If any Nashua residents really want to hear what our elected officials think of residents, they must listen to the media post of the Joint Board of Public Works and Committee on Infrastructure of August 10, 2021.
Residents should be a little upset because not all the meetings allow Nashua residents to listen too. The August 10, 2021 meeting was not posted on the City’s website as the law requires it to be. The joint committee meetings are televised but the working group’s meetings are not.
Note: It is now here.
The Joint Committee allows for 3 minutes of public comments, but Aldermen O’Brien has the authority to cut off the resident even if they are under 3 minutes.
As usual Mr. Tim Cummings (Director of Economic Development) is pushing through more expenses so that the Nashua taxpayer does not find out what he is spending money on now. It seems like all Mr. Cummings projects must be approved as soon as they are brought up to a committee. So, this project is up $5 million, do not worry because the Nashua taxpayer will pay.
Remember the Nashua taxpayer paid $4,200,000 for 141 Burke Street and that building sat unoccupied since 2015. This building was to be for Public Works but Mr. Cummings said it would cost too much money to redo the building so the city let it sit and rot.
The City of Nashua just sold 141 Burke Street for $3,650,000 at a loss to the City of Nashua taxpayers. The city has not been forthcoming to tell the residents what the sales commission was to sell this building and we may never know.
In December 2019, the Board of Aldermen bonded a 6 million dollars to couple the sale of 141 Burke St, and to build a new $10 million DPW Office facility. The plans stalled and the price increased because the Burke Street building did not sell. The new property for DWP will now cost $15 million dollars. Nashua taxpayers must remember that we are also still paying off the bonds ($4,563,092 – principal plus interest) that were taken out for the purchase of 141 Burke Street and the new DWP building.
Mr. Cummings said no problem because the city has some money laying around from the Broad Street Parkway of about $3 million. So, Mr. Cummings wants to take that $3 million and apply it to the “new” building.
I want to know why the City of Nashua is not applying for this “extra” money back to the $30 million dollars that the taxpayers still owe and are paying on?
As usual, this mayor and/or the current Board of Aldermen love to spend Nashua taxpayers’ money, the problem here is when do the Nashua taxpayers say enough.
Thank goodness for Commissioner Pappas and Commissioner Schoneman because they said NO however all the other board members said yes. If the Mayor says he wants it he gets it.
Nashua residents better start standing up and telling city officials no more spending. Remember that as it stands now our children, grandchildren and our great-grandchildren will be paying these expenses off.
