Board of Aldermen 4-28-2020 Page 4
the contacts that each of these patients who have tested positive has had over the days before their symptoms
developed, to determine who else might have been exposed to the disease. So they are following right now
113 contacts but testing is increasing. The State is committed to a goal of 1,500 tests a day. They are at least
coming somewhat either achieving that or coming somewhat close to it and therefore the Health Department
has been allocated more tests by the State of DHHS, the Department of Health & Human Service.
Our Health Department conducted 151 tests last week: most people tested negative but there were a few
positive tests. Also, they will be testing more people late this week and early next week. So if anyone believes
that they meet the criteria to be tested which have been loosened, you need to call the COVID-19 Hotline, which
is 589-3456, pretty easy to remember. So again | would ask that you accept the communication, place it on file
and approve the arrangement with the CDC Foundation.
Another COVID-19 related piece of Legislation which is on the agenda is R-20-029. This has been reviewed in
Committee and we would through this legislation create a COVID-19 Impact Fund of an amount in about
$1,200,000.00. This will be comprised of Community Development Block Grant Funds and other sources of
Federal Money and would be used to provide smaller loans averaging $25,000.00 to small businesses in
Nashua who are going to need to try to recover once the economy begins to reopen. Also grants in the same
amount, that same range to the non-profits, of course, many of whom are struggling because of the impact and
inability to fund raise and things like that.
So | ask that you favorably act on the COVID-19 Impact Fund (inaudible) small business sector all over the City
including downtown and is going to be struggling and after the COVID-19 Crisis after it passes to some degree
and after we begin to reopen the economy, or any small business that needs to close for several months, that is
a huge hit. So | think we need to do anything we possibly can to jumpstart these businesses, bring money in,
bring customers to them and this COVID-19 Impact Fund is one step that we can take in that direction.
More briefly Madam President, a fairly significant item in size, R-20-025; this is a compactor at the landfill. It is a
Caterpillar machine. The machine has worn out and it is not functioning properly; we need this for compacting
at the land fill. The choice was between buying a new compactor at $1 million dollars or reconditioning,
rebuilding basically from the frame up the existing Caterpillar Compacter for a cost of $500,000.00; one half the
cost. The Board of Public Works is recommending that we go forward with the rebuild. It really creates a
machine as good as new at half the cost. That’s been recommended by the Committee so again | ask that you
consider that positively.
Also, sponsored by Alderman Caron was the $25,000.00 for the Senior Center, we have done that every year,
helped them with their capital improvements over there, the condition of the building which we own and maybe
Alderwoman Caron will speak to that.
And finally, Madam President, there’s an item that you should not act on tonight, which is R-20-028 having to do
with the School Street Parking Lot. That still needs a Planning Board recommendation which we have not yet
received. Various Aldermen on the Budget Committee, you referred that, had questions we need to answer
some legal issues raised by Alderman Jette and provide more information and do more work on that. So |
would ask that you refer back to Committee. (no audio). That’s all | have Madam President other than to wish
everybody well, please wash your hands frequently and | know you are all doing that, wear masks in public. As
much as we have cabin fever, as difficult as it is not to see each other in these meetings, we still need to
exercise the social distancing and maintain the steps which have helped us contain the spread of the virus here
in Nashua. Thank you.
President Wilshire
Thank you, Mayor. Any response to the remarks of the Mayor? | can’t see everybody. Any responses? Ok.
RESPONSE TO REMARKS OF THE MAYOR - None
