nashua, NH 03060 | 603.589.4600 | www.nashualibrary.org

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Finance Committee - Agenda - 5/4/2022 - P125

Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 2/22/2022 - P16

By dnadmin on Mon, 11/07/2022 - 07:48
Document Date
Tue, 02/22/2022 - 00:00
Meeting Description
Board Of Aldermen
Document Type
Minutes
Meeting Date
Tue, 02/22/2022 - 00:00
Page Number
16
Image URL
https://nashuameetingsstorage.blob.core.windows.net/nm-docs-pages/boa_m__022220…

Board of Aldermen 02-22-2022 Page 16

President Wilshire

We did vote it down but it could come back up in this term. That's not really the reason. Okay.

Steve Bolton, Corporation Counsel

Until a motion passes, you have not done anything. It's still in possession of the Board. It could be amended. Maybe an
appropriate amendment would change the result. It could be tabled and maybe something would happen that would
change the result. It could be sent back to committee. Any of those motions could be made. A motion that was made is
to indefinitely postpone which would do away with the issue and it would no longer be before the Board.

Alderman Cathey

So unless it's a yes and it passes, it's effectively still alive and kicking?

Steve Bolton, Corporation Counsel

Yes. Thank you.

Alderman Clemons

Thank you. You know | spoke to - so | co-sponsored this legislation with Alderwoman Kelly. | was actually the original
Alderman who put the amendment in to disallow an alderman to participate or the Chair from afar, if you will. At that time,
it was over the telephone. So | actually put that that legislation in effect. That was my amendment back in | want to say
2010 or 2011. I'm always one to remain open to new ideas. I'm glad that we had the discussion here. | think it was
worthwhile to hear what the other Aldermen had to say and what the public had to say on it. For me, to be honest with
you, there's | don't really have a strong feeling one way or the other on this but | wanted to at least thank everybody for a
good debate. | think it was a worthwhile conversation to have. So thank you.

President Wilshire

Motion is for indefinite postponement. No further discussion.
MOTION CARRIED
Ordinance O-22-002 declared indefinitely postponed.

NEW BUSINESS — RESOLUTIONS

R-22-011
Endorsers: Mayor Jim Donchess
Alderman-at-Large Michael B. O’Brien, Sr.
Alderman Patricia Klee
Alderman-at-Large Melbourne Moran, Jr.
Alderman Thomas Lopez
Alderman Richard A. Dowd
Alderman Derek Thibeault
Alderwoman-at-Large Gloria Timmons
RELATIVE TO THE ACCEPTANCE OF $69,564 FROM THE STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION INTO TRANSIT GRANT ACTIVITY “FEDERAL TRANSIT AUTHORITY (“FTA”) OPERATING
GRANT”
Given its first reading; Assigned to the HJMAN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE by President Wilshire

R-22-012
Endorsers: Mayor Jim Donchess
Alderman-at-Large Michael B. O’Brien, Sr.
Alderman Patricia Klee
Alderman-at-Large Melbourne Moran, Jr.
Alderman-at-Large Ben Clemons
Alderman Richard A. Dowd

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Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 2/22/2022 - P16

Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 2/22/2022 - P17

By dnadmin on Mon, 11/07/2022 - 07:48
Document Date
Tue, 02/22/2022 - 00:00
Meeting Description
Board Of Aldermen
Document Type
Minutes
Meeting Date
Tue, 02/22/2022 - 00:00
Page Number
17
Image URL
https://nashuameetingsstorage.blob.core.windows.net/nm-docs-pages/boa_m__022220…

Board of Aldermen 02-22-2022 Page 17

Alderman Tyler Gouveia

Alderman Derek Thibeault

Alderwoman-at-Large Gloria Timmons

Alderman-at-Large Lori Wilshire
RELATIVE TO THE ACCEPTANCE OF $75,850 FROM THE STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, DEPARTMENT OF
ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES, EXOTIC SPECIES PROGRAM AND AUTHORIZING THE TRANSFER OF
MATCHING FUNDS

Given its first reading; Assigned to the HUMAN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE by President Wilshire

R-22-013
Endorsers: Mayor Jim Donchess
Alderman-at-Large Michael B. O’Brien, Sr.
Alderman John Sullivan
Alderman Patricia Klee
Alderman-at-Large Melbourne Moran, Jr.
Alderman Thomas Lopez
Alderman Alex Comeau
Alderman Richard A. Dowd
Alderman Tyler Gouveia
Alderman John Cathey
Alderman Derek Thibeault
Alderman-at-Large Lori Wilshire
AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR AND CITY TREASURER TO ISSUE BONDS NOT TO EXCEED SIX MILLION TWO
HUNDRED EIGHT THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED TWENTY-FIVE DOLLARS ($6,208,325) FOR THE CITY’S
SEWER INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAM AND SEWER STRUCTURES
Given its first reading; Assigned to the BUDGET REVIEW COMMITTEE, BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS, and schedule a
SPECIAL BOARD OF ALDERMAN PUBLIC HEARING on Monday, March 28, 2022 at 7:00 p.m. in the Aldermanic
Chamber by President Wilshire

NEW BUSINESS — ORDINANCES

O-22-006
Endorsers: Alderman-at-Large Melbourne Moran, Jr.

