SMITH: “Mr Moron,” That’s What To Call Him

Alderman Melbourne Moran Jr is supposedly not seeking reelection this fall.  Let’s hope, for everyone’s sake, that it’s true because he really is a moron.  I call him “Alderman Moron” and encourage others to do the same, but Ward 7 moderator Avalon Lewis got a head start in preparing for Alderman Moron’s future private citizenry … Read more

Ortolano: Who Decides What Voices Matter in Nashua? Mayor Donchess, Apparently

Mayor Jim Donchess’s recent decisions regarding Nashua’s Pride Parade have raised serious questions about his commitment to the First Amendment and his understanding of viewpoint neutrality in public forums. Taxpayer funds are being used to organize the Nashua Pride Parade, a public event that begins at City Hall Plaza and proceeds through downtown streets. Participation … Read more

Scaer: Nashua Mayor Jim Donchess Despises the First Amendment

Nashua Mayor Jim Donchess has no problem with permitting the Satanic Temple to march behind him in the Nashua Pride Parade holding a flag and banner praising Satan, but the Pine Tree Flag is supposedly too controversial to fly on Nashua City Hall Plaza. Last year, Mayor Donchess turned down my request to fly the … Read more

Nashua City Hall

Ortolano: When the Response Proves the Point – How Officials Validate Concerns by Discrediting Dissent

Last Thursday, the Union Leader published an op-ed warning about a troubling trend: the politicization of public participation in Nashua. I argued that our city’s leaders—by labeling dissenting voices as “mayor haters” or dismissing ethics complaints as “just politics”—were creating a culture that silences civic dialogue. One day later, Alderman Derek Thibeault responded—not with reflection, but … Read more

Ortolano: Chilling the Chamber – How Politicizing Public Input Silences Civic Voice

Since the outset of Mayor Donchess’s leadership, our City’s political climate has shifted to destabilize our democracy. A persistent pattern has emerged, with elected officials, appointed or endorsed by the Mayor, making statements that marginalize concerned citizens, question their motives, and dismiss their input. This ongoing trend chills free speech, erodes public trust, and weakens … Read more

Ortolano: Mayor Donchess’s Misconduct Whitewashed by His Own Appointees

A complaint was recently filed with Nashua’s Ethics Review Committee (ERC) accusing Mayor Jim Donchess of unethical conduct. At issue: his decision to use taxpayer funds to cover legal fees for Alderman Melbourne Moran, who was sued for defamation over statements a court later ruled were made in a personal—not official—capacity. Rather than question the … Read more

A Suggested Email to Some Donchess Donkeys

Let’s start by taking a look at this video of last night’s Finance committee meeting in Nashua, skipping to 1h18min where the mayor stokes discord and vitriol in the chamber against the federal government for cutting some of its funding to the PD and FD, particularly special equipment that also benefits communities outside Nashua.  There … Read more

I Have “Public Health Event” Questions

I just looked at an event flyer for the 2025 Greater Nashua Public Health Week Kickoff Event on Monday 4/7.  When Grokster Beth Scaer showed it to me, her caption said, “It’s the third year in a row that they have moved the kickoff inside after I attended the kickoff on the city hall plaza … Read more

Nashua’s $75M Trust Funds – The Penalty of Perjury 

The City’s Trust Funds continue to be an item of interest as accounting for this money is troublesome. City leaders are now acknowledging publicly one issue as they have organized a special meeting titled “Trustees of Trust Funds” on Tuesday at 7:00 PM in the Aldermanic Chamber. However, no additional information has been provided to … Read more

Nashua center for the arts

Nashua’s Unlawful Management of $75M in City Trust Funds

It all began with a simple question. In October, I wanted to verify the balance in a special fund (Capital Reserve Fund) set up for the maintenance of the Performing Arts Center, which opened on April 1, 2023. The City’s Board of Aldermen (BOA) approved this fund in August 2023. It was meant to be … Read more

Nashua City Hall

Using Public Money To Conceal Personal Corruption

Nashua’s Mayor and the legal office have launched a full-scale attack on this citizen in response to my advocacy for transparency in the city. Their lack of transparency is evident in their attempts to shift 100% of the blame for the costs of Right-to-Know (RTK) cases and complaints onto the citizens, while denying any responsibility … Read more

More Nashua Mayoral Malfeasance?

Contracted legal fee agreements are approved by the Mayor and require no approval of the Board of Aldermen (BOA). The purchasing policy does not require the Finance Committee or Board of Aldermen to approve legal services above $25,000. The Mayor and Legal Office have unchecked control over the legal fee contracts and the terms and expenses associated with … Read more

Nashua’s Mayor Must Change His Employee Standards To End Discrimination

Nashua’s assessing office underwent significant changes between 2019 and 2021. These changes occurred when the Mayor, aware of the problems, failed to keep the lid on a dysfunctional office operating in disarray.  The lack of management oversight created an unregulated environment, which eventually revealed itself and continues to reveal itself. The chief was at the heart … Read more

Flushing-Money-down-the-toilet

Stop Wasting Taxpayers Time and Money

Mayor Donchess likes to remind us that a few residents are costing the city thousands of dollars on Right To Know Requests. The problem is that Mayor Donchess does not want transparency and would like to keep the residents from knowing what he is doing with our tax dollars and how he is running the … Read more

How the City of Nashua Treats Women Must Change

Ending Gender Discrimination in Public Information Access I have faced unjustified obstacles and outright hostility for four years while attempting to access public information from Nashua under New Hampshire’s 91-A Right to Know law. What I’ve experienced goes beyond bureaucratic inefficiency to include gender-based discrimination. Nashua’s leadership treats women differently—and worse than men. The Disparity: Men … Read more

King Jim Dnnchess

NH Mayor: No “Free Speech” On His Flagpole!

Democrat Mayor Jim Donchess of Nashua has changed the city’s policy regarding the flagpoles in front of city hall. Where they were once willing to allow the public to petition to fly a flag, that policy is no longer. The city will fly the flags it likes, and that’s the end of it. We predicted … Read more

A Pathetic Mea Culpa

On September 24, 2024, the Board of Alderman meeting opened a conversation regarding the new “surprise” assessments received by property owners that weekend. The Mayor explained that properties throughout the City had increased but had no hard data to support his numbers. Congratulating homeowners on their average 20% increases in their assessed values to highlight … Read more

All Nashua Taxpayers Need To Let These Figures Sink In:

City of Nashua Budget FY2017 $263,823,554 City of Nashua Budget FY2025 $456,635,638 Difference $192,812,084 That is an increase of 73.08% This is all due to Mayor Donchess’ spending programs. So when are Nashua taxpayers going to wake up and realize taxpayers cannot afford to have Mayor Donchess doing our budgets? It looks like Mayor Donchess wants … Read more

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