And to give special consideration to the candidates that have offered their credentials and views below!
Absentee Ballot link: https://www.nashuanh.gov/195/Voter-Registration-and-Elections
NDCC Meeting Minutes – June – Sept 2022
Nashua Democratic City (NDCC) Minutes
Thursday 9/8/2022
7:12 p.m.– 8:47 p.m.
Call to order by chairman Mike Pedersen at 7:12 p.m.
Mike Pedersen announced ground rules and everyone did intros.
Naomi and Bekah from the Coordinated Campaign spoke about getting volunteers. Most are from Massachusetts we need to get people in the community out.
Max Webber from Voting Protection presented.
- Hot Line – 6034668683 7 days a week
- 5 Key things
- Voter Protection Team
- The Big Lie
- Fight Back
- Resources
- Questions
- Absentee Ballots went back to previous rules – preCovid
- Why does Voter Protection Matter
- 3 Threats
- Voter Integrity Group
- Removal of Voting Machines
- Voter Suppression Bills
- They need help
- Phonebank
- Answer calls
- Poll observer
- hotline@nhdp.org
- Voteinnh.org
Bill Bordy delivered the treasurer’s report.
The Fundraising Gala on 10/6 was discussed by Laura Telerski. We have until the last week of September to buy tickets.
Reminder Saturday at 4:00 Tom Sherman Meet and Greet at Sherry Dutzy’s house.
Olivia Martin talked about using the DVCC list.
Derek Thibeault went over city happenings at City Hall.
Joann St. John went over plans to protest the Asphalt Manufacturing plant before the planning board in Ward 7.
Motion to adjourn at 8:47PM
NO MINUTES PUBLISHED FOR AUGUST MEETING
Nashua Democratic City (NDCC) Minutes
Thursday 7/14/2022
7:04 p.m.– 8:18 p.m. (Zoom)
Call to order by chairman Mike Pedersen at 7:04 p.m.
Naomi Gewirtzman and Bekah Meigs from Organize NH’s Coordinated Campaign spoke. They are at our Main St. office and will be out canvassing. More info below:
**SIGN UP TO CANVASS**
https://www.mobilize.us/organizenh/event/451274/
CONTACT:
Naomi Gewirtzman– Field Organizer
phone: 267-642-6293
email: ngewirtzman@nhdp.org
60 Main St Unit 240
Campaign Literature was discussed.
The Summer Cookout is set for Saturday with around 100 people signed up.
Bill Bordy went over the Treasurer’s Report.
Derek Thibeault discussed the state of the city.
- BOE and BOA both have an opening. Both will be taking letters of intent. The BOA is for Ward 7.
- Sue Newman asked about the Daniel Webster Property – Derek would look into it.
- Elm St property discussed
- City Budget passed
- Meeting for Candidates to Speak for the BOE position scheduled for 7/20
- Former Alderman Fred Teeboom is suing the city over the spending cap
Sherry Dutzy mentioned Ward 3 candidates will host a meeting greet with Dr Tom Sherman on Sept 10 at 4:00 PM.
We plan on reconvening in 2 weeks to discuss compensation for Asma Ackbar and to discuss Walk Cards and Candidate Buy ins.
We discussed an idea Dave Lisle had about candidate forums at hotels with speakers, but most people though cost, logistics and cutting into the gala made this infeasible.
The Gala has no date yet but the committee is working on it.
Motion to adjourn at 8:18PM
Nashua Democratic City (NDCC) Minutes
Thursday 6/9/2022
7:00 p.m.– 8:05 p.m. (Zoom)
Call to order by chairman Mike Pedersen at 7:05 p.m.
Introductions
Senator Cindy Rosenwald spoke about getting all 27 state rep seats filled, both state senate seats (Rosenwald, Melanie Levesque) and Executive Councilor (Shoshanna Kelly)
Important Dates
6/17 Friday the McIntyre-Shaheen 100 Fundraising Dinner
6/11 Saturday 1:00 Library Hill Students walk for gun safety – 10AM they would canvas first.
6/21 Silver Knights Fundraiser
6/25 Candidate Training State House
6/25 Nashua Pride Parade – We will have an info booth
7/16 Fundraising Picnic – Laura Telerski’s House
Elections
Asma Ackbar has offered to do the photography and the literature for the elections. Some discussion on buy-ins and fundraising.
Laura Telerski confirmed 373 candidates for state rep across the state.
Derek Thibeault spoke about the importance of these elections and the work we will need to do to win.
Ward 1 candidates were filing on Friday at 10:30 at City Hall. Maggie Hassan was also filing at 10:30 at the state house in Concord.
Nikki Arguin said we would need sponsors for the BBQ.
Adjourned 8:05 AM.
Nashua earns AAA bond rating .. again!
The accolades STILL just keep coming!!
Since 2017, through August 2022, the City of Nashua has once earned a Triple-A bond rating from Standard & Poor’s Financial Services. Since 2015. the Fitch Ratings agency has also given Nashua a Triple-A rating to the city’s bonds.
One big reason for these top ratings is that the City works hard to make sure we are accountable and smart with the money of Nashua’s hardworking taxpayers. We spend carefully and manage our money with caution. The City’s strong financial management and the overall health of our economy earned us these Triple-A ratings.
