NASHUA – The Gate City received high marks in a recent study conducted by Wallet Hub, a personal finance website based in Washington, D.C., which revealed that Nashua is ranked fourth in the country as “the best run city” in America.”

While the pandemic tested cities around the nation, Nashua persevered with its trajectory aimed solidly at getting the city back to some semblance of normalcy, striving to get its population vaccinated and supporting local businesses as they reopened.

With a literal shot in the arm, the New Hampshire COVID-19 vaccination rate is 56.7 percent. And while state-aided vaccination sites are now closed, there are still some 400 sites around the state offering first and second doses.

In the downtown Nashua area, vaccines are available, some with appointment necessary, at Walgreens Pharmacy, CVS and Rite Aid; Walmart and Costco pharmacies are also administering doses.

Nashua Mayor Jim Donchess said that he was pleased to see Nashua rating 4th out of 150 cities.

“We’ve rated strongly in the past, but never all the way up to fourth,” he said. “And the principal criteria is the efficiency of city services, in other words, the quality of the service versus the cost. So, it shows that we’re managing the money carefully. And we’re careful about taxpayers’ dollars. And I’m trying to be more careful. But this is good news for the city.”

Donchess said that includes keeping the current budget down. He added that a rating such as this one is good PR for the Gate City. In other words: people pay attention.

“I think people definitely notice,” he said. “And I think it helps educate people as to the fact that their government is effectively run. Now, that’s not to say it’s every single person, but for most people, it adds an element of confidence.”

Donchess said that even with a stealthy showing I this study, there’s always room for improvement.

“Of course, we can always do better,” he said. “And we need to be accountable to the citizens. And one thing that our citizens want and deserve is the striving to be more efficient and to improve city services wherever we can.”

One such area that’s buzzing is that Nashua’s police commission is the only one in the state still appointed by the governor and the executive council, and Donchess said he’d like to see voters make that decision instead.

Police chief Mike Carignan said back in April, “it’s a very dangerous thing to get local politicians involved in it.”

Donchess reiterated that Nashua is the only city in New Hampshire that doesn’t have local control of its police commission.

“There used to be a whole group of cities that were that way,” he said. “It goes back more than 100 years.”

Donchess stated that local control of the police commission provides a more accountable police commission, with more accountability to the citizens.

“We shouldn’t have commission members appointed by the state,” he said. “And the nominees would be interviewed at City Hall. Residents could see them on TV and could go to City Hall and submit questions. There would be much more input. And I think budgeting would go a lot more smoothly.”

Donchess added that he would like to expand the police commission from three to five members to increase the number of candidates being considered.

“It just seems impossible that in only one time in 130 years, only one woman qualified,” he said of the commission’s membership.

Nashua Police Commission Chairman James Tollner said he has no issue with going to five members, but has serious concerns about how those members are appointed.

Donchess alleged that they made a false statement when they said, “No one has ever given them reasons as to why we would want to go local.”

“That’s not accurate,” the Mayor said. “I’ve given them a lot of reasons. I said, ‘Look. I’ve been trying to get you to work with me for five years on the budget and you haven’t been doing it.'”

“I appreciate our police department very much,” Donchess continued. “And I think as police officers, they do very well. But as budget managers, not so much.”