Skip to main content

Main navigation

  • Documents
  • Search

User account menu

  • Log in
Home
Nashua City Data

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Search

Search

Displaying 2241 - 2250 of 38765

Finance Committee - Agenda - 5/4/2022 - P121

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
121
Image URL
https://nashuameetingsstorage.blob.core.windows.net/nm-docs-pages/fin_a__050420…

City of Nashua

Purchasing Department
Administrative Services Division (603) 589-3330
229 Main Street - Nashua, NH 03060 Fax (603) 594-3233

April 27, 2022
Memo #22-271

TO: Mayor Donchess
Finance Committee

SUBJECT: Furniture for the new DPW Building in the amount not to exceed $400,000 funded from
71800 Furniture & Fixtures/DPW Facility

Please see attached communications from Tim Cummings, Director of Economic Development, dated April
18, 2022 for project specific details related to this purchase. Below please find a summary of the purchase
approval request:

Item: Office Furniture
Value: not to exceed $400,000
Vendor: Office Interiors of Dover NH

Department: 183 Economic Development & DPW Administration
Source Fund: 71800 Furniture & Fixtures/ DPW Facility

Ordinance: Pursuant to § 5-84 Special purchase procedures A/(3) Purchases which can be
procured through cooperative intergovernmental purchase agreements with
other governmental jurisdictions.

The Economic Development Division, the Department of Public Works and the Purchasing Department
respectfully request your approval of this contract.

Regards,
Kelly Parkinson

Purchasing Manager

Ce: T Cummings
C O'Connor

Page Image
Finance Committee - Agenda - 5/4/2022 - P121

Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 3/8/2022 - P9

By dnadmin on Mon, 11/07/2022 - 07:48
Document Date
Tue, 03/08/2022 - 00:00
Meeting Description
Board Of Aldermen
Document Type
Minutes
Meeting Date
Tue, 03/08/2022 - 00:00
Page Number
9
Image URL
https://nashuameetingsstorage.blob.core.windows.net/nm-docs-pages/boa_m__030820…

Board of Aldermen 03-08-2022 Page 9

Convention with the Trustees of Woodlawn/Pinewood Cemeteries for Tuesday, March 22, 2022, at 7:30 p.m. in the
Aldermanic Chamber.

Appointments by the Mayor

Board of Registrars

Andriana Lopera Espitia Term to Expire: December 31, 2024
137 Chestnut Street, Apt. 2
Nashua, NH 03060

Gwendolyn Mikailov Term to Expire: December 31, 2024
11 Appletree Green
Nashua, NH 03062

Cultural Connections

Sandra Pratt Term to Expire: March 1, 2025
24 Gingras Drive
Nashua, NH 03063

Rosemary Ford Term to Expire: March 1, 2025
22 Nova Road
Nashua, NH 03064

There being no objection, President Wilshire accepted the Appointments by the Mayor as read and referred them
to the Personnel/Administrative Affairs Committee.

REPORTS OF COMMITTEE

Finance Committee ............ 00. cece ccc ce ccc eee cee cece ee eee cea e eee e etna se eae ee ve eeeeteaveevgeetaeenetanvaes 02/16/2022

There being no objection, President Wilshire declared the report of the February 16, 2022 Finance Committee be
accepted and placed on file.

CONFIRMATION OF MAYOR'S APPOINTMENTS

Community Development Director

Matthew Sullivan Term to Expire: Indefinitely
229 Main Street
Nashua, NH

There being no objection, President Wilshire confirmed the appointment of Matthew Sullivan, 229 Main Street,
Nashua, as the Community Development Director with an indefinite term.

Oath of Office administered by Corporation Counsel

UNFINISHED BUSINESS — RESOLUTIONS

R-22-008
Endorsers: Alderman-at-Large Ben Clemons

Alderman-at-Large Michael B. O’Brien, Sr.
Alderman-at-Large Melbourne Moran, Jr.
Alderman Thomas Lopez
Alderman Patricia Klee
Alderwoman-at-Large Shoshanna Kelly
Alderman Derek Thibeault
Alderman-at-Large Lori Wilshire