Nashua also has low debt compared with other cities. That is an important factor in the S&P rating.
Our Triple-A bond rating allows the City to borrow money at lower interest rates. That makes it cheaper for us to finance projects like the new middle school, our landfill, sewers, and paving. That benefits all of Nashua’s taxpayers.
Only a handful of communities in New Hampshire have Triple-A ratings from S&P and Fitch.
In June 2022, WalletHub ranked Nashua #4 for the 2nd year in a row!
WalletHub grades cities based on these “Quality of Services” metrics:
- Financial Stability
- Education
- Health
- Safety
- Economy
- Infrastructure/Pollution
Of the 150 cities included in the study, Nashua did very well in several metrics used in WalletHub’s evaluation, including:
- Quality of City Services: #9
- Total Budget per Capita: #9
- Violent Crime Rate: #4
- Quality of Roads: #2
- Safety: #1
- Infrastructure & Pollution: #15
You can read a complete explanation of what went into developing WalletHub’s rankings here: https://wallethub.com/edu/
In August 2020, WalletHub (a personal finance web site) ranked Nashua as the 10th Best-Run City in the U.S.! That’s up from 13th in 2019!
WalletHub looked at the 150 most-populous cities in the country. WalletHub’s analysis shows that the quality of Nashua’s city services are among the best in the country and that Nashua City Government spends less per resident than 80 percent of other cities.
“But how do we measure the effectiveness of local leadership?” the study asks. “One way is by determining a city’s operating efficiency. In other words, we can learn how well city officials manage and spend public funds by comparing the quality of services residents receive against the city’s total budget.”
The study breaks down the rating into categories, showing that Nashua ranks high in ‘Health’, ‘Safety’, and ‘Economy’. Within those categories, it looked at 35 different metrics. Check out the study here: https://wallethub.com/edu/best-run-cities/22869/?fbclid=IwAR0LMK8ooowY
At the end of 2019 WalletHub also ranked Nashua as the #8 Safest City in the U.S.
In 2018, WalletHub rated Nashua as the 9th best-run city in the US.
“Being repeatedly recognized by WalletHub and Money Magazine, as well as receiving a AAA bond rating from the Fitch and S&P, shows off the effectiveness and efficiency of Nashua’s city government,” Mayor Jim Donchess said.
In 2019, Money Magazine continued to rate Nashua as the best place to live in NH and #71 in the country. In New England, only Portland ME, Somerville MA and Brighton MA did better.
NEW Campaign Office – Unit 240 – Telegraph Building – 60 Main st
For those of you who I have not yet had the opportunity to meet, my name is Josie Weck, and I am the Regional Organizing Director for Nashua and the greater Hillsborough Region for Organize NH, the New Hampshire Democratic Party’s Coordinated Campaign.
I am thrilled to let you know our campaign office for the November election is now open! We are so excited to welcome you all into our newest field office and celebrate what we will accomplish together this year as we work to elect Democrats up and down the ticket.
The office is located in the Telegraph Building at 60 Main Street. Please park in the back parking lot, accessible via Pierce St. We are located in Unit 240. Signage will be posted throughout the building.
If you have any questions, you may reach me here by email or by phone at (505) 553-5696.
Onward,
Josie
Thank you Renny Cushing and Kathi Rogers
House Democratic leader, Renny Cushing, died of prostate cancer on March 7. The following is from NH Democratic chairman, Ray Buckley.
This week, New Hampshire lost a great and courageous hero, and I lost a good friend, with the passing of New Hampshire House Democratic Leader Renny Cushing. Renny’s passion for justice was unparalleled in New Hampshire history. Leader Cushing spent his entire life fighting the good fight and always courageously championing the cause of those who needed a champion.
Personally, I was inspired by his charismatic leadership as a teen, and followed him in the fight against the Seabrook nuclear plant. Just ten years later, we were both elected to the NH House in 1986 — both by 9 votes. Together we worked on issues both great and small, his clarity of thought, strategic mind and heart of gold were a wonder to behold. His sense of justice never wavered or compromised. His epic determination and strength led to impressive victories both inside the legislature and out.
All New Hampshire Democrats are feeling an immense loss and mourn the passing of Leader Cushing. Our heartfelt condolences go to his wife Kristie Conrad and his three daughters, Marie, Elizabeth and Grace.
On April 10, Representative Kathi Rogers died of cancer. I am heartbroken to have announced the passing of eight term New Hampshire State Representative Katherine D. Rogers of Concord, my closest friend of nearly fifty years.
Kathi’s heroic battle with cancer is now over. Right up to the end she was working hard on legislation. She never gave up the fight. She died peacefully Sunday afternoon surrounded by friends and her beloved pug, Romeo.
Kathi was brilliant, skilled, and tenacious in everything she did-– but most of all she was loyal to her friends, who she considered family.
Throughout her life Kathi’s underlying concern was protecting those from abuse; animals, children, women and all disenfranchised peoples. She has left a lasting legacy in Concord, Merrimack County, New Hampshire and the Democratic Party.
Our hearts are broken, we will keep our promise to continue their fight.