Board of Aldermen — 6/27/17 Page 2
as wisely as we could. We need to be accountable to the voters for every dollar that we spend, and | know we
will do that. This year’s paving program has begun with some residential streets: Dale, Donna, Lansing, and
others. We will continue with more residential streets. That’s the money that was appropriated in the current
fiscal year through June 30. Then in the fall, we will continue with the program by beginning to spend and
pave most of the crumbling streets with the $7.5 million appropriation that you made. We will certainly be
doing Tinker Road, which | see Alderman Dowd from Ward 2 nodding because that is definitely in very poor
shape, DW Highway and some major streets starting this fall. | think the people, Nashuans, deserve from us
the best efforts to make it so they can get to work, get around the city without any potholes and wrecking their
cars and in the most efficient way that they possibly can. We definitely want to be accountable in the way we
spend the money, but we really need to make progress improving the city’s infrastructure.
Friday is the dance party. | hope you have seen notice of it out in front of city hall. We are cosponsoring with
the Symphony the dance party. “Dancing in the Streets” we are calling it. It will begin at 7:00 p.m. with swing
dancing. At 8:00 p.m. they will continue with salsa and Latin dance, and at 9:00 p.m., there will be hip-hop.
There will be a short period of instruction in each hour. It’s going to be a fun party. Part of Main Street is going
to be closed. | urge you if you have free time to come down and check it out. Whether or not you decide to
dance is a different issue. There will be food vendors and | think everyone will have a good time.
Finally, Mr. President, | wanted to join you in wishing Buzz Harrington’s family the best. We know that he was
a great citizen of Nashua. He contributed in many, many ways over a long period of time. | worked with him
when | was Mayor in the 80’s and 90’s. He continued to be a very important pillar of the community since then
and obviously before. This is a big loss for Nashua, and | wish the best to his family.
RESPONSE TO REMARKS OF THE MAYOR
Alderman Siegel
How did the other mayors accept the Safe Stations program? It seems relatively unique. It was started up
here. Itis clearly very effective. Is this something they are going to try to adopt in their own cities?
Mayor Donchess
There is a task force on the opioid crisis which | am now part of. We talked through a number of different ways
to approach it. Each community seems to have adopted some different strategies but similar. | discussed the
Safe Stations program. There was some interest in it. There is one community in Texas that is doing a similar
thing with the PD. Boston has a program where you can call 311 from anyplace. But! did get some interest in
Safe Stations and some inquired about more information which we will definitely provide them. Another thing
that | did report on, which | did mention, is the fact that Nashua through primarily the work of Harbor Homes
has been certified and was a couple months ago as effectively ending veterans homelessness. We are one of
a growing number, but a fairly small number of communities in the country, that have done that. There was
interest in that in addition to the Safe Stations program.
President McCarthy
Let the record show that Alderman Cookson and Alderman Clemons joined us during the Mayor’s remarks.
Alderman Lopez
| just want to clarify that the dancing in the streets is July 8"°?
Mayor Donchess
It’s July 8" starting at 7 PM.
