City Hall departments were all able to find ways to cut, but the Fire and Police found they could not nor could they live with the 1.7% increase in COLA. The BOA passed the budget these departments asked for and now the Mayor has vetoed this and is offering a compromise.
Here is his message.
The Nashua Police Department would like to warn the public about a local grand-parent scam which has surfaced in the area. The scam works on the general premise that a grand-child or loved one is in trouble with law enforcement, or involved in an automobile accident, and he or she require funds immediately. The scam artist will attempt to persuade the victim to mail cash or pre-paid debit cards to a particular location. They may even suggest someone will come to the home to pick up the cash. The public is urged to do the following to protect yourself and your assets.
Don’t act immediately. Resist the sense of urgency a scammer will create. Scammers rely on the emotional urge to help family and will exploit.
Call family and friends who have contact with the person who is allegedly in trouble. Very often the scammer will warn the victim not to call or tell anyone, this is red flag the person who called may not be legitimate.
Remember, you may think you know your loved one’s voice, but background noise, crying, bad connection claims, make it easy to misunderstand who you may be speaking with.
If the caller represents oneself as a Bail Bondsperson, ask where the loved one is being held and contact that facility directly. Ask what town/city/county law enforcement agency made the arrest and contact them directly. Explain the situation and confirm the story before taking any action. A reputable Bondsperson will be willing to meet with someone and walk them through the contract prior to money being exchanged.
Prior to a situation occurring it is recommended to set social media settings to private. This limits information available to scammers. Develop “secret codes”, passwords, or security questions only family members would know.
Never send cash through the mail. Never purchase pre-paid gift/debit cards for the purpose of transferring money.
Anyone who may have fallen victim to a grand-parent scam is asked to contact the Nashua Police Department at 603-594-3500, or the Nashua Police Crime Line at 603-589-1665.
We discussed the land purchase last night in the Infrastructure Committee, and it was a very enlightening discussion. The land will be paid for by money already in the bucket for the Parkway, which it connects nicely with. The land is actually an often used access point for Mine Falls, and cannot be used to build on as it is in the flood plain where we can’t build – by law.
The set aside area for the Dog Park would only be perhaps a quarter of the land or less. Listening to the discussion, you will understand the purchase far better than I could encapsulate it here.
Here is the document for the purchase agreement, and the Committee recommends its purchase for the full BOA’s final vote.
https://www.nashuanh.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/6737
Here is the discussion https://youtu.be/cIA7pAzGhHk?t=279 beginning at 4:39
There was some confusion about the proposed Charter Change that the BOA is looking at concerning the Board of Police CommissionersThe process for this is very different than any normal issue that goes over our desks. If the Board agrees, the first step is that the public gets to have a say and it’s scheduled for Monday, June 7th at 7:00 pm. The agenda will have the Zoom details soon. I hope we get lots of input. If you prefer you can write to us individually or as a group to voice your opinion.
R-21-143PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO THE CITY CHARTER RELATIVE TO THE MANNER OF APPOINTMENTS TO THE NASHUA BOARD OF POLICE COMMISSIONERSWhat is being proposed is
First to this Public Hearing and then on to the Personnel/Administrative Affairs Committee where the BOE will have a chance to discuss the way the Resolution is written and make any amendments.
It then goes to the full Board for a vote up or down – but as most of the members believe at this point that enough interest has been shown that the public should be allowed to vote on this.
Your vote will either make this into law or end the discussion.
Often seeing the government from the outside, people may question the need for some spending. Last night’s Nashua Budget Committee brought such a question from our Public Comment segment. We addressed this resolution which would finish the necessary upgrades: R-21-128 – POLICE DEPARTMENT’S HEATING, VENTILATION, AND AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM, WINDOW IMPROVEMENTS AND LOCKER AREA IMPROVEMENT PROJECT
The building had become run-down, waiting for repairs and replacements of essential items due to the cost restrictions, but when employees had to wipe snow off desks and lockers no longer locked guns safely away, it became clear that this was essential. This funding would finish what needed to be finished.
Back to the caller…They asked why we needed to spend this money during tight times – and since their home had no air-conditioning why should the police building have it. I’m afraid they may not have understood what building air-conditioning actually does to keep a building healthy along with those who must use it. Rusting lockers means the moisture buildup is unhealthy – that would lead to windows warping and perhaps mold in the walls and even viruses lingering making the building unsafe for our employees.
And just one more thing… Infrastructure that is not maintained always costs more to reclaim than to keep up. Nashua has learned this harsh lesson with our streets, and I’m glad this resolution was fully supported by the Budget Committee. You can see the full meeting here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Kkp4PtzkCY and the presentation for this item beginning at 14:14
Our ward is blessed with easy access to Lincoln Park and Mine Falls Park, but did you know that the wetland areas west of Nashua Airport have great trails to wander as well? Upon finding the walking map for the region, I asked the NRPC about this area and they responded!
I hope to see this added to their maps soon
Considering the Governor’s decision to remove the mandate for masks because there are fewer deaths, and his decree that schools must open on the 19th,
I will not make a decision, up or down, on removing the mandate in Nashua until we see the number of infections declining over, at least, the next 3 weeks.
Read more about Covid in NH here:
On Friday, February 12th, EPA announced an agreement with, Blaylock Holdings, LLC,(“Blaylock”) that will potentially allow for the successful remediation and beneficial reuse of the Granite State Leathers Superfund Site, also known as Mohawk Tannery. The EPA is encouraging public input on the agreement during the public comment period, which began on February 12, 2021 and will conclude on March 13, 2021. There is a project website with updated documents including the agreement, press release(s), and Federal Register Notice of the Agreement. You can find the information at www.epa.gov/superfund/mohawk.
Cleanup work at the site will include excavation of hazardous tannery waste, landfill material and asbestos containing material, disposal of waste in a newly constructed waste containment cell, and general property restoration. The containment cell will utilize the most advanced materials and technology, including an impermeable cap and vertical barrier designed to meet EPA requirements under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP), and the overall cleanup plan. The cleanup work is expected to take approximately 18 months. Work will include:
• construction of waste containment unit (WCU);
• excavation of contaminated waste and soils;
• consolidation of waste/soils into WCU;
• long-term operation and maintenance of WCU.
