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Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 2/21/2017 - P2

By dnadmin on Sun, 11/06/2022 - 21:56
Document Date
Tue, 02/21/2017 - 00:00
Meeting Description
Board Of Aldermen
Document Type
Minutes
Meeting Date
Tue, 02/21/2017 - 00:00
Page Number
2
Image URL
https://nashuameetingsstorage.blob.core.windows.net/nm-docs-pages/boa_m__022120…

Board of Aldermen — 2/21/16 Page 2

At Gateway Hills in our south end, we have attracted new companies and many jobs like DataGravity,
Plexxi, Benchmark and many others enterprises. Together, they have added over 3,000 jobs. Now we
are working with the Flatley Company towards a new R & D facility that will add another 500 jobs, a goal
we want to accomplish within the next 3 years.

| want to make Nashua a city that offers opportunity to people in all of our neighborhoods from the Tree
Streets to the North End, from Crown Hill to Sky Meadow, from Little Florida to Westgate Village. That is
why | am working and striving every day to energize our economy.

And again by working together we are creating a downtown that is more vibrant than ever. | want to
thank our many partners in this story of ongoing success: Great American Downtown, our Chamber of
Commerce, iUGO Nashua, City Arts, Positive Street Art, our Nashua Arts Commission, our Downtown
Improvement Committee, and hundreds of talented and community-minded citizens.

In the spring we held our 10 annual International Sculpture Symposium, and we restored the beautiful
wooden doors at the historic Hunt Building. In the summer we set up pianos on Main Street and
expanded the Nashua Farmers Market. We planted trees in the Tree Streets, and we helped relocate
the Picker Building Artists’ Collaborative elsewhere in the Millyard.

In September we put on our first outdoor Fall Music Festival, and in October we had our first annual food
truck festival. Towards year’s end we returned holiday lighting for our downtown, we held another
successful Holiday Stroll, and we celebrated Positive Street Art’s charming new movie mural on Main
Street. This past month we illuminated our downtown rail trail so that people can use this pedestrian
corridor safely and comfortably at all times of the day and night.

We know that the Nashua River is central to our identity. And over the next few months, in concert with a
talented landscape architecture and urban design firm, we will be developing a 21*' century plan for the
Nashua Riverfront.

We know that new housing and arts and music are keys to bringing more people of all ages to the heart
of our city. For housing, we are working to add 165, and now we think 200, new apartments to Franklin
Street with the mill-to-housing conversion going on there. Thanks to the work of BIDA, under the
leadership of Jack Tulley, we are adding 150 apartments as part of the Renaissance development on
Bridge Street, and we are looking to add more apartments in the Picker Building on the Nashua River
and still more on School Street.

And Nashua is rapidly becoming the live music destination for our entire region. We are already blessed
with a music scene which includes venues at the Riverwalk Cafe, Fody’s, and Dolly Shakers. In a few
months we will be presenting our first outdoor Spring Music Festival. Long term we are looking to
develop a downtown performing arts center. We are in the final stages of a feasibility study which is
looking at sites and a workable business plan. But | believe we may be able to add more music soon.

We are working on a plan, in concert with Great American Downtown and Ben Ruddock of Riverwalk
Cafe, to convert, at a modest cost, the historic Central Fire Station on Court Street to a music venue that
will draw up to 300 people to downtown on a regular basis. This venue could bring first rate musicians
performing Americana, indie, bluegrass and other diverse genres to downtown. We expect to be able to
tell you about the details of the plan in the coming months.

Every day | am inspired by the way that Nashuans have shown the character and the heart to come
together to attack the opioid addiction crisis. Right after | was sworn in, | established the Mayor’s Opioid
Task Force, whose members include our fire and police departments, public health, advocates and
professionals from the prevention and treatment communities, as well as other concerned citizens, to
develop a battle plan in the fight against opioid addiction. One important result has been that all the key
players in Nashua are now on the same team, talking and working together.

