Aldermen, Board of

A regular meeting of the Board of Aldermen was held Tuesday, May 28, 2013, at 7:30 p.m. in the Aldermanic Chamber. President Brian S. McCarthy presided; Deputy City Clerk Patricia Piecuch recorded. Prayer was offered by Deputy City Clerk Patricia Piecuch; Alderman Cookson led in the Pledge to the Flag. The roll call was taken with 15 members of the Board of Aldermen present. Her Honor Mayor Donnalee Lozeau and Deputy Corporation Counsel Stephen M. Bennett were also in attendance. REMARKS BY THE MAYOR This evening I would begin my remarks with my apologies that I can only stay this evening until after public comment. There are three items that I wanted to speak to in my remarks tonight. The first is the downtown trees and I do that because, as you know, you have a communication this evening that talks about the trees. I think many of us have talked about the trees and I’ve spent a significant amount of time talking to people about the trees. I wanted to let folks know, which I think some of you already clearly understand, we don’t take the work that we are doing downtown, particularly with the trees, lightly. Certainly, it would have been less controversial to leave all the trees and do our best to work around them. Mr. Nute, who you’ve seen the letter that was in your packet this weekend, was here in the city looking at the trees at our invitation. He was invited because we were trying to do an analysis to determine how many trees we could potentially save. What Mr. Nute didn’t have the opportunity to see that some of us have seen is what’s underground. The trees that are wrapped into conduit, pipes, into manholes, catch basins, other areas that you find once you get in the ground. Oddly enough, some of the trees we are trying to save are some of the trees that Mr. Nute had suggested that we couldn’t save, some of the older trees, like in front of St. Patrick’s gym, or the Methodist Church. Those are some of the trees that we’re trying to find a way to do something like widen the sidewalk and make those trees no longer part of the sidewalk but maybe potentially part of the yard that’s already in place. Those are things that we’re looking at. Interestingly enough, we’ve almost completed a history of the downtown sidewalks starting in 1977 to today which I will distribute when it is completed and post on the website so that people understand the progression of what’s happened, what happened in between, and what’s happening today. I certainly, like many of you, love the look of downtown trees. Some of them, when you get up close to them are not as pretty as they are from a distance certainly and when they’re green this time of year they look particularly stunning. But we continue to meet with the downtown businesses. One of the things that have been talked about is public input in our process. If you look back to when Great American Downtown started, which some of you were here during, 2009 they talked about the BID District and they brought that to this Board and the Board voted to create a Service Advisory Committee and then the Service Advisory Committee did their report and from that we created the Downtown Improvement Committee. We’ve had almost 40 meetings for public input on downtown. The number one thing that the report tells you people were interested in was fixing the sidewalks, the damage to the sidewalks and things of that nature. In addition, we sent out almost 600 surveys to the business owners and 5,000 surveys to people that live in Nashua asking them for their input on the project. So, I think it will be very helpful for all of us to have that history to understand what is going on. Interestingly enough, somebody that lives in my neighborhood who I hadn’t met other than to drive by and wave from time to time as we New Englander’s do, had written into the office very unhappy about the project. And in the time between it took for her to write in and for me to call her back, she actually went on the website and took a look at what we had done and told me that she felt a little embarrassed that she had written in and she was just so thrilled to see the work and the thought that went into what we’ve done downtown. So, I hold on to things like that because it is hard for people to understand why we’ve made the decisions we have but they’re the right decisions, doing it right, fixing the drainage, getting the roots out of where they were, putting in the right size root bucket, putting in a tree that can go in there, looking at each tree individually, looking at trees some of which we’ve transplanted from one side to the other. It will come. I have faith that it will come. So, I just wanted to let you know that we’re working on that and we will provide that for you to see. Bd. of Aldermen – 05/28/13 Page 2 The second topic that I wanted to just mention tonight is the event today that was put on by the Nashua High School North Honor Society, a Memorial Day celebration to raise funds for the Wounded Warriors Project and for the Honor Society. The students did such a great job. You all would have been so proud to see them outside in front of the school. They put the project together by themselves, I mean I will say thank you to the advisors, but the students really grabbed this one, worked with each other for the invitations and to see the front row, actually two rows of Nashua veterans sitting there and enjoying it and seeing this generation of youth remember and understand how important what they’ve done is, was really a very heartwarming event and I wanted to, as you know, I don’t often talk about events happening in the community but that was really something quite remarkable this morning. And, lastly, not to end on a sad note, but I just returned this evening from the wake of Carol Rust. Some of you may remember Carol. It was just a few months ago that we put her on the Mine Falls Advisory Committee. She came in for her interview before the Personnel Advisory Affairs Committee and it was funny and I was reminiscing with her sisters before I came in tonight about her volunteering for years for this Advisory Committee and Greg Andruskevich saying you should officially be on the committee and she said sure put me on the committee. And then he said oh no, no, you have to meet with the mayor, and then you get nominated, and then you go to the Board of Aldermen, and then you come to be sworn in. And she said when she came in to meet with me, you know I just wanted to help clean up the park, I didn’t realize that you all took this so seriously. I just wanted to say the same thing I said to her family tonight. Her willingness to volunteer and play a role even when she was sick and some of us didn’t know that she was sick and her willingness to be appointed and to share some of probably her last moments of strength with this city in this way, giving back is something that I won’t soon forget. My sympathies go out to her family and I’m sure you all join me in that as well. With that, Mr. President, I would thank you all for your kind attention as usual this evening. RESPONSE TO REMARKS OF THE MAYOR – None RECOGNITION PERIOD - None READING MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING MOTION BY ALDERMAN WILSHIRE THAT THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN OF MAY 14, 2013, BE ACCEPTED, PLACED ON FILE, AND THE READING SUSPENDED MOTION CARRIED COMMUNICATIONS MOTION BY ALDERMAN WILSHIRE THAT ALL COMMUNICATIONS BE READ BY TITLE ONLY MOTION CARRIED From: Mayor Donnalee Lozeau Re: Contract Award for Sludge Disposal MOTION BY ALDERMAN WILSHIRE TO ACCEPT, PLACE ON FILE AND AWARD THE CONTRACT TO CASELLA ORGANICS IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,790,000 MOTION CARRIED From: Eliza Weeks Re: Removal of All Mature Trees on Main Street MOTION BY ALDERMAN DONCHESS TO ACCEPT AND PLACE ON FILE Bd. of Aldermen – 05/28/13 Page 3 ON THE QUESTION Alderman Pressly Will there be a time this evening to discuss this topic in-depth? President McCarthy It’s not on our agenda as an agenda item . It’s on as a communication. We refer it to a committee if you would like. Alderman Pressly Could there be a time either now or under the discussion period to have an interactive discussion regarding this? President McCarthy We could do that although I think the Mayor has to leave shortly so it may be a less than interactive discussion if we have it this evening. I think the right thing to do would be to refer it perhaps to the Infrastructure Committee for further discussion. Alderman Cookson Not to debate the point, I’m fine to take it before the Infrastructure Committee. I’m curious why the Board of Public Works wouldn’t be an appropriate venue. President McCarthy That would be fine. I think the intent was to have a discussion on some committee on this Board. If you would like to refer it to the Board of Public Works… Alderman Cookson It makes no difference to me, I was just curious. Usually things that involve sidewalks go to the Board of Public Works. That’s why I was asking, but I’m happy to bring it up and I would invite the mayor to a future Infrastructure Committee meeting. That would be fine with me. President McCarthy No motion has been made so far. Alderman Tabacsko As long as we’re kicking this around, I would also like to request that an informational copy to referred to the Downtown Advisory Committee so that they are informed of this. Alderman Donchess And I was going to suggest that it be referred to the Budget Committee because there is an appropriation related to this in the budget. Bd. of Aldermen – 05/28/13 Page 4 Alderman Deane I guess you would need a motion to accept, place on file and refer it to the Infrastructure Committee, the Budget Review Committee. President McCarthy We have a motion on the table which is Alderman Donchess’ motion to accept and place on file. Alderman Donchess? Alderman Donchess I withdraw that motion and substitute the motion. MOTION BY ALDERMAN DONCHESS TO WITHDRAW HIS MOTION AND SUBSTITUTE IT TO ACCEPT, PLACE ON FILE AND REFER TO THE COMMITTEE ON INFRASTRUCTURE, THE BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS, THE DOWNTOWN ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES AND TO THE BUDGET REVIEW COMMITTEE Alderman Sheehan If there’s an appropriation required through budget, hasn’t it already been appropriated? President McCarthy I would assume so. There is no legislation contemplating an appropriation in front of the Budget Committee at this time. Alderman Deane I believe there’s $500,000 being requested in the budget. Alderman Donchess Yes, and that’s what I was referring to. President McCarthy Okay. Does that answer your question, Alderman Sheehan? Alderman Sheehan Yes. MOTION CARRIED PERIOD FOR PUBLIC COMMENT RELATIVE TO ITEMS EXPECTED TO BE ACTED UPON THIS EVENING – None Bd. of Aldermen – 05/28/13 Page 5 PETITIONS Petition for Street Acceptance - Portion of Indian Rock Road Petition for Street Acceptance - Portion of South Deerwood Drive MOTION BY ALDERMAN COOKSON TO ACCEPT THE PETITIONS FOR STREET ACCEPTANCES, ASSIGN THEM TO THE COMMITTEE ON INFRASTRUCTURE AND THAT PUBLIC HEARINGS BE SCHEDULED FOR WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013, AT 7:00 PM IN THE ALDERMANIC CHAMBER MOTION CARRIED Petition for Street Discontinuance & Public Easement to be Discontinued – Dozer Road (so-called) MOTION BY ALDERMAN COOKSON TO ACCEPT THE PETITION FOR STREET DISCONTINUANCE AND PUBLIC EASEMENT TO BE DISCONTINUED, ASSIGN IT TO THE COMMITTEE ON INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE NASHUA CITY PLANNING BOARD AND THAT A PUBLIC HEARING BE SCHEDULED FOR WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013, AT 7:00 PM IN THE ALDERMANIC CHAMBER