Page Image
Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 3/8/2022 - P9

Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 3/8/2022 - P10

By dnadmin on Mon, 11/07/2022 - 07:48
Document Date
Tue, 03/08/2022 - 00:00
Meeting Description
Board Of Aldermen
Document Type
Minutes
Meeting Date
Tue, 03/08/2022 - 00:00
Page Number
10
Image URL
https://nashuameetingsstorage.blob.core.windows.net/nm-docs-pages/boa_m__030820…

Board of Aldermen 03-08-2022 Page 10

ESTABLISHING AN EXPENDABLE TRUST FUND FOR 14 COURT STREET EXPENSES, FUNDED BY
APPROPRIATIONS
Given its second reading;

President Wilshire

Alderman O’Brien

Alderman O’Brien

Thank you Madam President, | would like to make a motion for final passage of R-22-008 and if allowed, I’d like to make
brief comments on my motion?

President Wilshire

Yes.

Alderman O’Brien

Thank you Madam President. Folks if there are any questions on this, please go to 14 Court Street and take a look at it.
The building is tired. It’s been a property of the city for an awful long time. Its history was once was a fire station. It was
vacated in 1971 and since then it was brought back to life as the former Mayor Streeter Theater that was located in it.
Within it there are the Peacock Players and different other community groups. My own daughters took Irish step dancing
at that facility and so it has a connection with the community, particularly with the youth. But again, | have been there, |
have used the bathrooms there, | have seen the theater itself get very, very tired.

At the whim of a city Budget at times we kind of meet a crunch. Does money really go into it? It’s very easy to take a
pencil and eraser and cross off a line item. But if we put it into an expendable trust, what we will be doing is earmarking a
nominal amount of money into this project to help maintain this valuable asset for the community. So therefore | urge you
to vote with me in support of this. It’s something of a gem. As firefighters, it does have some historical content. | guess
the horses names that ran out of the building was “Ash and Cinder”, go figure, but anyways. It does have a historical
content to the City and so therefore | think it’s well worth to have the trust fund. Thank you Madam President.

Alderman Lopez

| agree with what Alderman O’Brien said. The building being characterized as the reason we’re keeping it is because of
the fire relays. That may be true, but that’s not the reason — that’s knowledge to me, but | do know when we'’re talking
about the performing arts center from the very beginning there was great concern from the community performers that we
would be building a performing arts center designed to bring in large scale audience acts and outside performers at the
detriment of them. We wouldn’t be remembering that they needed a place to perform. It might be losing the community
theater and for people who may not participate in that or experience it themselves, | can see how this might look like we're
trying to add meaning to a building, but | don’t think we are. | think that building has served a tremendous amount of need
over the years. I’ve seen many shows in both the upper and lower theater and it does have a heritage to it. | think it’s an
essential resource for our theater community. | think it’s important to support them as they come back from COVID
because a lot of their shows were entirely shut down if not heavily scaled-back due to occupancy numbers and that type
of thing. They deserve as much of a chance to return to normal as anybody else does. | think they enrich our community
by doing that, so I’ve been personally an advocate of improving Court Street Theater and supporting the groups that
interact with it for years because of its place in the community not because of any particular operational attributes that it
has.

| do recognize it as one of the first fire stations. It has historical relevance and | find that using it as a community center
and for community performance groups and in the very ways that are developing for it. It maintains that historical legacy
without just becoming a shrine that we have to pay money to maintain. So | consider this to be an efficient and effective
use of the space as it is currently configured. We have Liquid Therapy - a business operating out of there generating
revenue for us, increasing traffic to that area, keeping it viable. We have the potential for many more community
performances to take place there. There are artist lofts inside as well supporting local artists who need space to do their
work and to create. It’s in good proximity to the Public Library, the expanded parking that the Public Library offers when
they have shows.

It’s a great reason and | would consider it poorly conceived to suggest simply removing it and sending groups that have
performed in Nashua for years just to go find space elsewhere in Downtown where that’s not quite as easy as it may

Page Image
Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 3/8/2022 - P10

Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 3/8/2022 - P11

By dnadmin on Mon, 11/07/2022 - 07:48
Document Date
Tue, 03/08/2022 - 00:00
Meeting Description
Board Of Aldermen
Document Type
Minutes
Meeting Date
Tue, 03/08/2022 - 00:00
Page Number
11
Image URL
https://nashuameetingsstorage.blob.core.windows.net/nm-docs-pages/boa_m__030820…

Board of Aldermen 03-08-2022 Page 11

appear to some people to be. There are not a lot of large open-spaced buildings downtown. It was a challenge. The
reason that the performing arts center wasn’t suggested until Alec opened up is because there wasn't going to be a place
big enough. So | would say personally none of my motivation was for fire switches or alarm relays, it was because that’s
a hub for the community, not just downtown, but for the entire city and it’s important for us to keep it. Thank you.