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Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 2/21/2017 - P2

Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 2/21/2017 - P3

By dnadmin on Sun, 11/06/2022 - 21:56
Document Date
Tue, 02/21/2017 - 00:00
Meeting Description
Board Of Aldermen
Document Type
Minutes
Meeting Date
Tue, 02/21/2017 - 00:00
Page Number
3
Image URL
https://nashuameetingsstorage.blob.core.windows.net/nm-docs-pages/boa_m__022120…

Board of Aldermen — 2/21/16 Page 3

But as 2016 went on the number of overdoses was continuing to rise to a peak of 45 ODs with 7 fatalities
in October after 7 fatalities in September. So with a great sense of urgency, | called together Nashua
Fire Rescue, Harbor Homes, AMR, the city Health Department, our PD, and our hospitals. And on
November 17, together, we launched Nashua’s Safe Stations Program.

Under Safe Stations, anyone wanting help with addiction can go to any Nashua firehouse 24/7. A
firefighter does a short evaluation and then Harbor Homes picks up each person and develops the best
treatment and recovery option. People in trouble have responded. During the last six weeks of 2016, 48
people reported to a Safe Station. Since the start of 2017, the response has grown to about two per day,
nearly 160 people have reported to a Safe Station since the start of the program. So far the number of
ODs has dropped. In December 23 ODs, 20 in January, and so far 13 in February. Unfortunately we are
still having some fatalities, but far fewer than in September and October.

| am very proud of the way that every day Chief Galipeau and our firefighters, the employees of Harbor
Homes and AMR are rising to this challenge. And to anyone who is here tonight or who is watching, if
you or a loved one have a problem with addiction and you want help, go to any Nashua firehouse now.
We're here to help.

Going forward it is important for everyone to understand that continued Medicaid expansion is critical to
our anti-addiction efforts here in Nashua. This is because in many cases Medicaid is providing the
coverage for the crucial treatment and recovery services that people need. Naturally | am disappointed
to see that the recently proposed state budget does not include any funds for continued Medicaid
expansion. | will be urging the legislature to make sure that expanded Medicaid is in the final state
budget.

The Nashua Police Department is also playing a big role in our anti-opioid campaign by getting drug
dealers off of our streets. Last year, the PD made 749 drug arrests, and Nashua has become known as
a place where it is hard to deal heroin. | am proud of that reputation, one that is well earned by Chief
Andy Lavoie and all of our police officers. And that is not all. Through their community policing approach
at the Police Athletic League and elsewhere, police officers are steering young people in the right
direction. In Nashua we care about all of our citizens and we don’t want to leave anyone behind,
whether they are a Nashuan struggling with addiction, a student with a disability, or a senior citizen trying
to stay in her home.

In our inclusive city one of the most pressing concerns for our seniors is property taxes. | am proud to
say that Nashua is New Hampshire’s most age-friendly community. We offer the largest senior property
tax credit of all the cities and towns of our state. The city also provides strong support to our Senior
Activity Center. One of our aldermen, June Caron, and our City Treasurer, David Fredette, are active in
the management of the center.

And of course, property taxes are a concern for all of us, especially in New Hampshire, where the state
tax structure pushes the costs of government onto the local property tax bills. Still Nashua has the
second lowest equalized property taxes of all New Hampshire’s 13 cities, only Portsmouth’s tax rate is
slightly lower. We are always, the Board of Aldermen, myself, are always looking for ways to save and
spend our funds more effectively.

This year we are switching to LED street lights which will save us $250,000 per year. We are now
moving forward with a plan to buy out the long-term lease on the city-owned Mine Falls hydroelectric
dam. This buy-out will increase revenues to the city, over and above the cost of acquisition and
operations, by up to $400,000 per year.

