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Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 6/23/2020 - P40

By dnadmin on Sun, 11/06/2022 - 23:09
Document Date
Tue, 06/23/2020 - 00:00
Meeting Description
Board Of Aldermen
Document Type
Minutes
Meeting Date
Tue, 06/23/2020 - 00:00
Page Number
40
Image URL
https://nashuameetingsstorage.blob.core.windows.net/nm-docs-pages/boa_m__062320…

Board of Aldermen 6-23-2020 Page 40

Alderman Jette

Yes, thank you Madam President. | just want to clarify where | got my information. So all of these
Collective Bargaining Agreements are available on-line. So you can go to | think the State has all of the
Collective Bargaining Agreements through all the cities and towns in New Hampshire. And each City has
available on its web site. So that’s where | got my information. | looked at the proposed Collective
Bargaining Agreement that’s before us. There’s a —| don’t remember what the appendix number is — but
there’s a schedule showing what the range of pay is. And for firefighters in Nashua the range is from
$52,460.00 to $69,757.00. And in Manchester it’s $44,650.00 to $63,661.00. So they are a lot lower than
us. In Portsmouth the range is $43,899.00 to $57,362.00. In Nashua, Lieutenants their range goes from
$82,000.00 to $90,000.00. In Manchester, it’s $55,000.00 to $78,000.00. In Nashua, Captains earn from
$91,000.00 to $99,000.00 and in Manchester it’s $67,000.00 to $95,000.00.

So | don’t pretend to be an expert on labor statistics, but that’s where | got my information and | said this at
the Budget Review Committee and no one contacted me since then and said, “hey you screwed up, you
got your numbers wrong” or “you interpreted them wrongly”. No one has said that. That may be true,
maybe | am way off base here, but based upon the numbers that | reviewed, | came to the conclusion that
our firefighters are being paid fairly and certainly not being paid unfairly. And when you look at how our
Fire Department is rated in the State, | think everybody agrees it is the top Fire Department in the State if
not New England.

Now when you look at our schools, our schools don’t fare so well. How we rate Statewide, in a Statewide
comparison we are nowhere near the top. What we spend per pupil is way less than the average, not only
less than other comparable cities and towns, we don’t even spend the average statewide, the average
amount So if there’s an area that needs help in this City, to achieve more parity, | would suggest it is the
schools not the Fire Department. Thank you.

President Wilshire

Alderman Kelly did you want to weigh in again?

Alderwoman Kelly

No | just never lowered my hand, thank you.
President Wilshire

Ok. Alderman Klee?

Alderman Klee

Thank you, Madam President. Alderman Jette if you thought that | was stating that your numbers weren’t
correct, please understand | will say this to the public, | was not disputing your numbers under any
circumstances. | was just saying that | didn’t do as well of homework as you had done. And | just had a
general comment about throughout the entire State that we were paid more in the middle than being at the
highest rate. So my apologies to you if you felt that | was being critical of your comments; | absolutely was
not.

But | did want to make one more comment about something that | forgot about the steps and that is while
they are contract wise, they don’t have a contract sort to speak no one is getting steps either. So that is
something that we should be keeping in mind is while they are not, while they don’t have a signed contract
there are members that aren’t getting steps that were due steps this past year.

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Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 6/23/2020 - P40

Finance Committee - Agenda - 1/19/2022 - P70

By dnadmin on Sun, 11/06/2022 - 21:39
Document Date
Thu, 01/13/2022 - 13:22
Meeting Description
Finance Committee
Document Type
Agenda
Meeting Date
Wed, 01/19/2022 - 00:00
Page Number
70
Image URL
https://nashuameetingsstorage.blob.core.windows.net/nm-docs-pages/fin_a__011920…

16. Recycled Products

The Contractor agrees to provide a preference for those products and services that conserve

natural resources, protect the environment, and are energy efficient by complying with and facilitating
compliance with Section 6002 of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, as amended, 42 U.S.C. §6962,
and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA), “Comprehensive Procurement Guideline for Products
Containing Recovered Materials,” 40 C.F.R. part 247.

