Special Board of Aldermen 09-16-2021 Page 9
creates an opportunity for lack of transparency. You don’t know who has suggested the Commissioner to
the Governor because there is no public process by which the Governor can identify suitable candidates.
As aresult, Nashua voters really elected that mechanism to identify was there a conflict of interest in how
this Commissioner was nominated. Unless the Governor has a completely independent way to identify
good candidates, | don’t really see how this supposed independents exist. In addition a Nashua voter will
have a much more difficult time establishing a conversation with the Governor as to why that name was
sent to nomination than would if the nomination came from the Mayor or the Chairman of the Aldermen.
The second condition that has to be met is that the Executive Councilors all five of them have to also have
a mechanism for independently vetting the appropriateness of the candidate absent input from Nashua
residents. Without the mechanism to do this, the resources, the time, the interest especially the four
Executive Councilors who have nothing to do with Nashua who are not elected by Nashua people, are not
responsive to them...
Alderman O’Brien
Thirty seconds.
Carol Houde
... then literally left with just an opportunity to rubber stamp the candidates. So | think Nashua deserves
better. | think the history of the Commission illustrates that it’s not working because there has only been
one woman in the past 126 years. | think Nashua deserves a Commission that looks like Nashua and will
be responsive to the needs of Nashua. Thank you.
Deepa Mangalat
Yes. I’m going to speak for. Is that okay?
President Wilshire
Name and address for the record please.
Deepa Mangalat
Deepa Mangalat, 18 Wild Rose Drive, Nashua. Mike Ballentine has said it all. | don’t want to keep going
on about the pros and cons. All l’m saying is put it before the people. Put it on the ballot. Let the people
decide. That’s all this petition was about. | like the idea of local control. Thank you.
Matthew Gouthro
| am opposed. So you do not want me to speak at this point.
President Wilshire
Representative Suzanne Vail are you in favor or in opposition?
Representative Suzanne Vail
Sorry about that. Thank you for recognizing me Madam Chair. I’m Suzanne Vail and | am a Nashua
native. A State Representative in Ward 3. When this issue came up, | was really surprised. | mentioned it
to a lot of colleagues that Nashua has their appointees selected by the Administrative Branch. So! was
really surprised and as soon as | found out, and | think it was basically out on the table that this is an issue
people are learning about it, | felt that you know the way we do this has been raised to our city. It’s their
awareness and our city is ready to learn about the question and they’re ready to vote.