Alderman Sullivan

| would like to make a motion to take this resolution and move it back to budget. Could | speak to that?
MOTION BY ALDERMAN SULLIVAN TO REFER R-22-008 TO THE BUDGET REVIEW COMMITTEE

ON THE QUESTION

Alderman Sullivan

The reason | want to do it is 1) for my understanding when | looked at it, Alderman Clemons was the main endorser of this
legislation. Unfortunately, Alderman Clemons wasn’t at the Budget Committee last week to speak to it when we
recommended it for approval of which | did. Second, and not to put Miss Kleiner’s or put words in her mouth, she was
called on to speak to it. | don’t think she was prepared to speak to it but did an admirable job. Finally since it came to
trust funds, | had uncovered some information as far as we have a City Trust Fund now. | just thought that since | had
uncovered some more information, I'd like to move that back to Committee. I’m not saying I’m for or against the
resolution. | would simply like to talk about it more, if there is no time limit on this if we pass it in another month, it doesn’t
do anything.

President Wilshire

Motion is to re-refer. Alderman Clemons?

Alderman Clemons

Thank you. | appreciate the enthusiastic support from Alderman O’Brien and Alderman Lopez and I’m sure others. | had
requested through the Chairman to hold this at the committee level because | was on vacation last week and was unable
to attend that meeting, so I’m not sure why it did move forward but | have no objection to it going back to the Budget
Committee meeting to be discussed further.

Alderman Klee

Yes, thank you Madam Chair. | am going to be very honest with you. When | spoke to Director Kleiner about this, one of
the comments she had made were the leases are coming up. | think one of the key things that Director Kleiner had
spoken to was relative to the good faith that we give to the people who are renting and leasing, etc., and that we are
showing them that we are going to be using it. The trust fund that, | believe, Alderman Sullivan was speaking about is the
City Building Trust Fund. | asked Director Kleiner specifically what is that money used for and she told me it’s primarily for
City Hall, but that at times it has been used to the Hunt, therefore showing that the Hunt is not self-sustaining itself. Public
works as well as Public Health buildings. So we have used the money for other things.

Right now it’s sitting at $269,767.87. There have been building ground maintenance, security equipment that has been
spent this year, so the money does get used. If someone feels that it’s too much money that’s sitting there, well that is
their opinion but | do feel that moving forward with this where we’ve got leases that are coming up and pending, we’re only
going to be putting it further back and perhaps Alderman Dowd can speak to when the Budget Committee would actually
be able to hear this. | think I'll leave it at that. Thank you.

Alderman Cathey

| was also on the Budget Committee and Alderman Sullivan and | had quite a few questions about how the Expendable
Trust Fund works. | believe we both, and | don’t want to put words in his mouth, came from the point of view of “why”?
Why do we need this action in order to take care of this building? Director Kleiner said she would sent us some materials
and she did send us a report based on the expenses and revenue on the building. This action says that we can only put
in the equivalent amount of the revenues the building generates. For next year that’s $40,000. That means we've only
put in 40 which is 80, but the projected expenses are, | believe, $120. So that’s another $40,000 that we’re short. So
we're not even getting up to the maintenance costs to take care of the building which is a far cry from letting the building
be “revenue neutral” if we’re lucky.

Page Image
Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 3/8/2022 - P11

Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 3/8/2022 - P12

By dnadmin on Mon, 11/07/2022 - 07:48
Document Date
Tue, 03/08/2022 - 00:00
Meeting Description
Board Of Aldermen
Document Type
Minutes
Meeting Date
Tue, 03/08/2022 - 00:00
Page Number
12
Image URL
https://nashuameetingsstorage.blob.core.windows.net/nm-docs-pages/boa_m__030820…

Board of Aldermen 03-08-2022 Page 12

Then on top of that, the roof didn’t even come out of maintenance costs. To my understanding, it came out of capital
improvements. So if we need to keep spending big expenses on things on the building that are going to come out of
funds elsewhere in the budget, then having this trust fund which has been bleeding money for at least the past 3 years.
It’s probably longer, | don’t know if the expendable trust fund a) does the job that it’s supposed to do, and b) is worthwhile
in the long run because it’s going to require a lot more money from the budget anyway.

