Board of Aldermen 10-13-2020 Page 7
Fred Teeboom, Cheyenne Ave. Do you recognize me?
President Wilshire
Yes, | do.
Mr. Teeboom Ok my name is Fred Teeboom and | wish to comment on three of the items on the Agenda.
First of all, R-20-071. | did not support that in the past and | now fully support it. My comments are in the
minutes of the Public Hearing but just to summarize briefly there is no second-floor deathtrap in the current
design which is excellent. There’s no need for a $4 million-dollar endowment fund to support operations,
because the operator will operate the theater for the cost of $1.00 per year. And finally, the $5 million
dollars, can you hear me ok? The $5 million dollars which have been deliberately underfunded as was first
proposed and ignored the professional estimate for Fennesy, that will now be covered pretty much by the
$5 million which is now proposed at the current bond. So given these three conditions, | am now fully in
support.
The second item | want to comment on is R-20-077, the naming Columbus Day as Indigenous People’s
Day. | think that some Alderman here that carry a personal agenda but that agenda is mistaken. First of
all, Columbus Day is a regularly scheduled, recognized Federal Holiday one of 10 federal holidays. It’s
also a State holiday and | think yesterday, | don’t know if the City formally recognized it but | think the City
at least took it as a holiday as well. In the comments, in the Administrative Affairs Committee, what is being
considered and discussed, Alderman Lopez, one of the strongest supporters of it mentioned, | quote, Page
17, | quote, “I think we give the opportunity to the public to debate the issue”. The public has not seen this.
The public certainly hasn’t debated it. He also says, | am quoting again, Alderman Lopez, Page 17, | must
also agree that there are going to be people who want to be heard and | want to hear from them. This
board has not given the opportunity for the public to be heard, for instance, the American Italians, in whose
honor Columbus Day was initially passed about 100 years ago, maybe 150 years ago. | think this ought to
be put on the Agenda of the next election as a non-binding election question so the public can debate it.
This may be well intentioned but this a misplaced personal agenda item that should be placed before the
voters.
Finally | would like to comment on the — let’s see — O-20-009, Public Comment. Many years ago, | was the
first Ordinance passed in 2000 and 1994 O-94-001 there was a public comment period, no condition.
(inaudible) more conditions placed for public participation and this Ordinance is no exception. On the other
hand, the Aldermen placed absolutely no restrictions on the comments even if they are not on the agenda.
Case in point; on the Public Hearing of R-20-071 out of 20 pages, that’s maybe 100 minutes, 5 minutes a
page of discussion, 9 % pages of 45 minutes was Aldermanic comments. Well Aldermanic comments are
not on the Agenda for public hearing. There should be no Aldermanic comments on the Public Hearing
that’s for the public. And | score Chairman Budget Committee Dowd for completely losing control of the
intent of that public hearing. So even though there are ever long restrictions for the public comment on the
public comment period of these meetings, there seems to be unrestricted uncontrolled Aldermanic
comments on the Public Hearing, which are designed to hear public comment and for the public to ask
questions and what they propose. So this is bad news. This ought to stop, the public hearing is for the
public not for Aldermen. Discussion of the Aldermen who are unprepared and just use that period to try to
get information which they shouldn't, discuss during the Committee Meeting not during the Public Hearing.
Thank you.
Latha Mangipudi Thank you Madam President and Board of Aldermen. | am here in support of R-20-071
Performing Arts Center. It is a critical piece of our culture downtown that will add to the vibrancy and also
bring people to downtown. Arts & Culture is the heart of a community and having such a diverse
community you are in Nashua. This will only enhance and bring more people to downtown and bring the
vibrancy. So | am really eagerly looking forward to seeing this project come to fruition and just like the
lighted kayak parade, we will have more concerts and more performances downtown and that would be a
joy. Thank you, Madam President.
