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Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 6/11/2019 - P15

By dnadmin on Sun, 11/06/2022 - 22:38
Document Date
Tue, 06/11/2019 - 00:00
Meeting Description
Board Of Aldermen
Document Type
Minutes
Meeting Date
Tue, 06/11/2019 - 00:00
Page Number
15
Image URL
https://nashuameetingsstorage.blob.core.windows.net/nm-docs-pages/boa_m__061120…

Board of Aldermen 06-11-2019 Page 15

It got vaporized with the spending cap and out of this particular chamber, that we didn’t give enough
money for them to operate. | hope those days are gone, but | am not going to make up 25 years of fiscal
foolishness in one year, we can’t although we really probably could, but we can’t. Maybe if we change our
attitude and get some decent people into this chamber that are progressive in thinking and looking and
they are going to come up. With a City Budget of 3% | think the people of the City can take into account
that the Mayor and this Board sharpened our pencils and we came up with something that was a darn
good budget that was practical. And keep in mind, we went through something that the State also gave us
down our bowling alley, was the reassessment that some people went through. So there were a lot of
things that came in and affected us and | think we did good. But again, | think now we have some other,
labor groups coming up for contracts and one of them is the Firemen and the Fire Fighters are doing the
extra duty. | Know the mechanics are working harder with only a limited amount of men to fix those trucks
and they get used an awful lot.

You’ve got engine companies that are doing close to 3,000, 2,000 runs a year for an engine company.
That’s a lot of work. They are not sleeping folks, you Know when you average out the call per day volume.
So these things need to be addressed and maybe we should reward them for their good work as it comes
down to. But | think if we take the budget methodically and slow and look and then in the future, Sarah
Marchant said with the Grant Writer that they are going to look into a new study, particularly with the Fire
Department. That | hope we listen to because that is going to come in with clear identification; what
positions going to need to be filled and put the importance upon that. So | use caution, | respect the
motion before us, | thank the Alderman again for putting the motion before us. But in prudence, | think
staying underneath 3% | think is enough for the tax payers to chew at this particular time. Then we could
look another crack in future budgets. Thank you.

Alderman Dowd

Just a couple things, again, | talked to both Police and Fire Chiefs. The one thing that Chief Lavoie took
issue with over the years is that they managed their budget and stayed within the budget by managing
attrition. At the end of the year they didn’t hire somebody to make ends meet until the end of the budget.
They also didn’t have as big a problem with that because on a few times when they went out with tests,
they got 100, 150 people to take the tests, zero became a Police Officer. So they had an issue hiring.
That’s why the Police Commissioners and the Police Department decided to change their modus operandi
hiring and go out and hire people from other forces. They tended not to do that in the past; they try to get
new officers and train them in to the way they want them trained. Other Departments did that and that’s
why Nashua loses Police Officers to other cities and State Police and occasionally FBI. We train them
well. So in talking to the Police Department they may have to budget that same way at the end of the
year, through attrition to make their ends meet. If they have a major event in the year and they have a
budget issue with it like that issue they had in Manchester, they will have to come back to us and ask for
more money. If they don’t, they don’t. But that would be addressed downstream. The other thing is that
Chief Rhodes actually called me and said that he didn’t want anybody on the Board of Aldermen to get the
idea that any business was delayed in being inspected because they are short a person. Their people
work the extra hours, the overtime, and they went out and made that these people were inspected and
they will still do that.

Alderwoman Melizzi-Golja

Yes thank you. Chief Rhodes and | also has a couple conversations about the budget and my impression
is the same as Alderman Dowd’s. And to Fire Marshalls going out and doing inspections, | had
conversations with two individuals who are involved in development and they were talking about someone
from the Fire Marshall's Office coming out. And they said “Well how did that go; how long did you have to
wait, | know they are really busy”. And both individuals said “Oh no problem, they came out and it got
done”. And | appreciate the fact that they are working extra hours to get that done. | also appreciate the
fact that all of our department heads and division heads have a fine balancing routine that we are all
engaging in.