So even with those thoughts, | think it does deserve more conversation back on the committee level. I’m not saying I’m
definitely against it, but | would love to have more conversation about why this is the way to go when | believe there are
other actions and other opportunities. | understand there are tenants and they want to have good faith, but | think
showing good faith is doing the due diligence to make sure that we don’t just pass an action or resolution but rather we
solve the problem long-term and think about second and third order affects and how we can actually get this building to
the desired goal we want. Thank you.

Alderman Thibeault

Yeah, I’m not really for putting it back in the Budget Committee. | just look like it’s going to delay it longer. If we are
putting this money into another trust fund or we’re not putting it in another trust fund, honestly what is going to happen is
this building is going to be forgotten about because there are other buildings that are going to be looked at as more
important. This isn’t just a historical thing. | mean | went there as a kid. It’s a fire station, it’s performing arts, my
daughter went there for drama. Now she’s studying Biology so obviously that didn’t work, but you know what at the end of
the day I’m afraid - and Chairman O’Brien said it perfectly - that “this building will get lost in the shuffle” and it’s a great
location, a lot of parking, people can eat outside without any barriers. It’s something that if it goes back and we lose
tenants, or people start getting frustrated and they go somewhere else, then we’re going to lose that building.

Director Kleiner did a good job in sending us information. That building does need a lot of work. To Alderman Cathey’s
point $40,000, $80,000 isn’t going to be all the money we’re going to need to fix that building, but it’s a start to something
that no one can touch for something else. | think Alderman Dowd said it in the Budget Committee or Finance Committee
that we still have to put the money in there every year. It doesn’t automatically go in there, so we still as a Board of
Alderman have to do that. | think we should keep it today and not have the amendment.

Alderman Dowd

As Chair of Budget | don’t have any problem going back to Budget, | don’t know when we can schedule it in, but we'll do
our best. A couple of things — Junior Actor Singers also uses that building. My daughters have all been in a number of
performances there.

The other thing is expendable trust funds is not someplace we hide money. It takes legislative action to put something in
and there are specific spending parameters on money taken out. It’s in the budget and budget book every budget year,
so it’s not hidden. It’s very transparent but if you want to go back to Budget, that’s fine with me.

Alderman Comeau

Thank you Madam President. | also | don’t want to put words in anybody’s mouth either, but | didn’t get the sense from
the speakers tonight that any of my colleagues are against maintaining the building, or doing some of these projects, or
funding the projects. | think that my questions personally are procedural in nature. We have a number of trust funds that |
don’t know why we can’t already use. We have capital improvements, general accounts, and downtown improvement
funds. So my confusion is why we need another one when it seems like we may already have the mechanisms in place to
do this work already. So | would definitely support at least having a longer conversation about it so that at least when |
cast my vote | know that it’s informed. Thank you.

Alderwoman Kelly

Thank you. I’m inclined to move this forward. | think that I’ve heard about leases. | think that the theater is a diamond-in-
the-rough that we have here in Nashua and having been on the Board of the Symphony, I’ve been in the building many,
many times. It’s under-utilized and it does need some attention and having its own trust fund will allow us to make sure
that money goes directly into this building that really has a lot of potential and | know Alderman Gidge put in the artist
studios, like there is a lot in there that can be happening and as we become a City that is starting to be known for arts and
culture, being outside, coming downtown, | want to make sure we prioritize this building.

Page Image
Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 3/8/2022 - P12

Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 3/8/2022 - P13

By dnadmin on Mon, 11/07/2022 - 07:48
Document Date
Tue, 03/08/2022 - 00:00
Meeting Description
Board Of Aldermen
Document Type
Minutes
Meeting Date
Tue, 03/08/2022 - 00:00
Page Number
13
Image URL
https://nashuameetingsstorage.blob.core.windows.net/nm-docs-pages/boa_m__030820…

Board of Aldermen 03-08-2022 Page 13

Alderman Clemons

Madam President | motion to move the vote.

