All right, we're gonna call the meeting of the finance committee to order on June seventeenth, two thousand twenty-six.

Uh Mr.

Clerk, would you please call the role?

Yes.

Alder Woman Smith.

Here.

Alderman Sullivan is here.

Alder Woman at large, Alicia Greg.

I'm here.

Um I'm attending remotely due to illness.

I am in a room by myself.

Nobody can see or hear me.

Alderman at large Clemens.

Uh all the woman Clee, Vice Chair.

And Mayor Jim Donchus.

Here.

All right, so we have a quorum, and because Alderwoman Greg is remote, I think our votes are gonna have to be uh roll call.

Okay.

Um public comment.

I don't see anyone coming forward.

So we'll move to communications.

Uh the first being from Amy Gerard purchasing manager, uh Alderman Sullivan.

Yes, I'd like to make a motion to accept and place on file and approve a one-year contract with the Humane Society for Greater National Corporation to provide impoundment and quarantine services and the amount not to exceed a hundred and twelve thousand three hundred fifty-three dollars.

Funding will be through Department one seventy-one community services fund general fund fifty-six outside agencies.

Um but before we address that, I believe we need from Alder Woman Greg.

I don't think you said why you're not here and whether you are by yourself.

Oh, she did.

No, no, no, someone else heard you must have.

I just wasn't tune in.

All right, so uh Ms.

Bagley.

Yes, good evening.

Bobby Bagley, director for the division of public health and community services here to speak on the um renewal of the Humane Society contract for fiscal year twenty-seven.

We've had the Humane Society for Greater Nashville with us for a number of years now.

Provide 23 years, actually over 23 years, providing the shelter, the pounding isolation and quarantine services for the city.

And this is based on an ordinance that we have in place 937 that states that the mayor with the assistance and cooperation of the dog officer shall select a suitable place of confinement for impounded animals and those held under supervision of rabies and after biding.

And so the Humane Society has done this for a number of years for us.

The Division of Public Health and Community Services, as well as Environmental Health, and the National Police Department, Animal Control Officer, work very closely with the Humane Society, and we oversee the contract deliverables and the communication with them.

This contract will be in effect from July 1st of 2026 through July 30th of 2027, and the amount as stated for 112,353.

And we usually pay this out in monthly installments that we receive invoices from uh Doug Barry for these services.

All right.

Any questions, comments?

If not, uh Mr.

Quirk, would you please call the rule?

Alder Woman Smith.

All right.

Yes.

Alderman Sullivan votes yes.

Alderman at large, Greg.

Yes.

Alderman at large will share?

Yes.

Mayor Donchus.

Yes.

Motion passes.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next communication from Amy Gerard, purchasing manager Alderman Sullivan.

I'd like to make a motion to accept place on file and approve the purchase of a caliber mini R1-5-120 with Claw Robot for the hazardous device unit HDU from I Corps Technology and the amount not to exceed $94,734.30 cents.

Funding will be through Department 150 Police Department.

Fund Homeland Security Grant.

71 equipment.

All right.

Good evening, everybody.

My name is Pat Darty.

I'm the assistant team leader for the National Police Hazardous Device Unit.

Three quick things.

We are an FBI accredited team.

FBI requires us to have a small platform robot.

This also robot will complement our aging equipment, allowing us to the unit to safely navigate tight indoor spaces, clear confined areas, access uh potential hazards safely.

Our line of work too, uh distances safety.

So this technology ensures us that we're can access this right, gather real-time information without immediately putting an officer or technician downrange.

Uh happy to answer any questions you may have.

Anyone?

Alderman Sullivan.

Thank you.

How old is the one that you currently have?

Uh the one that we have now is over about 20 years old or 20 years old.

Uh it's a larger platform robot, so this will help complement the capabilities of that as it is aging too.

Follow-up, please.

Yes.

Uh for the viewers at home.

Can you explain large platform v small platform?

So a small platform is uh something that you could easily throw on like a backpack type of thing, quick deployable.

Um, other than that, the larger platform robot that we have uh requires a vehicle for it to respond out there.

Um its own design vehicle, um, upwards of 200 pounds.

Um it weighs so thank you.

Yep.

All right, please call the rule.

Alderwoman Smith.

I vote yes.

Uh Alderman Sullivan votes yes.

Alderman at large, Greg.

Yes.

Alderman at large will share.

Yes.

Mayor Dotchus.

Yes.

Motion passes.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next communication from Amy Gerard, purchasing manager, Alderman Sullivan.