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Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 6/11/2019 - P15

Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 6/11/2019 - P16

By dnadmin on Sun, 11/06/2022 - 22:38
Document Date
Tue, 06/11/2019 - 00:00
Meeting Description
Board Of Aldermen
Document Type
Minutes
Meeting Date
Tue, 06/11/2019 - 00:00
Page Number
16
Image URL
https://nashuameetingsstorage.blob.core.windows.net/nm-docs-pages/boa_m__061120…

Board of Aldermen 06-11-2019 Page 16

| think that we need to be very careful to make sure we keep the big picture in front of us because at the
end of the day when businesses and families decide to locate here, they are looking at the big picture.
Everyone has their own priority, just like every division head has within the City. So thinking about what
our tax rate it and is it something that is manageable, knowing “manageable” means different things to
different people. And yet trying to provide services that our constituents are happy with. | would tell you
that probably DPW could use a few more people too especially when you look at overtime in the winter
with plowing. And | know lots of people who say, “Why don’t they have more plows on the road” and “Why
aren't they out more often”. And it’s like, we’ve got a finite set of people and they do have to sleep. So |
think we could look across the City and look at where we need additional resources in terms of bodies.
But | do think we need to look at some of the areas that we’ve mentioned this year and aren’t able to
address and just make sure that we look at those first next year and see where the priorities are and
balance out how we are moving forward. Thank you.

Alderman Clemons

Thank you | just want to | guess respond to a couple of things and | understand that | don’t want to make
anybody think that | don’t understand that we have inspectors in the Fire Department and that yes, they
address the business’ needs, of course they do. But they are overworked. They are overworked. Do you
know what it’s like to work in a place that is overworked, where you are overworked? It is not a good
environment. We can argue back and forth all day, | personally believe what the Chief told me, both of
them, they were here, it was in a public session. These were the needs that they addressed. | have
always said that | would never be religious to an arbitrary number as far as where we can go with the
budget. | used to say that about the spending cap. You know, we’d come up with as former Alderman
Teeboom likes to say “We’d come up with a number, what’s the number we have to keep under”. Saying
it is 3% is really no different than that, it’s the same thing, it is just a different number. | personally don’t
look at budgets that way.

When | sit on the Budget Committee and | look at different things, | look at needs. | understand that we
need to be prudent. | think this budget is prudent. | think these amendments are prudent because they
don’t go fixing the spending cap problems overnight, they don’t. It is taking it one step at a time. But it is
taking it just a little bit further so we can address the fact that we are a growing City. But again, | am going
to support the amendment obviously and should the amendment not pass, | might as well explain this
now, | am going to vote “no” for the budget, because again, | can’t vote for a budget that doesn’t address
all of the needs that | feel are important or doesn’t fully fund all of our departments the way they should be
funded. So just want to put that out there.

Alderman Klee

| just want to make one comment, we are an aging City and we are trying to find young people to come in,
young people buy smaller homes. Those were the ones that had the biggest assessment so they are
going to hit the highest taxes. Our elderly many of them are on fixed income, | can tell you I’m on a fixed
income. So every dollar counts, every percentage counts. And | agree with you, 3% just seems like an
arbitrary number. But! think it is something that the public feels more comfortable with. They would
probably prefer the 1.6% and be the end with the health care. But that is kind of how they are feeling,
because they are looking at their pocketbooks. But | think keeping it under 3% is good faith to our
residents and yes it is an arbitrary number but it’s something.

Alderman Lopez

So one of my earliest memories of confusion and then later understanding was actually Alderman
Clemons voting against the budget because of the spending cap and he explained that he would stick to
his principles and he felt that the spending cap was an arbitrary number. | think the one of the most
important points made in that discussion when we had it, was that as Aldermen it is our job to do this. To
have the discussion back and forth, to figure out budget items and what appropriate needs can be met and
which ones need to be looked at and approached strategically.

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Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 6/11/2019 - P16

Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 6/11/2019 - P17

By dnadmin on Sun, 11/06/2022 - 22:38
Document Date
Tue, 06/11/2019 - 00:00
Meeting Description
Board Of Aldermen
Document Type
Minutes
Meeting Date
Tue, 06/11/2019 - 00:00
Page Number
17
Image URL
https://nashuameetingsstorage.blob.core.windows.net/nm-docs-pages/boa_m__061120…

