Board of Aldermen 02-15-2022 Page 4
SCHOOLS
As the Covid-19 pandemic continues to challenge us, we need to focus on our schools. An excellent education is
essential to the future success of our young people of and our community. Our kids have been significantly affected
by Covid-19 disruptions and we need to pay special attention to them. We must make sure classrooms for all
students get what they need to ensure that every child gets an excellent education.
Our teachers, paraprofessionals, and other school staff have given their steadfast efforts to teach our kids under the
difficult conditions — first, of online learning, and now with the challenging daily presence of Covid. Our teachers are
inspiring, passionate, and effective. They are showing every day in every school that they are committed to making
sure that every child and every family have access to an excellent education.
Better pay for better teachers.
We must have competitive teachers’ pay to retain and attract the best teachers to Nashua. Nashua ranks about 79th
among the 160 or So school districts in New Hampshire in terms of average teachers’ pay, which in Nashua is about
$61,000. Nashua schools have had the problem of mid-level teachers, who have been trained and seasoned here in
Nashua leaving for neighboring districts which offer better pay. The Board of Education and the teachers are in
negotiations for a new teachers’ contract. The parties are very close — only about a 1/10th of a percent apart for each
of four annual raises.
During the negotiations the teachers have agreed to an important heath care change that the City is seeking — that is,
the reformed HMO plan that | spoke about earlier. This change for the teachers will save the City $2.3 million per
year. Given the need to become more competitive when it comes to teachers’ pay and given this health care
concession by the teachers, | believe the teachers’ most recent position regarding raises is reasonable.
With respect to the school buildings themselves, we are in the midst of a citywide program to improve our middle
school infrastructure led by Alderman Rick Dowd. We have already upgraded Fairgrounds Middle School with new
classrooms, new technology, and solar panels which provide all the electric power the school needs. Work is
underway at Pennichuck Middle School and when that is done, we will begin construction of a new middle school in
the southwest neighborhood of the city to replace the aging Elm Street Middle School.
DOWNTOWN
We cannot have a successful city without a thriving, active downtown. Downtown must be a place where people
gather, where people want to be, and where they feel a sense of vitality and life. When | meet with Mayors from
across the country as part of the US Conference of Mayors and when | meet with New Hampshire mayors, all are
focused on their downtowns. All are trying to make their downtowns people-friendly, walkable, and bikeable. A city’s
downtown is the symbol of the community. A stagnant downtown signifies a declining, troubled city. Thank you to
Economic Development Director Tim Cummings for leading our efforts to grow a stronger, healthier downtown and
City economy and with it a bigger tax base.
What do we need to make a vital, active downtown a reality? Measures like enticing more people to live near Main
Street with new housing; a beautiful Nashua River waterfront; our upcoming Nashua Center for the Arts; and
expanded outdoor dining. A downtown renaissance relies upon entrepreneurs, chefs, and artists. By attracting
restaurant goers and art lovers — along with more downtown residents — we build the clientele to grow retail not only
the creative shops we already have, but new entrepreneurs. Perhaps a toy store, a bookshop, or a movie theater.
In order to increase downtown living opportunities, we are building new housing. We added Lofts 34 on Franklin
Street and we have 150 units of downtown housing coming on School Street. These new residences add to those
already at Clocktower Place and Cotton Mill Square and we are exploring even more opportunities to expand the
supply of downtown housing.
We are creating a beautiful waterfront based upon our Riverfront Master Plan. We have already added lighting along
the north river walk and have illuminated the Cotton Transfer Bridge. We have an expanded Renaissance Park,
docks, landscaping, and suspended walkways in design right now. We expect work to begin on these new amenities
by the fall.
The Nashua Center for the Arts which will attract over 50,000 people to downtown each year will open this fall. It will
provide entertainment to Nashuans and is already helping us grow the downtown tax base. Thank you to the
anonymous donor who is giving $1 million to the Center for the Arts and also to Philip Scontsas for his success in
securing this very generous donation.