17.Dispute Resolution

The parties shall attempt to resolve any dispute related to this Contract as follows. Either party shall provide to
the other party, in writing and with full documentation to verify and substantiate its decision, its stated position
concerning the dispute. No dispute shall be considered submitted and no dispute shall be valid under this
provision unless and until the submitting party has delivered the written statement of its position and full
documentation to the other party. The parties shall then attempt to resolve the dispute through good faith
efforts and negotiation. Unless otherwise directed by the City, at all times Seller shall continue performance
under the Contract Documents while matters in dispute are being resolved. If the parties are unable to resolve
their dispute as described above within 30 days, the parties’ reserve the right to pursue any available legal
and/or equitable remedies for any breaches of this contract except as that right may be limited by the terms of
this Contract.

Should either party to the Contract suffer injury or damage to person or property because of any act or omission
of the party or of any of its employees, agents or others for whose acts it is legally liable, a claim for damages
therefore shall be made in writing to such other party as soon as practicable after the first observance of such
injury or damage.

Duties and obligations imposed by the Contract Documents and the rights and remedies available thereunder
shall be in addition to and not a limitation of any duties, obligations, rights and remedies otherwise imposed or
available by law.

18. DOL EEO Clause for Construction Projects

Per 41 C.F.R. Chapter 60, which implement Executive Order 11246, “Equal Employment
Opportunity,” September 24, 1965, as amended by Executive Order 11375, “Amending Executive
Order 11246 Relating to Equal Employment Opportunity,” October 13, 1967.

DURING THE PERFORMANCE OF THIS CONTRACT, THE CONTRACTOR AGREES AS
FOLLOWS:

(1) THE CONTRACTOR WILL NOT DISCRIMINATE AGAINST ANY EMPLOYEE OR
APPLICANT FOR EMPLOYMENT BECAUSE OF RACE, COLOR, RELIGION, SEX, SEXUAL
ORIENTATION, GENDER IDENTITY, OR NATIONAL ORIGIN. THE CONTRACTOR WILL
TAKE AFFIRMATIVE ACTION TO ENSURE THAT APPLICANTS ARE EMPLOYED, AND
THAT EMPLOYEES ARE TREATED DURING EMPLOYMENT WITHOUT REGARD TO
THEIR RACE, COLOR, RELIGION, SEX, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, GENDER IDENTITY, OR
NATIONAL ORIGIN. SUCH ACTION SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO THE
FOLLOWING:

EMPLOYMENT, UPGRADING, DEMOTION, OR TRANSFER; RECRUITMENT OR
RECRUITMENT ADVERTISING; LAYOFF OR TERMINATION; RATES OF PAY OR OTHER
FORMS OF COMPENSATION; AND SELECTION FOR TRAINING, INCLUDING
APPRENTICESHIP. THE CONTRACTOR AGREES TO POST IN CONSPICUOUS PLACES,

Page Image
Finance Committee - Agenda - 1/19/2022 - P70

Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 6/23/2020 - P41

By dnadmin on Sun, 11/06/2022 - 23:09
Document Date
Tue, 06/23/2020 - 00:00
Meeting Description
Board Of Aldermen
Document Type
Minutes
Meeting Date
Tue, 06/23/2020 - 00:00
Page Number
41
Image URL
https://nashuameetingsstorage.blob.core.windows.net/nm-docs-pages/boa_m__062320…