Board of Aldermen 06-11-2019 Page 17

| think we have been fair to both the Fire and the Police Department. Both are highly performing
departments, they are recognized regionally as leaders. There have been new fire trucks, there have
been increases in individual compensation, in the number of dispatch agents. And that is well-earned too.
Our Fire Department has done amazing work with not only the Safe Station Program but in maintaining its
response time to different fires and emergencies. They are recognized as a regional training leader.
Same as for our Police, the entire State of New Hampshire is in the grips of what was being called the
opioid crisis at the time and Nashua is holding its own and is making arrests when it needs to. Its Police
Department is not so hurried that they can’t take the time to talk to children. | just saw an intervention
happening on Canal Street a couple days ago where | was impressed that the officers were entertaining
children and family members while the officer was interviewing a parent so as to not create a negative
impression. They take the time to hand out stickers to play basketball in the community, to do things that
matter because they are not just in it for the job, they are doing an outstanding job. And | think we also
recognized, much too late, that they needed infrastructure improvements too. That’s something that we
are tackling too. So | think we are recognizing the needs of the Fire Department and the Police
Department. | do agree with Alderman Clemons with regards to an arbitrary number guiding our
decisions, but | think this number, this 3% was conceived because of the State issues that were brought
up earlier, the insurance and the need for an assessment. Both of those conditions had to come into play
to impact our budget. And the 3% was created and it definitely didn’t go unchallenged; Alderman Dowd
went and made absolutely sure we were able to meet need when we saw it while at the same time staying
under a goal. | think that’s good budgeting, | think the discussion here has been very productive. We
haven't all agreed 100% on any particular point but | mean we are politicians, there’s a number of us fora
reason. It’s not just pick a number and then go for it. There has to be this discussion; there has to be
disagreement. So | appreciate what Alderman Clemons is trying to do. | won’t support an additional
amendment, but | do want to voice my support for his intent.

President Wilshire

| agree Alderman Lopez; | think his intent is great. However, | can’t support it either. Further discussion
on the amendment to add $100,000.00 to the Fire Department and $113,000.00 to the Police Department.
Further discussion on that amendment?

A Viva Voce Roll Call was taken, which resulted as follows:

Yea: Alderman Clemons 1

Nay: Alderman O’Brien, Alderman Harriott-Gathright, Alderman Dowd
Alderman Klee, Alderman Laws, Alderman Lopez, Alderman Caron,
Alderwoman Kelly, Alderman Jette, Alderwoman Melizzi-Golja
Alderman Tencza, Alderman Schmidt, Alderman Wilshire 13

MOTION FAILED

President Wilshire

The motion before us is for final passage of Resolution 19-123 as amended. Further discussion on that?

Yea: Alderman O’Brien, Alderman Harriott-Gathright, Alderman Dowd
Alderman Klee, Alderman Laws, Alderman Lopez, Alderman Caron,

Alderwoman Kelly, Alderman Jette, Alderwoman Melizzi-Golja
Alderman Tencza, Alderman Schmidt, Alderman Wilshire 13

Nay: Alderman Clemons 1

MOTION CARRIED

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Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 6/11/2019 - P17

Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 6/11/2019 - P18

By dnadmin on Sun, 11/06/2022 - 22:38
Document Date
Tue, 06/11/2019 - 00:00
Meeting Description
Board Of Aldermen
Document Type
Minutes
Meeting Date
Tue, 06/11/2019 - 00:00
Page Number
18
Image URL
https://nashuameetingsstorage.blob.core.windows.net/nm-docs-pages/boa_m__061120…

Board of Aldermen 06-11-2019 Page 18
Resolution R-19-123 declared duly adopted as amended.

R-19-136
Endorsers: Mayor Jim Donchess
Alderman-at-Large Lori Wilshire
Alderwoman Mary Ann Melizzi-Golja
Alderwoman-at-Large Shoshanna Kelly
Alderman-at-Large Michael B. O’Brien, Sr.
Alderman Linda Harriott-Gathright
Alderman Patricia Klee
Alderman-at-Large Brandon Michael Laws
Alderman Jan Schmidt
AUTHORIZING THE FORMATION OF TWO VOLUNTARY NONPROFIT CORPORATIONS
UNDER
RSA 162-G FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
Given its second reading;

MOTION BY ALDERWOMAN MELIZZI-GOLJA FOR FINAL PASSAGE OF R-19-136
MOTION CARRIED

Resolution R-19-136 declared duly adopted as amended.

