Personnel Administrative Affairs Committee Meeting - February 2, 2026

The Personnel Administrative Affairs Committee convened on Monday, February 2, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. in the Aldermanic Chamber to conduct elections, review new appointments for various civic committees, and consider ordinance changes. The committee elected a new clerk, voted on multiple new member appointments for the Ethics Review Committee, Mind Falls Park Advisory Committee, Board of Health, and Arts Commission, and approved two new resolutions. The meeting included a public comment regarding flag policies and a general discussion on committee oversight and emergency response.

Consent Calendar

• Election of Alderman Derek Kevo as the Committee Clerk for the 2026-2027 term: Unanimously approved.
• Election of Alderman Tebow as the Personnel Administrative Affairs Committee member for the 2026-2027 term: Unanimously approved.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Public Speaker: Addressed the committee regarding new business ordinances and flag policies.
  • Position: Expressed concern that the proposed flag policy change might merely encourage private input to the Mayor rather than altering behavior, questioned if only flags personally owned by the Mayor would be flown (as opposed to loaned flags), and requested updates to include banners on lamp posts.

Discussion Items

Ethics Review Committee Appointments

• Justin Gerstenfeld: Nominated as a former university administrator and educator with experience in Title IX and ethics reviews. He stated his position as an advocate for applying rules neutrally while considering the human element.
• Lou Juris: Nominated as a lifelong resident, former state rep, and retired MBTA employee. He expressed a position of impartiality and fairness, stating he would apply the "smell test" and "silly test" while adhering to guidelines.
• Adam Thompson: Nominated as a Marine Corps veteran, former educator, and ward clerk. He expressed a position of supporting accessibility and transparency, drawing on his experience with de-escalation in the military and education sectors. He noted he has no prior knowledge of pending cases.
• Conflicting Information: Alderman Johnson noted a discrepancy between the NRO (three-year term) and the appointment document (two-year term for Gerstenfeld). The Mayor clarified the appointment is to serve the remainder of a resigned member's term, a fact Johnson requested be explicitly noted for future appointments to avoid confusion.

Minds Falls Park Advisory Committee Appointments

• Justin Hoprich: Nominated for his volunteer history at the park. He expressed a position of wanting to facilitate communication between diverse groups (e.g., colleges, athletes, neighbors) and acknowledged he had not previously served on a city committee.
• Kamal Massand: Nominated for his long-term volunteer cleanup efforts and legal business background. He expressed a position of being willing to contribute expertise to keep trails clean and manage park traffic.
• Michael Sliwa: Nominated for his 40-year residency and recent retirement. He expressed a position of wanting to contribute passion and time to preserve the park.
• Committee Oversight: Alderman Lopez expressed concern regarding competing interests (dog parks, sports, residents) and development projects. He questioned if nominees understood the committee workflow and how they would advocate for the park amidst development. Nominees expressed positions of willingness to learn and use their professional skills to triage needs and develop action plans.

Board of Health Appointment

• Stephanie Ballantyne: Nominated as a registered nurse and nurse practitioner. She expressed a position of offering a new perspective on population and individual health, particularly regarding the unhoused population, following her retirement from a full-time faculty role.
• Speaker Support: Alderman Lopez and Alderman Johnson expressed full support, citing her 48 years of service and community involvement (mobile clinics, school nursing) as critical assets, emphasizing the need for a nurse's voice on the board.

Arts Commission Appointment

• Stephanie Mole: Nominated via Zoom. She expressed a position of prioritizing the publicization of existing art assets (sculptures, murals) to increase community engagement and fostering cross-collaboration between different art groups.
• Committee Strategy: Alderman Thibault asked what Nashua is missing; Mole responded that the city lacks awareness of existing programs. Alderman Lopez supported this, expressing a position that collaboration between existing groups (e.g., street art, ballet, orchestral) would create new value.

Resolution on Naming of Community Center

• R 26-008: Renaming the Arlington Street Community Center to the Gloria Timmins Community Center.
• Speaker Positions: Alderman Wilshire and Mayor Lopez expressed strong support, citing Timmins' legacy as a community leader, 20+ year Army veteran, and head of the local NAACP/DAV. Alderman Thibault noted that his ward colleague, Alderman Johnson, had previously attempted to name items inside the center, extending the tribute to the building itself.

Ordinance O-26-001 (Flag Regulations)

• Discussion: The committee discussed a motion to recommend final passage for regulations regarding flag polls on City Hall grounds.
• Speaker Concerns: Alderman Thibault expressed a position of concern that the ordinance passed quickly (3-1) without a prior discussion on the board of alderman, fearing the lack of deliberation might hinder future review. He acknowledged the possibility of the ordinance passing easily but noted the lack of committee scrutiny.

Key Outcomes

• Election of Clerk: Alderman Derek Kevo was elected as the Committee Clerk.
• Appointments Approved:
  • Ethics Review Committee: Justin Gerstenfeld (term to Dec 9, 2028), Lou Juris (term to Feb 10, 2029), and Adam Thompson (term to Feb 10, 2029). Vote: 3 Ayes, 1 Abstention (Mayor recused).
  • Mind Falls Park Advisory Committee: Reappointment of Paula Lockhead; New appointments of Justin Hoprich, Kamal Massand, and Michael Sliwa.
  • Board of Health: Stephanie Ballantyne (term to Dec 31, 2027). Vote: Unanimous.
  • Arts Commission: Stephanie Mole (term to March 10, 2029).
  • Citizens Advisory Commission: Reappointment of Jason Tilersky and Oscar Velasis (terms to Dec 1, 2028).
  • Conservation Commission: Reappointment of Richard Whithew (term to Dec 31, 2028).
• Resolutions Passed:
  • R 26-008: Naming the Arlington Street Community Center the Gloria Timmins Community Center (Unanimous).
  • O 26-001: Flag regulations on City Hall grounds (3 Ayes, 1 Nay).
• Next Steps: The committee acknowledged the need for future reappointing members of active committees to appear for interview to maintain institutional knowledge. Public comment was raised regarding community safety following a recent fire on Main Street, with committee members expressing gratitude for the firefighters' response.