A regular meeting of the Board of Aldermen was held Tuesday, April 24, 2018, at 7:30 p.m. in the
Aldermanic Chamber.
Vice President Lori Wilshire presided; City Clerk Patricia D. Piecuch recorded.
Prayer was offered by City Clerk Patricia D. Piecuch; Alderman Linda Harriott-Gathright led in the
Pledge to the Flag.
The roll call was taken with 12 members of the Board of Aldermen present; Alderman Brian S. McCarthy,
Alderwoman Shoshanna Kelly, Alderwoman Mary Ann Melizzi-Golja and Alderman David C. Tencza were
recorded absent.
Mayor James W. Donchess and Corporation Counsel Steven A. Bolton were also in attendance.
REMARKS BY THE MAYOR
Mayor Donchess
First | wanted to point out a few things that are on the agenda. Under the communications is the
contract for paving, $6.7 million dollars to Newport Contracting. This is part of our annual paving
contract, our paving program. We have put out a list of streets that will be covered. This is only part of
the work; there will be another $4 million dollars, so-called repurposed funds that will pay for the paving
for some of the major streets. This will get a good start on what we know are the conditions of our
streets which certainly need work.
Secondly, under “old business” we have a resolution that will transfer funds to the Safe Stations
Program to the Partnership for Successful Living for the purpose of providing help to the cost of
transportation when any person reports to a fire station, Harbor Homes picks them up within an average
of 11 minutes which frees up our fire companies for any of their other work and really makes the Safe
Stations Program functional. | just got a favorable recommendation out of the Budget Committee. | just
point it out and ask for your concurrence with the Budget Committee.
Third, under “new business” there is an interesting resolution which is the transfer of some of our
Conservation Funds for the purposes of providing the last dollars necessary to obtain the agricultural
easement over Sullivan Farms out in Ward 1 off Coburn Ave., which is the last remaining farm in
Nashua. So we the City and the owners have received a whole group of grants from Federal and State
authorities. The Conversation Funds would provide the final dollars to acquire the conservation
easement so that the farm can remain in agricultural use in perpetuity. These conservation funds are in
a reserve account and are funded through the payment of current use taxes, when those taxes are
paid. Current use taxes are paid when someone has property in current use and therefore has reduced
property taxes and then wants to develop the property, they make up the difference for the years which
they didn’t pay the real rate with current use taxes. So this was a dedicated source of revenue which
was established back in the 80’s. Although not a lot of money is accumulating now, significant money
did accumulate over the years and that makes this purchase possible without really affecting the tax
rate in any way.
Finally, an event coming up, and there are many that are coming up this summer, but one that | wanted
to certainly remind you of is the Nu Muse Music Festival which will be coming on May 5" starting at
noon out right on Main Street going until 10:00. Great American Downtown has been doing a great job
in programming this. There are still tickets available, it’s actually a limited capacity event because the
street will be closed on both ends. So if you don’t have tickets, | would suggest you make sure you get
them as soon as possible.
And finally Madam President, tomorrow night in Ward 2 we have the Ward 2 Town Hall Meeting and |
know Alderman Dowd is going to be there and will be at the Charlotte Avenue School at 7:00.