R-19-141
Endorsers: Alderman June M. Caron
Alderman-at-Large Michael B. O’Brien
Alderman Linda Harriott-Gathright
Alderman Richard A. Dowd
Alderman Patricia Klee
Alderman Tom Lopez
Alderwoman-at-Large Shoshanna Kelly
Alderwoman Mary Ann Melizzi-Golja
Alderman-at-Large David C. Tencza
Alderman Jan Schmidt
Alderman-at-Large Lori Wilshire
RELATIVE TO THE TRANSFER OF $25,000 FROM DEPARTMENT 194 “CONTINGENCY”,
ACCOUNT 70100 “GENERAL CONTINGENCY” TO DEPARTMENT 109 “CIVIC & COMMUNITY
ACTIVITIES”, ACCOUNTING CLASSIFICATION 56 “OUTSIDE AGENCIES” FOR THE PURPOSE
OF PROVIDING FUNDING TO THE NASHUA ASSOCIATION FOR THE ELDERLY
Given its second reading;

MOTION BY ALDERMAN CARON FOR FINAL PASSAGE OF R-19-141

ON THE QUESTION

Alderman Caron

Thank you. On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Senior Center, we really appreciate the Aldermen
contributing this $25,000.00 to the Center. As you know it is restricted for infrastructure maintenance only
and repairs to the building as needed. We do know that the building belongs to the City but we try to keep
it in good shape for the 1,500 seniors that utilize it along with other people. So again on behalf of the
Board, thank you very much for your support.

MOTION CARRIED

Resolution R-19-141 declared duly adopted.

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Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 6/11/2019 - P18

Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 6/11/2019 - P19

By dnadmin on Sun, 11/06/2022 - 22:38
Document Date
Tue, 06/11/2019 - 00:00
Meeting Description
Board Of Aldermen
Document Type
Minutes
Meeting Date
Tue, 06/11/2019 - 00:00
Page Number
19
Image URL
https://nashuameetingsstorage.blob.core.windows.net/nm-docs-pages/boa_m__061120…

Board of Aldermen 06-11-2019 Page 19

R-19-145
Endorsers: Mayor Jim Donchess
Alderwoman Mary Ann Melizzi-Golja
Alderman Jan Schmidt
Alderman Richard A. Dowd
Alderman Linda Harriott-Gathright
Alderman Tom Lopez
Alderman-at-Large Michael B. O’Brien, Sr.
AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF NASHUA TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT FOR EMERGENCY
AMBULANCE SERVICES WITH AMERICAN MEDICAL RESPONSE, INC.
Given its second reading;

MOTION BY ALDERMAN SCHMIDT FOR FINAL PASSAGE OF R-19-145

ON THE QUESTION

Alderman Klee

| just want to clarify this does include the dispatch, is that correct?

President Wilshire

The Mayor says yes.

Alderman Klee

To pay for the dispatching? So that is all part of this contract then, thank you very much.
MOTION CARRIED

Resolution R-19-145 declared duly adopted.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS — ORDINANCES

O-19-044
Endorsers: Alderman-at-Large Brandon Michael Laws
Alderman Patricia Klee
Alderman June M. Caron
Alderwoman-at-Large Shoshanna Kelly
Alderman-at-Large David C. Tencza
Alderman Jan Schmidt
Alderman-at-Large Lori Wilshire
AMENDING THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN COMPENSATION ORDINANCE
Given its second reading;

MOTION BY ALDERMAN LAWS TO AMEND O-19-044 IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REPLACING IT WITH
THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS MADE BY THE PERSONNEL/ADMINISTRATIVE AFFAIRS
COMMITTEE

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Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 6/11/2019 - P19

Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 6/11/2019 - P20

By dnadmin on Sun, 11/06/2022 - 22:38
Document Date
Tue, 06/11/2019 - 00:00
Meeting Description
Board Of Aldermen
Document Type
Minutes
Meeting Date
Tue, 06/11/2019 - 00:00
Page Number
20
Image URL
https://nashuameetingsstorage.blob.core.windows.net/nm-docs-pages/boa_m__061120…

Board of Aldermen 06-11-2019 Page 20
ON THE QUESTION
Alderman Laws

If | could just speak to it real quick. So this is just to add maternity leave as an acceptable reason for
Aldermen to miss time in the oval. Alderman Clemons had the brilliant suggestion to amend it to add
paternity leave as well. So we passed that, that’s what this amendment is.

Alderwoman Kelly

It also includes adoption which | thought was very progressive, so thank you.
MOTION CARRIED

MOTION BY ALDERMAN LAWS FOR FINAL PASSAGE OF O-19-044 AS AMENDED
MOTION CARRIED

Ordinance O-19-044 declared duly adopted as amended.