MOTION BY ALERMAN CLEMONS TO MOVE THE VOTE
MOTION CARRIED

MOTION BY PRESIDENT WILSHIRE TO RE-REFER R-22-008, BY ROLL CALL

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

Yea: Alderman Sullivan, Alderman Moran, Alderman Jette, Alderman Clemons,
Alderman Comeau, Alderman Dowd, Alderman Gouveia, Alderman Cathey,
Alderman Wilshire 9

Nay: Alderman O’Brien, Alderwomen Klee, Alderman Lopez, Alderwomen Kelly,
Alderman Thibeault, Alderwomen Timmons 6

MOTION CARRIED

R-22-009
Endorsers: Alderman-at-Large Lori Wilshire

Alderman Richard A. Dowd
Alderman-at-Large Michael B. O’Brien, Sr.
Alderman John Sullivan
Alderman Patricia Klee
Alderman-at-Large Melbourne Moran, ur.
Alderman Thomas Lopez
Alderman-at-Large Ben Clemons
Alderwoman-at-Large Shoshanna Kelly
Alderman Alex Comeau
Alderman Tyler Gouveia
Alderman John Cathey
Alderman Derek Thibeault
Alderwoman-at-Large Gloria Timmons

APPROVING THE COST ITEMS OF A COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE NASHUA BOARD
OF POLICE COMMISSIONERS AND UFPO LOCAL 645 PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYEES OF THE NASHUA POLICE
DEPARTMENT FROM JULY 1, 2022 THROUGH JUNE 30, 2026

Given its second reading;

MOTION BY ALDERMAN DOWD FOR FINAL PASSAGE OF R-22-009

ON THE QUESTION

Alderman Dowd

This went unanimously through Budget and the request for percentage increases are very reasonable based on a lot of

history of negotiations. They have also agreed to the City’s healthcare which is a big step. We're trying to get that from
all our unions and they agreed without reservation. So they have taken all the steps that we have been asking of unions
to take and therefore through the recommendation of the Chief, | suggest that we pass it.

President Wilshire

Further discussion? Seeing none.

MOTION CARRIED

Resolution R-22-009 declared duly adopted.

Page Image
Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 3/8/2022 - P13

Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 3/8/2022 - P14

By dnadmin on Mon, 11/07/2022 - 07:48
Document Date
Tue, 03/08/2022 - 00:00
Meeting Description
Board Of Aldermen
Document Type
Minutes
Meeting Date
Tue, 03/08/2022 - 00:00
Page Number
14
Image URL
https://nashuameetingsstorage.blob.core.windows.net/nm-docs-pages/boa_m__030820…

Board of Aldermen 03-08-2022 Page 14

R-22-010
Endorsers: Alderman Richard A. Dowd
Alderman-at-Large Michael B. O’Brien, Sr.
Alderman John Sullivan
Alderman Patricia Klee
Alderman-at-Large Melbourne Moran, Jr.
Alderman Thomas Lopez
Alderman-at-Large Ben Clemons
Alderman Alex Comeau
Alderman Tyler Gouveia
Alderman John Cathey
Alderman Derek Thibeault
Alderwoman-at-Large Gloria Timmons
Alderman-at-Large Lori Wilshire
APPROVING THE COST ITEMS OF SIDEBAR AGREEMENTS BETWEEN THE NASHUA BOARD OF POLICE
COMMISSIONERS AND THE FIVE NASHUA POLICE DEPARTMENT UNIONS REGARDING A POLICE
DEPARTMENT RECRUITING INCENTIVE
Given its second reading;

MOTION BY ALDERMAN CATHEY FOR FINAL PASSAGE OF R-22-010, BY ROLL CALL

ON THE QUESTION

Alderman Dowd

Again, unanimous decision by the Budget Committee to bring forward the recommendation to pass. This money is
coming directly out of the police account. There is no additional funding required out of the budget and it makes the
police officers another set of recruiters to get officers onto the police force.