I'd like to make a motion to accept place on file and approve the purchase of ballistic protection equipment from fire tech and safety in the amount not to exceed 44,946.

Funding will be through Department 152 Fire Rescue Fund, General Fund 61 supplies and materials.

Go ahead, Chief, please.

Good evening, Steve Buxton, Fire Chief.

I'm here tonight to respectfully request the uh approval of the purchase funding this project.

Uh this investment will provide protection for all our riding positions on all frontline apparatus.

Uh ensuring that excuse me, every company has immediate access to the equipment necessary to safely operate in a hostile and uncertain environments.

Um, as many of you know, we had an incident down of Sky Medal earlier this year.

Uh the fire department has a limited number of ballistic uh protection units.

Uh those were quickly gone through on scene.

Um when we performed an after action review with our partners uh in public safety.

One of the recommendations was that we place these in each of the riding positions.

Uh so this purchase would uh affect that.

All right, please call the rule.

Alderwoman Smith.

Vote yes, Alderman uh Sullivan votes yes.

Alderman at large Greg.

Yes.

Alderman at large wheel share.

Yes.

Mayor Dodchus.

Yes.

Motion passes.

Next communication from Amy Girard purchasing manager, Alderman Sullivan.

I'd like to make a motion to accept place on file and approve the purchase of a supply of a supply of tires for the apparatus from STTC service tire truck centers.

Any amount not to exceed 40,615 dollars eighty cents.

Funding will be through Department 152 Fire Rescue Fund, General Fund 61 supplies and materials.

Chief.

Good evening, Steve Buxton Fire Chief.

Uh respectfully requesting the approval of this purchase.

Uh it's for 42 rear tires and 14 front tires, which will outfit seven of our apparatus.

All right, please call the roll.

Oh, I just had a question.

Oh, Alderman Sullivan.

How long are your tires last, Chief?

Uh I would have to dig into that and get information for you from uh our mechanics shop.

I rely on them to tell me when we need to change out the tires, but uh I know Awe goes through the fleet and chooses uh which meets the DOT standards and which need to be changed ahead of time.

Thanks.

Yep.

All right.

Now please call the roll.

Alderwoman Smith.

Yes, Alderman Sullivan votes yes, Alderman at large, Greg.

Yes.

Alderman at large will share.

Yes.

Mayor Dotchus.

Yes.

Motion passes.

Next communication from Amy Gerard purchasing manager Alderman Sullivan.

I'd like to make a motion to accept place on file and award a contract for the replacement of building controls for station four at 70 East Hollis Street with uh from Viking Controls and the amount not to exceed $94,500.

Funding will be through Department 152 Fire Rescue Fund 54 bond 54 property services.

Yes, yes.

Adam Playot uh System Fire Chief.

So this is for bill of controls at our East Hall Street Station.

Um it showed up in our Bill of Condition Assessment Study that they are at end of life, and over the past year we've had significant failures of the system.

We've made some patches and some repairs, but we're at a point now where the system is not functioning.

We can't log in and see what anything's doing.

We can't adjust any set points, and we have a couple of the HVAC units that are not functional at all.

So we're at a point where we have to replace the system.

How old is the HVAC HVAC?

The building building was built in 2006.

So we're 20 years or 20 years.

Okay.

All right.

Thank you.

Please call the rule.

Alderwoman Smith.

Yes.

Alderman Sullivan votes yes.

Alderman at large Greg.

Yes.

Alderman at large wheel share.

Yes.

Mayor Dodchis.

Yes.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next communication from Mamie Girard Purchasing Manager Alderman Sullivan.

Like to make a motion to accept place on file and approve the purchase of 315 innotex protective hoods from fire tech and safety in the amount not to exceed 48,825.

Funding will be through Department 152 Fire Rescue Fund, general fund supplies and materials.

Good evening, Steve Buxton Fire Chief.

I respectfully requesting your approval of this purchase.

This will provide every line firefighter with two protective hoods that are manufactured without PFAS in them.

As you're aware, PFAS is a big issue in our industry.

It's in our protective clothing.

This is one of our first steps to rid uh our protective clothing of that.

We also have a study underway for the actual government itself, the coat and the pants.

Uh but this will be our first step moving in that direction.

Uh please call the rule.

Alderwoman Smith.

Yes.

Alderman Sullivan votes yes.

Alderman at large Greg.

Yes.

Alderman at large wheelchair.

Yes.

Mayor Dodges.

Yes.

Motion passes.

Another communication from Amy Girard purchasing manager Alderman Sullivan.