O-19-045
Endorsers: Mayor Jim Donchess
Alderman Linda Harriott-Gathright
Alderman Patricia Klee
Alderman Tom Lopez
Alderman June M. Caron
Alderwoman-at-Large Shoshanna Kelly
Alderman Jan Schmidt
Alderman-at-Large Lori Wilshire
UPDATING THE FINANCIAL STANDARDS FOR THE CITY’S WELFARE GUIDELINES
Given its second reading;

MOTION BY ALDERMAN HARRIOTT-GATHRIGHT FOR FINAL PASSAGE OF O-19-045
MOTION CARRIED

Ordinance O-19-045 declared duly adopted.
NEW BUSINESS — RESOLUTIONS

R-19-147
Endorser: Mayor Jim Donchess
Alderman Tom Lopez
AUTHORIZING PURCHASE AND SALE OF CITY LAND AT 21 PINE STREET (MAP 77,
LOT 17) AND LAND OF PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE D/B/A
EVERSOURCE ENERGY AT 3 PINE STREET EXTENSION (MAP 77, LOT 2A)
Given its first reading; assigned to the COMMITTEE ON INFRASTRUCTURE, the NASHUA CITY
PLANNING BOARD, and the MINE FALLS PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE by President Wilshire

R-19-148
Endorser: Mayor Jim Donchess

AMENDING THE AUTHORIZATION FOR THE SALE OF LAND ON BRIDGE STREET AND
SANDERS STREET
Given its first reading; assigned to the COMMITTEE ON INFRASTRUCTURE and the NASHUA CITY
PLANNING BOARD by President Wilshire

Page Image
Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 6/11/2019 - P20

Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 6/11/2019 - P21

By dnadmin on Sun, 11/06/2022 - 22:38
Document Date
Tue, 06/11/2019 - 00:00
Meeting Description
Board Of Aldermen
Document Type
Minutes
Meeting Date
Tue, 06/11/2019 - 00:00
Page Number
21
Image URL
https://nashuameetingsstorage.blob.core.windows.net/nm-docs-pages/boa_m__061120…

Board of Aldermen 06-11-2019 Page 21

R-19-149
Endorser: Mayor Jim Donchess
Alderman Jan Schmidt
Alderman Linda Harriott-Gathright
Alderman Patricia Klee
Alderman Tom Lopez
Alderwoman Mary Ann Melizzi-Golja
Alderman-at-Large David C. Tencza
CHANGING THE PURPOSE OF UP TO TWO HUNDRED THIRTY FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS
($235,000) OF UNEXPENDED BOND PROCEEDS FROM THE ROAD AND TRAFFIC
IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT ON AMHERST STREET BETWEEN CHARRON AVENUE AND
DIESEL ROAD TO PAY COSTS FOR PAVING A PORTION OF PINE HILL ROAD AND VARIOUS
STREETS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD IF FUNDS REMAIN AVAILABLE
Given its first reading; assigned to the BUDGET REVIEW COMMITTEE and the BOARD OF PUBLIC
WORKS by President Wilshire

R-19-150
Endorsers: Alderman Patricia Klee
Alderman-at-Large Brandon Michael Laws
Alderwoman Mary Ann Melizzi-Golja

AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF NASHUA TO ENTER INTO A LICENSE AGREEMENT FORA
PARKING AREA OFF ARTILLERY LANE, NASHUA ABUTTING MAP 63 LOT 45
Given its first reading; assigned to the COMMITTEE ON INFRASTRUCTURE and the BOARD OF
PUBLIC WORKS by President Wilshire

NEW BUSINESS — ORDINANCES

O-19-047
Endorsers: Mayor Jim Donchess
Alderman Tom Lopez
Alderman-at-Large Michael B. O’Brien, Sr.
Alderman Richard A. Dowd
Alderman Patricia Klee
Alderman-at-Large Brandon Michael Laws
Alderman June M. Caron
Alderwoman-at-Large Shoshanna Kelly
Alderwoman Mary Ann Melizzi-Golja
ESTABLISHING AN ANIMAL AND DOG PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Given its first reading; assigned to the PERSONNEL/ADMINISTRATIVE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE by
President Wilshire

