NASHUA, NH – The Board of Aldermen held a public hearing on Monday night on topics relating to the board of health and sidewalks and bike lanes.
As prime sponsor of the resolution, Alderman-At-Large Melbourne Moran Jr. spoke to propose an amendment to the city charter relative to adding two additional members to the Board of Health.
“Currently our board of health is not multidisciplinary, it is one discipline. It has just physicians,” he said. “There’s some issues that the board deals with that are more social determinants of health that aren’t particularly in the wheelhouse of a physician and more in the wheelhouse of direct care providers, like social workers and nurses.”
He added that many community members are in support of this resolution.
Members of the Board of Health spoke in opposition to the amendment.
“As spokesperson for the Board of Health I would like to say this legislation would hamper the board,” Tony Storace, chairman of the board, said. “We all have experienced situations where something looks good on paper and is either not needed or a solution looking for a problem that doesn’t exist.”
Director of Public Health and Community Services Bobbie Bagley said that the board works effectively and efficiently as it now stands, that there is not a gap in knowledge, and that the board also has the expertise of Division of Public Health and Community Services staff members. She added that they already have a nurse and social worker involved, so adding more would not be needed.
In other news, the Budget Review Committee passed a resolution to authorize the mayor to enter into an amended federal aid project agreement with the state for the purpose of upgrading sidewalks and creating bike lanes on Lock and Whitney streets. The resolution authorizes the mayor to accept and appropriate an additional $24,309.81 for the project.
“Some time has gone by since the original agreement was executed and the Department of Transportation is requesting that we enter into an amended agreement,” city engineer Dan Hudson said at the public hearing. “This … is simply updating the agreement of receiving those additional federal funds.”
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