Board of Aldermen 6-23-2020 Page 41
President Wilshire
Anyone else? Seeing none, the motion is for Final Passage of Resolution 20-041 by roll call?
Attorney Bolton
Madam President, | think it is worth pointing out that this measure requires a 2/3 majority to pass.
President Wilshire
Thank you. Ok, would the Clerk call the roll?
A viva voce roll call was taken which resulted as follows:
Yea: Alderman Klee, Alderman Clemons, Alderman Tencza,
Alderman Schmidt, Alderman Cleaver,
Alderwoman Harriott-Gathright, 6
Nay: Alderwoman Kelly, Alderman Dowd, Alderman Lopez,
Alderwoman Lu, Alderman Jette, Alderman Caron,
Alderman Wilshire 7
Present: Alderman O’Brien 1
MOTION FAILED
Alderman Clemons
Madam President?
President Wilshire
Alderman Clemons.
Alderman Clemons
That’s out of order. We haven’t disposed of the Fire Fighter’s contract.
President Wilshire
Ok, you’re right. What is the Committee’s pleasure, the Board’s pleasure?
Alderman Tencza
Madam President, just a point of order. Well maybe Corporation Counsel can advise us on what is the next

necessary step because my understanding is that now the contract has to go back to the Board of Fire
Commissioners for reconsideration.

Alderwoman Kelly
Madam President?
President Wilshire

Alderman Kelly.

Page Image
Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 6/23/2020 - P41

Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 6/23/2020 - P42

By dnadmin on Sun, 11/06/2022 - 23:09
Document Date
Tue, 06/23/2020 - 00:00
Meeting Description
Board Of Aldermen
Document Type
Minutes
Meeting Date
Tue, 06/23/2020 - 00:00
Page Number
42
Image URL
https://nashuameetingsstorage.blob.core.windows.net/nm-docs-pages/boa_m__062320…

Board of Aldermen 6-23-2020 Page 42

Alderwoman Kelly

Please correct me if I’m wrong, but | think we either have the chance to indefinitely postpone or table in
order for them to go back, we would need to table. Is that correct?

President Wilshire
I’m going to let Corporation Counsel weigh in here.

Attorney Bolton

If you table it remains within your authority, you have not fully resolved it. But what you will do is you will go
past the 30 day time limit for your consideration, which theoretically could result in an unfair labor practice
complaint being brought that we would lose because you are supposed to dispose of it one way or the
other in 30 days. So typically what would be done in a case like this is someone would move to indefinitely
postpone and if the vote follows what the previous vote, follows the same path, it will be indefinitely
postponed and essentially its back to the Union on one side and the Board of Fire Commissioners on the
other side to negotiate a different proposal.

President Wilshire

Do | have a Motion?

MOTION BY ALDERWOMAN KELLY FOR INDEFINITE POSTPONEMENT OF R-20-041

ON THE QUESTION

President Wilshire

Discussion on that motion? Alderman Klee?

Alderman Klee

Thank you, so the indefinite postponement allows it to go back for them to negotiate it if we tabled it then
that’s not allowed to go back?

President Wilshire
That’s right.
Alderman Klee
Thank you.
Alderman Lopez

| have a question.
President Wilshire

Alderman Lopez?

Page Image
Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 6/23/2020 - P42

Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 6/23/2020 - P43

By dnadmin on Sun, 11/06/2022 - 23:09
Document Date
Tue, 06/23/2020 - 00:00
Meeting Description
Board Of Aldermen
Document Type
Minutes
Meeting Date
Tue, 06/23/2020 - 00:00
Page Number
43
Image URL
https://nashuameetingsstorage.blob.core.windows.net/nm-docs-pages/boa_m__062320…

Board of Aldermen 6-23-2020 Page 43

Alderman Lopez

Just for Attorney Bolton, you frequently say we can do whatever we want, can’t we just send it to the Fire
Commissioners, vote to refer it back to them?

Attorney Bolton

Well you can do that but it would be illegal.

Alderman Schmidt

No, we don’t want to do that.

Alderman Dowd

Chief Carignan is on-line, he can take care of you Tom.

Alderman Lopez

Can we refer it to Attorney Bolton and then he does whatever must be done. I’m sorry | just didn’t want to
indefinitely postpone it because it is not my intention, but apparently the lawyers use language that isn’t
exactly what we want.