PERIOD FOR GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT

Laurie Ortolano 41 Berkley Street. | wanted to address the issue of uniformity and how important it is in
the Assessing Office to have data capture be uniform. The office has some procedures in place. They are
working on policies, but they have had some long-standing procedures that allow them to capture their
data with uniformity. If a property card is being changed, an Assessor prints a card in its current form,
takes it to the property, pencil marks or makes the appropriate changes on the card. It comes back to the
Office, is either changed in the data system, the Patriot System/Assess Pro by the Assessor or by a
clerical staff member. The new card is printed, stapled to the old card, it is reviewed by the Assessor to
make certain all the data is correct and it is filed. It is a system that actually works well. And if it used by
everyone, itis a great system. But what you find is there a lack of uniformity in there and not everyone is
following the rules.

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Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 6/11/2019 - P21

Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 6/11/2019 - P22

By dnadmin on Sun, 11/06/2022 - 22:38
Document Date
Tue, 06/11/2019 - 00:00
Meeting Description
Board Of Aldermen
Document Type
Minutes
Meeting Date
Tue, 06/11/2019 - 00:00
Page Number
22
Image URL
https://nashuameetingsstorage.blob.core.windows.net/nm-docs-pages/boa_m__061120…

Board of Aldermen 06-11-2019 Page 22

If you don’t have uniformity, you don’t have equity and fairness in your assessments, it is that simple and it
is that important. You received a letter that was read into the record by Ms. Kleiner regarding a
clarification to a Memo | sent to the Board. | would like to make note of misinformation that she has
provided you. She stated in this letter that AsessPro does not capture all of the work for all of the
properties visited by an Assessor. It only indicates that during a certain time period the Assessor used
AssessPro to make corrections with respect to the listed property. An Assessor typically performs a great
deal more work and makes a great deal more property visits than are captured on this report. She gives
the example that they might be investigating a charitable exemption where the Assessor needs to evaluate
if the building is being used for a qualified charitable purpose. This would not warrant a change to the
property card and is not captured in the report. In fact, that’s not true. There are in this report that was
given to me, three exemptions that were noted in April that this Assessor went to. All exemptions, whether
they are religious or charitable exemptions come in in a form yearly, they have to be submitted to the
Assessor's Office. And it is the clerical staff that handles those forms. They take those forms and they
look at every charity or tax exempt business and they review them. A lot of them are repeats, they are just
coming back and filling out their paperwork every year asking for their exemption, putting it on the record.
There is no need for an Assessor to go visit.

So it’s the clerical staff that actually assigns the Assessor the responsibility to go check these properties.
Many of them are not checked. But when the clerical person received an AY or an Exemption Form for a
new exemption that hasn’t existed before, maybe an exemption that has had a Building Permit, they’ve got
to get out there and check the permit for the exemption. Maybe a property that is no longer to be an
exemption. They are going to go out to it and look at the property card and make certain that it’s all up-to-
date for tax purposes. Those get assigned, and, in fact, our assessor that we are looking at here under a
little bit of scrutiny, was assigned three exemption properties to go to. The Y was one, that’s an exemption
property, he went out there because the new building opened, was asked by the clerical staff “Please go
to the Y on Northeastern Boulevard and check out that new property”. 25 Cornell Road, which is right up
by me is a facility that was going to be used as a parsonage for Tabernacle Church over in Litchfield. It
had not been a parsonage before so the clerical staff said to the assessor, “go out and check on that
ranch-style home as a parsonage”. The third one was 41 and 43 Chandler Street which had been bought
out, that’s the big beautiful church up on Chandler Street that was closed for a while; Catholic Church,
transferred a couple times. It is now under new ownership, it has a big building permit. It has gota
building next to it, a ranch that’s used as a parsonage.

Those properties needed to be checked because there are permits out on them. And, in fact, the clerical
staff wrote a letter, religious exemptions that went to the Board of Assessors on the 29" of April explaining
in this letter very clearly the property at 43 Chandler Street has been used on the A9 Form submitted as a
rectory and is a ranch-style house assessed at 234. This has been exempt and an exemption is being
requested for 2019, according to Commercial Assessor Greg Turgiss at the time of his inspection of the
property last Friday, no one answered the door but he said that it appeared as if it was occupied. Then we
went to the property at 41 Chandler Street, two structures; Mr. Turgiss inspected this property. He
reported it. OK, these are exemption properties and they are, in fact, in the AssessPro report. She is not
recognizing that these exemption properties are captured. And you have to ask yourselves when she
makes note in her letter that there’s a lot of other work that assessors do that may be is not documented in
AssessPro, we need to be very, very concerned. Because | will tell you, there is never a reason for an
assessor to be out at someone’s property, either on it, looking at it, inspecting externally or internally and
not be documenting it on the property card. First of all, you shouldn’t want your people on somebody’s
property where it’s not documented.

