Board of Aldermen — 9/12/17 Page 30
Alderman LeBrun
| will not be supporting this resolution. While | believe this to be a viable effort, in the future, not now, not this
location. Not this process as it has been presented to us. There are other alternatives we have not even
considered such as Daniel Webster College. Overwhelming support has been mentioned this evening. There
are about 87,000 people living in Nashua. We heard from maybe 30 or 40 here in this Chamber. Each of us
have been contacted by maybe 25 people each in our areas. This is not overwhelming by any means. In fact,
not all were in support. Additionally, approximately 300 petitions have been submitted, certainly not
overwhelming. Mr. Mayor, when we had a presentation on the Burke Street property upstairs when you were
presented with a question on financing, your response, and | quote was: “Ve will have to see what the
taxpayers can stand.” Mr. Mayor, the taxpayers are maxed out. They cannot stand anymore.
Mayor Donchess
That is totally false, Mr. LeBrun.
Alderman LeBrun
You will have to check the transcript, Mr. Mayor.
Mayor Donchess
So will you.
Alderwoman Melizzi-Golja
| would like to thank everyone who came here this evening and for those who signed the petitions that were
presented to us and also those who contacted me via email. Some were in favor and some were opposed.
The contacts | had were primarily in support of this. Last week | had the opportunity talk with Taylor Caswell.
He was recently appointed by Governor Sununu as the Commissioner of Business and Economic
Development for the State. Prior to that he was Director of Community Development and Finance Authority.
We were talking about what was happening in Nashua. He was very excited about what he heard was
happening here. He mentioned the impact other downtown theatre projects had had, many of the ones
mentioned by the Mayor. He made a comment that | think all of us need to think about. We all talk about
revitalization of downtowns. | think all of us think about the downtown we grew up. Mine had a Five & Dime, a
grocery store, an A&P, a butcher shop, a soda shop, two cafes, two florists, and a couple of dress shops and a
menswear store and a very small department store and a couple of jewelers. His comment was today’s
downtown is different. Today’s downtown is to use his term “the community living room.” It’s where we come
together.
Several people this evening mentioned coming together and growing community in our downtown. We’re
looking at downtowns that have galleries, specialty shops, specialty businesses, cafes, restaurants. We're
looking at a place where the many, many people who are coming into our community who are knew and don’t
have family to go visit come downtown to form connections because their family is living like where my
husband’s, halfway around the world; like other people’s maybe in Europe or Asia or Africa; or, maybe they are
living in Boston but they don’t’ want to fight the traffic. So, they go downtown to meet people and form
connections. | think we need to think about the picture we havfe for the future of Nashua and part of what we
want is for people to form connections and become part of our community . | think many of us feel that we
want those people to live here, work here, play here and maybe eventually run for office and become involved
as volunteers in our community.
If you look at the study, initially Alec wasn’t mentioned and Alec kind of popped into the picture at what | think
is very critical moment. | don’t feel we were steered there because | feel this consulting group would have said
no because they said no to Spring Street and to those plans, that they were too big. | really think we need to
think long and hard about this decision. | believe the impact of this decision will impact the city long after we’re