MOTION CARRIED Alderman Donchess May I make an informational inquiry? I know there is at least one person here who wanted to speak to the issue of the communication and just so, my inference is that they signed up for the list at the end of the meeting. President McCarthy Correct. Alderman Donchess I think we should at least make that clear so that they know that anybody who wants to speak knows they’re just not being ignored. President McCarthy Yes. Alderman Donchess Okay, thank you. President McCarthy The first public comment period is restricted to items on which final action, like approval, would be taken during the meeting. The second comment period is open to comment on communications and any other topics people would like to address to the Board. Alderman Deane I don’t believe the first public comment has to deal with final approval. It’s items to be acted upon. Bd. of Aldermen – 05/28/13 Page 6 President McCarthy If you go back and look at the debate that was had around that ordinance when we passed it, action was considered to be final action by the board, not acceptance and placing on file of a communication. There was substantial debate over the fact that at the time we had people who would send us communications on a topic totally unrelated to things before the Board of Aldermen at all and then address it during the first public comment period which is why we added the second public comment period. My understanding of the intent of that ordinance and the way it’s written is that it is for items where the oral communication to the Board may affect the outcome of the vote on the item. In this particular case there is nothing on our agenda this evening that is related to that particular item, so it is eligible for the second public comment period and not the first. Alderman Deane I guess we can agree to disagree. I had another thing, Mr. Chairman. Alderman Cookson Point of Order. Alderman Deane, if you’d allow me. I just pulled up the actual ordinance that you’re referring to. It’s Ordinance O-07-78. The language that was added to the order of business under communications is that “if there is a reasonable expectation by the President of the Board that final action shall be taken on an order of business not on the agenda or considered in a communication, the President shall allow comment on that item of business.” That’s the language. President McCarthy The item, itself, is items upon which action is expected. Alderman Deane We got a memorandum from the park superintendent to the director of public works, and it has no date on it. President McCarthy I don’t know what communication you’re referring to. Alderman Deane It’s on the back of the evaluation that was done by the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension on the trees on Main Street. Then there’s a memorandum attached to the back of it, and there’s no date on it. Can we find out what the date was? President McCarthy I can ask. Alderman Deane Whether it was just recently addressed through a request or whether this was done back in October? President McCarthy Are you referring to the communication from Mr. Nute or Bd. of Aldermen – 05/28/13 Page 7 Alderman Deane To Lisa Fauteaux, Director of Public Works from Nick Caggiano, Superintendent of Parks, Subject: Request to Summarize Decision Factors in Tree Removal related to letter from Mr. Nute 12-October- 2012. President McCarthy I’ll ask when that communication was generated. Alderman Deane Thank you. Alderman Cookson I’ve been reading this over and over again. I’d really like to challenge your position on it. It specifically says that if there is reasonable expectation by you, the President of the Board, that final action shall be taken on an order of business not on the agenda or considered in a communication, the President shall allow comment on that item of business President McCarthy What final action do you think is anticipated? Alderman Cookson The final action is that I would hope that members of the public. President McCarthy Final action means that the Board will approve or disapprove something. What is not on the agenda regarding the trees on Main Street that will be approved or disapproved this evening? Alderman Cookson The legislation says that if it’s to be considered in a communication the President shall allow comment. President McCarthy Yes and the intent of that was if we get a communication such as the one we had before which says we will spend $1.7 million on an item for the sewerage treatment plant, we will allow comment on that. What final approval will be given by this Board this evening on an item related to the trees? Alderman Cookson I think what I’ve stated Alderman McCarthy is that I would like to challenge you on that. President McCarthy The ruling of the Chair has been appealed to the Board. We will now ask for a vote. A yes vote sustains the ruling of the chair that the item is eligible for the second public comment period. A no vote makes it eligible for the first. Bd. of Aldermen – 05/28/13 Page 8 Alderman Donchess We’re voting on language that is not very well written. Would you mind reading that again so we can get some sense of what this says. Alderman Cookson I’d be happy to. I’ll begin at the beginning of the paragraph and not just the inserted text. Communications, to include a period for the acceptance of written communications and a period not to exceed fifteen (15) minutes for the acceptance of orally presented communications or comments from the public or others relative to resolutions, ordinances, appointments, or errors or omissions in the reports of committees on the agenda for that meeting. If there is a reasonable expectation by the President of the Board that final action shall be taken on an order of business not on the agenda or considered in a communication, the President shall allow comment on that item of business.” President McCarthy And I will state that I have no such expectation based on that language. Once again a yes vote is to sustain the ruling of the Chair and a no vote is to overrule it. A Viva Voce Roll Call was taken, which resulted as follows: Yea: Alderman Wilshire, Alderman Dowd, Alderman Melizzi-Golja, Alderman Chasse, Alderman Caron, Alderman Moriarty, Alderman Donchess, Alderman Tabacsko, Alderman Sheehan Alderman Deane, Alderman Vitale, Alderman Craffey, Alderman Pressly, Alderman McCarthy 14 Nay: Alderman Cookson 1 MOTION FAILED Alderman Moriarty However there certainly has been numerous precedents or occasions to set precedent that people have spoken on items that have come in as new business, sort of a matter of the course whether we haven’t been paying attention or what, but it sort of has happened. Rather than battle you on this, I’m just simply going to ask nicely. I plea for your leniency in this case using prior history as example. President McCarthy It is the providence of the ordinances of the city, and it’s not up to me to suspend those rules. Alderman Deane But he’s right. I’ve sat here for a long time listening to people talk about items that were getting their first reading and they are up at the first public comment period. But on the other case in point that we just voted on, when the Board amended that I think a lot of it had to do with the fact that if you were going to Bd. of Aldermen – 05/28/13 Page 9 come in, say Alderman Wilshire was going to take a piece of legislation out of the Human Affairs Committee to have the Board vote on it then people would state their intent prior to the meeting so that those who were here who wanted to speak to that if they cared to would have that opportunity to understand it that the Board was going to act on it. That’s what I think that provision when that ordinance was amended that’s what that was all about. That’s how I remember it anyways. President McCarthy I agree, and I think we have allowed people to speak at first reading on items. That one is a little more debatable because we can actually take action on them at first reading. If the board would prefer that we interpret more strenuously I will do that in the future. Alderman Deane At the first reading, you could ask for a second reading. President McCarthy That’s why I have interpreted it that way because there is that possibility with first readings. Alderman Deane So people are allowed to speak on it then. Alderman Donchess I do think the language is messy and not very clear, but as Alderman Cookson read it the words final action are used. I think the precedent is ambiguous because we have allowed people to speak on matters that are going to receive a first reading, and I think even on communications but I’m not sure of that. In any event, I think the language does use the word final action but it is not very clear and the precedents I think are all over the place. Alderman Dowd I think people have come up and spoke about items that we didn’t know they were going to speak about when they came up to the first reading. The alternative is to shut them down and not have them be able to say that which is probably not good either. The other thing is yes you can do a second reading, but I know a number of the people on this Board have been adamant about the fact that we should not be passing something that’s not on the agenda for final approval unless there is an emergency situation that requires it. Changes in this instance of a second reading are slim to none because first of all there’s no motion to be read. Alderman Wilshire I know that we had a lot of debate on this issue between the first and the second public comment period. A lot of it had to do with people bringing in communications to get things talked about up front. I think there was adequate debate on that at the time. I fully support the President’s ruling. If you look back at all the debate we had on this, it was people that were bringing in a lot of communications just to get everything frontloaded and we often times had a hard time getting to our business. I fully support the president’s ruling this evening and the board’s concurrence. NOMINATIONS, APPOINTMENTS AND ELECTIONS – None Bd. of Aldermen – 05/28/13 Page 10 REPORTS OF COMMITTEE Budget Review Committee ................................................................. 05/16/13 There being no objection, President McCarthy declared the report of the May 16, 2013 Budget Committee accepted and placed on file. Finance Committee............................................................................. 