Board of Aldermen 09-10-2019 Page 25
downtown and granting free parking to a whole group of people at a time really when you know there would
be a good incentive to enforce our parking meters and timing because we want people to cycle through at
that time and get more people in the downtown area. So this is a pilot program, we are going to see how it
goes, see how many kids actually use it and I'll support it.
Alderman Clemons
To the previous speaker, | would only mention as far as the free parking during the holidays, that has been
a longstanding tradition which | have never really quite been in favor of, | do vote for it though. But that
doesn’t say you have to be a student in order to get that free parking. It just says you have to park
downtown between those dates and have a car and you can park for free. So it doesn’t discriminate against
anybody.
Alderman Klee
Yes thank you. One of the things | did forget when | was talking, the Ordinance is very, very clear that it is
for current high school or college identification cards that are also have a valid Nashua Library Card. And |
brought this up during the last meeting when this was being heard and that is that we eliminate other
students. And | know that Alderman Lopez made a comment about “Well they don’t drive”. You are right
they don’t drive because they are middle school kids, but their parents drive. And I’m not saying that a
parent is going to want to do that trip back and forth and back and forth just to save $2.25 but if we are
really looking for this towards students and so on, we are really limiting the student population that gets to
use it. When | was in Grammar School, Middle School and so on, | did use the Library. | used the Library
a lot not just for school things but for reading programs and different programs that are going on. And we
do have a Children’s Program there so we are eliminating that group of people in addition to those that |
had mentioned that are less able bodied but not disabled to the point where they’d have a handicap sticker.
Alderman O’Brien
Thank you Madam President, | wasn’t going to speak again but others have again. The thing is again the
Library | can guarantee you right now, there was a bad accident in my neighborhood, the wife just texted
me, you know, a roll over. She probably would have texted me if the Library was on fire or not. The thing
is what is the real true need as we look at this. Before we go into something that could be prejudicial to
another demographic of the City and | listened to all your, you know, as brought up your points and it
seems like some of your points the demographic or eliminating at all some of the people kind of lost their
kind of presence there. Because there are again other groups and the only way we are going to really look
at the cumbersomeness of this, this is a wonderful idea. | compliment the students for bringing it forward, |
support it, but again, this could lead and as we heard from another Alderman, Alderman Klee that other
groups do have equal standing now if this gets passed. And | would like to have some more control over
that as a City that’s part of our job and to look at the other demographics that come up such as the elderly
and everything. So as we vote | hope you just keep that in mind, if this gets passed again it is worthwhile,
I’m not going to stop a kid from going to the Library, | don’t want to do that at all. But again and contrary to
Alderman Lopez’s opinion, yes | advocated this, | brought it out as Chairman, | brought it out of my
Committee, but again up at the State House we advocate as Chairs, but we don’t have to vote for it on the
floor. | am only expressing my points of view as a citizen and as a duly elected Alderman. | have done my
duty by the Mason’s Book by bringing it out of Committee and bring it to the floor. So thank you.
Alderman Lopez
Yeah so | hear the conflict in many of the Alderman, | am sure the students appreciate the thoughts and
prayers. Again, | say there is a direct action we can take here, we don’t have to wring our hands quite as
much as we are doing. To Alderman Clemons’ point, the free holiday parking is not extended to people
who don’t drive. So | don’t get a free bus ride whenever | am going downtown. So there is always going to
be a group that is not entirely accommodated at the same level; that does equal discrimination. And if |
remember, both Alderman O’Brien and Alderman Clemons made comments to the effect of this would
