OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Nashua City Council Meeting Summary - December 5, 2025

Board of Aldermen Meetings — Friday, December 5, 2025
BodyNashua, New Hampshire
SessionBoard of Aldermen Meetings
DateFriday, December 5, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 2:41:40

Transcript — Verbatim
0:31

So that any and all decisions made by us will always be for the betterment and greater happiness of all our fellow citizens.

0:40

So help us God.

0:41

Amen.

0:42

Pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands.

0:49

One nation under God.

0:51

Invisible with liberty and justice for all.

1:01

Let's start the meeting by taking a roll call attendance, please.

1:08

Augman O'Brien is present.

1:11

Alderman Greg.

1:12

Present.

1:13

Alderman Moran.

1:17

Otterman Thibault.

1:21

Otherwise.

1:29

Alderman Sullivan here.

1:32

Hogan Clements.

1:34

Here.

1:34

Other and Senate.

1:36

Here.

1:37

Altum and Jetty.

1:38

Here.

1:40

Alderman Thibault.

1:41

Here.

1:42

Altaman Clay.

1:46

Autumn Dowd.

1:48

Present.

1:49

Ottawa Women Kelly.

1:53

Altaman Wilshire.

1:54

I am here.

1:56

We have two five.

2:05

Ten Alderman present.

2:07

Thank you.

2:08

Also in attendance this evening is Mayor Jim Donchus.

2:12

Is it customary for these hearings?

2:14

I'm going to turn this meeting over to the chair of the budget review committee, Alderman Dowd.

2:18

Okay, this evening we have 10 public hearings to hear before we go in the budget.

2:24

And before we get into the first public hearing, I'm gonna give the mayor and the city uh CFO a chance to speak on some of these.

2:35

Um I'm also going to ask that when you come up and speak that you be very succinct.

2:41

We have 10 of these to go through tonight, and with the weather conditions, we want to get through this as quickly as possible.

2:48

And if the person in front of you agrees with what you said, please just come up and say you agree with the previous speaker.

2:54

If you get off topic, I'm gonna have to ask you to sit down.

2:58

So your discussions have to be succinct with the person with a resolution that we're talking about at the time and nothing else.

3:06

Right now I'll let uh the mayor speak on on these resolutions.

3:12

Oh well, thank you, Mr.

3:13

Chair.

3:13

Um well, I want to say first that um we're here based upon the fact that uh we delivered the budget that we said we would.

3:23

Uh we passed a budget that uh was a maintained services budget uh with uh uh t higher tax increase than we all had hoped we all would have wanted, six percent, but it is what we or five point nine percent, but it is what we anticipated because of the increased drivers of cost such as health care, such as the busing contract for the schools, such as special ed, uh electricity costs, and many other things that went up uh much much more than the rate of inflation.

3:57

Um but uh so and in addition to that we div developed a surplus that uh enables us to undertake some additional or meet some additional needs.

4:09

Uh as you will hear from the CFO Don Enright, uh we still we have a uh a uh fund balance uh of over 40 million dollars, and we have um uh an additional thirty-one million dollars of uh uh the of the uh uh fund balance.

4:34

Uh and we are anticipating that we use eight million dollars of that, will which will reduce that to um 23 million or a total of sixty-three million dollars.

4:44

Now some of the items that and um CFL CFON right will uh go through the details of that uh for you.

5:00

But some of the items that we are talking about is first, certainly the special ed needs to special ed expenses need to be met.

5:07

The school department, you will hear from them regarding how these costs have escalated, the ability the problems of hiring special ed teachers and the necessity of contracting out that service because of the legal obligation to provide education special ed to our special ed students.

5:30

And that you see from R25215 is a $3 million amount.

5:35

Another a couple more that are of significance are the appropriation for the capital equipment reserve fund, that's a million and a half dollars.

5:46

You will recall that we budgeted $2.5 million, but in order to make the equipment purchases that we need this year, we need to allocate another $1.5 million to that purpose.