05/15/13 There being no objection, President McCarthy declared the report of the May 15, 2013 Finance Committee accepted and placed on file. WRITTEN REPORTS FROM LIAISONS - None CONFIRMATION OF MAYOR'S APPOINTMENTS – None UNFINISHED BUSINESS – RESOLUTIONS R-12-83 Endorser: Mayor Donnalee Lozeau Alderman Michael J. Tabacsko ESTABLISHING AN EXPENDABLE TRUST FUND FOR EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS Given its second reading; MOTION BY ALDERMAN TABACSKO FOR FINAL PASSAGE OF R-12-83 ON THE QUESTION Alderman Cookson May I request a roll call please. Alderman Donchess I do not favor this for a couple of reasons. First of all the emergency preparedness director, and I believe the Mayor, had trouble explaining what possible expenditures this would be used for. We have roughly including the street department and the parks department together, nearly a ten million dollar budget. If an emergency occurs during the year there’s money there that can be used to cover unexpected items. When asked about would this cover overtime then for if there was a hurricane or tornado, and the answer was no it wouldn’t. There was difficulty coming up with an example. My second reason is that the city has so much money in reserve already. We have just in undesignated reserve, the city is holding $25 million of taxpayers’ money which in my opinion is more than is necessary. It is more than double what the state DRA recommends. It is $5 million more, roughly, 4-5 million more than the city legislation requires. When you count up $25 million, we’re talking about holding for an average residential taxpayer between $7500 and $900 per residence. We’re already holding. Do we really need? And there’s $25 million there. If we ever go over by $50,000 on an emergency, we have $25 million in reserve which can be used. So why are we putting $50,000 in a little pocket that if there’s an emergency and if this and if that and if that, we’ve got $50,000 when we’ve got $25 million in reserve anyway. The $25 million does not include all these other reserve accounts we have, these smaller reserve accounts with specific purposes. That was my reason for voting against this in committee and that’s my reason for voting against this at this stage as well, Mr. President. Bd. of Aldermen – 05/28/13 Page 11 Alderman Dowd I think when we had it in committee the reason for having this set aside was that if an emergency happens yes we have $25 million set aside but it would require a meeting of this board to expend it for that emergency. It couldn’t just be spent by the emergency preparedness director. This amount would be eligible for him to deal with an emergency if something happened particularly over a weekend. Those types of events happen on occasion. That’s why this small amount of money was set aside so he could act in a timely manner versus having to assemble this board which requires posting and everything else to get something done. Alderman Sheehan My understanding has been in the past the mayor has the authority to act in an emergency and bring it in at the next available meeting. Has that changed? President McCarthy The mayor has the authority to expend funds without the finance committee approval and bring it in at the next meeting. That doesn’t mean she has the authority to appropriate funds. Alderman Donchess There is $10 million in the accounts where this would apply with overtime, with equipment, with people, with salt, with sand, with everything. We generally have a surplus in the public works account at the end of the year so $50,000 on a $10 million budget unless we have expended $10 million and were at the end of the last second of the year, there’s going to be money to cover this. This won’t be the first time that things that are unexpected happen and money within public works is used, whether it’s a broken water main, whether it’s a big snow storm, whatever. There is no in my opinion no need to have a separate reserve account. Alderman Cookson Just a point of information, the director of emergency management would not be able to expend the funds. It’s the mayor who is identified as the agent to expend. Alderman Sheehan When the Labine building burned, didn’t we call in somebody to assess that and it was done before it came to this Board so we had an idea of how bad the damage was, correct? President McCarthy I believe that’s correct. Alderman Sheehan Thank you. Alderman Deane The undesignated fund balance is one thing. I always look at communities that don’t really back up their operating budgets with any funds in place. It would be like living from check to check, similar to when the Pennichuck roof collapsed. We had the cash in hand to go down there, take care of the problem and then proceeded with the legal findings and settlement which followed. That was my ordinance to keep it Bd. of Aldermen – 05/28/13 Page 12 at ten percent of our operating budget. I tend to agree. I believe it’s called the Mayor’s Office of Emergency Management, is that what’s it’s called? Is that the name of the department now? President McCarthy I don’t know. Alderman Deane I think between our police department, our fire department, our public works department, that if we have a problem, we own plenty of equipment. They have plenty of money to deal with any issues. If there are issues outside of the realm of the talents that all these folks combined have then we’ve got a bigger problem than worrying about $50,000 for someone to spend so I’m not going to support this either. I think we have ample manpower and ample funds in place to take care of our city already. Alderman Vitale The emergency preparedness in my mind, we’re not talking about a situation where like the building burned down or the roof collapsed. We’re talking about an unplanned event within the city that’s more weather related, something happening like on Route 3 that’s way out of the norm. A roof collapse I don’t see as emergency preparedness. I see that as something that happened to one of our buildings. It can happen at any time. Maybe I’m not explaining myself correctly, but I look at it more as a weather related event or an earthquake or a tornado coming through where you need an emergency situation to take care of something really quick that maybe falls outside the realm of our regular budget type things. That’s how I look at it. I do see the benefit of having an expendable trust fund for that type of thing. I’m sorry I didn’t read the exact minutes from the budget review committee that covered this, but when I think of having the trust fund, that’s what I think of, something that’s outside the realm of having the ten million dollars set aside for other types of things. This I find outside the realm of those type of city functions. Something that happens that is we’re completely not prepared for. Alderman Tabacsko Along those same lines, I do support this. I think one of the things that we’re up against here is this is about something that hasn’t happened and we probably can’t even conceive of. How many times does something happen and we say: “Unbelievable.” That’s how I see what this is all about. To have this as an expendable trust fund that doesn’t lapse, put the money away now when we can. It’s there, if we don’t use it, it will be there and we don’t have to worry about it. It doesn’t become part of the constant as we cut and cut everywhere, this at least you’ve got something there as a little bit of a buffer to get started should the unbelievable happen so I will be supporting it. Thank you. A Viva Voce Roll Call was taken, which resulted as follows: Yea: Alderman Wilshire, Alderman Dowd, Alderman Melizzi-Golja, Alderman Tabacsko, Alderman Vitale, Alderman McCarthy 6 Nay: Alderman Chasse, Alderman Caron, Alderman Moriarty, Alderman Donchess, Alderman Sheehan, Alderman Deane, Alderman Craffey, Alderman Cookson, Alderman Pressly 9 MOTION FAILED MOTION BY ALDERMAN DEANE FOR INDEFINITE POSTPONEMENT OF R-12-83 Bd. of Aldermen – 05/28/13 Page 13 MOTION CARRIED Resolution R-12-83 declared duly adopted. R-13-115 Endorsers: Alderman Richard A. Dowd Alderman-at-Large Barbara Pressly Alderman Arthur T. Craffey, Jr. Alderman Kathy Vitale Alderman-at-Large Brian S. McCarthy Alderman-at-Large Jim Donchess AUTHORIZING THE EXPENDITURE OF $1,172,420 FROM THE SCHOOL CAPITAL RESERVE FUND FOR REHABILITATION AND RECONSTRUCTION OF TRACKS AND TENNIS COURTS Given its second reading; MOTION BY ALDERMAN DOWD FOR FINAL PASSAGE OF R-13-115 Alderman Dowd The Board of Education wants to take the money from school capital reserve to fix some tennis courts and the tracks. I have some of the pictures if anybody is interested. Most of the issues are all safety related for the kids utilizing these facilities. These are the middle school tennis courts and tracks but I also did have pictures I didn’t copy that were from the high school tracks. They are ten years old. They have a life span of about ten years. They are worn. They have patches. They have cracks and rips and tears. When kids are running on this, they are susceptible to injuries. They’ve fixed them as best they can and made them as safe as they can, but they would like to fix these so they are in much better condition for the kids to use. Alderman Deane I’m glad you brought some pictures. I was really disappointed at our budget review committee when we jammed this one and another one through with no discussion at 10:45 at night or whatever time it was because I’d really like to understand exactly what they’re doing. I, like you, and everybody else, I don’t want to see injuries related to this. I’ve walked down through the Pennichuck track area and seen the conditions of those tennis courts over there along with the track as we walk out to the baseball field out in the back. I do understand. What are they going to do? Are they going to tear everything out? Are they going to bring in all new material for a sub base? What’s the process going to be? Alderman Dowd I think it depends on the particular track or tennis court as to what they are going to do. Obviously the tennis court at the Pennichuck Junior High School needs a lot of work. I would suspect they would tear up the surface and put a new surface down. Alderman Deane What are they going to do with the track, just overlay? Alderman Dowd I really don’t know what they are going to do with the track other than they have bids to fix it correctly. Bd. of Aldermen – 05/28/13 Page 14 Alderman Deane And the high school tracks? Alderman Dowd Yes. Alderman Deane Those tracks only last for ten years? Alderman Dowd That’s the lifespan of those tracks unfortunately because of the amount of use that they get. Alderman Deane But they’re not asphalt, right? Alderman Dowd They’re not asphalt like the middle schools which are easier to fix. The high school tracks by design are the core type of track which wear. President McCarthy By the time we built south the vendor who had done north was out of business. Alderman Deane Same guy that did the irrigation? President McCarthy No. Alderman Deane Same guy that brought the soil in? President McCarthy They did have one in common. Low bidder. Alderman Deane It seems like to me the high school project, Mr. President, it seems like for the most part from the outside to the inside, and I’m talking building, we did okay. But as soon as we got into the outdoors, it just seemed like we ended up getting subpar work done. Bd. of Aldermen – 05/28/13 Page 15 President McCarthy And we corrected that in the other places where it happened. We had some sidewalks replaced. We had the field maintenance done at the vendor’s expense. In this particular place, we’re about at the normal lifespan for that high school track. Alderman Deane But the concrete walkway entering the north high school is all cracked and coming about. President McCarthy And we did not ask them to replace that as part of the settlement of the suit with Amesco. We did have some problems with contractors. If you recall we had very few bids on the exterior contract work on the north school because we were competing with the Big Dig at the time. Alderman Deane So both high schools are core. Is the south high school, was that replaced with the school project or was that not? President McCarthy Yes. Alderman Deane That’s asphalt, isn’t it? President McCarthy It’s not asphalt, it’s a rubberized aggregate. Alderman Deane So the two tracks are different from north to south? President McCarthy Similar materials are installed by different companies. Alderman Dowd Different manufacturers. Alderman Deane What are we anticipating for a cost for replacement for the tracks alone? Alderman Dowd I don’t have the individual costs. Bd. of Aldermen – 05/28/13 Page 16 Alderman Deane Where did this $1.172 million figure come from? Alderman Dowd That came in from bids that Sean Smith went tout to get for the work. This has been through the finance committee with Mr. Ryder. I know they were thoroughly discussed and debated. The bidders they