President Wilshire

The motion is for indefinite postponement. Further discussion on that motion. Would the Clerk call the roll?
A viva voce roll call was taken which resulted as follows:

Yea: Alderman Klee, Alderwoman Kelly, Alderman Dowd,

Alderman Lopez, Alderman Tencza,
Alderwoman Lu, Alderman Jette, Alderman Schmidt,

Alderwoman Harriott-Gathright, Alderman Wilshire 10
Nay: Alderman Clemons, Alderman Cleaver 2
Present: Alderman O’Brien 1

MOTION CARRIED
Resolution R-20-041 is indefinitely postponed.

R-20-043
Endorsers: Alderman-at-Large Lori Wilshire
Alderman-at-Large Michael B. O’Brien, Sr.
Alderman Richard A. Dowd
Alderman Patricia Klee
Alderman-at-Large David C. Tencza
Alderman Linda Harriott-Gathright
Alderman Thomas Lopez
Alderman Brandon Michael Laws
AUTHORIZING PENNICHUCK CORPORATION AND PENNICHUCK EAST UTILITY, INC. TO
ENTER INTO A TERM LOAN AND RENEW A FIXED ASSET LINE OF CREDIT WITH COBAMK,
ACB
Given its second reading;

Page Image
Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 6/23/2020 - P43

Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 6/23/2020 - P44

By dnadmin on Sun, 11/06/2022 - 23:09
Document Date
Tue, 06/23/2020 - 00:00
Meeting Description
Board Of Aldermen
Document Type
Minutes
Meeting Date
Tue, 06/23/2020 - 00:00
Page Number
44
Image URL
https://nashuameetingsstorage.blob.core.windows.net/nm-docs-pages/boa_m__062320…

Board of Aldermen 6-23-2020 Page 44

MOTION BY ALDERMAN CLEAVER FOR FINAL PASSAGE OF R-20-043, BY ROLL CALL
A viva voce roll call was taken which resulted as follows:
Yea: Alderman O’Brien, Alderman Klee, Alderwoman Kelly, Alderman Dowd,
Alderman Caron, Alderman Clemons, Alderman Lopez, Alderman Tencza,
Alderwoman Lu, Alderman Jette, Alderman Schmidt, Alderman Cleaver,
Alderman Harriott-Gathright, Alderman Wilshire 14
Nay: 0
Resolution R-20-043 declared duly adopted.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS — ORDINANCES

O-20-017
Endorsers: Alderwoman-at-Large Shoshanna Kelly
AUTHORIZING FREE PARKING AT METERS AND PAY STATION SPACES THROUGH
NOVEMBER 15, 2020
(Tabled at May 21, 2020 BOA mtg)

NEW BUSINESS — RESOLUTIONS - None

NEW BUSINESS — ORDINANCES - None

PERIOD FOR GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT

REMARKS BY THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN
Alderman O’Brien

Thank you. What | alluded to earlier, | think comparing one Fire Department to another and | am speaking
from 35 years’ experience in firefighting. The comparison kind of made me chuckle. | have a cousin that
was Battalion Chief in the 12 Battalion on FDNY in New York City and he served in Harlem. | think he
would laugh to see the comparison to somebody say, “well in another part of New York, Staten Island that
the fire is affected by some other physical vortex that they are hotter in Staten Island than they are in
Harlem”. They are not, fires occur and they occur in every single community. So when you start
comparing, what Alderman Jette brought up, and that’s true, you can go on-line and you can look. But |
wonder if Alderman Jette looked at Manchester.

Now Manchester is a community probably us and Manchester a population, they might have 20,000 people
more than we do. They also have, probably square mileage, possibly may two square than we do. Yet,
Manchester covers their City with 11 engine companies and 4 ladder companies. In comparison, the City
of Nashua minus the 20,000 people and the square mileage, covers that duty with only 6 engine companies
and 3 ladder companies. The workload in the City of Nashua is much greater for our Firefighters than they
are in Manchester. Yet, those facts were never really brought up and that’s the danger, in my opinion, of
the comparison. Each community puts a value on what they want to pay in fire protection. And 32 years
ago, the City of Nashua spent taxpayers money on a Fire Report that said we needed 2 more additional
engine companies.