I'd like to make a motion to accept place on file and approve amendment number three to the engineering services agreement for the East Hollis and Bridge Street Intersection Project with McFarland Johnson in the amount not to exceed $50,000.

Grant Professional and Technical Services.

Good evening, Dan Hudson City Engineers.

So the city is engaged in the final design of the East Hawson Bridge Tree Intersection Project.

We have a consultant on board McLaren Johnson.

This is one of the projects in the LPA program of DOT.

Funding to date is 100% funded by them.

Receiving them on their contract.

There's a few elements that they needed to finish design on, including some landscape design, things of that nature.

So we're seeking this $50,000 amendment to their contract.

Be happy to address any questions.

Please call a roll.

Alderwoman Smith?

Yes.

Alderman Sullivan votes yes.

Alderman at large Greg.

Yes.

Alderman at large Wheelchair.

Yes.

And Mayor Dodchus.

Yes.

Motion passes.

Thank you.

Next communication from Amy Girard Purchasing Manager.

Alderman Sullivan.

I'd like to make a motion to accept place on file and approve a three-year contract with wastewater management of New Hampshire for management of biosolids at the wastewater treatment facility in the amount not to exceed $3,894,445.

Funding will be through Department 169 Wastewater Fund, Wastewater Fund Property Services.

Mr.

Boucher?

Biosolids is the sludge that we remove from the wastewater and treat.

We produce about 8,500 wet tons per year.

This is to enter into a three-year contract.

You said with the waste management.

They're known in this industry for doing the service, uh disposing of our biosolids once it once we produce it, it leaves the facility, and they'll manage it for us, all the permitting and everything.

We went out to bid and they were the low bidder.

I'll be happy to answer any questions.

Alderman Sullivan.

Thank you.

Is this the same vendor as before?

No.

RMI resource management was the previous vendor, or the current vendor, I should say.

Follow up, please.

Yeah.

How does this contract differ from the last contract in terms of amounts?

So that was it a three-year contract before?

Yes, it was.

So apples to apples comparison or what's the difference?

The difference is well, all the costs have risen from the previous year contract.

The biggest thing now is the regulations have uh caused costs to go up.

Uh regulations with PFOS, like the gentleman before me had mentioned.

Uh it's making more difficult to land apply.

So the current company we have was land applying on farmland.

It's getting less and less uh, you know, well, it's getting harder to land apply because there's less land to apply on.

People aren't allowing permits to do that.

States are closing it down for land applying.

This company actually owns landfills, so our product would now be going to a landfill.

It would they dry it first and then put it into the landfill.

One follow up.

Yes.

So land apply where you're where you put it.

If that's essentially what that means.

Yeah, exactly.

It it's it's for beneficial reuse because there's good nutrients in it.

Yep.

But it has to be permitted.

New Hampshire still permits land to apply it on farmland.

Okay.

Uh, but I know Connecticut stopped it, Maine stopped it, mass is looking at stopping it.

So these companies that manage it have fewer properties to put it on, so they raise the price because they're they're really limited.

If they can't land apply it, they have to landfill it at a higher cost.

Understood.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

Please call the rule.

Alderwoman Smith?

Yes.

Alderman Sullivan votes yes.

Alderman at large Greg.

Yes.

Alderman at large wheel share.

Yes.

Mayor Dodchas?

Yes.

Motion passes.

Um next communication from Amy Gerard purchasing manager Alderman Sullivan.

I'd like to make a motion to accept place on file and approve the FY27 purchase of Polymer from Polydyne Inc.

in the amount not to exceed $650,000.

Funding will be through Department 169 Wastewater Fund, Wastewater Fund 61 Supplies and Materials.

Dave Boucher Wastewater Superintendent.

This is for the FY27 purchase of uh polymer at the wastewater plant.

This is a product we used to dewater our sludge.

It coagulates the sludge so we can remove water from it.

Then we we have different companies do bench tests to see whose product works best with our sludge and uh polydyne so far has had the best product at a reasonable cost compared to the other companies.

Like to continue to use them.

All those in favor, excuse me, call the role, please.

Alderman Smith?

Yes.

Alderman Sullivan votes yes.

Alderman at large Greg?

Yes.

Alderman at large Wilshire.

Yes.

Mayor Dodges.

Yes.

Motion passes.

Thank you.

Next communication from Amy Gerard purchasing manager Alderman Sullivan.

I'd like to make a motion to accept place on file and approve the purchase of four Dodge Ram ProMaster ADA accessible low floor cutaway buses for Model 1 Commercial Vehicles Inc.

