Graham, Donna
From: Laurie Ortolano fait dahohigdaiioed >
Sent: Wednesday, March 02, 2022 10:39 AM
To: Cummings, Tim; O'Brien, Michael (Alderman); Mayors Office Email
Ce: Board of Aldermen; Buxton, Steve; Rourke, Kevin (Police); Graham, Donna
Subject: Next weeks Barrier Meeting and Public Safety
CAUTION: This email came from outside of the organization. Do not click links/open attachments if source is
unknown.
Donna, Could you please place this in the next board packet.
Good Morning Alderman O'Brien, Director Cummings, and Mayor Donchess,
I am concerned that the Downtown Barrier Issue is a done deal. The Mayor continues to
use his personal email account to solicit support for the downtown barrier, pushing a
personal agenda, rather than supporting a democratic process. This is the work of a
tyrant and similar to how the police charter change issue was handled. It is regrettable
that it appears no lessons were learned.
Additionally, it appears as if the Mayor barrier survey and data will not be available until
March 24, 2021. Let's be sure that this issue is not voted on at the board table until a
new and complete survey is conducted and ALL downtown business owners are asked to
participate and all results are available for public review.
I am concerned that somehow safety concerns have been ignored because Alderman
O'Brien and Director Cumning have not stated a word about these concerns in a public
meeting. I simply cannot understand how this is ignored. When I attended a parking
committee meeting, the Chamber of Commerce dialed into the meeting and stated the
Chamber took no position but did recognize the importance of the safety issue. Folks on
social media have written about the safety concerns.
I am concerned that asking only downtown "stakeholders" to provide their opinions
reeks of an autocratic process despite the fact the tax base of the entire
community supports ail this improvement and building initiatives happening downtown.
The full community must have a voice in this.
Additionally, it is easy for the political powers to ask residents at cotton mills or
clocktower to flood emails to the Board. As downtown residents they may well support
the barriers because they are within walking distance of Main Street. They chose to live
downtown where the walking access was desirable. That may not be the case with
residents and some businesses encompassing the rest of Nashua.
From what I can see as of now, a handful of people developed this 2022 plan. No one
has provided me with the information I requested on the barrier count form 2021 to
2022 as a comparison. Clearly, based on public input at the February 23, 2022
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