A special meeting of the Board of Aldermen was held Thursday, September 16, 2021, at 7:20 p.m. in the
aldermanic chamber as well as via Zoom teleconference.
President Lori Wilshire presided; Deputy City Clerk Allison Waite recorded.
Prayer was offered by City Clerk Susan Lovering; Alderman Patricia Klee led in the Pledge to the Flag.
To join by Zoom — please refer to the agenda or the website for the meeting link and telephone number.
Let’s start the meeting by taking a roll call attendance. When each member states their presence, please
indicate if participating via Zoom state why you are not meeting in person and whether there is anyone in the
room with you during this meeting which is required under the Right-To-Know Law.
Deputy City Clerk Waite called the roll and asked them to state the reason he or she could not attend,
confirmed that they could hear the proceedings, and stated who was present with him or her.
The roll call was taken with 11 (9 in person, 2 via Zoom) members of the Board of Aldermen present:
Alderman Michael B. O’Brien, Sr., Alderman Patricia Klee, Alderwoman Shoshanna Kelly (via Zoom),
Alderman Richard A. Dowd, Alderman June M. Caron, Alderman Thomas Lopez (arrived at 8:07 PM),
Alderman David C. Tencza, Alderwoman Elizabeth Lu, Alderman Ernest Jette, Alderman Jan Schmidt,
Alderman Skip Cleaver (via Zoom), Alderman Linda Harriott-Gathright, Alderman Wilshire.
Alderman Benjamin Clemons and Alderman Brandon Michael Laws were recorded absent.
Mayor James W. Donchess, and Corporation Counsel Steven A. Bolton were also in attendance.
PUBLIC HEARING
RELATIVE TO A CITIZENS PETITION SEEKING TO AMEND THE CITY CHARTER RELATIVE TO THE
NOMINATION AND THE CONFIRMATION OF APPOINTMENTS TO THE NASHUA BOARD OF POLICE
COMMISSIONERS
President Wilshire
Mayor or Alderman Klee who’s going to give the rundown on this?
Alderman Klee
I’d be happy to do that. Thank you very much Madam President. This is a citizens petition that was based
on the legislation that had originally come forward to the Board of Aldermen in early spring. The concept of
this is to bring back the appointment of the Commissioners to the local decision by the Mayor and the
President of the Board of Aldermen. It will increase it to 3 to 5 Commissioners. The Mayor will appoint 3.
They'll do the first, the third and the fifth appointments. The Board of Aldermen President will do the
second and the fourth.
The concept of this is to, as | said, to have five. It will approved by both the Board of Aldermen and as all
appointments the Personnel/Administrative Committee will do the vetting, and do the interviewing, and so
on. They will make a recommendation and it will go back to the Board of Aldermen for a final vote.
Another point of reference here is that the comment of removal of any Commissioner is also part of this but
it must be voted on by the Board of Aldermen not just a single person saying we no longer want that
Commissioner. It still has to go through the Board of Aldermen for that removal of that particular person. |
think that’s basically it. | won’t go through the genesis of anything of it just to describe the ballot question
as itis.