Any amount not to exceed $1,082.

Funding will be through Department 186 Transportation Fund, Federal Grant, 81 capital outlay improvements, 857,334, NHDOT grant, capital outlay improvements, $75,647 surf $81 dash capital outlay improvements, $75,647.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

Committee members, Matt Sullivan Community Development Director, on behalf of this NTS request for I wouldn't ask Alderman Sullivan to read those funding sources again, but approximately 75,000 from the SURF plan to support NTS's purchase of four Dodge ProMaster buses to replace four existing vehicles within our paratransit fleet over at Ashwood Transit System.

As was mentioned, although this is a purchase over a million dollars, only 75,000 of this actually comes from city funds by the Capital Equipment Reserve Fund.

That is because the remaining funds come from either the state of New Hampshire slash FTA or sorry, the state of New Hampshire or FTA matching this grant.

So we ultimately pay only 7.5% of the total cost of replacing these vehicles should they meet useful life.

These are being purchased as part of a cooperative purchasing agreement.

It's actually the state of Arizona cooperative purchasing agreement.

That's the pricing we're able to take advantage of.

And I wanted to quickly comment on the fact that although these are not technically subject to the city's electric vehicle policy that was adopted by this body and the Board of Alderman, the NTS has certainly investigated the options for both electric buses and CNG buses, as you may know.

NTS has both hybrid and CNG vehicles currently in its fleet.

Relative to these buses being purchased as electric vehicles during our investigation, due to principally build America by America requirements from the federal government, equipment loading needs for the equipment that we have in the buses themselves, and some of the other fleet range limitations.

Electric vehicles are simply not an option at this time for these buses based on our needs.

Relative to CNGs, of which we actually have some CNGs in our fleet, unfortunately, CNG vehicles that are being produced right now, and they change year over year.

The length is not actually acceptable based on the service that we primarily use these vehicles for, and that is paratransit service around the city of Nashua.

As part of that service, we actually pull into residential driveways in some situations.

The length necessary to get a CNG bus to do this exact same job makes it very difficult to navigate residential driveways and therefore pick up passengers.

And so ultimately, after looking at electric and CNG options, we're moving forward with four unleaded vehicles as part of this purchase.

And I'm happy to answer any questions about that that may arise this evening.

That all said, NTS, of course, continues to explore alternative fuel options for these vehicles moving forward.

We do anticipate these vehicles to arrive between nine to twelve months from now.

I know Alderman Sullivan, this is always a question of yours as far as lead time.

That's actually faster than recent CNG vehicle purchases that we've done.

So hopefully by this time next year we'll actually be uh taking these in, painting them up, and getting them out deployed in the NTS fleet.

Happy to answer any questions that the committee has related to these.

Alderman Sullivan.

Thank you.

Uh Director Sullivan, since these are predominantly grant funds.

Yes.

Are we restricted where we can shop?

That's a great question.

Um we're restricted in several ways, in fact.

Um we're restricting the way we procure them, we're restricted in the way that we dispose of them ultimately when they get to end of life.

Um we are restricted in some ways by where we can shop in that any vendors that we work with need to be able to comply with all the applicable federal clauses related to FTA procurement.

Um and so there is, frankly, there is a pretty finite pool of vendors that meet those requirements and actually build the vehicles that we're trying to buy.

Um I would offer that for this type of vehicle this size, there are less than five acceptable models out there, probably less than three in some cases, in any given year that are available to us.

Add in some of the local nuances and requirements that we have about you know low floor and step height in our own facilities.

That pool gets more and more narrow, quite frankly.

And so we sort of search cooperative purchasing agreements around the country to find the vehicle that meets our needs, but the options are limited to answer your question.

Yeah.

Okay, thank you.

Yep.

Alderwoman Smith.

Will this um partress actually add to your fleet or would it potentially replace some other vehicles that you believe might be aging or that's a great question?

Uh Alderman Smith.

The the answer is that it will not add to our fleet.

Um there have been some occasions in the past where we have kept existing vehicles as reserve vehicles.

That's not our intent at this time, frankly, because they have additional ongoing maintenance and other obligations that go with them.

And frankly, it's typically part of the purchase process if the FTA asks us to move to dispose of the vehicles that we actually have on hand.

Um again, there have been some instances in the past where we've kept existing vehicles as reserves.

That's not our intent here, and I can certainly let the committee know if that that changes.

I'll also just let you know that the disposition market is not particularly hot for the vehicles that we have right now.

Um so it may be more difficult than one might expect for us to move them, uh, but we're not adding four new vehicles to our fleet.