were selected, it’s felt they are doing this work at a reasonable price. Alderman Deane Do they have any other plans for the school capital reserve account? There’s $4.5 million in there, right, minus this $1.172. Oh wait, there’s $3.69 million and there will be $2.5 million when this is done. You know as well as I do that $2.5 million for the 18 buildings I believe it’s 18 buildings that the school district has is not a lot of money if they have some catastrophic failure. Alderman Dowd There are no other projects that have been approved to come forward at this time. Alderman Deane So this was number one priority for school capital reserve? Alderman Dowd Yes. Alderman Chasse We have Main Street. We have a big project going on down there. Many of the aldermen that sit in this Chamber are very inquisitive of what’s happening down there. Where’s our money being spent. You come in here, you bring this in, you’re asking for $1.1 million, nothing to back it up. Are they removing the tracks? Are they taking the complete tennis courts completely out? Before I vote for something for $1.17 million I think I need to see some kind of game plan of what they’re going to do. Is this imperative that we pass this tonight? Alderman Dowd I believe they are sitting on bids that they would like to go through with and get this work done so it can be done during the summer. The time is kind of imperative. Alderman Chasse That still doesn’t fly with me. I’m sorry but I think if we can table this and within the next meeting bring in something of what they’re physically going to do to every part of those tracks and tennis courts and then I’ll be happy. Then I’ll be able to sleep a lot better at night. Sorry. Alderman Pressly I would support that also. My issue is maintenance. I don’t know if ten years is an appropriate life plan for a track, but I do feel that so many of the projects that we do fund with public money we just fund them and forget about them. I’d like to know what maintenance plan they have in place. What they have done Bd. of Aldermen – 05/28/13 Page 17 with what is there and they’re replacing and what do they plan to do for upkeep to extend the life of these and make these facilities longer. So if it is tabled, I would hope that we could also get some plan presented as to how they plan to take care of these facilities. A Viva Voce Roll Call was taken, which resulted as follows: Yea: Alderman Wilshire, Alderman Dowd, Alderman Melizzi-Golja, Alderman Caron, Alderman Donchess, Alderman Tabacsko, Alderman Sheehan, Alderman Deane, Alderman Vitale, Alderman Craffey, Alderman Cookson, Alderman Pressly, Alderman McCarthy 13 Nay: Alderman Chasse, Alderman Moriarty, 2 MOTION CARRIED Resolution R-13-115 declared duly adopted. Alderman Dowd For those that the query of exactly what the work is that’s going to be done, I will get that information to you. Alderman Pressly Could that include the maintenance plan that they have for these facilities, how they care for them? Alderman Dowd Yes. I will say that they maintain them out their maintenance fund which is low for the number of buildings that they have to take care of and the grounds that they have to take care of. I know we keep earmarking the few funds they have for certain activities, and they just can’t get them all done because of the lack of money that they have. They try to keep these as safe as possible with the patchwork but that only last so long. Alderman Pressly If they are unable to maintain them for lack of funds, I would like to know that. Thank you. R-13-122 Endorsers: Alderman Richard A. Dowd Alderman-at-Large Brian S. McCarthy Alderman Michael J. Tabacsko Alderman-at-Large Lori Wilshire Alderman Kathy Vitale Alderman Arthur T. Craffey, Jr. CHANGING THE PURPOSE OF THE REMAINING $750,000 OF UNEXPENDED BOND PROCEEDS FROM THE CHARLOTTE AVENUE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL HVAC PROJECT AND $313,873.36 OF UNEXPENDED CAPITAL PROJECT APPROPRIATIONS FROM THE FAIRGROUNDS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL HVAC PROJECT TO THE BROAD STREET ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BUILDING IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT Given its second reading; MOTION BY ALDERMAN DOWD FOR FINAL PASSAGE OF R-13-122 BY ROLL CALL Bd. of Aldermen – 05/28/13 Page 18 ON THE QUESTION Alderman Dowd We’ve all seen the book with the projects for the four schools. The school department has taken the priority of Broad Street because it has a lot of these maintenance issues from the boilers to the roof. They want to address this first. We were able to save money from the other three schools that we did to the point that we have the money to pay for the architectural design and more so the only funds that would require coming forward later with whatever bond to do the final project, the actual cost, based on the estimates we get back. The request for proposal is already done. They are waiting to submit it as soon as there’s final passage from this board they will go out so they can get the timing down. It does take a lot of timing to get the design so the design can then be ready. Alderman Deane The $750,000 comes from bond proceeds that’s left over from the bond? President McCarthy Ya. Alderman Deane And the $313,873.36 comes from the school capital reserve account? President McCarthy It’s money that was appropriated to the Fairgrounds project. It’s not currently in the capital reserve account. Alderman Deane But it was at one time, right? President McCarthy It may have been. It may also be unexpended bond proceeds. The $750,000 is, if I understand this correctly and I may not, is bonds we have not yet let but there is bonding authority for. The $313,000 is cash that’s left over in the project. Alderman Deane It states in the analysis: “In addition, R-06-121, in part, authorized an amount of unexpended appropriations originally from the school capital reserve fund; see R-01-260 from the high schools projects to be used for Fairground HVAC replacement.” Was it bonded money? President McCarthy It may at some point come out of the school capital reserve fund. I don’t know. Alderman Deane Some of this money has already been spent, right? Isn’t there $75,00 already spent? Bd. of Aldermen – 05/28/13 Page 19 President McCarthy Not that I’m aware of. If you’re talking about the Bressinger study I believe that was paid for out of the school budget. Alderman Deane The one that Bressinger just brought forward with the three schools? Alderman Dowd None of this money that we’re talking about here has been expended. Alderman Moriarty If I remember correctly back in the Joint Special School Building Committee I remarked that Harvey Construction had finished the job under budget and congratulations. Then I asked what was going to happen to it, and you had said something like this would occur. So this is that $300,000 that came in due to being under budget? President McCarthy Yes. Alderman Cookson You need a majority vote this evening? President McCarthy This is a 2/3 vote. A Viva Voce Roll Call was taken, which resulted as follows: Yea: Alderman Wilshire, Alderman Dowd, Alderman Melizzi-Golja, Alderman Chasse, Alderman Caron, Alderman Moriarty, Alderman Donchess, Alderman Tabacsko, Alderman Sheehan Alderman Deane, Alderman Vitale, Alderman Craffey, Alderman Cookson, Alderman Pressly, Alderman McCarthy 15 Nay: 0 MOTION CARRIED Resolution R-13-122 declared duly adopted. UNFINISHED BUSINESS – ORDINANCES – None Bd. of Aldermen – 05/28/13 Page 20 NEW BUSINESS – RESOLUTIONS R-13-124 Endorsers: Mayor Donnalee Lozeau Alderman-at-Large Lori Wilshire Alderman Arthur T. Craffey, Jr. Alderman Diane Sheehan Alderman Michael J. Tabacsko Alderman Mary Ann Melizzi-Golja AMENDING THE PROPOSED FY2014 ANNUAL ACTION PLAN RELATIVE TO THE USE OF CDBG FUNDS BY THE ADULT LEARNING CENTER Given its first reading; assigned to the HUMAN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE by President McCarthy R-13-125 Endorsers: Alderman Mary Ann Melizzi-Golja Alderman June M. Caron Alderman Richard A. Dowd Alderman Michael J. Tabacsko Alderman Diane Sheehan Alderman-at-Large Mark S. Cookson Alderman-at-Large Barbara Pressly AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF NASHUA TO ENTER INTO AN OFFICE SPACE LEASE AGREEMENT AT THE HUNT MEMORIAL BUILDING WITH ARTISTS COLLABORATIVE THEATER Given its first reading; assigned to the FINANCE COMMITTEE by President McCarthy NEW BUSINESS – ORDINANCES O-13-42 Endorsers: Alderman-at-Large Brian S. McCarthy Alderman-at-Large Lori Wilshire Alderman Richard A. Dowd Alderman-at-Large Jim Donchess Alderman Michael J. Tabacsko Alderman Diane Sheehan Alderman Kathy Vitale Alderman Arthur T. Craffey, Jr. Alderman-at-Large Mark S. Cookson RELATIVE TO THE ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION OF MATERIALS TO THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN Given its first reading; assigned to the PERSONNEL/ADMINISTRATIVE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE by President McCarthy O-13-43 Endorsers: Alderman-at-Large Lori Wilshire Alderman-at-Large Mark S. Cookson Alderman Diane Sheehan Alderman Arthur T. Craffey, Jr. Alderman-at-Large Jim Donchess Alderman June M. Caron Alderman-at-Large Barbara Pressly RELATIVE TO THE LOCATION OF ESTABLISHMENTS WITH LICENSES PERMITTING CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES ON PREMISES Given its first reading; Bd. of Aldermen – 05/28/13 Page 21 MOTION BY ALDERMAN TABACSKO TO ACCEPT THE FIRST READING OF O-13-43, ASSIGN IT TO THE PLANNING & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE AND THE NASHUA CITY PLANNING BOARD AND THAT A PUBLIC HEARING BE SCHEDULED FOR TUESDAY, JUNE 18, 2013, AT 7:00 PM IN THE ALDERMANIC CHAMBER Alderman Sheehan I’m just curious if we shouldn’t send this for an opinion to the School Board. President McCarthy We can, if Alderman Tabacsko would like to amend his motion. MOTION BY ALDERMAN TABACSKO TO AMEND THE MOTION TO ALSO REFER TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION MOTION CARRIED PERIOD FOR GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT Dave Wendt, 4 Melissa Drive, Nashua I’ve been attending a number of these meetings, and I just want to go back to the last two week’s meeting when the last time you aldermen met. During the meeting, Alderman Deane was more or less coerced into laying on the sword that he was the cause of much distress in the public works department. I think the purpose that should be apologizing in this Chamber is the Mayor. The Mayor is the chairman of the public works and she and the group have to approve all of these changes, personnel, whatever they are to what takes place and if not, she should be the one aware and telling us, the citizens, that we’re spending almost 100 percent more for this one individual. I don’t know his name, I don’t know him. I don’t even know who was involved in the making of the original motion but for somebody to sit here and ask an alderman to take the blame for something she did, the Mayor, is absolutely disingenuous and totally disrespectful on her behalf. I would have to say that I have been watching, I’ve been observing and I just want to add a little bit to the Public Works Department. The public works in this city, the solid public works, the garbage pickup and disposal spends 25 percent on the old budget, 30 percent on the new more per person to dispose of our trash than just across the river. Why is that? Why do we spend out of the public’s money 30 percent more? This is ridiculous. It’s just almost beyond. That 30 percent amounts this year to $1.8 million. It may be even $2 million. It might be higher because we’re not comparing apples and apples. Then you go and you look at