Board of Aldermen — 2/20/18 Page 8
The Nashua-Manchester region generates 35.1 percent of New Hampshire’s gross state product.
Investing in Nashua’s infrastructure will help build the state’s economy, make New Hampshire more
attractive to employers, and grow state tax revenues. Our message to the legislature should be —
paraphrasing Jerry Maguire — “Help us help you!”
Building a Greener Nashua
| also want to focus on our green initiatives. Last year, the city completed the buyout of the lease of the
Mine Falls Dam, a three-megawatt source of renewable energy. We also own the one-megawatt Jackson
Falls Dam. Together these dams will generate 5 million dollars in profit for the city over the next 10
years. We have completed the conversion of street lights to LED bulbs which will save 2.5 million dollars
in energy costs over 10 years. Just a few months back, we put eight new Compressed Natural Gas
buses on the road. These CNG buses will transport over 500,000 riders per year, and they produce
twenty to thirty percent less greenhouse gas emissions than our old diesel buses. We have formed an
Environment and Energy Committee whose engaged and committed members are working to develop
green initiatives for the city. We expect to bring forward some exciting opportunities during this coming
year.
Thank You to Nashua’s Involved Citizenry
The progress we have made is ultimately because you, the citizens of Nashua, have been active and
involved. Thank you for joining boards and commissions, for participating in town hall meetings and
coffee hours, for sharing your dreams and ambitions for our community, for attending downtown music
festivals and other events and patronizing downtown restaurants and businesses, for pitching in during
clean up days in Mine Falls Park and along the rail trail and the riverwalk, for putting on Santa in the
Park, for attending the City Academy, for volunteering or contributing to local non-profits. Thank you to
all for your dedication to Nashua and for believing in the power of Nashua’s potential.
And thank you to the 2,800 city employees who work every day to make Nashua a great city — our
firefighters, police officers and teachers, the employees who fix, patch and plow our streets, collect the
trash and recycling, care for our parks, playgrounds and green spaces, and the staff who work in public
health, in the public library, and in City Hall.
| look forward to working with all of you — with thousands of Nashua residents and employees — to
continue building a city that is welcoming and warm-hearted, inclusive and innovative, compassionate
and confident. Thank you to the great city of Nashua, and God Bless.
ADJOURNMENT
MOTION BY ALDERMAN WILSHIRE THAT THE FEBRUARY 20, 2018, MEETING OF THE BOARD
OF ALDERMEN BE ADJOURNED
MOTION CARRIED
The meeting was declared adjourned at 7:34 p.m.
Attest: Patricia D. Piecuch, City Clerk