Alderman-at-Large Michael B. O’Brien, Sr.
Alderman John Sullivan

Alderman Alex Comeau

Alderman Tyler Gouveia

Alderman John Cathey

RESCINDING THE FACE COVERING ORDINANCE PRIOR TO FEBRUARY 28, 2022

MOTION BY ALDERMAN CATHEY TO SUSPEND THE RULES FOR A SECOND READING OF O-22-006

ON THE QUESTION

Alderman Thibeault

So | got a few things to say about this in general. You know, I'm going to get snickered at this but | do believe masks work
even if it's 30%, 40%. Each mask obviously has a different range of health depending on how good they are. | really
respect what the Board of Health says. Despite what | saw on Facebook today or | heard on Facebook somebody told me
that was on Facebook that a member it said that the Board of Health doesn't care about white people, which | thought was
a strange comment to say. | don't believe that at all and makes me even believe more strongly in the Board of Health.
They're not trying to do any citizens the wrong way. They care.

| went to the Board of Ed last night and a lot of the people were there to obviously go against the mask mandate. One
person that was there said, you know Director Bagley — actually you just called her Bobbie Bagley - but Director Bagley
didn't mention how many kids have died since the masked mandate. Well you know why he said because no kid has
died. Isn't that what we're trying to save? So if a kid dies, then it’s okay to wear masks? Isn't that what we're trying to
prevent by wearing masks? And you know one person said, well kids they're just not getting it as badly as adults. True,
facts but isn't the whole point so they don't bring it back home and giving to their parents, or giving it to their elderly
grandparents. It's not necessarily kids dying, it's making sure the other adults aren't dying, right? We don't want anybody

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Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 2/22/2022 - P17

Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 2/22/2022 - P18

By dnadmin on Mon, 11/07/2022 - 07:48
Document Date
Tue, 02/22/2022 - 00:00
Meeting Description
Board Of Aldermen
Document Type
Minutes
Meeting Date
Tue, 02/22/2022 - 00:00
Page Number
18
Image URL
https://nashuameetingsstorage.blob.core.windows.net/nm-docs-pages/boa_m__022220…

Board of Aldermen 02-22-2022 Page 18

dying.

The other thing, too, that really upset me last night is, you know, people that show up at these meetings and they don't
want masks, they can't be respectful to the people that are talking. We saw it tonight. Ms. Sage was talking - a high
school student. There was laughter in the chamber - laughter. It’s a kid! These people come up here whether it's here or
last night and they say, well we care about the kids. We want them not to be masked because we care about the kids.
But when a kid that doesn't agree with them talks, they laugh.

Last night, two high school students spoke one on the Board of Ed. who was a student representative and one in the
crowd. Both spoke eloquently, probably way better than | can speak, and they were for masks - high school students for
masks. Okay. There was snickers in the crowd. Okay. You know when one spoke, he spoke for about 10 minutes,
somebody yelled out. You spoke too long. You spoke for 10 minutes. He's on the Board. He can speak as long as he
wants. He has no time limit and both kids afterwards were not happy. They should have the respect to speak. So when |
see these people do this, it doesn't give me a whole lot of respect for them and | don't take their opinion when they come
up here and they pretend that they know the facts better than the doctors that | should believe what they're saying.

To wait one more week, six days, you know, | honestly | didn't think it was a big deal. And I've been thinking about this all
day. | thought about it a lot last night after the Board of Ed. meeting because it was a real important topic last night.
People made great points on both sides but at the end of the day, six days, and I'm going to go with | think you know - let
me do this. So anecdotally, right, you can put up all the facts you want. People can come up here and say | read this
journal and | read this journal. Both sides can come up with facts. So it's hard for me to go by that. But if 1 go
anecdotally, since I've been wearing a mask for two years since COVID started, | have been sick once - not one cold,
nothing. Again, that's just me. Everybody else has different immune systems. | was sick all the time before. Not all the
time but | get a cold every year just like everybody else. So for me and my family, my father, we haven't got sick. So for
me it worked. It doesn't mean it's for everybody and in six days, it's not going to be for anybody that doesn't want it. So
that's it. Thank you.

President Wilshire

The motion is to suspend the rules to allow for a second reading.

