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Incumbents welcome new city officials at 110th inauguration

By Dean Shalhoup - Senior Staff Writer | Jan 6, 2020

Telegraph photo by DEAN SHALHOUP Newly elected and incumbent members of the Board of Aldermen take the oath of office during Sunday's 110th city government inauguration. City officials, including city Attorney Steven Bolton and Mayor Jim Donchess, are seated in front of them.

NASHUA – Mayor Jim Donchess began his fourth Inaugural Address Sunday with a blend of celebration and gratitude, congratulating new and incumbent officials “who have worked hard to get here” before expressing thanks to “our families” and “the 2,800 city employees who work every day to make Nashua a great city.”

Roughly 150 spectators, including family members of new and incumbent office-holders, were on hand Sunday for the swearing-in of the 110th Nashua city government in the Nashua High School North auditorium.

Aldermen, at their traditional post-inauguration organizational meeting, unanimously chose veteran Alderman-at-Large Lori Wilshire to continue serving as board president.

They then voted, 14-1, to retain incumbent Alderman-at-Large Michael O’Brien Sr. as vice president.

Wilshire, in brief remarks, paid tribute to the late Brian McCarthy, the longtime board president who died unexpectedly 14 months ago.

“I’ve been to eight inaugurations, but this is my first without Brian,” she said, recalling him as a friend and mentor who was the go-to person for anyone in city government in need of an answer or guidance on an issue.

Wilshire and O’Brien were both reelected in November, while Ben Clemons, who had been Ward 6 alderman, won the third open at-large seat.

Elizabeth Lu was elected Ward 6 alderman.

Lu was one of two newcomers elected as ward alderman; the other was Skip Cleaver, who won the Ward 8 seat vacated by Mary Ann Melizzi-Golja.

As for the Board of Education, the four incumbents – Ray Guarino, Dorothy Oden, Heather Raymond and Gloria Timmons – were joined by newcomers Sharon Giglio, Paula Johnson, Jennifer Bishop and Jessica Brown, while former member Sandra Ziehm returned to the board.

And chosen as this year’s student representatives were Stephen Norris, grandson and namesake of the late, longtime music teacher and band director, from Nashua High School North, and Joshua Gao, who will represent NHS South.

Nashua attorney William Barry III, who was selected as this year’s master of ceremonies, mixed in a little dark humor while congratulating the winners.

“I also want to thank those who put your names on the ballot, but came up short – as did the New England Patriots,” Barry said, prompting a few groans from the audience.

Barry read letters of congratulations from Gov. Chris Sununu, U.S. Sens. Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan, and U.S. Rep. Annie Kuster.

Meanwhile, Donchess, who is both the 51st (1984-91) and 56th mayor of Nashua, said he “continues to listen” and “learn from you” as he enters his second consecutive term and fourth overall.

He cited “the dozens of town halls … the monthly coffees-with-the-mayor” and “visits to people’s homes” as examples of what he called his pledge to “continue to listen and learn and to be accountable to you.”

Donchess listed a series of initiatives currently in the works, most all of which came about over the past four years.

Among them is Nashua becoming “a welcoming city,” and the various music festivals that he says have “given Nashua more life.”

The sweeping middle school construction and renovations project currently in the works continues Nashua’s “commitment to provide an excellent education for every student …, Donchess said, adding that the focus for the next four years will be on building a new middle school and “renovating and reconfiguring” Pennichuck and Fairgrounds middle schools.

Among the challenges Nashua faces going forward, Donchess said, is the predicted steady rise in health care costs.

“I do have a word of caution … the rising costs of health care for our city employees is the major financial challenge we now face,” he said.

The city needs to “take these rapidly rising” costs seriously … and exercise fiscal discipline as we consider new spending commitments …,” Donchess said.

Dean Shalhoup may be reached at 594-1256 or dshalhoup@nashuatelegraph.com.

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