Board of Aldermen 11-23-2021 Page 4
There being no objection, President Wilshire accepted the communications and placed them on file.
Without objection, President Wilshire suspended the rules to allow for a communication that was received after
the agenda was prepared.
Alderwoman Lu
| object.
President Wilshire
Duly noted.
From: Lori Wilshire, President, Board of Aldermen
Re: Inauguration Committee
There being no objection, President Wilshire accepted the communication and placed it on file.
PERIOD FOR PUBLIC COMMENT RELATIVE TO ITEMS EXPECTED TO BE ACTED UPON THIS EVENING
Laurie Ortolano
Laurie Ortolano, 41 Berkeley Street. First item is the Public Works bonds and appropriations that you're gonna approve
tonight. Last night, Director Fauteux spoke to you about a parking study having been done. | was concerned about that.
| don't Know how many of you took a look at that parking study on the website but I'm going to tell you its very
substandard. It did not look at truck traffic at all and | think it was done early when the building wasn't going to be all
inclusive of all those different departments because that building started off as an office building and morphed into a more
complete and full facility except for sewer and wastewater. So, again, | think it was a homespun parking study and | really
think it is not complete and not the kind of parking study that would justify the size of that facility and the parking and the
trucks that you have over there.
Secondly, regarding CFO Griffin's position, you know, I, too, have some concerns. | think Elizabeth Lu made a very valid
point about the Comptroller position. | don't think that position was covered enough and discussed enough and | think it's
fair to say who do we have a get an answer in a public meeting on that and not be deflected and deferred and say wait,
voted them in, wait, and then we'll tell you. | think that's not as open as it should be.
Also, | would like to see you Know if this is going to be a combined position that the office hours for this person be in City
Hall from 8 to 5 Monday through Friday. That it not be a flex job, or a job that you can work from home, or not at the
office. | think it makes a big difference to the people in the office. The people in Dave Fredette’s area that come to him
often and he's there during that entire time. | think you have to have coverage in the office with somebody there.
Also, regarding your comments about the public saying things that don't make any sense. You know, there's a couple
ways to handle that. When you say to the public, you know, do your homework or do a better job. | want you to know, |
mean those weren't my comments but, however, doing that is difficult and City Hall. You don't come here and find many
open doors. You don't pick up the phone and call and get people to return calls. You may have a meeting and its five
days to get a response. So this City Hall operates differently let's say than Manchester. Go up there and you can get
reports in an hour.
Donna Graham, Legislative Affairs Manager
Thirty seconds.
Laurie Ortolano
So | think its better instead of dressing down citizens in a public meeting had you picked up the phone or somebody in
your city pick up the phone and talk to that individual to clarify what was going on. That's not done as often and so |
regret to see the approach taken here publicly against any citizen for failing to say the right thing. Thank you.
Laura Colquhoun
Thank you. 30 Greenwood Drive. First of all, obviously, the Mayor doesn't read his agendas because on the Finance
