Board of Aldermen 10-13-2020 Page 9
Authority to sit down with the residents and to look at ways in which we can honor what is happening with
them. Because | do know from people | know on the various boards that nobody here wants to see people
be relocated when that is not what they wish to do. And | know none of us, | don’t know that for sure, but |
am venturing that none of us would want to be relocated without our own choice.
So | am going to end with what the petition says and it says, “Ve would like to meet with the Board of
Nashua Housing & Redevelopment Authority, the Mayor and the Board of Aldermen as soon as possible.
We ask that no decision be made about School Street Flats before we meet. Thank you, The Tenants of
Bronstein’.
So like | said, there are many other things that we can honor them in terms of cash payments and all that
but if we had enough money to build a $25 million dollar Performing Arts Center and a $2.5 million for the
parking garage, sitting down with the residents there and looking at how the School Street Project could be
redesigned for those families who wish to move there. So that’s the simple request and | hope that,
although tonight it will not be the final decision because | know we have to come back and see, if it goes
forward tonight, then you still would have to sell the lot. But before signing the dotted line please reach out
to the residents, sit down with them and look at ways that they too can get something directly out of this
move. So thank you, appreciate it.
President Wilshire
Thank you. There are a lot of people who want to speak; some people still have their hands up that have
already spoken. If you would please do me a favor and lower your hand, because there are 64 people on
here and a lot of them would like to speak. And | recognize those of you who are on chat, | have written
down your names. So | am going to try to take this in order. | have Aron DiBacco?
Aron DiBacco Thank you very much, my name is Aron. | Aron DiBacco work with Granite State Organizing
Project its (audio cuts out) because he said a lot of what | was going to say. So | will save you some time
there. For us, Granite State Organizing Project (audio cuts out) will be among communities of faith and we
have been working with the residents of Bronstein and our main concern is that the residents of Bronstein
(audio cuts out) and voice in the way that this coming highly disruptive process is managed. While we are
appreciative of what the Mayor (audio cuts out) to affordable housing, we also really recognize that there’s
opportunity for creative interaction between the two projects given that the School Street Flats Project is
very close as you mentioned about two blocks. And should it work to use that as part of the temporary
housing during the move, that would enable people to stay in their neighborhoods and not lose their
communities and their support systems. So for us it is very much about the residents of Bronstein having a
say in how this move is handled and that they get to explain what their needs are and how they would
prefer to have them met. And also this is GSOP is in support of R-20-077, the adoption of Indigenous
People. Thank you.
President Wilshire
Thank you. Mike Apfelberg?
Mike Apfelberg Good evening, Mike Apfelberg, President of the United Way of Greater Nashua located
at 20 Broad Street in Nashua. | would like to speak this evening in favor of R-20-071. To be sure, United
Way is not an Arts Organization. Our focus is typically on the health, education and financial stability of the
communities we serve. So you might ask where does a project like the Performing Arts Center fit into this
value scheme. You have and will of course hear about the economic value of the Performing Center, the
PAC. This includes, of course, the generation of business revenue as theater goers go out to eat, and
shop in our downtown. It will also very likely increase property values as Nashua becomes an even more
attractive community to live in and work. One aspect of the Performing Arts Center you might not have
thought about is the value in the community to health as well as community connectedness.