Page Image
Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 6/23/2020 - P44

Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 6/23/2020 - P45

By dnadmin on Sun, 11/06/2022 - 23:09
Document Date
Tue, 06/23/2020 - 00:00
Meeting Description
Board Of Aldermen
Document Type
Minutes
Meeting Date
Tue, 06/23/2020 - 00:00
Page Number
45
Image URL
https://nashuameetingsstorage.blob.core.windows.net/nm-docs-pages/boa_m__062320…

Board of Aldermen 6-23-2020 Page 45

We had a meeting, come up with a development in the northern part of the City in the Tinker Road area;
granted they are covering that area now. But the more that you build, and let’s look what we built, we built
down on Marshall Street, Loft 34 down on Franklin Street. All these buildings that we have now, and living
spaces put up, create more traffic so there’s car accidents. More people are going to have heart attacks so
there is medical emergencies and there’s also those calls with a type of building fire. So it is kind of
dangerous when you compare.

And then also was not brought up with the contract agreement, what is the life of the Manchester
agreement? It seemed pretty much pretty close; is it up this year? Would they get more money when they
go into their negotiations? So it is kind of really challenging to really compare the fire departments. |
encourage everybody on this Board to look at that original Five Pro Report and weigh the balance. | think
previous Boards and Mayors have not really treated this Fire Department fairly and | can speak from my
experience. Where are the two additional engine companies that were suggested in the early 80’s? They
are nothere. Yet the Fire Department still answers the call volume. We've got engine companies that are
doing 3,000 runs a year and on top of that, this City asked them to step to the plate to do the Safe Stations.
And they did it. And then also too, when COVID came in, there was not enough masks to put the face
covering on the firefighters, what they wore were bandanas in the beginning and saved the masks for the
patients. And yes, they went into the homes were the people actually had COVID. Everybody that got
transported to the hospital, the first person that they saw was a member of an engine or a ladder company
of the Nashua Fire & Rescue that came in to assist them.

Taken all of that into account, it is apples and oranges and it goes back to what | said earlier. It is what you
or |, the value of each of us in the community and what you want to put on your fire department, what it is
worth. It is the same with the schools, same with the police department. | am disappointed that this Board
took a duly, fairly negotiated contract that was with the City of Nashua and with Local 789 of the Fire
Fighters, it was agreed by both parties. | am very disappointed that this evening we sent it, cast the ropes
off, and cast the contract to drift. Yes it has a procedure, it will go back and it depends on what the level of
comfort is going to be and what you’re going to pay or what you feel is paid.

| think Alderman Tencza did bring up a very good point in the discussion and | thank him for doing so. |
don’t think the Firefighters are looking for parity, and | know that they are not looking for parity with the
Police Department. But there is many discrepancies and | think if you look at what the Police Officers are
paid, | think Alderman Klee brought up a very good point. It refers back to the Garcia Decision. What the
Garcia Decision said that a municipality does not have to pay overtime until 56 hours. The Fire Department
did negotiate it down from 56 to 52. If you own a business in the City of Nashua, Federal Law says you’ve
got to pay overtime after 40 hours, but for some reason in the Garcia Decision, it said that — well it said 56
hours and the Firefighters like | say negotiated it down to 52.

As we look over to our very well qualified and great Police Department, they are on the clock at 40 hours,
they get time and a half. If you look at Manchester and | wish Alderman Jette would look at that. | think
Manchester also gets paid shift overtime at time and a half. If you ever wonder why the firefighters do not
call extra shift duty overtime, it’s because they don’t get overtime pay. They call it shift coverage and that’s
reflecting on the amount of pay that we are paying them. So there’s many different things, | think now
when it goes back to negotiation, | kind of hope that the parties will come to an agreement and bring up
some of the disparities and hopefully get to correct some of the misinformation that was not entirely put out
there.