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Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 2/21/2017 - P3

Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 2/21/2017 - P4

By dnadmin on Sun, 11/06/2022 - 21:56
Document Date
Tue, 02/21/2017 - 00:00
Meeting Description
Board Of Aldermen
Document Type
Minutes
Meeting Date
Tue, 02/21/2017 - 00:00
Page Number
4
Image URL
https://nashuameetingsstorage.blob.core.windows.net/nm-docs-pages/boa_m__022120…

Board of Aldermen — 2/21/16 Page 4

We cannot talk about the state of our city without recognizing the central importance of our schools.
Families must have confidence that their kids will get the education they need to succeed in life. Good
schools are also a key part of our economic development strategy because businesses need to know
that we are graduating students who have the skills to perform in the workplace.

Our high school students are making us proud. In Nashua we have more students excelling in Advanced
Placement courses that any in other community in New Hampshire. In 2016, 13 Nashua students were
recognized as National AP Scholars, out of a total of only 42 in all of New Hampshire. Thirty percent of
the statewide total come from Nashua. Last year 3 students from Nashua were admitted to MIT, while
three students Mary Zhu, Aashish Welling and Harshal Sheth won top awards at the New Hampshire
Science and Engineering Fair.

Now we have the opportunity to take a dramatic step forward in ensuring quality of education for all of
our kids. Superintendent Brown has proposed a creative budget which while making some cuts also
includes full-day kindergarten for all of our 5-year-olds. | support full-day kindergarten, and | am
announcing tonight that | will include full-day kindergarten in the budget | present to the Board of
Aldermen later this spring. Research shows that kids from all backgrounds benefit from all-day
kindergarten — fewer drop outs, higher GPA’s, more success.

In 1988, when | was Mayor before, we started half-day public kindergarten in Nashua for the first time,
when kindergarten was not state-mandated. We have waited a long time for the completion of what we
started back in 1988. In order to bring on full-day kindergarten, and to achieve a budget with a 1.3%
increase, Dr. Brown’s proposed budget eliminates some things which | believe we should retain.
Ensuring that all of our children reach their full potential, as well as seeing to it that the quality of our
teaching remains high require that Clearway High School and two teaching coaches be retained in the
budget as key elements of our educational program. In addition, | believe that cutting ten custodians is
too much.

Clearway, an alternative high school run by the Adult Learning Center, has been effective in educating
kids who thrive in a smaller high school environment. The two teaching coaches enable our junior
teachers to fully blossom into the classroom leaders we need. | want to make sure that all our teachers
have the skills and experience they need to enable Nashua’s school children to reach their full potential.
When | submit my budget to the Board of Aldermen, | will add funds for Clearway High School, for the
two teaching coaches, and for some more custodians.

Let’s thank our teachers. In thinking about Nashua’s schools, we must understand the critically important
role that our teachers play in the lives of our students. Some don't fully understand the challenges our
teachers face today. Many kids come to school unprepared to learn, some because they are hungry or
cold. Two hundred and sixty-seven students are classified as homeless. Certainly too many kids have
parents or family members who are in the grip of addiction. Yet, Nashua teachers are meeting these
classroom challenges every day.

In addition, dedicated teachers, principals, and other staff are also working hard for Nashua’s needy kids
by collecting and distributing food, clothing, and other necessities. Other members of our community are
also making a difference. The Chamber, Alderwoman Melizzi-Golja, and George Katis of Nashua
Wallpaper organize the Back to School event at the library every fall. And the volunteer organization End
68 Hours of Hunger distributes food to 50 needy families at four of our elementary schools every Friday.
But | believe we can do more to combat childhood hunger.

Therefore, tonight | am announcing that along with the Nashua Soup Kitchen, End 68 Hours of Hunger,
United Way, the Salvation Army, the Corpus Christie Food Pantry and others, we will launch a new
initiative, End Childhood Hunger in Nashua, before this year is out. We will start in Crown Hill, the home
to the Dr. Crisp Elementary School, where over 80% of the kids qualify for free or reduced lunch.