the paper sends you the amount of raises that the individual people are getting in certain departments. Hers are almost 9 percent. This is in the public works for one individual I might add and they compared it to the people in the library which is 1.1. What’s going on? Why is this allowed to take place and why is it going on? I want to back up. I pay $11,000 plus per years in taxes. I don’t think I’m getting my money’s worth. Thank you. Eliza Weeks, 19 Miami Street, Nashua You could call me a tree hugger because I feel like I’m the Lorax tonight a little bit. I’m speaking for the trees but truly I’m here because I’m a landscape architects. I was formally trained as a landscape architect at the College of Environmental Science and Forestry out of Syracuse, New York. I’m concerned about the removal of all the mature street trees on Main Street because I feel it will drastically alter the character and the beauty of our downtown. As I stated in my letter these tree are a significant investment by the city. As such everything that can and should be done to save these trees should be done. This project was not designed by a professional landscape architectural firm. It didn’t go out to bid to a professional landscape architectural firm and further it’s not being built by an outside firm as well. Nor was it overseen by our planning department which is another thing that I feel is really important here. Bd. of Aldermen – 05/28/13 Page 22 That is something that has historically would have took place. The original downtown design was actually overseen by our planning department which they are in charge of capital improvements and capital investments. In that respect, I take issue with that too. I just wanted to put that out there. I would also hazard to guess that no reputable landscape architectural firm would recommend the wholesale removal of these trees. Underground infrastructure is regularly designed and installed around existing mature trees. I believe that Mr. Nute’s recommendations can and should be followed. It will take extra work. It will take extra money, but like I said this is a significant investment on the part of the city. The trees are a significant investment on the part of the city. Roots can be trimmed and conduits sleeves can be installed under the trees. The removal of these trees will affect the look and feel of our downtown for decades to come. These trees provide a sense of scale by breaking up the height of the buildings relative to the sidewalk. They provide buffer for pedestrians from the four lanes of traffic and the additional two lanes of parking. They also provide shade for pedestrians that are walking on our downtown streets and diners enjoying meals on Main Street. The removal of these trees should not be taken likely. With all due respect to the Department of Public Works’ decisions to remove them, I urge them to take another look. An arborist has lent his professional opinion in saving these trees, and I urge the city to seek a second opinion as well. I feel they should hire an outside independent landscape architectural firm to look at this or construction firm that regularly and routinely installs sidewalks and exterior infrastructure because these trees are an important of our downtown character and our downtown look. Thank you. Paula Johnson, 15 Westborn Drive, Nashua I’m really sad to see that the mayor had to leave and couldn’t hear from Ms. Weeks because she just provided some very important information here. This is her career. The mayor doesn’t have a career in architectural landscaping and knows about trees. It’s really sad what’s going on. I’m not going to speak very much about downtown, but I think it’s a shame what’s happening with the landscaping downtown because I am one of the people who said all along we should have had bids for the sidewalk. There should have been bids to let us know what is the cost compared to doing it in-house and the cost of having it done by an outside contractor. We don’t know if we’re saving money or not and we never will. That’s foolish with the taxpayer’s dollars. Tonight I’m here again to ask for my apology. Alderman Sheehan, please don’t hide behind Alderman Tabacsko. I think everybody really needs to see you. I really want everybody to pay attention tonight. Also you, Alderman Vitale, kind of focus your attention on me. I don’t care if you people like me or not. I was never elected for people to like me. I was elected when I was here for accountability. I held everybody’s feet to the fire in the accountability of what went on in the city. It was myself and a few other aldermen who did that. Question, question, question everything that went on and how the money is being spent. And today, I got a present from the city today. I got my tax bill, and I got a letter from the Mayor that all the taxpayers got explaining the tax bill. But I’m not happy with it because I think this is a runaway train in the spending. We’re giving raises out like there’s no tomorrow. High percentages. Like I said my husband hasn’t had a raise in years. I lost my job last year. I’ve been sick this year and I lost my job this year because I was sick. My boss let me go six weeks into recovery. No money. But that doesn’t matter when we spend out money here. Accountability that’s what it’s all about. Accountability. And where is my code of conduct? My nice poster that I made? That should be really here in this Chamber so everybody can see it for respect. It says here in the code of conduct and since we don’t have it I can’t kind of like have my pen so you can follow along with the dots, the bouncing ball, each member is responsible for the behavior of his or her fellow. That’s means if somebody is rude to a consist tent, you all are responsible for it, whether you like it or not. Since inappropriate behavior which goes unchallenged reflects badly on the entire Board. Some of you have challenged it, but it didn’t go very far. I guess what Alderman Sheehan did to me isn’t as bad as the letter that was given to me by Alderman McCarthy. And I questioned whether or not Corporation Counsel actually allowed it to go through because that was slanderous, defamation of character. Then it also says a member of the public attending or participating in meetings and herein shall be treated with respect and courtesy in accordance with this section. Well you know, Alderman McCarthy, when I came in on the 16 of May, I was away on vacation for a week last week and nobody even missed me because Bd. of Aldermen – 05/28/13 Page 23 there was no meetings, I said to you: “Good evening, my name is Paula Johnson, 15 Westborn Drive. Is it possible I can sit down and kind of flip the pages for my questions?” You replied: “If you keep it brief.” Excuse me? If I keep it brief? Are you kidding me? How many other people would you have said that to in the audience? How many other people would you have written such a slanderous letter to in the audience? No one. I want to get into the meat of the budget, and I would, it follows off. My response was: “That’s okay because this really is the meat of the budget. I only have 45 minutes to really take a look at tonight when I came home from work.” I had a job, a different job but I’ve been out of work mostly. But the question becomes here: again, you all are responsible for his actions to me that night. What was the big deal because I wanted to ask some questions. I’m a taxpaying citizens. Whether we’re employed or we’re unemployed we have to pay our taxes. My taxes keep going up. The quality of services haven’t gone up, but the quality of spending has gone up. And tonight, if I was sitting in this horseshoe I would have challenged you because that memo, that piece of communication was on the agenda. I would hope that somebody would clean up the wording on that because it was still on the agenda tonight. We should have been able to speak in the first comment period. Thank you. Alderman Deane Mr. President, excuse me. There’s one more person that didn’t sign up. Would you allow her to speak? President McCarthy If the Board would like to do that. Would you like to make a motion? MOTION BY ALDERMAN DEANE TO ALLOW MRS. PAPPAS TO SPEAK MOTION CARRIED Tracy Pappas, Swart Terrace, Nashua I’m here to speak about the trees on Main Street. I first off would really like to thank Ms. Weeks for pursuing this issue and also for Alderman Donchess to continuing to follow the tree issue. This is a real concern.. The process in the tree cutting was circumvented. The Board of Public Works never voted to clear cut Main Street. The Board of Public Works never received Mr. Nute’s memo. I did see a memo from Mr. Caggiano. I want to say I thought I saw a date on it, I don’t have it with me. It was dated within a couple of weeks of Mr. Nute. That’s what Mr. Nute does for a living. He is an arborist. I’m very upset because the truth wasn’t told. There was no vote taken at a Board of Public Works meeting. The chair of Public Works informed us unfortunately no trees on Main Street can be saved. That’s what was said. There was no vote taken. I was extremely concerned. Actually I was relieved to get Ms. Weeks’ correspondence that they didn’t clear cut all of Main Street. I think this is a real illustration of the lack of oversight. We’re having these expensive projects and no one is overseeing them. You know what? Those trees belong to the citizens of Nashua. I’m going to be asking for an accounting of all the trees that were cut down already in comparison to what Mr. Nute said what should be saved. I’m one of five votes, and it’s often a 4-1 vote on Public Works. I would like to see people on this Board step up and say enough. It’s going to take 30 years to replace those trees. They belong to the citizens of Nashua. It’s just absolutely outrageous that we were going to mow them down and essentially what I understand the plan to be are these plantings bed, I actually call them overpriced flower pots, that they are going to try to put little trees inside of those. I don’t think that that’s New England. I understand that some of the business owners because I know that we have to get input, well the business owners don’t like the sloppiness of the trees. Well then you know what? Move out of New England. I think that we ought to go by Mr. Nute’s recommendations. Again I thank Ms. Weeks and I thank Alderman Donchess for not letting this go. These projects are not being supervised. They cost a lot of money. The only other point that I have tonight is I understand the President’s point about how this Board can get bogged down with correspondence, but if you have a new business item, that’s an action. For every member of the public that comes here, there’s probably 25 that feel the same way. Maybe a person can’t make the committee meeting and then by the time you get to the full Board most people have made up their minds. I can Bd. of Aldermen – 05/28/13 Page 24 certainly see by a stretch of the imagination how the concern would be about correspondence but I challenge someone on this Board to clean up the language in that ordinance so if something is introduced that is an action of new business, if an ordinance is, because that’s who we’re here to serve, the citizens of Nashua. I have to say in serving in public office that has probably been the most upbeat part is dealing with the citizens that I have dealt with that have come to the Board of Public Works. Thank you. Thank you for allowing me to speak. REMARKS BY THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN Alderman Pressly I, too, would like to thank Ms. Weeks for the research that she did. But I really want to speak to Jonathan Nute, the gentleman and the arborist who submitted this