6:00

Number three, the third rather significant item, more than a million dollars, is the $1.5 million proposed for the so-called benefits self-insurance fund.

6:14

Now, I think we all realize that the city is self-insured when it comes to health benefits for city employees, but we need to maintain a large enough balance in that account to meet the insurance needs or the costs of health care as they arise during the course of the year.

6:38

Now we have seen our our health our health costs are going up double digits.

6:43

We have seen what has happened across the state with other entities of government who have who are suffering even worse than we are.

7:22

But you will hear some of you will hear more of the details of that, I think from Director Cummings as that public hearing is called.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Homelessness████████████████████████24%
Fiscal Sustainability████████████████████20%
School Infrastructure███████████████15%
Procedural████████8%
Procurement Processes████████8%
Public Safety███████7%
Employee Retirement Benefits██████6%
Capital Expenditures████4%
Engineering And Infrastructure████4%
Summary of Proceedings

Nashua City Council Meeting Summary - December 5, 2025

The Nashua Board of Alderman convened for 10 public hearings to consider supplemental appropriations totaling $8.5 million from the assigned fund balance. Mayor Jim Donchus and CFO Don Enright highlighted a healthy financial position with a total fund balance exceeding $60 million, driven by revenues exceeding expectations and lower-than-budgeted expenditures. The meeting focused on addressing unanticipated costs in special education, self-insurance health benefits, capital equipment, and new initiatives to support the unhoused population and downtown safety, while facing significant public and council opposition regarding the timing, necessity, and transparency of using supplemental appropriations for items not fully anticipated in the annual budget process.

Consent Calendar

  • R25222 (Lead Paint Grant): Public hearing closed and resolution withdrawn as the federal government shutdown ended, making the funding no longer necessary.
  • R25214 (Capital Equipment Reserve): Hearing opened; testimony received noting funds are IRS rebates for electric vehicles not yet in hand.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Fred T. Boom (24 Cheyenne Drive): Expressed strong opposition to R25214 and R25215, arguing that appropriations for funds not yet received or for future years violate budget integrity and should wait for year-end surplus calculations. He accused the administration of "deceptive" practices by using supplemental appropriations to keep tax rates lower in the annual budget. Regarding R25224 (Police Roof), he criticized the lack of an RFP process before estimating costs. Generally, he opposed all supplemental appropriations not strictly for immediate emergencies.
  • Laurie Ortolano (41 Berkeley Street): Opposed R25214, R25215, and R25218. She argued that with the existing surplus, the city could have increased the annual appropriation to lower the tax rate further rather than using supplemental mechanisms. She criticized the lack of detail in resolutions, making it impossible for the public to know exactly what purchases are being funded, and expressed concern that the R25215 request ignores a report on school building underutilization.
  • Paula Johnson (Ward 5): Expressed concern that R25215 (Special Ed) is for "future" costs five months into the budget. She requested a delay, suggesting the school district wait until year-end to fund the trust from actual surplus rather than using assigned balance. She also noted that federal funding for homelessness is shifting but supported the R25216 (Resource Center) concept while urging a larger plan.
  • Gloria Ortolano (41 Berkeley Street): Expressed support for R25216, stating the city must fulfill its commitment to move unhoused individuals from encampments and live by the promise of resources.
  • Bob Keating, Granite State Organizing Project: Expressed support for the concept of the R25216 Resource Center but cautioned that the $300,000 is insufficient for permanent housing compared to the cost of preserving current housing against federal cuts. He urged allocation of funds toward immediate sheltering or longer-term housing solutions once the warming station closes.
  • Tonya Nisley, Grand Estate: Expressed conditional support for the R25216 Resource Center but argued it is insufficient without bedroom or sleeping accommodations. She urged the council to consider allocating funds for actual beds or transitional housing.
  • Bill Ferriero: Expressed support for R25216 and R25219 (Self-Insurance). Regarding the budget surplus, he stated he understood the need for a surplus but questioned the fidelity of the budget if surpluses are consistently used for supplements.
  • Kevin Morke (Chief of Police): Provided testimony for R25217, explaining the need for overtime to fund downtown patrols and a specific crime incident (Sky Meadow), noting that the department is currently understaffed but hiring to resolve this by March.
  • Diane Maholland (Treasurer/Tax Collector): Provided testimony for R25218 (Capital Equipment), explaining the supplemental appropriation was requested because the $2.5 million annual budget was insufficient for vehicle costs, and the additional $1.5 million was necessary to avoid raising the tax rate further in the annual budget.