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Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 2/21/2017 - P4

Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 2/21/2017 - P5

By dnadmin on Sun, 11/06/2022 - 21:56
Document Date
Tue, 02/21/2017 - 00:00
Meeting Description
Board Of Aldermen
Document Type
Minutes
Meeting Date
Tue, 02/21/2017 - 00:00
Page Number
5
Image URL
https://nashuameetingsstorage.blob.core.windows.net/nm-docs-pages/boa_m__022120…

Board of Aldermen — 2/21/16 Page 5

| want to thank Michael Reinke, the new leader of the Soup Kitchen, for the inspiration to launch an end
childhood hunger campaign here in Nashua. | know that by working together we can make the lives of
many hungry children a lot better.

We are making Nashua city government more open and accessible. | am reaching out to citizens and
learning from them about their hopes and dreams for Nashua. For the second year | am holding town
hall meetings in all of the neighborhoods of our city. | have also started a monthly Coffee-with-the-Mayor
at Jajabelle’s on Main Street. | have talked with hundreds of Nashuans in these informal settings.

| have also appointed nearly 50 new people to city boards and commissions.

| want to involve leaders from our millennial generation in helping to chart the course of Nashua’s future.
Therefore, a number of my new appointments are millennials — Lydia Foley, Simon Sarris, Amanda
Schneck, Dan Weeks, James Tobin, Alison Bankowski, and Sindiso Mnisi Weeks on boards and
commissions, joining James Vayo, Sarah Marchant, Tim Cummings, and Madeleine Mineau who are
working inside city government. We are also working closely with other young leaders, especially
downtown where the passion of our millennials is clearly focused — leaders such as Aldermen Ben
Clemons and Tom Lopez, Paul Shea, Manny Ramirez, Jessica DePontbriand and Ben Ruddock. Our
young leaders are helping us plan a city that has walkable streets, new housing, a beautiful and
accessible river, and a diverse business community. It is inspiring to me that we have so many talented
Nashuans who are willing to share their time and talents for the benefit of our great city.

In a new effort to open Nashua city government to even more citizens, | am announcing tonight that
starting on March 6, we are launching our first Nashua City Academy. On Monday evenings over the
course of 13 weeks up to 50 citizens will be able to learn from our division and department heads about
the details of city operations and budgeting. Do you want to see what goes on inside a firehouse? Do
you want to learn more about how the city plows its streets or landfills its garbage? Do you want to learn
more about city budgeting? Sign up for the Nashua City Academy right away.

Speaking of our streets, Nashua has not kept up with street paving, and the condition of our streets has
deteriorated over the years. This is a problem that many citizens have spoken to us about. We have
completed an assessment of all of Nashua’s 1,300 streets and have determined the Paving Condition
Index, or PCI, of each street. | am announcing tonight, that in concert with the Board of Public Works
and Aldermen David Deane, Ken Siegel and other aldermen, | will be proposing a big leap forward — a
plan to devote $7.5 million per year to paving and patching our streets over at least the next 5 years.
This catch-up initiative will significantly upgrade the overall condition of our streets.

Our beautiful parks and our active recreation programs are part of the fabric of Nashua. We have
historic Greeley and beautiful Mine Falls Parks. This year through a combination of funds raised
privately and over $175,000 of city funds, we established the state’s first all accessible playground at
Labine Park. Eric Brand was the inspiration and driving force for the Legacy Playground, and many
others contributed including Eric’s Leadership Greater Nashua class, donors, volunteers, and Parks
Superintendent Nick Caggiano. However, there is one area where our recreation programs need
improvement, and that is the number of soccer/lacrosse fields we have. We have only 11 fields, and we
have not added a new one in at least 20 years. Eleven is not nearly enough. We have about 2,000 kids
and a lot of adults engaged in soccer and lacrosse.