I'll just answer it simply that way.

Um that's not our plan here.

All right, thank you.

Please call the rule.

Alderwoman Smith.

Yes.

Alderman Sullivan votes yes.

Alderman at large, Greg.

Yes.

Alderman at large will share.

Yes.

Mayor Donchis.

Yes.

Motion passes.

Uh, next communication from Amy Girrard purchasing manager, Alderman Sullivan.

I would like to make a motion to accept and place on file and approve amendment number six for a contract extension through August 20, 2026 from first transit transdev for transit operations in the amount not to exceed 550,000 dollars.

Funding will be through Department 186 transportation fund FTA grant fund 55 other services.

Matt Sullivan, community development director here on behalf of this uh 51-day extension of the city's existing contract with first transit or transdev.

For those who may not be familiar, uh our operational services are drivers, and some of our dispatching and other functions for an NTS are provided by an outside company that is transdev or first transit.

We have an existing contractual relationship with them that is scheduled to end at the end of June this year in 2026.

We're actually in the last year of our opt-in to add an additional year to the contract.

However, uh, we actually went out in January of this year for an RFP to resolicit these transportation services on the open market.

We gave ourselves six months of runway time to try and get a new longer-term contract in place.

Uh, unfortunately, and I'll take responsibility for this.

We need these extra 51 days, in fact, to get to a place where we're in a position to sign a new long-term contract.

So, what we've done here is approached our current vendor, Transdev, and asked them for a modest extension of the existing contract at the current rate until we can actually bring a new contract in front front of you for consideration and approval.

And so we look at this as a functionally a two-month gap-filling contract to allow MTS services to continue to operate, uh, but certainly to allow us to get a contract to a place where we feel comfortable bringing it forward to you all and hopefully seeking approval of it.

So that's why we're seeking this this extension, and I'm happy to answer any questions that you might have.

Alderman Sullivan.

51 days is kind of a crooked number.

Do you feel that's enough?

Alderman Sullivan, that's a that's a great question, if I may respond.

Uh I don't know about the verb crooked.

Yeah, but we have it's not 50 or 60, it's 51.

Certainly.

Um I'll say simply that um we had contemplated a longer extension, but to be to be frank about this, and you know, I want to be clear to the public too.

Uh, you know, our current contractor is acting in good faith to enter into this extension with us, quite frankly.

Um so we tried to find a period of time that was and frankly, they don't want a longer-term contract than this 51 days.

We were actually sort of more at a month that they wanted, and I really needed a little longer.

And so we ended on this 51-day time period based on frankly, actually, timings of your meetings uh in the new fiscal year.

And so um, if I had it my way, I think I'd have a little bit longer, uh, but this leaves us about two months, and I believe we can get a contract to a place that we bring it forward to you and can get it approved.

I will just say, and I don't want to commit them to anything.

I think uh they have a long-term commitment to the city.

If we end up needing more time, we could potentially be back here to request additional extension.

I frankly don't want to do that.

Um so I my goal uh is to be back with you to hopefully resolve that before needing another 11 days or 12 days added and extension.

So that's why I came to you with that number.

It was a negotiation between myself and the contractor.

Okay.

Please call the rule.

Alderwoman Smith.

Yes.

Alderman Sullivan votes yes, Alderman at large.

Greg?

Yes.

Alderman at large will share?

Yes.

Mayor Donchus.

Yes.

Motion passes.

Thank you very much.

Next communication is from Amy Gerard purchasing manager.

It is a memo regarding an emergency purchase order for the repair of a sewer repair.

If there are no objections, we'll accept this and place it on file.

The next communication is from Tim Cummings, Director of Administrative Services.

We, if there's no objection, we will accept this communication and place it on file.

And I think Mr.

Cummings has asked to address the need for a human resource performance audit, and he's here, so why don't we open the floor to Mr.

Cummings?

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor for the record.

Tim Cummings, Director of Administrative Services.

I'm not seeking any type of approval this this evening.

But what I did want to do is just make sure that this body was aware and just put it on the record, some concerns that I had relative to some lack of procedures, some lack of policies in the human resources office.

Last year I had come before the finance committee seeking to undertake a performance audit at that time for various reasons.

Decided not to move forward with that performance audit.

My intention is to try to bring it back before you in the future in the upcoming year to try to have an outside consultant come in, do that uh performance audit that I originally intended.

Um and you may be asking, well, why?

And and so I had written a memo back last May, more than anything else to cover myself in case an issue came up.

