Per State of New Hampshire Department of Education via Right To Know re; the ESSER funds. The ESSER funds were shown in 3 parts:
Part 1 – $3,269,353.22
Part 2 – $12,169,171.17
Part 3 – $29,164,886.47
Total – $44,603,410.86
The State of New Hampshire is currently showing that Nashua has received $31,527,716.02 to date. This leaves a balance of $13,075,694.84, which the city must bill the state for before September 2024. The State of New Hampshire Department of Education also gave me information on what the City of Nashua was requesting for reimbursement. Please note that some of these items were adjusted just before the meeting in reference to the ESSER funds. Wonder why?
Aldermen Dowd’s casual attitude that the ESSER funds do not have enough money to complete the two school projects was misleading. Dowd gave the impression that the state did not give Nashua taxpayers all the money; however, that is not correct. The ESSER funds that have been budgeted for the City of Nashua is approx—$ 45 million dollars. Nashua residents now know why Mr. Dowd’s condo association does not want him on their board.
It appears that the school district charged the ESSER funds account instead of the city’s budgeted accounts. This shows up on the June 30, 2023, monthly budget reports. The school department has not spent $5.5 million dollars that was budgeted for the school district. So, the bottom line is that the school district misapplied its expenses and now wants the Nashua taxpayers to pay an additional $4.5 million for their error.
Mayor Donchess likes to take this ”extra” money (monies that were not used in the fiscal year) and pay for other items that he wants and not necessarily what the taxpayers want.
There is a very simple fix to this problem, which would be for the school district to actually charge the expense account within the budget and leave the ESSER funds for the purpose that they were intended for.
If you look below, you will note that a lot of “regular” salaries went against the ESSER funds where they should have been applied to Salaries and all the “other” expenses related to salaries.
City Officials must remember that Nashau taxpayers are already paying for salaries, health insurance, dental insurance, retirement contributions, and life insurance for city workers within the budget.
City Officials must also remember that the Nashua taxpayers are already paying high taxes, and at this point, we do not want to be responsible for the School District’s $4.5 million dollar mistake. Correct the problem, and there will be money in the ESSER account to pay for the construction of the two schools.
Mayor Donchess and the Board of Aldermen do the right thing and have the School District correct their records.