And like | say, | hope in the future that when we look at things, there is a difference in the Fire Service and
the Police Department, | think as we see in the troubles that are out there today. | think we have a very
good Police Department. | have seen other communities that have done very bad things, cops that have
done bad things. To say that they are all same is wrong. And | would agree with that completely. In
comparing the two Fire Departments together, it is up to us to decide what we want to do.

Page Image
Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 6/23/2020 - P45

Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 6/23/2020 - P46

By dnadmin on Sun, 11/06/2022 - 23:09
Document Date
Tue, 06/23/2020 - 00:00
Meeting Description
Board Of Aldermen
Document Type
Minutes
Meeting Date
Tue, 06/23/2020 - 00:00
Page Number
46
Image URL
https://nashuameetingsstorage.blob.core.windows.net/nm-docs-pages/boa_m__062320…

Board of Aldermen 6-23-2020 Page 46

So Madam President, thank you for —| could not say this because — and let me clearly say if | had my
chance to vote | would have voted for that contract. It was duly negotiated and fairly by the City and the
Local. By due to my son, the reason is that my son is on the Fire Department and because of - | challenge
and | will challenge the future of my vote because | got elected to vote. And | feel that Charter needs to be
changed that we all vote.

Some of us have other things that we are close ties. Many members of this Board were on the School
Department, yet they strongly support the School Department, | do as well. But to say that where you were
on the School Board, does that affect you and your way of thinking. | think right now the Charter is a little bit
too tight and too restrictive on that. And | do have the common sense in my 35 years of experience of
firefighting to make an informed decision on what we qualify is adequate fire protection for the City.
Unfortunately, the Charter did not allow me to express my opinion. So Madam President, thank you for this
opportunity to speak, thank you.

President Wilshire
You bet. Alderman Klee.
Alderman Klee

Thank you, Madam President. | wanted to make a comment that actually has little to do with this, our
meeting today and yet in some respects does. Last night the county met and we did our Budget for the
County and | am really happy to say that we passed a budget that is increased but there will be no tax
increase. So nothing will be coming down to the residents here in Nashua or actually anywhere in our
County anyways. We were able to do a zero increase on the tax rate so that’s one tiny little bit of help for
our taxpayers, thank you.

Alderman Lopez

So | guess first | just want to comment that | agree with Alderman O’Brien, | wish | had some of the
information that he has in the conversation. | think | was one who started the parity aspect because |
understood some of the earlier comments to be saying that there were goals that the firefighters were trying
to reach. But | don’t know what those are, | am not aware of a strategic funding plan or anything like that.
So | did not have all of the information that | needed in that particular area, so | think set everybody off on a
wild goose chase. My impression was that there was an understanding that there’s certain levels the
firefighters were trying to reach and that they were potentially able to work somewhere else and | did not
understand exactly what was being referred to. So | apologize, the only information that | really had to work
with was Alderman Jette’s numbers. | appreciate the work that he did in researching it and | had no doubt
when they were brought up that he would have them sitting on the desk.

So there is plenty of good information that was shared, although | don’t think | had a complete picture. So |
have received plenty of letters and e-mails regarding how important it is for the firefighters to be
compensated in Nashua and the importance of their job and even some stories of people that | Know being
pulled out of fires. But | didn’t hear that part; the goals and what they are trying to do and how this might
affect their cost of living and that kind of stuff. So! would appreciate that being sent in my direction so that
whatever negotiation process happens between the Fire Commission and the Union, | am able to approve
it. Because as far as | am concerned, | am not in the negotiation process; | get whatever their agreement is
sent here. | don’t think the Mayor was particularly in favor of it, he made some reasonable points about
funding. | never really disagreed over whether the Fire Department deserved a certain level of pay; my
concern was whether we would literally have it if other issues started to come up over the next couple of
months that we can’t anticipate.

So | don’t know when that’s going to happen, | do know that the negotiation can continue at least in the
appeals format. So | would like to see that come back and figure out what to do with it when that does. |
would like to make some comments to the public.