Alderman O’Brien

Thank you, Madam President. As we go through these subsequent motions here, I'd like to give you something to ponder
and to think about. The past Board and this Board. This was a true profile and courage when you look at it. We were
faced with some really tough decisions. Now | come to remember in my history that there was a court case that went all
the way to the Supreme Court, Jacobson vs. State of Massachusetts, where that basically said that the State and political
subdivisions can make up laws to try to protect the many. It says Americans, you know, it's not an infringement on your
rights that you give up a little bit for the public good and the public safety. Heck if you look at the history, they locked
away and isolated Mary Melon aka Typhoid Mary to keep her from infecting the population.

So at this particular juncture, none of us here were doctors and yet we had to rely on what we had and fortunately we had
in-house experts with Director Bagley and the Board of Health which brought us information that we could disseminate,
answered our questions, and tried to make an educated decision. Now where’s the profile from (inaudible), it wasn't
popular - not too many of the people. If they wanted to choose to walk the tight wire without a safety net, that's their
choice. They are Americans but that's not something that's within our purview of luxury. We have to look at the city at
large and make a decision that is best for all - everybody and that was tough. So I'd like to recognize the Board of Health
for this and | would like to recognize the past Board and this Board for those tough decisions that you guys came up with
in trying to protect the best way that we could. Did we get it right 100% but we tried and | think that we did it.

Now as far as if you use a fountain pen like | use, the ink won't be dry on this and within six days. I'm not going to hang
my hat on six days. But I really would like to thank everybody here that supported this particular mandate. You did your
job. You protected the citizens as best as we possibly could and | think members of the Board of Health and the Boards
are to be commended. Thank you. Thank you, Madam President.

Alderman Lopez

So the specific motion before us is for a second reading in order to be able to have the conversation and vote on this
tonight. If we don't give this a second reading, it's pretty worthless because it will be referred to a committee, probably the
Board of Health, and then it would expire. The mandate that it's trying to rescind would expire before it was actually
heard. In the Board of Health meeting two months ago, in January, it was necessary for them to make a quick decision on

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Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 2/22/2022 - P18

Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 2/22/2022 - P19

By dnadmin on Mon, 11/07/2022 - 07:48
Document Date
Tue, 02/22/2022 - 00:00
Meeting Description
Board Of Aldermen
Document Type
Minutes
Meeting Date
Tue, 02/22/2022 - 00:00
Page Number
19
Image URL
https://nashuameetingsstorage.blob.core.windows.net/nm-docs-pages/boa_m__022220…

Board of Aldermen 02-22-2022 Page 19

— actually | think it was two months ago - may have an emergency meeting maybe in between, it was necessary to make
an emergency decision in the moment because if they waited until they were sure of how long we should extend the mask
mandate, that would have expired. So the original mandate was supposed to expire in January, they had a meeting, they
were talking about the numbers, and they took a risk. They had to make a decision about what would be happening in a
fairly unknown case with regards to letting the mask mandate expired in February. They were reluctant to do it because
they weren't 100% sure where the numbers would be that the numbers were really going down. That was really time to
remove this but they were conscious of the public opinions and the impact that it had on the public as they were equally
concerned about the messaging we were sending to hospital staff and to healthcare workers.

So this is very similar to that in the situation, there isn't an emergency other than if we don't deliberately make a decision
to remove it tonight, we will not be able to make a deliberate decision to remove it until it is rescinded automatically, and it
dies its natural death. But we're in a different situation than when we originally extended this for the extra month. So in
deciding whether or not you're going to allow for the second reading, you're really just determining whether or not we're
going to give this issue another look. That takes courage to because we could get it wrong. There could be a huge surge
in COVID for all we know over the next week. It is going to be vacation week and there's going to be more kids around.
The School Board did make its decision for its mandate to for its masking to expire, or at least the optional, as of the 28th.
So there's risk either way.

What I will say is | am greatly reassured by Dr. Storace’s testimony because | have respect for the Board of Health. | was
their liaison for two years and | take that role very seriously. | worked very hard to make sure that they knew they had an
audience here with the Board of Aldermen. We would listen to them. In the original masking discussions that we had, we
didn't always invite them up to the table to share their opinion, to advise us, and to perform their roles. They weren't
under the impression that that was an option and there's still a little bit of tension between the two bodies trying to figure
out when does an Alderman speak? When does a doctor get to speak? That's a problem when you have a public health
issue. So | want to make sure that it's understood that the Board of Health has our respect and that we are not
contradicting them or overriding them. These mandates were made on their recommendation and they did take courage
as Alderman O'Brien said, but we weren't the originators of that courage. We needed the doctors to come forward and tell
us what their beliefs were based on their studying and their knowledge.

