Board of Aldermen 6-09-2020 Page 4
So we can talk more about COVID-19 but we’ve gone over that, we have discussed everything the Health
Department and everybody is doing in the past. So as much as | admire the efforts of everyone, | won’t
repeat that for you again. Of course, we are looking to the light at the end of the tunnel. We are taking
many steps together to energize and re-establish our small business community especially. You
approved the COVID-19 Relief Fund, a Fund of about $1.1. We have had 55 loan and grant applications,
more than can be provided in full but the loan committee is considering each application and has awarded
some of the loans and a few grants averaging about $25,000.00. And over the course of the next few
weeks, we will be completely dealing with all of the applications, so | want to thank them as well.
Also, as you see downtown, the steps that we have taken to enable the outdoor dining in the expanded
areas of the travel lanes, one lane north and south as well as many of the parking space, they have really
energized the downtown business community and have been a big shot in the arm. The atmosphere
downtown, | think, has been incredibly positive. The traffic and | go down there quite often, there’s a little
congestion but nothing terrible and certainly the worst predictions in terms of traffic congestion have not at
all been realized and the positive energy that has erupted downtown as a result of the more pedestrian
friendly design. Even though it is using Jersey Barriers and the like, what we have arrived at has really
changed and | think improved the character of downtown. So at least so far, we have to consider that a
major success. Many people are enjoying it; | see restaurants that have many people and hopefully tables
8 feet apart, but many restaurants and businesses are doing very well with that and of course, we are all
very glad to see that.
| wanted to mention on thing briefly, Madam President, regarding the proposed Fire Contract. There was
some stuff on the internet, Facebook, over the weekend which could have implied that the City never
offered anything. | just want you to know that we tried to be fair. In 2019 the City offered the same
amount, the same wage increases that you approved for the Police Sergeants, that was back in 2019
before negotiations or the Fire Commission took over, that was the City’s negotiating team. The same
raises that were offered to the Police Sergeants and of course that has remained on the table ever since.
Finally, Madam Chair, | would like to congratulate Alderwoman Harriott-Gathright, Gloria Timmins, Jordan
Thompson and others who put together the vigil, the protest over the weekend, sponsored by Black Lives
Matter Nashua, the NAACP, the OBU which we have known for a long time. The protest/vigil included
many, many people but was very peaceful throughout. The Police Department, of course, did a good job
but in the end, there was really no conduct that they had to be particularly concerned about. The speakers
were very good, especially the young speakers, the young people who came on in the second half of the
program. They were, | thought, incredible and overall | hope that it raises the spirits of many people in our
community so that they, the members of our African-American Community and others understand that we
are behind them and see that they have been affected and are in pain as a result of the events out in
Minneapolis and elsewhere. So | just want people to know that there is solidarity and that march/rally/vigil
helped to demonstrate that. So thank you to them and to everyone who was involved in organizing what,
in the end, was a very, very uplifting, and positive event.
And that’s all | have, Madam President.
RESPONSE TO REMARKS OF THE MAYOR
Alderman Lopez
| just wanted to comment on Alderman Kelly’s speech, | found it extremely inspirational. She was one of
the speakers and | know she has been involved in helping organize as well. | was particularly moved by
the admonishment | guess that we were reminded that we were guests at the event and this was really to
mourn an experience that was shared by the black community. And | was happy to be a guest at that, and
| was happy to be invited to participate and share in that grief with them. And | am committed to doing
whatever | can to reach out to that community. So to that community | would just say that | am here, tell
me what you need and let’s see what we can do.