Discussion Items

  • Special Education (R25215): A request for $3 million to fund the Special Education Expendable Trust Fund. The School District COO Crystal De Grey and Superintendent Mario Andrade explained the request is a proactive measure to offset rising costs (out-of-district tuition, contract services, staffing) and declining federal/state reimbursements (ESSER funds, Medicaid). They clarified the need is for future years, not to cover a current deficit. Alderman O'Brien challenged the timing, noting they are only five months into the budget, and questioned why funds couldn't be set aside later from the year-end surplus.
  • Resource Center for Unhoused Populations (R25216): A request for $300,000 to establish a Resource Center. Director Bobby Bagley and Housing Officer Latonya Mussioli explained the need for a centralized location to connect unhoused individuals with services (ID, benefits, housing) now that the "no camping" ordinance has displaced encampments. Mayor Donchus confirmed a warming station is open and a location is being negotiated. Alderman Jetty noted the center is a day program and asked why funds couldn't be used for immediate shelter beds on Elm Street or to extend the warming station.
  • Downtown Patrols (R25217): A request for $220,000 for Police overtime to fund two downtown patrol officers for the remaining fiscal year. Chief Morke explained this covers the Sky Meadow incident and the new downtown patrols, which had a positive reception from business owners. Alderman Boom questioned why a budget increase wasn't anticipated, given the department is still understaffed.
  • Capital Equipment Reserve (R25218): A request for $1.5 million to fund city fleet purchases. Treasurer Maholland stated the annual budget was set at $2.5 million to avoid a tax rate increase, but vehicle costs rose, necessitating the supplement. Alderman Boom and Ortolano criticized this as deceptive budgeting, arguing the full amount should have been budgeted and the tax rate reduced using the existing surplus.
  • Benefits Self-Insurance Fund (R25219): A request for $1.5 million to maintain balance against double-digit increases in healthcare costs. Director Tim Cummings stated the department is on target but needs the reserve to cover potential high-cost claims (e.g., cancer). Alderman Boom rejected the need for a buffer, arguing the budget should be set accurately for actual needs.
  • General Contingency (R25220): A request for $200,000 to fund a "clean team" for downtown cleanup using existing DPW staff overtime. Director Liz Heintz explained this is an interim solution until the 2027 budget. Alderman Boom opposed the use of assigned fund balance for recurring annual cleaning issues.
  • Lead Paint Hazard Grant (R25223): A request for $95,784 to cover non-reimbursable expenses from a 2020 HUD grant. Director Matt Sulivan explained HUD will not reimburse these specific remediation expenses, requiring city funds. Alderman Boom questioned why the city did not know these expenses were ineligible earlier and if a statute of limitations applies.
  • Police Department Roof (R25224): An increase in request from $600,000 to $1.5 million for roof repair/replacement due to the discovery of asbestos. Chief of Police Kevin Morke and Project Manager Tim Lamir explained the cost increase is necessary due to hazardous material abatement. Alderman Boom criticized the lack of an RFP to secure a qualified maximum price, with Director Cummings defending the use of a current vendor for efficiency and pricing stability in the current market.
  • Fund Balance Discussion: CFO Don Enright clarified that the unassigned fund balance is approximately $41.1 million (11.4% of the operating budget), meeting requirements for bonding agencies, while the assigned fund balance is the specific pot used for these supplemental requests.