information. I don’t expect you all to remember but I’ve mentioned his name many, many times as far as hoping and asking him to come in and speak to us particularly about all the vegetation along the rivers and any issue that we have involving trees. The reason I bring him up is that I have worked with him and known him for close to 30 years. The first job I had politically was to serve in the House of Representatives. I also served on the County Delegation. Now county government is something that you might be thinking of soon because it’s on your tax bills. The citizens of Nashua and we as a municipality pay quite a bit to county government for the services that they provide. Jonathan Nute, the cooperative extension arborist, is one of the people that provide services to municipalities and to private individual. It’s an absolutely wonderful service. He’s highly qualified, up-to-date on all of his credentials and he does it every day. He earns his living doing this. I’ll tell you what I had happened about 12 years ago. A drunk driver crashed into a wonderful tree on my property, a rare Copper Beech that was a major part of the environmental around my home. It was a huge trunk and the injury covered almost a third of the trunk, this big gaping hole in the trunk of the tree. I immediately called Jonathan Nute. He came out and he wrote up exactly what needed to be done, the most up-to-date current way of treating a tree of this size and this magnitude. He, of course, didn’t do the work because that would be a conflict. But I hired someone who did the exact work that he recommended. The tree has thrived. It has done very well, but that’s what he does. He will come to any individual who has an issue in their yard with a particular tree. I think he went to the Historical Society. Any organization in Hillsborough County that has a question about a tree, you can call this gentleman and he will come out and service you. I think it’s an unknown service that we rarely take advantage of. Every time I’ve suggested let’s call Jonathan Nute, I had no idea that he had been consulted on the Main Street Project. I’m very distressed that we did not get a copy of his report. I’d also just like to sort of toot the horn of this cooperative extension group. As I’m sure you know, Hillsborough County has an extensive rural area. They do a lot of things that we might want to take advantage of. If you find a strange looking bug in your yard or garden, if you can get it in a jar you can take it to them and they will let you know what it is, if it’s dangerous, if it’s helpful, whatever. Any gardening. T hey also put on a wonderful county fair. It is a part of county government that’s going to be mentioned on the tax bill that you’re receiving today. I think it’s something that we’re absolutely foolish as a municipality not to take advantage of his expertise, not to do it on a regular basis. I’m pleased he was consulted. I’m distressed that his recommendations were ignored. Thank you. Three cheers for Jonathan Nute and county government. Alderman Cookson First I’d like to thank all the speakers for coming this evening and speaking. All members of the audience who participated or chose to watch this evening’s meeting. Again I think it was a very interesting meeting and especially to Ms. Weeks’ comments about the tree removal on Main Street. One of the things that I haven’t heard, which I hope to hear now that it’s been refereed to several committees, hopefully it will come up in a future Infrastructure Committee meeting is is that a climate change with the removal of trees. I know that Worcester recently had an epidemic where they had to clear cut their trees. What they are experiencing right now is almost a ten degree increase in temperatures in Worcester because of the lack of trees on their Main Street. Hopefully we’ll be able to get some more information about that. If Bd. of Aldermen – 05/28/13 Page 25 we’re able to save them, I’m certainly all for that. It’s taken 30 years for these trees to grow. I can’t imagine another 30 years with what they’ve planted for downtown to look like it does today. I also wanted to yesterday being Memorial Day wanted to thank all the servicemen and women who gave that ultimate sacrifice. I actually had the opportunity to spend a very enjoyable afternoon with my daughter over at the American Legion having lunch with several members of the American Legion and VFW Post 483 as well as the Women’s Auxiliary. We enjoy it. We go every single year. It was very memorable for both me and my daughter’s Alderman Craffey I wasn’t able to participate in the festivities yesterday due to a family emergency, but I did get to watch some of the parade and I did see Mark’s daughter driving her motorcycle down Main Street. Voom, Voom. I did want to thank all the speakers who spoke tonight, especially Ms. Weeks. I did take a quick look at Mr. Caggiano’s memo, and it looked like it’s taking the easy way out by ripping out the trees and not taking the time to explore alternative ways to save them. I hope the public works people take a second look at the memo and other suggestions that Mr. Nute has in his memo of ways to work around the problems that exist right now with the infrastructure underneath the city. The second thing I want to talk about especially in my ward and up in the north end of the city, Memorial Day marks the beginning of the summer. School will be out shortly. Please be careful of driving. Slow down in the streets. Watch out for kids. My Dad used to say if you see a bouncing ball there’s usually a kid right behind it, so slow down. Numerous reports coming in from constituents in my neighborhood about speeding cars. I’ll address that with the Nashua PD. But please slow down. Other than that, have a great summer. Alderman Vitale With Memorial Day being yesterday, I’d like to thank all of those in the military that have served and especially those families that lost loved one including my own. I’m sorry I couldn’t’ be in the parade yesterday. I’m not quite in walking form yet. But I was thinking about it the whole day and I look forward to participating in it next year. It is something that is an honor to help remember those that we have lost. For all those in the city that have served and those families that have lost people, thank you to you. Alderman Deane I wanted to thank the Director of Flag and Candy, Patti Rogers, for allowing me to assist her yesterday. I told her I would gladly be the under secretary to the director of flag and candy for her parades and that I would be combing through her line items in her budget to see how much she had budgeted for all the candy. It was kind of funny because a little video on the internet showed two little girls sitting on the sidewalk saying: “we like the parade better this year because the lady gave us candy.” It was well attended. It was nice to see everybody in the community out. It finally stopped raining. As of for the trees, when you read the city charter, people go by the charter. If the public works department wants to take chain saws out and cut every damn tree on Main Street down they can do it. They can do it tomorrow. We’ve raised lots of concerns. Some of us have raised concerns that have just been brushed away. I have major concerns with what’s going on down there. The City of Nashua Public Works Department is a maintenance department. It’s not a construction company. It wasn’t set up for that. It was set up for maintenance. That’s what we do, and we do a good job at it. As of for what’s going on down there when I look at the progress and I read the weekly updates of what’s going to happen, it’s not happening. It’s not happening from what I can see. It’s awful that it’s come to this, but I feel for some of those business owners. Saffron Bistro is one of them. There’s a reason why he’s not there anymore. We have to look at what’s transpiring down there. There’s a lot of people that aren’t happy. You can go in and talk to these folks and say we’re going to be doing this and doing that and it’s going to take X amount of time, but the reality of the situation is when the front of your business is torn up for three or four months, there is a net impact on your business. The whole situation is frustrating. The only control we have over it is through appropriations. That’s the only control we have. That’s where it stops. If there was enough people in this room to stop what’s going on, I think it would have happened by now. It hasn’t Bd. of Aldermen – 05/28/13 Page 26 happened, and it continues. I agree with the young lady that came up and spoke. If you’re going to have major, major renovations like that you have to get somebody that does that for a profession. When you look at any of these big communities that have gone out and done work at Portsmouth and Concord, do you think the Public Works Department and the Public Works Director and the Mayor went down there and did all the, they weren’t involved in that. They brought professionals in to design it. To lay it out, this is what it is. It’s frustrating. I just want the public to understand we appropriate the money, they spend it. They design it. The Board of Publics has the authority over the project. We have absolutely none. Thank you, Mr. President, and go Bruins. Alderman Sheehan Yesterday’s turnout was really nice to see. I think it was very robust and is a nice way to pay respects to people that have given very much. I think two days of rain followed by a sunny day when most people had canceled their weekends away worked together to bring that. I had the pleasure of today of going down to my garden plot in Greeley. I was happy to see so many people there, so many new people. One of the people that I met and happened to be a veteran who came through his plot as a Korean plot at the age of 80 through the Veterans Housing. I was very happy to see that. I was even happier to find out that when he went to Home Depot and identified himself as such, they donated his plants which was very touching. I also talked to someone else who was number 50 last year on the waiting listing. I’d like to congratulate the parks department for doing a really good job in shortening up that list. I waited eight years. The list was down to four years, but this is much, much better. Almost every plot has been turned so far and planted so that was nice to see. Going back to the woman who spoke about the Lorax which is a book I always read when I go to the schools to read for the children, one of the trees I noticed at Greeley Park looks like it’s starting to die on the top. It’s one of the main trees at one of the main entrances. I don’t know if this board can request Mr. Nute to come out and evaluate what is going on with that tree because it is so mature but if it takes an action of this Board or if somebody can just call because some of the big trees on Greeley are very much a statement piece. If we lose one of the big ones I think getting ahead of that is a good idea. Thank you. President McCarthy Would you forward the mayor the information on which tree it is, and I’ll ask her to follow up on that. Alderman Sheehan Sure, I can send a picture. Alderman Tabacsko I join my colleagues in saying that yesterday’s parade it was a privilege to participate in honor of all of our military past and present, and I just wanted to mention that. It was a well attended parade and a beautiful day on top. On another note, I’ve been very quite this year you may have noticed. I haven’t been plugging the PAL golf tournament. I’m not actually on the committee, but this is the last week before the tournament. It’s Wednesday, June 5. I’ve been e-mailing some of you that I could find last year. Those of you that