Board of Aldermen — 4/25/17 Page 9
communities have different requirements in the exact same jobs. Again, | appreciate this Board, all the work
they do, and | appreciate those of you who can be professional. We can clearly disagree without being
disagreeable.
Often the vice chair on the board of public works many times we do not vote in the same fashion. Never, ever
has it ever been ugly. It’s getting very difficult. When members of the public are calling me and saying you
actually have to watch this meeting when they know | had participated by phone, it is out of control. | think
every one of you who have a leadership position for any of the committees, really keep an eye on that and a
handle on that because it is not necessary. Thank you.
REMARKS BY THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN
Alderman Siegel
Let me address this of recent speaker. At the Board of Public Works, the last speaker is a commissioner. That
commissioner has taken it upon herself to actively attack senior members of the Department of Public Works
staff and disparaging them. Even though there is no evidence of misconduct, malfeasance or negligence of
any type. On numerous occasions, Commissioner Pappas has been rebuked both at the board of public works
and | have pointed out some discrepancies here. To say that | bullied or created a hostile work environment or
any of that nature is completely absurd because what | am doing is providing a counterbalance and a different
Opinion.
We are in a public forum. Our job as city elected officials is to discuss issues, provide opinions as we see
them, and challenge opinions that we don’t see are supported by evidence. When those opinions impact
directly on the wellbeing of the senior members of the Department of Public Works, to the extent that it causes
the possibility of senior members leaving or potentially having suits filed against the city because of
harassment by a member of the Board of Public Works then | have a problem with that. That has nothing to do
with friendship.
| respect the members of our departments. Whether | am friendly with them, I’m friendly with a lot of people,
but that doesn’t cloud my judgment. | have no apologies to make for calling out Commissioner Pappas for her
abusive behavior to members of staff at the Board of Public Works meetings. | don’t appreciate the
characterization of me or my behavior at those meetings. Those meetings are a matter of public record. You
can watch them if you like.
You certainly can sense my frustration because it is not fair. It is just completely not fair. Obviously the rest of
the Board of Public Works must agree because on numerous occasions the vote has been 4-1 against
Commissioner Pappas and the accusations that she has made. And she has been rebuke by other members
of the Board of Public Works for this kind of nonsense.
I’m sorry it has come to this. This is just absolutely silly. Yes, | did respond via email to Commissioner
Pappas. | didn’t think it was fair. | don’t think it is fair to members of the staff. My interest is in the city and
preserving good relations with our hard working employees. | don’t mean to go on and on, but needless to say
this is extremely upsetting and that was unnecessary shot across the bow from someone that’s doing nothing
but doing their job.
Alderman Lopez
As the alternate for the Board of Public Works, | do try to attend when | am able. | am also on a lot of other
committees. I'll make an effort to try to attend more, but | also defer to Alderman Siegel, both because of his
experience and because he was appointed as the liaison by the President.
In addition, | would also like to comment the Mayor for his continued attention to the opioid crisis. Earlier
today, Governor Sununu confirmed that carfentanil was identified in association with overdoses in Manchester.
| just want to point to it as an example of the opioid crisis is still ongoing. It is very easy to look at the success