Um, and I am now supplying you with that memo that I wrote, which you know outlined some uh some of the concerns that I had witnessed over the previous year.

First and foremost, I just want to make sure everyone understands I can tell you that there are some departments in the city in Ashua that are not following the FMLA policy, and and there is there's liability not just on the city of Nashville, but personal liability.

And so that's that's a that's a big concern that I have.

Um I will say that I observed some uh lack of procedure relative to employee behavior.

We had five different instances in the city of Nashville where it was perceived that um employees showed up to the workplace intoxicated, and and various departments handled that situation different ways because there was not a standard uniform process and procedure in place to help guide the various employee employees who had to deal with that situation.

Um and then lastly, um the city of Nashwood lacks a standardized procedure for when harassment is reported.

We certainly have a harassment policy, but often what I have found is you have accompanying procedures that go along with that policy that creates a uniform process for larger organizations such as ourselves, um, so everyone understands and expectations and there's roles and responsibilities clearly defined.

We do not have that type of procedure.

And then finally, um we do not have uh a policy in place to guide us when it comes to uh reclassification of employees, and at certain points in the year, and I will note that um last year we had 25% of our unaffiliated and UAW employees reclassified, and they were reclassified for various reasons, and the human resources office didn't have a standardized policy that they could turn to to help guide them in that decision.

And I don't want it to appear as though those decisions are arbitrary.

And so with those reasons, I had recommended that we get a performance audit uh to help have an outside consultant come in and and help this organization uh develop some of these policies and procedures or even just identify some of the gaps that we have.

Um so with that being said, uh my intention would be to reissue an RFP, go through the procurement process, come back before the finance committee and seek approval of this of this performance audit.

And before I went through that effort again, I wanted to come before you make you aware of this concern that I had, open this up for a conversation in case there was a concern.

Um, and maybe I'm missing something here, wanted to provide that opportunity because what I don't want to do is go through the effort again of putting an RFP out, going through the interviews, going through the negotiations of a contract, and then have it not be uh awarded.

And maybe I'm missing something here, wanted to provide that opportunity, because what I don't want to do is go through the effort again of putting an RFP out, going through the interviews, going through the negotiations of a contract, and then have it not be uh awarded.

So with that being said, uh Mr.

Mayor, thank you for uh indulging me.

All right.

Uh Honorman Sullivan.

Thank you.

Thank you for that explanation.

I'm gonna try to keep it high level.

Just to try to sum up what you said.

Is there a concern at in the HR department that there might be a knowledge gap, thus you are bringing in an outside consultant to check whether or not up-to-date current uh HR policies are being followed for the city.

I mean, am I I hate to simplify something, but this seems to be pretty serious.

Um and I just want to make sure that I understand it.

If I may, Mr.

Mayor, yes.

I think it is absolutely a knowledge gap.

I think it's more than a knowledge gap as well.

I think uh so it's not just one thing, but yes, I think that you could say some of it is is an organizational gap as well or an organizational structural issue.

Um and we have various departments or agencies that are dispersed, and some of their employees have certain levels of knowledge, and these organizations have had the um through norms that developed, you know, certain responsibilities, but they may not necessarily know what the law is, and so their practice has fallen behind.

And so by no so by no intention other than that they're not aware.

So uh compounding the HR issue is that issue as well.

Paul.

Uh yes.

You mentioned you wrote yourself a memo in May.

I'm going to assume that's May of 26.

Uh if I may, Mr.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

No, no, this was May of 25.

May of 25.

Correct.

So I brought uh contract before the finance committee in the spring of 2025.

Um and when that didn't happen, my bigger concern was is at some point someone would say, well, Director Cummings was asleep at the wheel here.

Um and I didn't want that, so I I specifically had outlined my concerns for the file just in case an issue ever arose.

And then knowing that I was going to come back before you at some point to have this conversation to try to um provide a little bit more visibility into the motivations or the reasons why I was looking to um to reinst reinstigate this this project, if you will.

I also found it to be an opportune time because we've had some turnover in the HR office.

We have a new HR manager starting in in August, and it would be good if we could also have that new HR manager working uh hand in glove with a consultant to to they would learn our our organization at the same time and have a consultant working with them to hopefully identify some of these gaps and then put some of these policies and procedures into place.

So this contract was not approved in the previous term, so it was um you know last year, not this not this uh this May.

Makeup of the finance committee.

Correct.

Just to follow up on that.

Yeah.

So you tried to pass it last term, it got rejected.

No, because my question was why we waited so long.

So two reasons on that if I um uh we had a retirement in the HR office.

