Board of Aldermen 02-23-2021 Page 4
biggest rate of increase. And | would ask the Board as recommended by the Budget Committee to pass that,
approve that agreement. We have already, of course, approved a TIF and some bonding to make the project
possible and we’ve dedicated a good portion of the $400,000.00 that will be generated in property taxes on an
annual basis to help offset a good part of the cost of the Performing Arts Center.
But we are, as you know, working on a number of and have accomplished a number of affordable housing. We
have added significantly to the stock of affordable housing over the last few years. We added 150 units on
Marshall Street. There is a proposal, the Housing Authority is proposing to add 150 units more to the
Bronstein site in addition to the 48 or so units that are there now. That would need to be approved by you
because there will be steps that the Board of Aldermen would need to approve for that to go forward. One of
the conditions, of course, that the Housing Authority has made clear that all residents of Bronstein will,
although required to move temporarily, will be able to return to that same site with an equal or a better
apartment. But we also, at least | am optimistic that we can, within a short time, see other affordable housing
units proposed not by the Housing Authority but in the neighborhood of downtown. That will help us
considerably. We are trying to, across the board, add to the supply of housing in a balanced way; some more
affordable, some more market units. But we are just trying to bring more people downtown and add to the
supply of housing, which as we know, in short supply right now.
Next, Madam President, | wanted to mention that on the affordable housing front that we are proposing an
Affordable Housing Trust Fund and that the first contribution into that fund be made from money we are going
to receive from Clock Tower; that’s $30,000.00. We periodically receive payments from Clock Tower that was
part of the HODAG grant that was provided by the Federal Government in the 80’s and early ‘90’s. We are
proposing that that money, those funds be dedicated as the first contribution into the Affordable Housing
Expendable Trust Fund.
| wanted to mention, Madam President, that this is of course Black History month and we are happy to be
celebrating. We are going to hold an event at Holman Stadium to commemorate the fact that we had the first
racially integrated baseball team in the United States at Holman with the Nashua Dodgers. Roy Campanella
and Don Newcombe played there before they went to the Dodgers and even before Jackie Robinson joined the
Major League Club in Brooklyn. He had previously played up in Canada | think. So we had the first integrated
team in the United States. We will have a number of guests but Reverend Bertha Perkins who has been a
long-time resident and pastor here in Nashua will be helping to lead that ceremony and that will be enjoyable
and it will be on the local TV Channel.
| will be hosting a Book Club, Madam President, on the book the Warmth of Other Suns which is about the
migration of African Americans from the South into Northern Cities; a really well-written book by Ms. Wilkerson
and she is a very, very good writer and so if any of you are interested in reading that book and participating in
the Book Club that would be great. We will also have a number of people on a panel that will discuss the book
and its substance.
Finally, Madam President, a sad event this past week, Davis Thurber passed away a few days ago. Davis was
a very prominent Nashuan, he was President of the Bank of NH, after it was public but even before while it was
privately held. His family started that bank, | think first known as the Second National Bank but evolved into the
Bank of NH. They built the building, the bank building of the corner of Pearl and Main, the northwest corner
which we know is the Bank of NH now owned by a different, private party. And Davis was just a really good
guy, he was a very gentle man, a very generous person and he lived on Swart Terrace but then later on moved
over to Davis Court where they improved some older houses, he and his wife Pat and also improved some
houses in the neighborhood, upgraded them. He was humble and just a wonderful person and it is sad that we
have lost him. He did live a good life, he died at around 94. But it is sad that he has passed away. And that’s
all that | have, Madam President.
President Wilshire
Thank you Mayor. Are there any responses to the remarks of the Mayor?