President Wilshire

Discussion? Seeing none.
MOTION CARRIED

Resolution R-22-010 declared duly adopted.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS — ORDINANCES

O0-22-004
Endorsers: Alderman Derek Thibeault
Alderman Patricia Klee
Alderman-at-Large Melbourne Moran, Jr.
Alderman-at-Large Ben Clemons
Alderman Richard Dowd
Alderwoman-at-Large Gloria Timmons
PROHIBITING A RIGHT TURN ON RED FROM ADVENTURE WAY ONTO DANIEL WEBSTER HIGHWAY
Given its second reading;

MOTION BY ALDERMAN THIBEAULT FOR FINAL PASSAGE OF O-22-004

ON THE QUESTION

Alderman Thibeault

So right turn red. The DPW contacted me a couple months ago about this and they were getting some complaints about
since they put the Bu’s gas station on Daniel Webster Highway that when people are doing a U-turn, people are taking a
right turn on red, it’s getting more dangerous than it was before. It’s always been a smaller problem but now that there is
more traffic, it’s definitely been an issue. So they reached out to me and | said that’s not my Ward go see Alderman

Page Image
Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 3/8/2022 - P14

Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 3/8/2022 - P15

By dnadmin on Mon, 11/07/2022 - 07:48
Document Date
Tue, 03/08/2022 - 00:00
Meeting Description
Board Of Aldermen
Document Type
Minutes
Meeting Date
Tue, 03/08/2022 - 00:00
Page Number
15
Image URL
https://nashuameetingsstorage.blob.core.windows.net/nm-docs-pages/boa_m__030820…

Board of Aldermen 03-08-2022 Page 15

Cathey. | said if he doesn’t sponsor it, | will because on the other side of the road is Ward 8. So it’s my people that are
the ones that are concerned about it even though this is technically in Ward 7.

So what’s happening is people are coming out of the Bluestone apartments, and the Louisburg Square apartments, and
people who are eating at Pizza Hut | guess as well and the only way out of that way is to take the U-turn if you want to go
North or to go all the way down and take a right down by Barnes and Noble and Shaw’s. So it was there to try to protect
people from getting into accidents because people aren’t waiting all the time. They’re supposed to stop but if they see an
opening, they take it, and people are taking the U-turn because they have the light. It’s potential for risk and for accidents.

Since we’ve put this in, gas prices have skyrocketed and now you have all kinds of traffic going in and out of there. So |
think honestly, and | hope Matt Sullivan is still here, | think there needs to be a bigger fix for that whole thing because it’s
beginning to get really messy down there and there is going to be other problems not just this right turn on red, but there
are going to be other things that we need to work on because we're starting to get more e-mails about it in general. | think
it’s a bigger issue, but for now we've started with this. Thank you.

Alderwomen Kelly

Thank you and thank you for bringing this forward. | had some questions. | did look through the discussion at
Infrastructure and I’m actually pretty knowledgeable about this area. | do go here for gas, so | Know how busy it can get
there. | do know that Matt Sullivan is here and wondering if he could speak to the end of the memos that the Planning
Department is looking at the bigger solution and | wanted to know what that is. Because | always get worried that we’re
making a short-term decision to try to fix something when there is a longer-term solution with the businesses that we
heard from and the business that will be going in.

Matt Sullivan, Community Development Director

Good evening members of the Board. Matt Sullivan, new Community Development Director. It feels good. | also believe
that Dan Hudson is on and I’m not going to put him on the spot speaking to this, but the implication there is we also
recognize as the neighboring owners made us aware this evening that there is other potential development proposed in
this area and approved development in this area. That included additional traffic impacts that were contemplated in the
Planning Board's review of the application at that time.

So the comment made to larger development trends in the area is simply to say we need to be more deliberate as we go
through traffic study and corridor study to ensure that any proposed developments and even those that are approved
currently are adequately mitigating the traffic. What | will say is that we have been in direct contact with Bu’s about the
current condition and the approved condition and asked them to supply additional traffic study data for us to review and
consider and we may, in fact, compel them (I’m comfortable saying this on the record) we may in fact compel them to
return to the Planning Board to make circulation changes to their site to deal with these conditions that we are witnessing.
We believe now only because of the current gas price trends but also because of the design of the site, that the traffic
impact was under estimated and therefore the impacts to Adventure Way and the DW Highway corridor were not
adequately planned for. So we’re taking more comprehensive look at this intersection certainly based on that
contemplated development, but we do intend to intervene with BU’s directly as they have created in combination with other
businesses a compounded affect an unsafe intersection condition here. | hope that addresses your question.

Alderwoman Kelly

It does. If | could have one more follow-up. So | guess that’s really good information. | understand there is increased
traffic here and what I’m trying to wrap my head around because I’m looking at this amazing traffic study - if you’ve ever
looked at one, they are quite interesting to look at - but | think my question is around is the attention to this spot just
because we have additional cars because that right turn from Adventure Way is not the Bu’s people. You have to go in,
and around, and back onto DW. So those right turns and those U-turns should have already been going on the whole
time. So I’m trying to figure out where...