So | have a lot of respect for the Board of Health. |, myself, introduced legislation relevant to the Board of Health's
structure and in finding out that they didn't support that, they didn't endorse it, and they didn't agree with it, | retracted it
because it's important that we work together especially in a crisis and it's important that we ensure that all voices feel like
they have the ability to be heard and when to qualify voice, you need to recognize that. These are doctors we confirmed
and President Wilshire appointed based on their service, their qualifications, their history. They meet every month to
closely monitor and vet public health issues that we mostly concern ourselves with only when they are a problem. So they
do a lot of good work and they put a lot of time in. | want to be very clear, at least on behalf of myself, that | respect their
opinions and | respect what they brought forward.

| also want to say that | respect the student who spoke tonight Sage for sharing her thoughts. The amount of qualified
information she was able to provide and the way she was able to advocate, | think any healthcare organization to be
taking a look at her. We have a shortage of people. We have a shortage of people with a passion and | think maybe we
have some students with more insight into health care and value than any generation before. So | respect both voices. |
would just like to say that if we do not make this motion for the second reading, we won't have the further discussion and |
think there's value on both sides.

Alderman Clemons

Thank you. So relative to the motion that's before us, my question through you Madam President is to the Mayor.
Because as we know, all legislation either has to pass seven days or have the Mayor’s signature in order to become law
and whereas there's only six days to the end of the month, my question is if we go through this process and pass this
tonight, hypothetically, would the Mayor sign it tomorrow?

Mayor Donchess

Well my custom is usually to sign legislation the next day, which | would do in this case.

Alderman Clemons

Thank you.

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Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 2/22/2022 - P19

Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 2/22/2022 - P20

By dnadmin on Mon, 11/07/2022 - 07:48
Document Date
Tue, 02/22/2022 - 00:00
Meeting Description
Board Of Aldermen
Document Type
Minutes
Meeting Date
Tue, 02/22/2022 - 00:00
Page Number
20
Image URL
https://nashuameetingsstorage.blob.core.windows.net/nm-docs-pages/boa_m__022220…

Board of Aldermen 02-22-2022 Page 20

Alderman Jette

Thank you, Madam President. So | came here tonight with the full intention of opposing this but after hearing Dr. Storace
talk, I'm not gonna fall on my sword. If | understood him correctly, he said if we want to resend this, you know, he didn't
seem to be that much opposed to it. So as far as the motion to allow for a second reading, | will vote in favor of that and
plan on discussing it further.

President Wilshire

Okay, why don't we take up the motion for a second reading.

MOTION CARRIED

O-22-006
Endorsers: Alderman-at-Large Melbourne Moran, Jr.
Alderman-at-Large Michael B. O’Brien, Sr.
Alderman John Sullivan
Alderman Alex Comeau
Alderman Tyler Gouveia
Alderman John Cathey
RESCINDING THE FACE COVERING ORDINANCE PRIOR TO FEBRUARY 28, 2022
Given its second reading,

Alderman Moran

Thank you so much, Madam President. First, yes, | want to echo...

President Wilshire

Did you want to make a motion or?

Alderman Moran

I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Looking for want to talking about it.
MOTION BY ALDERMAN MORAN FOR FINAL PASSAGE OF O-22-006, BY ROLL CALL

ON THE QUESTIONS

Alderman Moran

That's what | was trying to do. You can tell how passionate | am about this. So | want to echo my colleague’s statements
— Alderman Lopez regarding the Board of Health. | greatly appreciate and respect their decisions and the curves they've
taken their public citizens who've taken this voluntary role and they really have been under the microscope by the public in
some cases very, very harshly. | do appreciate Dr. Storace’s comments today about where we are with cases in the city
and we've dropped down to 87 was the number that was given. He's also quoted saying masks have accomplished their
goal and he did not have a firm stance on whether or not to continue the mask mandate.

| particularly brought this motion forward for a couple of reasons. Many of you know that | do work in the mental health
field. That's a very strong passion of mine and | believe wholeheartedly that we need to signal that the emergency phase
of the pandemic is over for the City of Nashua. We don't know what will come forward in the future with other variants, but
we have the option to act on that then. At this current juncture, we do not get numbers from any agency, the Board of
Health or the State, regarding how many people have committed suicide. How many people are in treatment for
depression because of the pandemic? How many people are seeking who will not leave their homes because they've
become agoraphobic and they have been bombarded with information from qualified information, misinformation, and
then just common sense information that they get from their peers that may not be well vetted. We, as a body, | believe
have the duty to signal that things are getting better. There are vaccines. There are antiviral medications. Soon children
or five will be able to get vaccinated. One of the main things that we can do is allow people to have a choice in whether or
not they're gonna wear a mask or not. | wholeheartedly believe in masks. | supported the last mandate. My father had
died of COVID. My mother will not take off a mask, but she also will not get vaccinated. She's made her choice. | can tell

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Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 2/22/2022 - P20

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