Page Image
Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 6/23/2020 - P46

Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 6/23/2020 - P47

By dnadmin on Sun, 11/06/2022 - 23:09
Document Date
Tue, 06/23/2020 - 00:00
Meeting Description
Board Of Aldermen
Document Type
Minutes
Meeting Date
Tue, 06/23/2020 - 00:00
Page Number
47
Image URL
https://nashuameetingsstorage.blob.core.windows.net/nm-docs-pages/boa_m__062320…

Board of Aldermen 6-23-2020 Page 47

There were some pretty recent announcements made with regards to COVID-19 and how it behaves in
Public Health fields and in Medical Fields where a number of medical studies that typically take a long
amount of time and don’t happen, you know, happen long before outbreaks of new diseases hit the US,
were still taking place. So we still don’t really know exactly what COVID-19 even does to your system. |
was looking, based on some of these papers, more like it attacks your arteries, your blood system, your
heart and there are neurological impacts too that you can COVID-19, you can be asymptomatic and you
could still have long-term impact.

You can get COVID-19 and you are not immune a couple of months later. There are still a lot of really
strange things going on with this disease and as much as we have been working to support businesses and
get people back out into downtown and working, where we go from here is probably going to be a result of
how people treat that situation. | know that it’s very hot in the kitchen and that people working in the
kitchen don’t like to wear masks. | know that other people may take their masks off or lose them or find
them uncomfortable and all | can say is that the two states that had the highest numbers of fatalities and
infection, now have the lowest transmission rate explicitly because they have face mask ordinances. New
York and Massachusetts have basically stopped it in its track and are very effectively managing what was a
catastrophic situation, because they are taking that step. So earlier we were talking about Dancing in the
Streets, | was like, “I’m not going to go”. | have that opinion and | am not going to go into any crowds right
now if | can avoid them. | am going to be very careful with how | wear my mask. | don’t even take it off
when | am walking down Main Street; that is a personal choice, that’s not required by the Ordinance. But |
don’t know who is going to come walk up to me randomly and start talking to me. And more than once it
has been somebody coming up to say, “hey you don’t need to wear your mask on the sidewalk” and I’m
like, “well now | do, like back up a little”.

So we are still learning a lot and | know people are frustrated with this they are really exasperated but you
need to be listening to public health officials. You can’t be debating with them all the time. You need to
listen to restaurant owners who are trying to maintain their business. | don’t want to see restaurants close
again and | don’t want to see another period of lock down. | don’t think we can handle it. So | just ask
everybody to be very careful with you are treating it.

And then also | don’t know if the other Aldermen are experiencing this, but fireworks are booming literally.
With the Fire Department pay being negotiated, | feel like it’s only fair not to put them in a situation of
dealing with more fire danger than necessary. If people could show a little bit more consideration about
how they are celebrating randomly, | think it would be well appreciated by many. | would like to point out
that the 4" of July Fireworks run by the City are cancelled and that means there’s no schedule for veterans
or people with PTSD to be aware that they need to be shielding the ears or doing something or distracting
themselves. So popping off fireworks at 3:00 in the morning or whenever you feel like it, there are people
living all around you and it’s not fair to them.

So | appreciate all the patience everybody has had up to this point with the COVID-19. | think largely our
results here in New Hampshire where we haven’t had any community-based transmission really, we’ve just
had outbreaks in the long term care facilities, that was you. That was because you went home and you
stayed home and you made sacrifices. | don’t want it to be for nothing. | mean | know that everybody has
the instinct that they just want to move on but | don’t think we are ready to do that yet. Thank you.

Alderman Clemons

Thank you, Madam President. So a little bit of a lighter note to go with what Alderman Lopez just said. |
was in a gas station the other day and these two guys, workers whatever, were in there. And they didn’t
have a mask and the attendant said, “Oh can you please put your mask on” and he said, “Oh | thought we
were in New Hampshire” and we didn’t have to do that. And she explained “Oh we have a City Ordinance”
and the guy said, “Oh well | guess that’s better than Mask-achusetts”. And | thought that was kind of funny
because people tend to think that New Hampshire is a little bit more of the Live Free or Die but there is a
reason that they call Nashua, Nashua-chusetts. So | just thought that was amusing.

