Nashua Finance Committee Meeting Summary - November 5, 2025

The Nashua Finance Committee convened on Wednesday, November 5, 2025, at 17:19. Due to the unavailability of the Council President and Alderman Clemens, Mayor Donches presided over the meeting. In attendance were City staff representatives from various departments including Technology, Sustainability, Streets, and Public Works. The committee proceeded to review, discuss, and vote on a series of funding approvals, contract awards, and change orders related to software renewals, infrastructure projects, equipment purchases, and public art initiatives.

Consent Calendar

• Placer AI Subscription: The committee approved a two-year renewal for Placer AI software ($55,938) to provide event statistics for the Economic Development department. CIO Nick Meisovich noted the four percent discount for the multi-year term.
• Kronos Migration Project: Approved Change Order #1 ($128,000) to cover extended timelines and additional training items not in the original scope, ensuring Phase One completion.
• Jackson Mills Turbine Replacement (Reduction): Approved Change Order #9 (a reduction of $68,241.83) to unencumber unused contingency funds from the Bancroft contract, preparing funds for the subsequent change order.
• Jackson Mills Turbine Replacement (Transport): Approved Change Order #7 ($154,772.60) to cover the increased cost of transporting generator equipment from the Czech Republic to Nashua, negotiated as a final settlement with Marvel America.
• Lead Paint Inspection Services: Approved a contract with New England Restorations LLC DBA Above the Rest Inspections (not to exceed $560,000) to perform lead hazard assessments for up to 230 housing units, replacing a suspended contract with a previous vendor due to licensing issues.
• City Hall HVAC Upgrade: Approved a contract with Schroeder Construction (not to exceed $732,489) to install a new boiler and upgrade air conditioning, with construction scheduled to begin within one week.
• Greeley Park Stonehouse Improvement: Approved Change Order #4 ($14,592.48) to install a tempered water system to meet New Hampshire building code requirements, a feature not originally in the bid documents.
• Tinker Road Guard Rail: Approved a contract with CWS Fence and Guard Rail (not to exceed $27,350) to replace existing jersey barriers with guardrails at a crash-prone curve near Route 360 to improve driver safety.
• 2025 Sewer Replacement Project: Approved Change Order #3 ($1,000,000) to extend the contract with CRISP Contracting, a local firm, to fund ongoing manhole raises, repairs, and emergency work through the end of the fiscal year.
• Gas Monitoring System: Approved a contract with TC Control Group (not to exceed $400,879) to purchase and install new sensors at the wastewater treatment facility to monitor oxygen, methane, and hydrogen sulfide.
• Landfill Gas Collection: Approved a contract with Jay Bates and Sons LLC (not to exceed $379,120) for the annual expansion of the landfill gas collection system.
• PFAS Leaching Removal Study: Approved engineering oversight services (not to exceed $324,100) with Sam Born Head and Associates for the pilot program to remove PFAS from the Four Hills Landfill leachate.
• Winter Road Salt: Approved the procurement of winter road salt ($545,000) from Eastern Minerals and Granite State Minerals, piggybacking on a state bid.
• Street Department Equipment: Approved the purchase of a 2026 John Deere 624P Tier Wheel Loader (not to exceed $399,800) with a life-of-use warranty.
• Parks Department Vehicles: Approved the purchase of two 2026 Ford F-350 4x4 trucks with snow plow packages (not to exceed $182,872) to replace corroded maintenance vehicles.
• Keefe Auditorium Design: Approved limited design services ($79,500) with Icon Architecture Inc. to develop conceptual plans for the auditorium renovation, a critical step required before finalizing redevelopment proposals for the Elm Street Middle School.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Public Comments: No public testimony was recorded during this specific segment of the meeting.
• Staff Presentation on Placer AI: CIO Nick Meisovich presented the software renewal, explaining its economic utility. Director of Economic Development Liz Hannem confirmed sharing data with local businesses.
• Staff Presentation on Lead Paint: Purchasing Manager Amy Gerard explained the transition to a new vendor (Above the Rest Inspections) due to licensing suspensions with the previous vendor, noting a slight cost reduction from the previously budgeted $584,310.
• Staff Presentation on Stonehouse: City Engineer Dan Hudson clarified that the tempered water requirement is a code compliance issue discovered during construction, not a fault of the contractor.
• Staff Presentation on Guard Rails: Dan Hudson explained that the shift from jersey barriers to guardrails on Tinker Road is intended to yield slightly better safety outcomes for drivers during impact, while still preventing vehicles from entering the woods.
• Staff Presentation on Sewer Contract: Dan Hudson emphasized the value of working with local firm CRISP Contracting for both planned and emergency repairs.
• Staff Presentation on Art Mural: Economic Development Director Liz Hannem detailed the selection process involving an Arts Commission committee. Arts Commissioner Lori Spear Savett described the committee's voting structure which included representatives from the Public Works department, Clock Tower district, Rialto Club, and the Arts Commission. Alderman Thibodeau expressed support for art but opposition to the $105,000 expense due to budget concerns regarding the unhoused crisis. Alderman Moran opposed the funding citing the city's inability to address the warming shelter issue.

Discussion Items

• Jackson Mills Cost Clarification: Clarification was requested regarding the $154,000 transportation cost versus the $68,000 reduction, confirming the net project cost includes the full $154,772.60.
• Keefe Auditorium Strategic Necessity: Director of Administrative Services Tim Cummings and the Board discussed the strategic necessity of the Keefe Auditorium design phase. Cummings clarified that proceeding with the Elm Street Middle School redevelopment proposals is contingent upon securing the auditorium's space requirements, making this design work time-sensitive to allow private sector developers to adjust their proposals accordingly.
• Mural Funding and Necessity Debate: Following Alderman Moran's objection regarding the city's lack of funding for the unhoused warming shelter, Director Cummings clarified that the $105,000 for the mural is sourced specifically from the Riverfront TIFF Fund and cannot legally be reallocated to other uses. Furthermore, staff noted that if the mural were not painted, the wall would still require anti-graffiti treatment, an expensive project likely costing significantly more than the mural itself, though the exact cost breakdown within the $105,000 was not immediately available in the text.
• Alderman Thibodeau's Vote: Alderman Thibodeau explicitly stated he would vote "no" on the mural project. While appreciating the artistic effort, he cited the fiscal crisis related to the unhoused population and the opening of a warming shelter as his primary reason for opposition. Alderman Moran also voted "no" for similar reasons regarding the prioritization of resources.

Key Outcomes

• Approved: 23 items on the Consent Calendar/Agenda were approved via unanimous votes, including the Placer AI renewal, various construction change orders, equipment purchases, and the Keefe Auditorium design contract.
• Rejected: The contract for the Water Street Wall Mural and Renaissance Park Art Mural (not to exceed $105,000) failed. The vote tally was 3 in favor and 2 opposed (Alderman Thibodeau and Alderman Moran).
• Adjournment: The meeting was moved to adjourn by Alderman Thibodeau and ended at 20:13 p.m.
• Administrative Actions: The committee recorded expenditures for the period October 10–30, 2025, and confirmed that the Library Plaza item remains tabled for future consideration.