Matt Sullivan, Community Development Director

Yes absolutely. | think it has been exacerbated by the BU’s development. Certainly this is not a new condition, but | think
it's been amplified based on that new development. | don’t know if it’s appropriate to call on Dan Hudson if he still has
joined us this evening. He may be able to speak more adequately to some of this. If he’s not available | can certainly
provide some additional information.

President Wilshire

Page Image
Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 3/8/2022 - P15

Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 3/8/2022 - P16

By dnadmin on Mon, 11/07/2022 - 07:48
Document Date
Tue, 03/08/2022 - 00:00
Meeting Description
Board Of Aldermen
Document Type
Minutes
Meeting Date
Tue, 03/08/2022 - 00:00
Page Number
16
Image URL
https://nashuameetingsstorage.blob.core.windows.net/nm-docs-pages/boa_m__030820…

Board of Aldermen 03-08-2022 Page 16

He’s available. Mr. Hudson would you care to join us?

Dan Hudson, City Engineer

Thanks Mr. Director. No, that’s correctly described. This is an existing problem that has been there for a while. It is
exasperated by the additional level of traffic. What you have at that location is a high number of U-turns for the reasons
Alderman Thibeault noted. To reverse direction, people have to use that U-turn and at the same time, some people are
trying to take a right turn on red. It’s not a great location sight distance wise because you are coming up the vertical hill
there. You are looking left, your left turn traffic beside you, you have a couple lanes going northbound on DW Highway,
and now as of late you have some added congestion because of Bu’s traffic. So it’s a condition that has existed. We
would have recommended that it be changed regardless, but it has become more recently more problematic because of
the additional congestion.

President Wilshire

Seven hands just went up! Alderman O’Brien.

Alderman O’Brien

Thank you Madam President. We heard this in Infrastructure and | don’t want to go deep into history, but you have to
remember right turn on red lights some of you don’t remember the 70’s. | vaguely do myself. Some of you weren’t born
during the 70’s, but the thing is we went through a real crisis where there wasn’t enough fuel and shows history. Looking
today, history repeats itself and fuel prices went up. But for a vehicle to sit at a red light in dead idle, there was great
concern. So there was federal change and they said “yes”. All States had you had to stop completely at a red light, no
turning at all. That’s why the green arrow was invented, but because of the fuel shortage and then they came out with the
right turn on red unless the municipality looked at it and then determined that it was hazardous to do so. We have now
come to that with this particular intersection. So therefore, that’s why it passed the Committee, but | just wanted to bring
the background information on why we do have the authority to limit the right turn on red. | mean prior to 1970, everybody
had to come to a complete stop.

Now as far as the Bu’s, | wish they had better signage. | don’t know, maybe somebody can talk to them but there is an
exit on the DW for heading northbound. So there really is not a need for the BU customer to go down back to Adventure
Way, and then to come up, and then to go through the light. Usually | try to avoid lights, although it is against the law to
go on somebodies property to avoid them. The thing is there is a way out, but unfortunately the public isn’t using this
which created this. So therefore, it went through Infrastructure, we approved it, and | hope that answers some of your
questions on why we have the authority to do so. Thank you.

Alderman Klee

Thank you Madam President. The truth is that | think what people have stated here the entrance into the Bu’s gas station
is what is backing up. It’s not the people leaving the gas station because they coming out of and I, too, like Alderwoman
Kelly has use it quite often.

The issue that | see is that they’re coming out of BU’s, doing a right turn on red, and then we have a U-turn as well. | know
in Concord they put up different kinds of lights saying you know “you can’t right turn on red when someone is doing a U-
turn”. They have these big giant signs.

| had a couple questions and perhaps Mr. Hudson can answer them. In the downtown area we have right turn on red, but
we have restrictions like off of Amherst Street onto Main Street during certain hours. Would that be something that would
allow for this but during certain times not to allow for it? | don’t think that this is going to affect the right turn on red. It’s
going to affect the Adventure Way, but | think maybe if we allowed it to happen during the really not busy times or

something much like we do even on Main Street. Would something like this help or is it just kind of a waste of time to do
it?