But that uniformity and documentation is what is so important on tracking where we are. Now if the
assessor is going to go out to do drive-by, which really shouldn’t happen at all and doesn’t typically, the
assessor is going to do drive-by’s. That should be noted. KRT noted on almost all of the 1401 account,
residential accounts, there’s a note on almost everyone’s property card that says field review. That was
their drive-by. They didn’t really come into your property and do an external inspection or list and
measure. But AssessPro has a lot of codes, a lot of code names for you to go in and document exactly

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Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 6/11/2019 - P22

Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 6/11/2019 - P23

By dnadmin on Sun, 11/06/2022 - 22:38
Document Date
Tue, 06/11/2019 - 00:00
Meeting Description
Board Of Aldermen
Document Type
Minutes
Meeting Date
Tue, 06/11/2019 - 00:00
Page Number
23
Image URL
https://nashuameetingsstorage.blob.core.windows.net/nm-docs-pages/boa_m__061120…

Board of Aldermen 06-11-2019 Page 23

what you are doing when you look at a property. It is always documented. Now when | saw this letter
which was just in the last day, | said, “Hmmm, am | wrong, did | really give the wrong information”. Well let
me look at the residential assessors that went out to 79 properties in April. Well when | look at that
AssessPro report she gave me; excuse me it was 89 properties they went to. When | added up the
properties, it came out to 92. That’s pretty accurate, OK? They missed 3 that they should have
expensed, but they didn’t overcharge and pretty much it’s a pretty accurate report.

When | look at the other commercial assessor and the properties that he went to versus the expense
report, it is off by a couple properties, pretty accurate. Some of them, because he was at a building that
had 6 units that he was inspecting in the same building, it’s not 6 trips, it appears 6 times because it’s unit
12, unit 14, unit 16, unit 18. But you are literally going door-to-door looking at new properties. And that’s
how it is done; itis pretty darn accurate. But when | look at another assessor report and | am still trying to
find 500 or 600 miles, that’s when | see a red flag. And if Ms. Kleiner is saying that this assessor is driven
around, he’s just driving around, and you don’t realize he’s doing a lot of work but none of it is
documented. Then | want to ask you to ask your administration, how do we monitor fraud, waste and
mismanagement if we allow this to go on? How do you know you don’t have a fraud, waste, and
mismanagement process? If you are allowing this to happen and there’s no documentation? That's never
supposed to happen. And so the other thing she notes in here is that they are only doing a peer review
process in there. Mr. Turgiss isn’t operating as a supervisor at all; | disagree with that for a number of
reasons. She’s not down there daily; but they operate on peer review.

Now the two residential assessors are doing peer review work. That is very apparent to me looking at the
logs and the data and everything. But the commercial assessors are not. And | want to know why. The
most experienced assessor in there is a Certified Appraiser and has done probably 20 years of
Commercial Assessing, which is a different beast from residential. You have different income statements
and different approaches to take to value commercial properties. They are trickier and more difficult to do
because you don’t have a lot of data in a single category sometimes to assess these properties. So they
are unique creatures. So we have one commercial assessor that has 20 years of experience and is a
licensed appraiser. Our other commercial assessor, in question here, has only been at it 3 years and
does not have a lot of experience. Why is there no peer review going on here? Why isn’t the experienced
one doing the peer review, what is happening here? | think | have an answer to that, but I’m not going to
share that right now. Let’s see what the administration says. But that is not happening and that is a very
good question why we don’t do that monitoring.

