Board of Aldermen 12-28-2021 Page 7
example of this. As community members, again, we follow suit. We assist, we contribute, we help in any way we can.
For that, we are all better off.
Greeley Park was given to a larger entity - the city. Not to the neighborhood, not to the Ward. The result has been
spectacular. Mr. Greeley did this not because it was better for him or his family but for the greater good. It didn't benefit
the Greeley children. It didn't benefit the Greeley neighbors. It didn't benefit the lessors and pieces of the Greeley Farm.
It was purely of benefit to the city, and those that enjoy the park, and those that will enjoy the park. I'm asking you to put
down your guards and your conscience and use your conscience and think about the benefits to the city as a whole.
Donna Graham, Legislative Affairs Manager
30 seconds.
Bob Born
To think bigger than just the impact on you individually, your family, your neighborhood, your Ward, your larger
community, the city wins with your decision to purchase the parcel. I've heard or you will hear about many topics that are
critical to the issue of developing the Barker property. You've been given a gift during this holiday season. The gift will
allow you to cement an enduring legacy to continue to stabilize and grow the environment in and around Greeley Park.
Donna Graham, Legislative Affairs Manager
Time is up.
Bob Born
Perhaps one day this park will be up against the original size in grandeur of Mr. Greeley’s selfless gift. Thank you.
Kristy Besada
Thank you. My name is Reverend Kristy Besada. | live at 12 Nutmeg Drive in Nashua, Ward 9. | am also one of the
Pastors at Main Street United Methodist Church and | represent the Nashua Interfaith Housing Justice team and also
Granite State Organizing Project this evening. | first want to say thank you. As | have said many times before for your
work on inclusionary zoning. This amendment is going to be very important in ensuring that the people who live and work
in Nashua, particularly singles starting at about $56,000 up to households of four making about $109,000, will have places
that they can afford to live. Having been a housing justice worker in this city for years, however, | am aware that there are
many other struggling households, 40% of renters in fact, as Lela has so eloquently said who are still rent burden and are
struggling to continue to live here.
The housing study was referenced by Mr. Sullivan and the 5,000 unit need is extremely strong. So | want to call the
Board of Aldermen to a moment of accountability. It is clear to me that the city government is willing to go into significant
debt to protect and enhance the experiences of our middle class to more affluent residents through debt, for performing
arts centers, for park enhancements, and I'm not here to argue with those choices at all. But | would like to ask the Board
as well as the Bartlett neighbors who speak about caring for the whole community to be accountable and to join us in
working toward housing that all Nashuans can afford.
| am here to remind you that we have $16 million of American Rescue Plan money coming into the city that has not yet
been designated for being spent and I'm asking the Board to consider being accountable to the goals of the Master Plan,
to the goals of the housing study, and to designate the majority of that money to affordable housing be it through special
projects or the Affordable Housing Trust Fund that still needs to be fleshed out. | thank you so much for hearing me this
evening and | asked you again to support inclusionary zoning in its current form fully. Thank you.
Francis Murphy
Good evening. My name is Francis Murphy and | want to make sure it can be heard. Thank you. | speak to urge the
Board to move forward on the purchase of the Barker property on Bartlett Street so it can be integrated into Greeley Park.
Donna Graham, Legislative Affairs Manager
Your address, please.