Key Outcomes

  • R25214 (Electric Vehicle Rebate): Public hearing concluded; motion to defer or withdraw noted by Mayor but proceeding to vote based on committee recommendation.
  • R25215 (Special Education): Public hearing concluded; $3 million appropriation pending vote; significant debate on the definition of "proactive" vs. "emergency" funding.
  • R25216 (Resource Center): Public hearing concluded; $300,000 appropriation pending vote; community members urged the inclusion of shelter beds.
  • R25217 (Police Overtime): Public hearing concluded; $220,000 appropriation pending vote to fund downtown patrols and incident response.
  • R25218 (Capital Equipment): Public hearing concluded; $1.5 million appropriation pending vote; controversy remains regarding the budgeting strategy.
  • R25219 (Self-Insurance): Public hearing concluded; $1.5 million appropriation pending vote to ensure coverage of health claims.
  • R25220 (Downtown Clean Team): Public hearing concluded; $200,000 appropriation pending vote.
  • R25221 (Lead Program): Public hearing concluded; $325,000 resolution withdrawn as federal funding is restored.
  • R25223 (Lead Paint Grant): Public hearing concluded; $95,784 appropriation pending vote to cover ineligible HUD expenses.
  • R25224 (Police Roof): Public hearing concluded; $1.5 million appropriation pending vote; debate on RFP process continues.
  • Adjournment: Motion to adjourn the December 4, 2025, special meeting carried; meeting adjourned at 9:41 PM.

Meeting Transcript

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. Pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands. One nation under God. Invisible with liberty and justice for all. Let's start the meeting by taking a roll call attendance, please. Augman O'Brien is present. Alderman Greg. Present. Alderman Moran. Otterman Thibault. Otherwise. Alderman Sullivan here. Hogan Clements. Here. Other and Senate. Here. Altum and Jetty. Here. Alderman Thibault. Here. Altaman Clay. Autumn Dowd. Present. Ottawa Women Kelly. Altaman Wilshire. I am here. We have two five. Ten Alderman present. Thank you. Also in attendance this evening is Mayor Jim Donchus. Is it customary for these hearings? I'm going to turn this meeting over to the chair of the budget review committee, Alderman Dowd. Okay, this evening we have 10 public hearings to hear before we go in the budget. And before we get into the first public hearing, I'm gonna give the mayor and the city uh CFO a chance to speak on some of these. Um I'm also going to ask that when you come up and speak that you be very succinct. We have 10 of these to go through tonight, and with the weather conditions, we want to get through this as quickly as possible. And if the person in front of you agrees with what you said, please just come up and say you agree with the previous speaker. If you get off topic, I'm gonna have to ask you to sit down. So your discussions have to be succinct with the person with a resolution that we're talking about at the time and nothing else. Right now I'll let uh the mayor speak on on these resolutions. Oh well, thank you, Mr. Chair. Um well, I want to say first that um we're here based upon the fact that uh we delivered the budget that we said we would. Uh we passed a budget that uh was a maintained services budget uh with uh uh t higher tax increase than we all had hoped we all would have wanted, six percent, but it is what we or five point nine percent, but it is what we anticipated because of the increased drivers of cost such as health care, such as the busing contract for the schools, such as special ed, uh electricity costs, and many other things that went up uh much much more than the rate of inflation. Um but uh so and in addition to that we div developed a surplus that uh enables us to undertake some additional or meet some additional needs. Uh as you will hear from the CFO Don Enright, uh we still we have a uh a uh fund balance uh of over 40 million dollars, and we have um uh an additional thirty-one million dollars of uh uh the of the uh uh fund balance. Uh and we are anticipating that we use eight million dollars of that, will which will reduce that to um 23 million or a total of sixty-three million dollars. Now some of the items that and um CFL CFON right will uh go through the details of that uh for you.

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