The regular meeting of the Board of Alderman to order on Tuesday, September 9th, 2025 at 7:30 p.m.

in the Aldermanic Chamber, which has been duly noticed in two places, including the city's website in accordance with the requirements of RSA 91A.

We'll be offered by City Clerk Dan Healy and Alderman at Large Michael O'Brien will lead us in the pledge to the flag.

Almighty God, we have the high honor and the serious duty to manage the affairs of our beloved city.

Fill us, oh God, with a spirit of unity in understanding, which enables us to face our multiple problems with a serene mind with justice and charity for all, so that any and all decisions made by us will always be for the betterment and greater happiness of all our fellow citizens.

So help us God, amen.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and one nation under God, individual liberty and justice for all.

Here Alban Govell.

Thanks.

Alderman Clemens.

Here.

Alderman Senate.

Here.

Aldman Jelly.

Alderman Tebow.

Aldman Clee.

Here.

Alderman Dowd.

Present.

Aldwoman Kelly.

Here.

Alban Wilshire.

Here.

13 present, two absent.

We have a quorum.

Also joining us this evening is Mayor Jim Donchus and Corporation Council Steve Bolton.

Mayor, did you wish to address the board this evening?

Uh yes, Madam President.

Um I wanted to mention a couple things that are on the agenda tonight, uh, or a few things, and then um something else that I'll get to at the end.

But uh first of all, at our last meeting, we had a group of people can't come in, some of which were out of from out of town, but to express concern regarding the acquisition by a Chinese entity of the property on Northeastern Boulevard, Northwestern Boulevard.

And um subsequent to that, uh various concerns have been expressed concerning uh the Chinese acquisition of property in New Hampshire and specifically in Nashua.

So if you look to R 25208, which is being introduced uh for the first time tonight, uh in this resolution I am seeking your authority to write to state and federal um office holders, especially those who have expressed concern, to ask for their support uh regarding the purchase of Daniel Webster College, their financial support.

Uh the and why do I say this?

Well, Daniel Webster College is a 40 sum-acre parcel, just as c closer that to the airport, just all nearly as close to the water supply, closer to BAE, same distance from Hanscom, all the concerns that were expressed, and it is owned by a Chinese entity.

Uh and it is sat in um uh our community, unproductive for uh such a long time, for years.

And if we could obtain the funds to purchase that property, which uh we believe it could be purchased around 20 million dollars, uh we could do something productive, housing, something, something good there rather than just nothing, and then it would be owned uh owned by uh somebody uh American uh citizenship rather than a Chinese corporation.

So you know, hopefully you will support that resolution.

Number two, there are a couple of there are some housing issues that are um uh I think coming forward, and of course I know we all are working on trying to create as much housing and affordable housing as we can.

Uh the uh there's a resolution uh to approve a uh development agreement with the the housing authority for the redevelopment of part of Maynard Homes.

Uh as you will recall, we supported, we as a group supported uh the redevelopment of the Bronstein apartments to Monaghan Manor, and we're able to increase the number of units there by 150 or so, and uh all of which are affordable.

And there's a similar uh undertaking that uh the housing authority wants to uh uh do over on uh Burke Street at Maynard Homes, and this would be the first phase, so that development agreement would go to uh whatever the appropriate committee is, and hopefully we can get that project off the ground and create some more housing.

On the on another front, the demolition of the NIMCO property where we will see the development of 200 and some units of housing should begin either late this month or early or sometime in October, should begin and be completed sometime in the next uh couple of months.

Uh that will, of course, lead to uh the development of housing there.

You have approved a development agreement for that property, so once the demolition is occurs, then uh you know construction could uh could begin.

I did want to mention, Madam President, R25200, which is a um an agreement with the Boys and Girls Club for the acceptance of a uh of funds of considerable, over 400,000 that the Boys and Girls Club has raised to upgrade the street hockey facility that is city-owned but adjacent to the club.

Uh the uh Bruins have given money, uh Conway Arena has given a lot of money.

Um Craig Fitzgerald, who leads the club, is here uh and has made presentations to the Board of Public Works a couple of at least once, I maybe twice, I believe was at the infrastructure committee, uh showing the that committee what uh what they were planning.

Uh nothing is required of the city other than we have to, we're simply agreeing to give them uh use of that exclusive use for their for their programming for I think it's 12 to 15 hours per week, uh, and but it would result in a very large upgrade to that facility, not only for their members, but also for anybody, any kids who want to use it in the neighborhood when the boys and girls club are not using it.

Um if you could consider uh a suspension of the rules to pass that tonight, it would be would be, and some of you I know are familiar with this.

Uh it would be helpful because they would like to start and try to finish this job uh this fall, and weather is uh becoming an issue, and uh therefore the quicker that uh they can begin the the better.

I know um Mr.

Fitzgerald is here.

If anybody had any questions, I'm sure he would be more than happy to answer them.

Finally, Madam President, I mean I wasn't I didn't I wanted to mention something that just happened.

I I just came out of the meeting from over at the library uh with various downtown business owners as well as uh other city employees, uh Bobby Bagley, um Latanya Mucioli from on the housing front, uh Liz Hannem from economic development.

And it was with various owners of downtown properties and businesses, uh which you know I won't go through everyone who was there, but you're familiar with all with pretty much everyone that was there.

And they are expressing very significant concerns regarding the escalation of the problem of homelessness in the downtown and the escalation of the escalation of aggressive behavior, which they believe is affecting the uh viability of their businesses, and is causing them to lose revenue.

Now I know we've talked about this many times, but the survival, the success, the thriving, thriving downtown business community is essential to the success of the city.

So I think we need to explore with them some new approaches to try to try to improve the situation.

I think you as a group, we should arrange a meeting so you can hear directly what some of these concerns are.