Board of Aldermen 02-08-2022 Page 2
they’re doing it in Nashua. AMR has been serving the city for a long, long time and have done a really good job and this
hopefully will help us strengthen our medical community.
On another subject Madam President, Matt Sullivan is in the room here. | think you’re all familiar with him. He’s currently
the Planning Director. | have nominated him subject to your confirmation to become Community Development Director.
The job previously held by Sarah Marchant. We had an interview committee interview 4 or 5 people, including Matt. Most
of the others from out of State but the committee was unanimous in suggesting that Matt would be the strongest applicant.
We know he’s done a very good job as Planning Director, works very well with the Planning Board, Chair of the Planning
Board thinks he does a very good job. In addition, we’ve gotten good citizen feedback. | personally have thought he’s
done an excellent job. So I'll be nominating him. Of course this will get referred to the Personnel Committee and you will
assume next time you meet you will interview him to the extent you think you'd like to.
| also wanted to mention Madam President concerning downtown. We have an environment down here where retailers
can succeed. We've seen it with a number of new businesses, new restaurants but the most recent one which has now
been with us for several months is CasaNova which is a men’s boutique near where Ja Ja Belle’s is. They’re doing very
well. Kate Dagiais a Nashua person is the proprietor, the owner of that business. | went in. | gota shirt. It costs only
$98. It was really a good deal. It was great and | hope that you all will consider patronizing it. We've seen Camaraderie.
We've seen (inaudible), Raja, a lot of new businesses are opening and they seem to be doing very well. We're seeking to
build of course — I’m sure you agree — a stronger, healthier economy for the city including downtown. The stronger the
businesses are downtown in the long run, the stronger tax base we willhave. Other than that Madam President, | think
I’ve concluded but of course if anybody does have questions, I’m certainly available.
President Wilshire
Thank you Mayor.
RESPONSE TO REMARKS OF THE MAYOR
Alderman Sullivan
Thank you Madam President. | would like to also speak highly of CasaNova. | bought a sweater there. It wasn’t $98 but
they didn’t have it because of supply chain. Kate the CEO was in constant contact and | just got the e-mail today that the
sweater is in. I’m Sure we have good taste in clothing so nice job.
Alderman Cathey
Thank you Madam President. Mr. Mayor two questions. One would be have the hospitals talked about a plan to increase
the staffing or how the city could help in that way. | know that they have been struggling over the past some months to
get staffing. Have you guys talked in depth about that or has that not been on the table?
Mayor Donchess
Several weeks ago we had rather than the regular meeting, an emergency meeting really and they asked what could the
city do to help them. So what we lined up was the police and fire departments both agreed that they would provide — they
could get volunteers to come on a detail rate basis. We offered that to the hospitals but in the interim, they reported that
they had less employees on quarantine or isolation so that helped and they got these FEMA people. The FEMA people
are actually paramedics so that’s very helpful and they got the National Guard. So in the end although the police and fire
departments were both very helpful in sort of making this a possibility and in the end, the hospitals have not called on us
to provide people on that basis.
Alderman Cathey
Okay great. My second question would be if people wanted more information about the AMR EMT could they just go to
the website or is there a better way to look up that information?
Mayor Donchess
| don’t know if it’s on their website. | think just call them, especially if they’d like to apply. They're looking for applicants.
Chris Stawasz is one of the people that’s very familiar here in the city and he could provide I’m sure all the information.
There was a press thing today and he was there. Very well known in Nashua.