The condition of our fields needs to be better, but grass needs rest in order to grow. That is why we
need more fields, so that we can establish a rotation schedule — letting the grass grow on some fields
while kids and adults are using others. Tonight | am announcing a plan to build two fields in the dusty
area next to the Charlotte Avenue Elementary School and a third field at the park on Jewell Lane next to
the school. Our partners in this project are Rob Leonardi and other members of the Charlotte Avenue
Elementary School PTO, the Nashua School Department, and the Nashua Parks Department.

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Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 2/21/2017 - P5

Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 2/21/2017 - P6

By dnadmin on Sun, 11/06/2022 - 21:56
Document Date
Tue, 02/21/2017 - 00:00
Meeting Description
Board Of Aldermen
Document Type
Minutes
Meeting Date
Tue, 02/21/2017 - 00:00
Page Number
6
Image URL
https://nashuameetingsstorage.blob.core.windows.net/nm-docs-pages/boa_m__022120…

Board of Aldermen — 2/21/16 Page 6

Nashua has a long history of immigration. Waves of French Canadian, Irish, Lithuanian, Jewish, Polish,
German, Greek and other immigrants worked in our mills and built our city in the 19'" and 20" centuries.
In the 21* century new immigrants have been arriving and helping us build our community — people from
India, Mexico, Brazil and other countries. Nashua is the most diverse city in New Hampshire, and we are
proud of our diversity. A recent study by the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine
found that immigration has a positive impact on the long term economic growth of the United States. The
study also found that second generation Americans, the children of immigrants, are among the strongest
contributors to the US economy.

The Nashua Chamber of Commerce has found that over recent years Nashua’s population would have
dropped by 4-5,000 people but for immigrants coming from outside of the US. We have many successful
new Americans here in Nashua. There are many examples, but | will mention particularly John
Olapurath who immigrated from India and who founded Zco Corporation, a successful software and app
developer that employs 25 people right in our Millyard. Nashua is extending a hand of welcome to new
Americans. During 2016, with the support of the Nashua Chamber, United Way, and many citizens, we
Officially became a Welcoming City — signifying that we welcome new Americans who wish to move here
and contribute and that we remember the contribution of past immigrants.

In 2016 we also established a Sister City relationship with Mysore, India. Mysore is a cultured, university
city in southern India, a region from which may of our Indian-American citizens have come. Mysore has
a highly educated population and is today one of the IT centers of the world. We hope to build upon this
relationship to strengthen our economy and enrich our city. We are working with our legislative
delegation to help Nashua, and | want to thank our delegation for taking up the city’s cause. A major
goal is to halt the downshifting by which year by year the State of New Hampshire pushes more costs
onto local government and raises property taxes while crowing about “no new taxes” and about a “budget
surplus.”

The largest of these downshifts right now is the imposition of another $2 million in pension costs on the
city and our taxpayers. Our legislative delegation has advanced three bills to address this problem and
we are fighting to get at least one of these bills passed. There are other state actions which would
increase property taxes, one is the reduction in state education aid. Nashua’s school aid was reduced by
$479,000 last year while aid to Bedford and Windham almost doubled.

A major legislative objective for us is extending commuter rail to Nashua. During its last session, the
legislature cut the funds necessary to accomplish the final planning steps for commuter rail even though
the funds required were all federal, not a dime of state money was needed. Our delegation support rail.
This session | have testified in favor of including rail funds in the capital budget and against eliminating
the state Rail Authority.

During the past year, | have been inspired by many Nashuans. | want to single out our Nashua’s Safe
Stations team: Nashua Fire Rescue, Chris Stawasz of AMR and Harbor Homes. As | have visited our
firehouses, like the Amherst Street Fire Station, and as | have talked with our team about the shattered
families who are coming to a Safe Station, | have seen their total commitment to the mission of rescuing
Nashua from opioids. Our Safe Stations team are showing the character that is part of Nashua’s history
and fabric. | am thankful to every one of them.

So let’s continue pulling together, working together, and showing the heart that is evident in every
neighborhood of our city. Together we can accomplish great things. God bless the great city of Nashua.
Thank you very much.