I didn't want to necessarily start this project um until we had the new hiring manager on board, and we I can now say we have an accepted offer from an high uh from from an incoming hiring manager.

Um and then secondly, we we had a new body coming in.

I wanted to get situated, and I certainly wanted to to bring this back uh before you, and that took a little time with this new uh body getting constituted in January.

Okay.

Um my question is, and I'm what I believe I hear you saying is that there are some practices within the various with that may be happening within various city offices that aren't necessarily supported by standard policies across the board.

And so by your having this outside individual come in, they will, like you say, identify gaps and potentially help us to write the policy that we would need everyone to follow.

That's that's that's um I you know and I want to be clear.

I uh again, Tim Cummings, director of administrative services.

I don't think this is intentional.

What I believe is happened is this organization has grown over the years, and human resources, like a lot of other administrative functions, they kind of happened, uh, mom and pops, and then as laws got put into place and compliance issues have now come to the forefront, it becomes more and more apparent that maybe we need to catch up with those things.

And so I think it's more that than anything else.

And you know, we need to you know become a little bit more um uh uh forward thinking on some of these to make sure that we're in compliance more than anything else.

You don't need a motion on this, do you?

I do not.

I really just wanted to one and have a public conversation, get it on the record, and provide an opportunity for questions.

And if there was any major concerns, I certainly would want to want to have those now before we go back out to RFP.

All right, anyone else?

If not, thank you very much.

Thank you.

Um we now have new business resolutions.

Uh R 43 R26043.

We have uh the swimming pool.

Oh, yeah.

Yeah.

Uh well, let's do this one since Bill is coming up, Mr.

Mansfield.

Um R 26043.

Okay.

Uh Alderman Sullivan.

Yes.

Uh like this right here.

I'd like to make a motion um to recommend final passage of R26043 authorizing a fourth amendment to the site lease agreement with singular wireless PCS L L C regarding the cellular antenna site at Mine Falls Park.

Yes, Mr.

Mansfield, please go ahead.

Thank you.

Mr.

Mayor, uh Bill Mansfield.

Radio Sources Manager for the City.

Uh this is a new a renewal contract.

Uh we've had a contract with new singular wireless.

It's also known as ATT wallet wireless uh for the Mine Falls Tower.

We've had the uh current contract is going to expire in 2028.

Uh it's a third, it was a 30-year contract.

ATT is looking to extend that contract uh to five additional five-year terms for a total of 25 years.

Uh and the new expiration date of the contract would be December 21, 2053.

Uh the biggest thing about this particular contract is I'm not spending money tonight.

Uh we're making money tonight.

Uh rent begins uh on December 22nd, 2028 at $6, 20.45 cents per month.

And every year following that, there's an annual increase of 3%.

So other than that, the entire the uh the rest of the contract remains the same.

Uh it's been reviewed by risk as well as legal, and we're at the point now.

Uh eventually this has to go also to the Board of Public Works.

I believe it's at going to be on their next meeting uh before it comes back to the full Board of Alderman for its final approval.

All right.

Oh is that you want a question?

No, I think that's great.

Yeah.

Um all right.

Any anybody?

If not, uh please the motion is to recommend final passage.

Is there excuse me?

Could you please call the roll?

Alderwoman Smith?

Yes.

Alderman at large Greg.

Yes.

Alderman at large will share.

Yes.

Alderman Sullivan votes yes.

Mayor Dodgus.

Yes.

And motion passes.

That's the name's alert.

Okay.

Um next, under new business resolutions, we have R26045, Alderman Sullivan.

I'd like to make a motion to recommend to the full board final passage of R26045 authorizing a lease agreement with drop bike corp.

Doing business as drop mobility at 117 Elm Street.

Um, Ms.

Chisholm.

Good evening, Deb Chisholm uh sustainability department manager.

Um this is a lease agreement between um, as Alderman Sullivan said, drop mobility and the city uh for some space at 117 Elm Street, also known as the Elm Street Middle School.

Um lease the space that was previously used by the warming station that is not being used now by the warming station.

Um the lease agreement will run from um the time it's finally approved through um October 15th.

And the space will be used to repair the pedal assist bikes that maybe you've seen out on the street.

There are currently 50 of them out and about.

And just as an aside, the best way to get to use those is to use your cell phone.

You go right up to the bike, scan the QR code, and you'll and you get right in.

You need you need the uh you need the writable Nashua app in order to make that happen.

Um but they'll be doing bike repair and battery charging there.

Um they are currently located in the um school street uh parking garage.