spent any money last year probably already got an e-mail from me. I’m looking up the rest of you now. If you want a tee sponsorship that’s available. They need your check by the end of the week. It’s only $75 to have a sign out. The other PAL event, I don’t want to steal Alderman Melizzi-Golja’s thunder, but this has been getting a little bit more publicity. They are advertising this in the paper. There’s a PAL Sports Dinner at Conway Arena on June 27th. This is the third year they’ve done that. This year it’s honoring Globe sportswriter Dan Shaugnessy. It’s one of those things that’s a little bit different event but they’re both fundraisers for what I think we all agree is a very worthy cause. The youth of Nashua that is served by the Police Athletic League so I just want to offer that as opportunities for giving if anybody is interested. Thank you. Bd. of Aldermen – 05/28/13 Page 27 Alderman Donchess The parade was really good and fun. Giving out candy and flags at the parade. Now we know how Alderman Deane gets all those votes. He’s been doing this year after year probably. On the trees, I can speak on the trees for quite some time. I’ve always found it very upsetting that these trees are being cut down. I always thought it was a matter of choice rather than this had to be done which we’ve heard over and over and over and over. Now it turns out it’s not true. It took a lot Eliza Weeks, who I want to thank for speaking tonight and for bringing all this out. It took her to bring to light the fact what the real truth is. The city consulted an expert arborist six or seven or eight months ago, whatever it was, who gave the city the opinion that this trees should be saved and yet to my knowledge no member of the Board of Aldermen, no member of the Board of Public Works, no member of the Downtown Advisory Committee has ever been made aware of any of this. Thank God for Eliza Weeks because she has brought at least a little bit of truth to light. Mr. Nute concludes that 43 trees should have been saved. Some of those have probably already been cut down. He calls this a significant investment made by the city. When you think about that, what do you think it would cost to buy and install a full size tree in the downtown? If I said $100,000 per tree do you think that’s too much? It could be more. By cutting down these 43 trees unnecessarily, we might be destroying an investment that is worth millions of dollars. I hope that the city takes another look at this and I could go on a long time. I think the people downtown need to think about this. The attractiveness of the sidewalk eating is enhanced by the trees. If this is clear cut what happens? What happens if around MTs and in front of the Surf and in front of Martha’s is just clear cut? Look what happened at Saffron’s. Now that might have been related to a lease, but all I know is that that restaurant had outdoor seating until the project went by and cut down the trees and then they gave it up this year. There was no outdoor seating this year for the first time ever or the first time in a number of years. I think cutting down the trees has unintended consequences which are quite unfortunate. And I could go on longer, but I won’t. I’m going to go back to the parade and say that I’m going to try take over or I’ll think about or we all should think about taking over Alderman Deane’s job, but beyond that I haven’t marched in a parade in a long time because last time I was gone for some reason I forget and I haven’t been involved in city government. I found it to be a really good experience. A lot of the members of the Board came. I think the people really enjoyed it. The people who ran the parade did a great job. The bands, the high school bands were fantastic. The marching bands. We were right behind South. I having been absent from the parades for a long time, I thought everybody did a fantastic job, the veterans and everybody involved. That’s all I have, Mr. Chair. Alderman Moriarty Merit employees. I’m going to challenge the Mayor. Strike that. I’ll encourage that the Mayor come to the Board of Aldermen, submit legislation asking us to override the charter and step schedule to cut the merit employee pay raises in half from three percent to 1 ½ percent. My reasoning stems from some information that was provided to me by a couple of different people. As we know the merit employees are getting most of them three to four percent pay increases this year. As we know most of the union employees are getting half a percent. At the Budget Review meeting I was informed that there’s this thing called the step structure. What we saw from the police contracts, the fire, etc., as the increase of a half of percent per year that behind the scenes there’s this step structure so every step increase in pay. Every year if they do an adequate job they get their step increase. Historically that’s been true. In fact historically the teachers union for the middle tier they do get a four percent increase per year and historically for those up near the top they may get half to two percent. In the past two years all that was turned off. The teachers union did not get their step increase in the past two years. They got $750 bonus which depending on how much you made was either one percent per year or half a percent per year. I also continued investigating and found out that the firemen did not get their step every year. Once every five years they get a one percent. Of course from the very beginning I knew that the library staff have just completely eliminated step increases entirely from there. So the statement might have been true at one point that behind the scenes there were these step increases but it’s no longer true at least the past two years. So just uniformity. That’s why I voted against the police contracts because I was uniformity across all the unions and now it’s time to apply the uniformity from the union contract to Bd. of Aldermen – 05/28/13 Page 28 the merit employees. So again, I request the Mayor come in and ask that the pay increase be only 2 ½ percent rather than 3. Board of Ed promotions, I’m going to request that Chairman Hallowell change his promotion practices. While watching the Budget Review Committee on TV at home, going over the Department of Education budget, there were some outlandish increases in the salaries, like eight or nine percent. The answer was they are different people. It’s not the same person getting that salary. They are new people; they are different people. I put two and two together. I’ve been reading and hearing that there have been several promotions and new hires and such. In particular there was somebody who came from assistant Principal up to Assistant Superintendent and got this substantial pay increase. The justification was that that’s what they would have had to hire to competitive to get somebody to come from the outside. By analogy, the Red Sox are a major league baseball team. They have the farm system. You don’t pay the people that you promote from within the same salary that you would pay a free agent. If you have somebody that you’re recruiting, a young go getter if they jump up three promotions, they don’t expect to get the same salary as somebody that you would use to encourage to come in from another town. But anyway this was an opportunity for the Board of Education in their hiring and promotions, this was an opportunity for them to get some cost savings by giving somebody a promotion and respect. I remember Mr. Hallowell saying when I was trying to explain to him some ideas I had on how to increase the salaries of the entry level teachers, he was saying you know the teachers, they’re not looking for more money. They just want respect. Maybe he should apply that same philosophy to the administrative, upper administrative employees. I’d like to commend the Board of Ed Commissioners Ryder, Van Twuyver, Ziehm and Murotake for voting against those promotion salaries. By the way while watching the Budget Review, please everybody speak up into the microphone. I had the TV cranked on full blast, and I’m not being flip about this, I’ve had several people come up to me and say we can’t hear anything anybody is saying. Maybe it’s a problem with our connection with Comcast but somehow we have to solve that. Main Street. This is going on a bit but anyway. I think it might have been a year ago that I was quoted in the newspaper as asking the Mayor did she consider herself a chief architect and creative director of the project. I was trying to imply that in my opinion I felt that the project needed an outside professional consultant, a landscape architect is what they would be called. For the Broad Street Parkway project we should hire an outside chief architect to manage that for us and maybe some of these issues with the trees might not have happened but maybe they would have anyway. And almost finished there. The Galvis family, I mentioned it. You asked a question for those, the on line fundraiser website for people who weren’t able to attend that Thursday event because you have Budget Review. www.giftfor.com/fundraiser/ts82/galvisfund. But basically if you go to the www.giftfor.com and search for Galvis you can find the way to contribute. Finally, the Veterans Day Parade. I attend all parades and march in all the parades that I can. Unfortunately in my case my youngest kid was sick so I had to stay home, but I at least got a temporary sitter, drove down while the parade was setting up and told all the VFW people I could find that I’d like to march on their behalf but I couldn’t but at least thank you for your service. Thank you for listening. Alderman Caron Unfortunately I couldn’t attend the parade yesterday. I really wanted to but we had a death in the family and spent a rather hectic three days. The other thing that I have is concerning the trees. I think that I have no problem if we need to take some trees down but what Commissioner Pappas said about not getting these communications from Mr. Nute or even from Superintendent Caggiano is really disturbing to me because as the Board of Public Works, they oversee all of this. IN order for them to make good judgments and vote they should have had all this information. I know the Mayor is the Chairman of this committee, but there are four people that are elected by the city and they should have as much information as they can to make uniformed and good judgments just like we need to. Sometimes you come in with an opinion but people talk and you hear other sides and you can change it, but this is very concerning for me. I am glad that we got this memo from Miss Weeks. I would like to see more information on that before anymore trees get taken down. That’s all. Thank you. Bd. of Aldermen – 05/28/13 Page 29 Alderman Chasse I walked in the parade yesterday too, and I want to thank Alderman Melizzi-Golja for standing right by my side and just waiting for me to fall. Like a wiry old vet I finished it. After the parade, I did go down to the American Legion, and I ran into a vet that I worked with at Hampshire Chemical, 87 years old, who introduced me to the 92 year old vet that was in the paper on Sunday, Mr. Prince. I got to talk to Mr. Prince. I was introduced as Paul Chasse and not Alderman Chasse. Mr. Prince just looked at me and said, I know you. Ninety-two years old, he was naming off all the people from French Hill where we grew up. He knew exactly that I came from the big family and I was the oldest boy and I was a junior and it was amazing just to see that this guy is 92 years old and he’s got all his marbles and he’s in great health. I hope he goes for another 10, 12, 15 years if he can make it. On the other thing, you started it. Children’s Home