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Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 2/21/2017 - P6

Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 6/14/2016 - P1

By dnadmin on Sun, 11/06/2022 - 21:34
Document Date
Tue, 06/14/2016 - 00:00
Meeting Description
Board Of Aldermen
Document Type
Minutes
Meeting Date
Tue, 06/14/2016 - 00:00
Page Number
1
Image URL
https://nashuameetingsstorage.blob.core.windows.net/nm-docs-pages/boa_m__061420…

A regular meeting of the Board of Aldermen was held Tuesday, June 14, 2016, at 7:30 p.m. in the
Aldermanic Chamber.

President Brian S. McCarthy presided; City Clerk Patricia D. Piecuch recorded.

Prayer was offered by City Clerk Patricia D. Piecuch; Nashua Veterans led in the Pledge to the Flag;
followed by the singing of the National Anthem by Alan St. Louis.

President McCarthy

Before | ask the Clerk to take the roll, Alderman Moriarty is participating by telephone and under
the terms of the state law that allows him to do that, he needs to explain why he can’t attend, if he
can hear us, and who he is with, if anyone.

Alderman Moriarty stated the reason he could not attend, confirmed that he could hear the proceedings
and stated who was present with him.

President McCarthy

Acknowledged that those present could hear Alderman Moriarty as well.

The roll call was taken with 13 members of the Board of Aldermen present; Alderman-at-Large Daniel

T. Moriarty was not in attendance but participated in the meeting via telecommunication; Alderman-at-
Large Mark S. Cookson and Alderman-at-Large David W. Deane were recorded absent.

Mayor James W. Donchess and Corporation Counsel Steven A. Bolton were also present.

President McCarthy

Before we begin | am going to recognize Alderman Wilshire to make a motion so we can accept
procedural motions without the roll call vote.

MOTION BY ALDERMAN WILSHIRE THAT THE RULES BE SO FAR SUSPENDED AS TO
ALLOW FOR THE ACCEPTANCE OF PROCEDURAL ACTIONS WITHOUT OBJECTION

A Viva Voce Roll Call was taken, which resulted as follows:
Yea: Alderman Wilshire, Alderman Clemons, Alderman Dowd, 13
Alderman Caron, Alderman Siegel, Alderman Schoneman,
Alderwoman Melizzi-Golja, Alderman McGuinness, Alderman LeBrun,
Alderman Moriarty, Alderman O’Brien, Alderman Lopez, Alderman McCarthy
Nay: 0
MOTION CARRIED
REMARKS BY THE MAYOR
Mayor Donchess

First, we know that Mark Cookson’s mother passed away and | would like to extend my condolences to
Mark and his wife and his family.

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Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 6/14/2016 - P1

Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 2/21/2017 - P7

By dnadmin on Sun, 11/06/2022 - 21:56
Document Date
Tue, 02/21/2017 - 00:00
Meeting Description
Board Of Aldermen
Document Type
Minutes
Meeting Date
Tue, 02/21/2017 - 00:00
Page Number
7
Image URL
https://nashuameetingsstorage.blob.core.windows.net/nm-docs-pages/boa_m__022120…

Board of Aldermen — 2/21/16 Page 7
ADJOURNMENT

MOTION BY ALDERMAN WILSHIRE THAT THE FEBRUARY 21, 2017, MEETING OF THE
BOARD OF ALDERMEN BE ADJOURNED
MOTION CARRIED

The meeting was declared adjourned at 7:35 p.m.