Um they take up about two parking spaces um right now for that space, um, and they're using that um while we're um trying to get the approval for the actual um lease of the middle school cafeteria, which is far too much space than they actually need.

They only need a small amount of space.

Um but what they will use over there are the um outlets for charging the um the bike batteries.

All right, anybody questions all right?

All those in favor of the motion, we have to do it.

Oh, please call the rule, yes.

Thank you.

Alderwoman Smith?

Yes, Alderman Sullivan votes yes, Alderman at large Greg.

Yes, Alderman at large will share.

Yes, Mayor Donchess.

Yes, and the motion passes.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Now we uh did receive a communication after the agenda was prepared regarding design service for Centennial Pool.

Did the committee members get that?

Do you have copies of that?

Oh, okay.

All right.

Uh so we will then uh return to that item.

Um is there a motion to suspend the rules or Alderman Sullivan?

Would you move to suspend the rules?

I would like to make a motion to suspend the rules to allow for a communication that was received after the agenda was prepared.

Please call the rule.

Alderwoman Smith.

Yes.

Alderman Sullivan votes yes.

Alder Alder Woman at Large Greg.

Yes.

Alderman at large will share.

Yes.

Mayor Dodges?

Yes.

Um motion passes, so we will then take up the uh communication from Amy Gerard Purchasing Manager Alderman Sullivan.

I would like to make a motion to accept place on file and approve an engineering service contract with Turner Group for design engineering services of Centennial Pool in the amount not to exceed 103,600.

Funding will be through Department 177 Parks Fund, General Fund 54 property services.

Good evening, Mayor.

Um good evening, everyone.

Brian Conan, superintendent of the Parks Department.

This contract will allow us to have Turner Group um create uh designs, designs and bit specs for us to go out to bid with to replace centennial pool to give you some backdrop information on centennial pool.

It was built in the 1950s.

Up until 2014, the steel walls were painted in 2014.

It was lined.

The liner currently is bubbling in some areas.

Um we're hoping this doesn't become problematic, but it that is uh, you know, that's the reality of what we're dealing with right now.

Um be happy to answer any questions on this motion if there are any.

Alderman Sullivan.

Is Centennial Pool gonna make it through the summer?

I hope so.

We had the same bubbling issues last year, Alderman Sullivan, and we did make it through the summer.

So thank you.

All right, please call the roll.

Alderwoman uh Smith.

Yes.

Alder Woman at large, Greg.

Yes.

Alderman Sullivan votes yes, Alderman at large will share.

Yes.

Mayor Donchus.

Yes.

Um motion passes.

Uh new business ordinances we have non-table in committee.

We don't have anything.

Record of expenditures.

Alderman Sullivan.

I would like to make a motion that the finance committee has complied with the city charter and ordinances pertaining to the record of expenditures for a period of 29 May 2026 through 11 June 2026.

All those in favor of the motion, excuse me, please call the roll.

Alderwoman Smith.

Yes.

Alderman Sullivan votes yes.

Alderman at large Greg?

Yes.

Alderman at large will share.

Yes.

Mayor Dodgers.

Yes.

Motion passes.

Mr.

Mayor, I think there may be one additional communication.

Which is that?

Thank you.

Amy Jarrett purchasing manager.

Um in the original agenda packet, there was a communication regarding an emergency sewer repair that was authorized at 125 Temple Street.

We did that.

We accepted it.

So all we do there is we just accept it and place it on file unless someone has an objection or particular question.

All right.

This time we are number five.

We've been in the number five spot uh in the top five a whole bunch of times.

I think we made it to two.

I'm not I can't remember if we made it to one or not.

Yes, we've made it to one.

We've made it to one, yeah.

So the um uh survey measures the cost of services uh versus the quality of services and uh basically at the efficiency of the operation.

So I want to thank all the people who worked very hard for the city to make this possible and um uh we are again being recognized as having a very efficient operation.

But uh does anybody else have general discussions?

Public comment?

There's no one really here.

Remarks by Alderman.

Any remarks by Alderman?

None.

None.

I don't see any remarks.

Uh I see that the next item is adjournment.

Uh Alderman Wilshire.

I make a motion to adjourn.

Please call the roll.

Alderwoman Smith.

Yes.

Alderman Sullivan votes yes.

Alderman at large Greg.

Yes.

Alderman at large Wilshare?

Yes.

And Mayor Donchess.

Yes.

And the meeting of the finance committee is adjourned at 7 52 p.m.

Thank you, everyone.

Thank you.

Okay.