When | looked at again Ms. Kleiner’s letter | thought to myself “well maybe | don’t understand, maybe |
missed what these assessors are dong”. So | went back to the presentation that was given to you on the
30". And there is what? Three pages in here on “What does an Assessor do”. What is their primary
work, what are they doing? And | went back and read this. And the primary work is permits, abatements,
data capture from permits not collected and exemptions. The very things | am talking about right here that
| am finding tracked in the data. So | am trying to say well did | miss something am | not seeing this
clearly? But that report seems pretty detailed. Now | just received today from a Right to Know, the permit
log, so | will be able to cross check all the open permits and who has gone to visit them and what has
been closed. But to give you an idea on these exemptions that she’s talking about that maybe they are
going out to exemptions; remember exemption properties don’t pay taxes so they are out of the tax base.
It is important to keep up on your exemptions but from a priority standpoint, if you have a permit
outstanding for a million dollars, that you need to go check or you have an exemption property that has
been exempt for 10 years, the priority would be for them to go check the million dollar permit. Because
that is the taxpaying property; you would worry a little bit less about the one that is consistently is not
paying and hasn’t made any changes. And that is to be expected. And that is what we should see going
on. We don’t see that all the time.

Now | referenced in my report you know, big property variations. The data that | received from AssessPro
from Ms. Kleiner showed that our assessor really hadn’t gone to very many properties. | pulled all the
property cards on; | said | want to see what the documentation is. Well lo and behold | found out, you

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Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 6/11/2019 - P23

Board Of Aldermen - Agenda - 4/12/2016 - P3

By dnadmin on Sun, 11/06/2022 - 21:35
Document Date
Tue, 04/12/2016 - 00:00
Meeting Description
Board Of Aldermen
Document Type
Agenda
Meeting Date
Tue, 04/12/2016 - 00:00
Page Number
3
Image URL
https://nashuameetingsstorage.blob.core.windows.net/nm-docs-pages/boa_a__041220…

R-16-014

Endorsers: Alderman-at-Large Brian S. McCarthy

Alderman Richard A. Dowd

Alderwoman Mary Ann Melizzi-Golja

Alderman June M. Caron

Alderman-at-Large Michael B. O’Brien, Sr.
CHANGING THE PURPOSE OF UP TO $600,000 OF UNEXPENDED BOND PROCEEDS
FROM THE BROAD STREET ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BUILDING PROJECT, $159,815
OF UNEXPENDED BOND PROCEEDS FROM THE SCHOOL ROOF REPLACEMENTS
PROJECT AND $228,956.44 OF UNEXPENDED SCHOOL CAPITAL RESERVE FUND
APPROPRIATIONS FROM THE HIGH SCHOOLS’ GYM FLOORS PROJECT TO THE
SUNSET HEIGHTS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL HVAC IMPROVEMENTS AND BUILDING
RENOVATIONS PROJECT

e Budget Review Committee Recommends: Final Passage

R-16-015
Endorsers: Mayor Jim Donchess
Alderman Ken Siegel
Alderman-at-Large Brian S. McCarthy
Alderman-at-Large Lori Wilshire
Alderman Richard A. Dowd
Alderman June M. Caron
Alderman-at-Large Michael B. O'Brien, Sr.
ESTABLISHING AN EXPENDABLE TRUST FUND FOR STATE EMPLOYER PENSION COSTS
AND APPROPRIATING $2,230,000 FROM FUND BALANCE ASSIGNED FOR THIS PURPOSE
INTO THE EXPENDABLE TRUST FUND
e Budget Review Committee Recommends: Final Passage

R-16-020
Endorser: Mayor Jim Donchess
AUTHORIZING AN AGREEMENT TO RESTRUCTURE THE DEBT OF CLOCKTOWER HOUSING
ASSOCIATES LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
e Finance Committee Recommends: Final Passage

R-16-021
Endorsers: Alderman Richard A. Dowd
Alderman-at-Large Lori Wilshire
APPROVING THE COST ITEMS OF A COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT BETWEEN
THE NASHUA BOARD OF EDUCATION AND THE NASHUA ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL
PRINCIPALS FROM JULY 1, 2015 THROUGH JUNE 30, 2018
e Budget Review Committee Recommends: Final Passage

UNFINISHED BUSINESS — ORDINANCES

O-16-006
Endorsers: Alderman Ken Siegel
Alderwoman Mary Ann Melizzi-Golja
Alderman-at-Large Michael 8. O’Brien, Sr.
AUTHORIZING A STOP SIGN ON THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF HOLLYHOCK
AVENUE AT ITS INTERSECTION WITH CHERRYWOOD DRIVE
e Committee on Infrastructure Recommends: Final Passage

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Board Of Aldermen - Agenda - 4/12/2016 - P3

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