Attest: Patricia D. Piecuch, City Clerk

Page Image
Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 2/21/2017 - P7

Board Of Aldermen - Agenda - 2/21/2017 - P1

By dnadmin on Sun, 11/06/2022 - 21:56
Document Date
Tue, 02/21/2017 - 00:00
Meeting Description
Board Of Aldermen
Document Type
Agenda
Meeting Date
Tue, 02/21/2017 - 00:00
Page Number
1
Image URL
https://nashuameetingsstorage.blob.core.windows.net/nm-docs-pages/boa_a__022120…

£:00 PM MEETING OF THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN
PRESIDENT BRIAN S. MCCARTHY CALLS ASSEMBLY TO ORDER
PRAYER OFFERED BY CITY CLERK PATRICIA PIECUCH

PLEDGE TO THE FLAG LED BY ALDERMAN-AT-LARGE DAVID W. DEANE
ROLL CALL

MAYOR’S ANNUAL STATE-OF-THE-CITY ADDRESS

ADJOURNMENT

FEBRUARY 21, 2017

Page Image
Board Of Aldermen - Agenda - 2/21/2017 - P1

Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 2/14/2017 - P1

By dnadmin on Sun, 11/06/2022 - 21:56
Document Date
Tue, 02/14/2017 - 00:00
Meeting Description
Board Of Aldermen
Document Type
Minutes
Meeting Date
Tue, 02/14/2017 - 00:00
Page Number
1
Image URL
https://nashuameetingsstorage.blob.core.windows.net/nm-docs-pages/boa_m__021420…

A regular meeting of the Board of Aldermen was held Tuesday, February 14, 2017, at 7:30 p.m. in the
Aldermanic Chamber.

President Brian S. McCarthy presided; Deputy City Clerk Judith Boileau recorded.

Prayer was offered by Deputy City Clerk Judith Boileau; Alderman-at-Large Mark S. Cookson led in the Pledge
to the Flag.

The roll call was taken with 14 members of the Board of Aldermen present; Alderman Clemons was recorded
absent.

Mayor James W. Donchess and Corporation Counsel Steven A. Bolton were also in attendance.

REMARKS BY THE MAYOR

Mayor Donchess

First | wanted to mention the storms we’ve been having in February. We've had several, most recently on
Sunday when it snowed over a foot. Our Department of Public Works has been doing a great job working very
hard and long hours cleaning up the snow over and over again. Director Lisa Fauteux and her staff have
devoted many hours making sure that the cleanup is effective as possible. | just want to thank them for all of
their hard work. We do have possibly a small storm tomorrow, maybe an inch. Director Fauteux tells me she
doesn’t think it will be too bad. Hopefully that will go just as well.

On the agenda, first is R-17-089, which is coming in for a first reading. This has to do with the repurposing of
Broad Street Parkway earmarked funds that were assigned to this project by congress. In 2010 when the
route of the Broad Street Parkway was changed, the result was the city and the state acquired parcels of
property for the old route that were no longer necessary for the new route, which now comes right down Pine
Street Extension. Sometime in 2015, the federal DOT began to assert that the expenditures made to acquire
those parcels that were not necessary were not eligible expenses and could not be reimbursed through
earmarked funds. The result could have been that some of the earmarked funds would never have been used
for the project and would have gone unused by the city. In 2016, we approached our congressional delegation
and began to talk with federal DOT and particularly state DOT about the issue. Through discussions of a
whole lot of people on the city staff, the state DOT, and federal DOT, we worked out an arrangement whereby
the funds that were earmarked would be repurposed from the Broad Street Parkway to several paving projects.
We know that we need paving anyway. The projects that are designated are Somerset Parkway, the link to
Somerset Parkway, Amherst Street from Charron Avenue to Somerset, Kinsley Street, the entire length, and
Broad Street from Amherst Street to the oval, the roundabout by the high school. Those will be paid for now
out of the earmarked funds and we will use up all of the earmarked funds that were designated towards the
City of Nashua back when the earmark was done. Our city staff worked very hard on this. The state DOT
commissioner, Victoria Sheehan, who happens to be a resident of Nashua in Ward 5, and |’m sure this had
nothing to do with the way she handled it, but she was extremely helpful and cooperative in guiding us through
the negotiations with her department and with federal DOT. When you consider this, | think you will have
confidence that we are going to be able to use all the money that was assigned to us by congress.