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Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 6/23/2020 - P47

Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 6/23/2020 - P48

By dnadmin on Sun, 11/06/2022 - 23:09
Document Date
Tue, 06/23/2020 - 00:00
Meeting Description
Board Of Aldermen
Document Type
Minutes
Meeting Date
Tue, 06/23/2020 - 00:00
Page Number
48
Image URL
https://nashuameetingsstorage.blob.core.windows.net/nm-docs-pages/boa_m__062320…

Board of Aldermen 6-23-2020 Page 48

But | will say that | was disappointed with the vote this evening, | thought we had a fair contract in front of
us. We had folks like Don Davidson a Fiscal Conservative himself supporting the contract. You had lots of
people that from all sides really, saying that it was a fair deal and that it is a shame that it went down.,
particularly because we put money into the Budget to support that. We would have been able to fund it for
this year. We will see what the Mayor does, if he is going to Veto the Budget and have that come back to
us, | guess that remains to be seen.

| was proud of the work that the Budget Committee did, | think that we definitely took a Budget that was
pre-COVID and we really pared it down by almost $2 million dollars out of it. | think that, you know, that’s
not an easy task. | was happy that the Police Department is going to be fully funded and they are going to
have their employees that they need. We didn’t de-fund the Police in Nashua, we funded the Police in
Nashua and | am proud that we did that.

We also took care of our School Department and we put some money, lots of money in there, we got
money from the State. They are going to hire 17 new employees. | hope that those employees stay on
next year considering we are going to be facing a 7% tax increase and it seems most of the Board is
worried about next year. | happen to think that they will make it through. But | was very disappointed in the
fact that while we took care of our Police Department and we took care of our School Department, we
neglected the Fire Department. | thought that was a shame. | hope that when they go back to the
negotiating table, as far as the Budget is concerned, we put $1 million dollars, over a million dollars in
contingency there for negotiations so there’s some money to work with and hopefully they can come up
with a deal that uses that money and get some well needed raises to get those folks what they deserve.
Thank you very much.

Alderwoman Kelly

Thank you, Madam President. So | have just a few remarks, | know it’s getting late here. | wanted to first
thank you for taking into consideration changing the format so that we could take public comment virtually.

| think it worked out well and | appreciate you making that adjustment for everybody. Secondly, | wanted to
say thank you to Great American Downtown for an amazing first Farmer's Market. There were a ton of
Nashuans out just enjoying what was put on there and there were plenty of complimentary comments
around the new location by City Hall. So that was a really great event, | am looking forward to — | think it’s
like 17 more weeks. So make sure you come out on Sundays 10 to 2 at the City Hall Plaza. There are
plenty of really great vendors.

Lastly, the Pride Committee is really proud to be able to put on a virtual pride this Saturday from 2 to 4. It
will be available through our Facebook as a livestream. It will be on Nashua Community Television Channel
16, Access Channel 96 and through the City of Nashua Web Site as well. Don’t miss it, there’s an
incredible group of people who have come forward from speakers to talent and it just going to be an
incredible event, so | hope you all can tune in.

Alderwoman Lu

Thank you, Madam President. | just have three comments I'd like to make. First of all, some of the
correspondence we’ve received (audio cuts out) meetings, correspondence has concerned me, particularly
regarding the Assessor's Department. And | wonder if it would be a good time, we haven’t had an update
from the Assessor's Department in awhile and | wonder if we could hear from them possibly at the next
meeting.

| just wanted to comment on the concer, | really wish that Alderman O’Brien had been able to express his
arguments prior to the vote. It would have been (audio cuts out). | also just want to express that
unfortunately, you know, | hate hearing that the Fire Department had to work without proper equipment, the
proper masks. But | think that is an argument, you know, a complaint that’s reasonable, but not really a
basis for a raise. Certainly we should try to make that not happen in the future. Thank you.

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