NASHUA – The city’s Division of Public Works facilities have long been in rough shape, but Board of Aldermen members this week approved selling $7.5 million worth of bonds to improve working conditions for their employees.

“This is a long overdue investment,” Alderman Tom Lopez said during the Monday meeting, which is the last of 2019.

Lopez said the city would become a disaster in two weeks if there was no garbage collection, clean water or if city roads did not get plowed, acknowledging the efforts of public works employees.

One of the bonds the board passed Monday will help fund a project estimated to cost $10 million at the Nashua Four Hills Landfill. That legislation, Resolution 19-187, issues bonds in the amount of $6 million for the design and construction of a DPW office facility, which division officials hope to have constructed at the landfill by 2022. The sale of city-owned property at 141-143 Burke St. to Loyal Holdings LLC in the amount of $3.9 million should fund most of the project’s price tag.

“From the time that I was elected two years ago, I was taken on a tour of the public works facilities, and I saw that the buildings are in poor shape, as has been described many times,” Alderman Ernest Jette said.

He said constructing this new facility is a necessary project, but believes it is only part of the solution.

He believes the long-range plan is to relocate the garage from its current location on Stadium Drive and the garages that house Parks and Recreation vehicles to the landfill site.

However, doing all of that at once would entail a much more expensive project. With other pressures on the city budget, such as health care costs, for example, he believes this is the most the city can do at this current time.

The existing office facility is located at 9 Riverside St. This new building will offer office space for almost all of the public works departments, including Engineering Department, Parks and Recreation Department, Solid Waste Department, Street Department and Administration.

The Wastewater Treatment Department is expected to remain in its current location.

“Since I’m the Ward 5 alderman, I was concerned about this plan to consolidate everything at the landfill because I was concerned about how that would affect the neighborhood and the neighbors, but frankly, not many people have said anything,” Jette said. “In fact, just the opposite.” Jette said some of those living nearby have told they do not oppose the project.

Before the Board of Aldermen members made their final decision Monday, members of the public had the opportunity to pose questions about the project.

The current administration building on Riverside Drive is adjacent to the Nashua Police Department headquarters, which will likely take over this space since the evidence cage is behind the building.

In the meantime, most of the existing DPW buildings will need to remain in use because there are a garage areas attached to some. The current Solid Waste Department building housed at the landfill will eventually be demolished, but for now, will be used for storage.

Alderman-at-Large David Tencza said approving this bond sale does not necessarily hinder officials from pursuing future bond projects. Lopez agrees, as he said now is the time to do this.

“Sometimes, people are focused on what’s going on at the end of their driveway and they don’t really have the whole city perspective in mind, and I think the administrative staff that oversees all of that activity and helps organize it does a very good job, overall, for the amount of work that they do compared to their size,” Lopez said.

This legislation and Resolution 19-186 received unanimous support by members of the board on Monday, with 15 yeas during each roll call vote. Resolution 19-186 issues bonds for nearly $1.5 million. This is scheduled to fund various improvements at the landfill, in addition to purchasing two refuse trucks.

Adam Urquhart may be contacted at 594-1206, or at aurquhart@nashuatelegraph.com.

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