The other one | wanted to mention was the veteran’s tax credit, the voluntary veteran’s tax credit which is on
the agenda for adoption by the city. O-17-25. This would follow up on the act passed by the legislature to
expand the credits to include all veterans, which currently it does not. | have sponsored along with some of the
other aldermen. My only suggestion is that, given the analysis by the assessors that this could result in a
revenue loss of $670,000, possibly more, that we make it effective April 1, 2018, rather than 2017, mainly
because of the $2 million hit we’re going to take on the pension fund which result in higher taxes. We are
going to have difficulty absorbing another tax impact in addition to that. So my suggestion would be we
recognize our veterans but given the difficulties we have this year that we make it effective April 1, 2018.

We have a ward meeting coming up, Ward 8, Thursday night at Bicentennial at 7:00 p.m. On the 24" of
February at Harbor Homes there’s a pancake breakfast to benefit Safe Stations. That’s at 7:00 a.m. Harbor

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Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 2/14/2017 - P1

Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 2/14/2017 - P2

By dnadmin on Sun, 11/06/2022 - 21:56
Document Date
Tue, 02/14/2017 - 00:00
Meeting Description
Board Of Aldermen
Document Type
Minutes
Meeting Date
Tue, 02/14/2017 - 00:00
Page Number
2
Image URL
https://nashuameetingsstorage.blob.core.windows.net/nm-docs-pages/boa_m__021420…

Board of Aldermen Page 2
February 14, 2017

Homes has been raising money, has a number of sponsors and any members of the board that can make it
that early or don’t have work commitments at that time, you would be of course very welcome. | wish everyone
a Happy Valentine’s Day, Mr. President, and conclude my remarks.

RESPONSE TO REMARKS OF THE MAYOR
Alderman LeBrun

You mentioned $660,000 on the veteran’s tax. My understanding is that the amount of the exemption is
optional. How can anyone come up with a $660,000 figure?

Mayor Donchess

The current veteran’s tax credit, which gives a $500 credit to any veteran who served during a period of
combat, results in about $1.5 million in credits being awarded. This will open it up to another 25 or 30 years of
service for people who served not during periods of combat. | think the estimate is that there could be as many
as 1,300, 1,400, 1,500 people who would qualify. It also applies to spouses. If all of those people qualify and
apply then the Assessing Department is saying that it would mean that we would give credits of $670,000 over
and above the credits we’re giving now. Currently credits have been earned by about 3,000 veterans and
spouses. This would expand it maybe to 50 percent more.

Alderman LeBrun

Follow up, Mr. President.

President McCarthy

I’d actually like to ask that this be held for the committee meeting where this is taken up since it’s about the
substance of the bill, if you don’t mind. We'll make sure that the tax collector is here to justify those numbers.

RECOGNITION PERIOD — None
READING MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETINGS AND PUBLIC HEARING

MOTION BY ALDERMAN WILSHIRE THAT THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN MEETINGS
OF JANUARY 23, 2017, AND JANUARY 24, 2017, AND THE PUBLIC HEARING CONDUCTED BY THE
BUDGET REVIEW COMMITTEE ON JANUARY 23, 2017, BE ACCEPTED, PLACED ON FILE, AND THE
READINGS SUSPENDED

MOTION CARRIED

COMMUNICATIONS

MOTION BY ALDERMAN MORIARTY THAT ALL COMMUNICATIONS BE READ BY TITLE ONLY
MOTION CARRIED

From: Thomas J. Leonard, Chairman, Pennichuck Corporation Board of Directors
Re: Special Meeting of the Sole Shareholder — March 24, 2017

MOTION BY ALDERMAN MORIARTY TO ACCEPT, PLACE ON FILE AND REFER TO THE PENNICHUCK
WATER SPECIAL COMMITTEE
MOTION CARRIED

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