Board of Aldermen 08-13-2019 Page 27
Peter Schaefer 15 E Street. | just wanted to make a quick comment on the future social investment in the
railyard district. Today Nashua sold a ballfield in that area and you will still be using it although we lost a
skate park in that area. There is a lot of development going on, hundreds of apartments are going into that
area and | think we may need some investment in services as well. We've lost services recently and we’d
like to get some of that back. You’ve got some money today, $770,000.00 or so for that ballfield. There
are other funds available in the future although the apartments that are coming in, they are going to be
paying taxes so we will get some of that. There’s also going to be a tax increment theory of some kind
where there is money so — the reason I’m speaking is because you are the folks that spend the money,
figure out where the money will go. So rather than going to all these meetings all of the time | want to
suggest to all of you is that that area needs some investment so when things come up, think about us down
in that area. Thank you.
REMARKS BY THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN
Alderman Tencza
Thank you. So this our last Board meeting until September and before we meet again will be the filing
period for municipal offices, starting at the end of August and going into the first week of September.
Hopefully we will, well we'll definitely have a new Clerk by that time. One of the things that people can do
to help out the new Clerk is to get involved, especially at the local election position. There are board
moderators, Ward Clerks and Selectmen who help run the polling places. There is always a need for
people, good people maybe even young people to step up and fill those roles. It is a long day and with the
new Clerk, he or she, hopefully she, is going to need a great staff behind her. So please look into that if
you are inclined to do so, get involved and help the City out in that way.
Also, | think at these meetings when we are debating and having a debate over what is going wrong with
the City or perceived to be going wrong with the City, we forget about all the good stuff that is happening.
So | just wanted to congratulate the Mayor and Alderman Lopez about the new futsal field, am | saying that
correctly that was installed down in Ward 4. It is great to see that space being used and it was a great
project | think through the community to come together and make that decision. Hopefully it will be there,
around for a long time for kids in the downtown area for the kids to be able to use.
Alderwoman Melizzi-Golja
Yes thank you. First of all Mr. Schaefer to your concern, | had a conversation with the Mayor this evening
prior to this meeting and also with some other individuals who were involved in planning. | share your
concern about the need for resources there, especially recreational resources as we increase the
population there. | would just like to let you know | know there are several people sitting around this
horseshoe who are also looking at what is going on there and how we can make sure some of those
resources are in your community.
The other thing is Alderman Caron and | have gotten to know each other very well, both in her professional
career and her retired career. This is the 15" year of Nashua Goes Back to School. And | know you’re all
like “Oh yeah big deal” but the other thing we all realize and Maureen Lemieux and | talked about this a
month ago is that 15 years ago we opened our two high schools, which is just amazing to think. With some
of the controversy and some of the concerns and here we are. | look at programs in the high schools,
especially the technology programs and in 15 years they have reinvented themselves and they keep
moving forward to make sure what our students are getting on both campuses is relevant and preparing
them for the workplace.
Fifteen years ago we hoped we would have 700 students attend, this year as we have in the past, 8 years,
we plan for 1,500 and we typically have between 1,200 and 1,400. We couldn't do it without the generosity
of the business community both in their donations of goods and services and anywhere from $9,000.00 to
$10,000.00 a year and that has stayed steady. So | think in terms of the good things, education is
supported and the School District, from the very beginning, Superintendent Giuliano said “yup every
principal will be there” and they are there. We always open our doors to the private schools if they would
