Fred S. Teeboom
24 Cheyenne Drive
Nashua, NH 03063
(603) 889-2316
fredtee@comcast.net
August 24, 2021
Nashua Board of Aldermen
Copy: Mayor Donchess
City Attorney Steve Bolton
Subject: Unacceptable restriction and aldermanic participation during Public Hearings.
President Wilshire and Members of the Board:
On 23 August Public Hearings were held on three resolutions (R-21-158, -160 and -162) before
the Budget Review Committee.
I want to point out some very annoying practices having crept into Public Hearings, none
ordained by iocal and state statute.
1. The committee, through its clerk, instructed members of the public to hold their comments to
3 minutes,
Possibly the committee confused the Public Hearing with the 3-minute restriction on public
comment before the board and its committees, but no such arbitrary restriction is set for
Public Hearings under local and state statute.
In particular, see NRO § 5-28, D Public Hearings:
The public hearing shall not be limited in duration ..... but the chair may set or extend
time limits for each member of the public speaking, subject to motion and affirmative
vote by members of the board or committee holding the hearing.
The point of Public Hearings, set by state statute, is to hear from the public, not from
aldermen, and fo give the subject ample reflection by the public before the aldermen
commence debate in their board and commitiees.
2. During the Public Hearing, following presentation and prior to public comment, it has become
customary for aldermen to ask questions. The purpose of the Public Hearing is to hear from
the public, and allow for questions from the public, not hear from aldermen. There is
unrestricted opportunity for aldermen to discuss the subject of the public hearing and ask
questions during its scheduled board and committee meetings.
In particular, see NRO § 5-28, B Public Hearings:
Following the presentation set forth in Subsection A, the chair shall recognize members
of the public to testify in favor, followed by members of the public opposed and shall allow
an opportunity for rebuttal by members of the public.
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