Dan Hudson, City Engineer

Sure. Thank you. | supposed that in the late hours of the evening if it’s not busy, then it wouldn’t be as needed. One
thing to note too is that lane that you can make a right turn from is a shared through right lane. So the only people that
are turning right on red are the first or second person in line if those people want to turn right versus go through. So a lot
of people are trapped behind the throughs during the red anyway.

Page Image
Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 3/8/2022 - P16

Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 3/8/2022 - P17

By dnadmin on Mon, 11/07/2022 - 07:48
Document Date
Tue, 03/08/2022 - 00:00
Meeting Description
Board Of Aldermen
Document Type
Minutes
Meeting Date
Tue, 03/08/2022 - 00:00
Page Number
17
Image URL
https://nashuameetingsstorage.blob.core.windows.net/nm-docs-pages/boa_m__030820…

Board of Aldermen 03-08-2022 Page 17

So | don’t think this change will have a significant effect on traffic conditions in the area. | think it’s more of a safety issue
and it was brought forward based on concerns that we received. But if the Board wanted to entertain any hour restriction,
we certainly can do that but | wouldn't do that during normal business hours or on Saturdays. This last Saturday | heard
there was a lot of issues there as well so.

Alderman Klee

Thank you, I’m not suggesting, just wanted to get some ideas.

Alderman Moran

Thank you Madam President. So | take this way home. | live in Ward 7 but | work in Ward 8. I'll come down Spit Brook
and take a left onto DW. | don’t think so much it’s the traffic that’s coming from Adventure Way, | think it’s the human
behavior change because now you're frustrated. Frustrated that you can’t get into CVS, frustrated that you can’t get into
Best Buy, and now people are coming back onto Adventure Way, and just flooring it as fast as they can. Where | come
from, it's a Massachusetts stop, a slow roll, make sure nothings coming, but not paying attention to the U-turn. | think the
frustration is caused by the increased traffic in that area that is really causing people to blow through that light. | for one
before Lent started, | would visit that Pizza Hut almost frequently, every day if | could, and that U-turn is true. Everyone
coming out of that side you’re going to get side swiped. | was leaving CVS the other day and someone banged that U-
turn and entered into the gas station from the wrong entrance where it clearly says “not an entrance”. So there is a lot of
frustration over there that does need further study for the impact on the area. But | think this ordinance will slow people
down to think twice before they take a right into a U-turn.

Alderman Clemons

| agree completely with Alderman Moran on this. For me it’s about the traffic that is making a U-turn. | have been in that
situation myself making that U-turn where | almost go into an accident with somebody coming out making a right turn on
red. | personally feel that wherever we can have a right hand turn on red, we should have it. | even like the left hand
turns on red on one-way streets like over on West Hollis Street. | think its Liberty onto West Hollis Street you can do that,
but it has to be safe. When you have an entire population of people that live on one side of the road and the only way that
they can turn around and go north is to make a U-turn, then that U-turn has to be safe for them. So for those reasons, I’m
going to support this legislation.

Alderwoman Kelly

Thank you. | actually wanted to ask, and | don’t know if the idea and maybe this is for Mr. Hudson, to restrict the U-turn
was ever looked at. | disagree with what was just said that you can just go a block further and you can get on past the
Shaw’s. Also you can go out of some of those apartments the other way. | know which ones you’re talking about but like
Royal Ridge you can go through the other way.

President Wilshire

Did you have a question?

Alderwoman Kelly

My question is have we ever considered restricting the U-turns? Sorry | said a lot around the question.

Dan Hudson, City Engineer

Thank you. That was talked about, | believe, both when Bu’s came forward with their traffic study and later when Costco
came forward with their study. That was talked about, but it’s a very heavy U-turn movement because all of the
residences that want to reverse direction. So in looking at the number of people that wouldn’t have a great alternative
otherwise, you'd have to go further to make another U-turn heavier somewhere else. | think it became a consensus that
that wasn’t a recommended approach.

Alderwoman Kelly

Thank you very much.

Page Image
Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 3/8/2022 - P17

Pagination

  • First page « First
  • Previous page ‹‹
  • …
  • Page 221
  • Page 222
  • Page 223
  • Page 224
  • Current page 225
  • Page 226
  • Page 227
  • Page 228
  • Page 229
  • …
  • Next page ››
  • Last page Last »

Search

Meeting Date
Document Date

Footer menu

  • Contact