tournament, June 27th, down at Souhegan Woods. It is sold out, unfortunately, so I can’t get any more people in there. The other thing is the trees. I don’t have any trees in my yard, and it’s not because I’m not a tree hugger. I think I’m going to give Mr. Nute a call. Maybe he can stop those helicopters from coming in my yard because they are coming in from my neighbors. My yard is loaded. Maybe he’s got a little trick up his sleeve where I can stop these things from coming over to my side. Thank you with that. Alderman Melizzi-Golja Alderman Chasse, I had no doubt you were going to make it. We were glad to see you here this evening an don’t limping. That was my concern. I’d like to thank the speakers who came this evening and thank you to Miss Weeks for all of the information you provided not only your perspective but the other documents that you provided along with that. I think we all feel we’re only as good as the information we get. I would share Alderman Caron’s concern about everyone getting complete information related to this concern as well as other concerns. As to yesterday and the parade the bands were great. I had an opportunity to talk to some new families in the area who had students playing in the bands. They were thrilled by the show of community yesterday. I think that those families that lost members across all of the wars should know that the community certainly supports them and thank their families for their sacrifice. Alderman Dowd As a former Naval Officer, I would like to thank everybody involved with the parade. I did probably against my better judgment walk in the parade because of my knees. I’m suffering a little today, but it was okay during the parade. Also I met Patti Rogers’ daughter there who’s an Ensign in the United States Navy serving as a supply officer, going to supply school down in Newport, Rhode Island. It was kind of fun and déjà vu to talk to her about what’s going on in the Navy as a first-hand person. So I congratulated her for her service, and quite an amazing young woman. I wish her well. The other thing is I sort of understand your comments Alderman Moriarty about some of these pay increases but the Assistant Superintendent was the Principal of Nashua High School South and did not get a pay raise to go over and become Assistant Superintendent. She had no pay raise. She came over with her same salary. I’d like the opportunity to talk to you about some of the salaries, why they are getting the salaries that they are getting and the way that they arrived at them. I did notice that I watched the Board of Education meeting the other night. They are setting up a priority system for new salaries for hiring people and will have different ranges based on the people’s experience going into those positions. It will be more or less set going forward. They have a lot of things to come to conclusion about but at least they are working in the right direction. Alderman Wilshire I was unable to attend the parade yesterday, but I do want to thank all the veterans for their service and all the families for the sacrifices they made. While you were at the American Legion perhaps you saw my grandfather’s picture hanging on the wall. He was the Commander of the American Legion. If you’re in Bd. of Aldermen – 05/28/13 Page 30 there next time, look him up: Ernie Ledoux. He was a naval officer, and I’m very proud of that. Also I’m also proud of my son, U.S. Army Sergeant Rob Lowe who’s leaving this week for Afghanistan, second tour. Thanks to all of them, everyone in my family who’s served and everyone in our community who served. I just want to say thanks also to Nick Caggiano for expanding the community gardens over at Greeley Park. What they’ve been doing is when someone gives up a plot is cutting it in half and making them smaller so more people are able to enjoy them. I think when they first started out many, many years ago, I think in the 40s or 50s even, they were big because people had really big families back then, 50 x 100 the former park manager is telling me. But now they are 20 x 20 and families are smaller these days so I think that’s adequate. I do commend them for working on their waiting list. It’s significantly decreased and at a more manageable level. To piggyback on what Alderman Chasse said, yes the Club National Golf Tournament is sold out again as it has been, I believe, every year for the 14 years the Children’s Home has been the benefactor of that tournament. But there are sponsorships available so if anyone is interested in a sponsorship, you can see either Alderman Chasse or myself. Thank you. President McCarthy I just wanted to comment without talking about the fate of the trees, I would point out that this Board was aware that Mr. Nute was contacted. I had actually asked the administration to talk to Mr. Nute before he was contacted last fall and had commented to the Board at some meeting, and I don’t remember what, I don’t think it was full Board meeting. I think it was a meeting where a discussion of the sidewalks took place that that had happened. I had not asked to receive a copy of the report. I simply wanted to make sure that the administration had actually talked to Mr. Nute and had him come in. So we did know that happened. I’m sort of surprised that the Board of Public Works was unaware that that was the case because I believed at the time that they certainly knew that was going on. Further than that, I can’t comment on it all that much. Yesterday was really a nice time with the parade. I want to thank as everybody else has all of our veterans for their service. It’s always nice to go out and do those. It’s even nicer when the weather is good. Yesterday was a great change from last week as Alderman Deane pointed out. I was at the Red Sox game on Sunday and it couldn’t whether it was cold and rainy in the first, third, fifth and seventh innings or hot enough to burn you in the second, fourth, sixth and eighth innings so yesterday was a nice change from that weather pattern. It looks like we’re going to see summer finally arrive at the end of this week, and I look forward to that. The International Sculpture Symposium is currently underway and will be concluding on June 8th. The closing event is at the Park Social at Labine at 1:00 p.m. on June 8th. I encourage anybody who can make it to get there. The symposium is always a really great event that leaves us with more art than we had beforehand and that’s always a good thing. Again, June 8th, 1:00 p.m., Park Social. Please try to be there. And on that same day be sure to congratulate Alderman Caron on her birthday. Alderman Dowd One thing I did forget, Mr. Roy Rankin who’s the Airport Manager at the Nashua Airport is retiring after 22 years. He’s only the second airport manager ever at the Nashua Airport. Mr. Kenny Howe was the Airport Manager for a number of years. I don’t even remember how many but since its inception. I wish him well. I actually hired him when I was the Chairman of the Airport Authority so I’m looking forward to shaking his hand as he steps down. I don’t know who will be taking his place. Committee announcements: President McCarthy The Budget Committee will meet tomorrow night, Thursday night. The public hearing is Monday night. There will be wrap up meetings on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Bd. of Aldermen – 05/28/13 Page 31 Alderman Deane I for the life of me don’t understand why the agenda for the budget committee was put together like this. It seems like tomorrow we have Pinewood Cemetery, Woodlawn Cemetery, Edgewood Cemetery, Suburban Cemetery, Nashua Airport, Public Works Administration, Street Department, Park and Rec, Solid Waste and Wastewater. That’s in one night. Then on the 30th, we have Finance Services which is a big department, Risk Management which is even bigger, city buildings, Purchasing, Hunt Building, Assessing, GIS, Water Supply, Street Lighting, Pension, Debt Service, Contingency, Capital Equipment Reserve and Capital Improvements. I plan on a long evening. I just think this should have been broken out into a couple of more nights. I don’t think it was necessary to put this much on here. The thing that really concerns me is I’d like to go through everything and understand things. After three or four hours, you have people who work here that sit here and wait. If we only get through half of it then we have to reschedule. Then they have to come back again which I don’t really like having anybody have to do that. I would have split this up into three or four different nights. I’m not the one who made the agenda, but if this is the way we’re doing it, we’re going to be here for a long. Public Works is tomorrow and I have a lot of questions of the Director of Public Works for tomorrow. President McCarthy I will tell you that we have the same number of nights and department presentations that we’ve had probably every year for the last ten. Alderman Deane Did you go back and look to see how many of them were pushed back into another night and how many other meetings were added? President McCarthy No, I did not. Alderman Deane That might reflect on some of the problems. The other question, if you’ll indulge me, is the city’s health insurance since we’re self insured is that affected by the Obama Care that’s soon to be implemented? President McCarthy I can’t answer the question authoritatively but my belief is to the extent that anything is required of an employer supplying health care those provisions will apply to us equally. Alderman Deane I found it interesting to see in the news today that these unions throughout the country are finally understanding what the net effect is of Obama Care is to their health insurance plans. As the arguments been brought up in the room a lot is that they decided to forego pay increases in lieu of the benefit packages and now they’re finding out that what Obama Care is going to do to their benefit packages over the years that they gave up their pay increases they had no idea that this was coming. A lot of them are extremely upset with it. President McCarthy I guess I’m not sure exactly what provisions you’re asking about. I do know that we were told by the consultant that did the presentation a few weeks back that the “Cadillac” plan tax that funds the Bd. of Aldermen – 05/28/13 Page 32 subsidized health care plans would in fact apply to us if the benefits of our plans fall under the criteria in the legislation. Alderman Deane I think that’s one of the points that these unions are making that they have these wonderful health care plans and they are going to fall under that and there’s going to be a price to pay and they feel that they gave up these pay increases in lieu of maintaining the health care benefits which do have a financial value to them. The other thing, Mr. President, and Alderman Moriarty spoke on it earlier, I don’t care what committee meets in this room or how close people put their face to the microphone, if you’re at home you still have to turn your TV all the way up to hear anything. It’s not people speaking, it’s equipment issues. President McCarthy We are looking at replacing the sound system and much of the other equipment in this room. Alderman Deane On occasion it’s individuals, but more often than not it’s the equipment. Alderman Dowd Joint School building committee will meet Thursday, the 6th, at 6:30 p.m., here in the Chamber. Alderman Chasse Finance at 6:30 p.m. next week and not 7 because Budget is at 7. ADJOURNMENT MOTION BY ALDERMAN CHASSE THAT THE MAY 28, 2013 MEETING OF THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN BE ADJOURNED MOTION CARRIED The meeting was declared adjourned at 9:32 p.m. Attest: Patricia Piecuch, Deputy City Clerk