Nashua’s population and economy continue to grow, developments which are obviously good in the overall scheme of things.

No matter where one seems to go in the Gate City, some sort of housing, retail, or commercial development seems to be taking place. On the other hand, homelessness and hunger continue as problems in Nashua, while people continue suffering from the effects of fentanyl and other opioids.

Therefore, it seems the four candidates seeking to fill three at-large seats on the Nashua Board of Aldermen during the Nov. 5 Municipal General Election will have their hands full.

Those in the at-large positions represent the entire city, rather than a specific ward. The winners will be elected to four-year terms. Currently, Ben Clemons, Lori Wilshire and Michael O’Brien serve in this capacity, while Melbourne Moran is challenging them to take one of the seats.

“I think we have some challenges up ahead, and I think one of them is going to be making sure that Nashua has a strong economy,” Clemons told our reporter. “So, making sure that we have a diverse, young economy, I think, is important and one of the things that we can do to ensure that is to try to make Nashua a place that is friendly to do business.”

Wilshire said one of the biggest problems is addressing affordable housing in Nashua. She is the board’s liaison to the Nashua Housing Authority, and said one waiting list has more than 3,000 people or families. She would like to encourage workforce housing, or a mix of housing, where the working poor have a place to live, highlighting how some people in the community are working full-time jobs, yet living in shelters.

“I see the whole downtown as, I use the example as a postcard, and anybody that has family or friends that come up to visit in Nashua, they always end up on Main Street, and to have a performing arts center, I think, will increase the betterment for downtown,” O’Brien told The Telegraph.

“I’m a trusted health care provider in the city, and I’m looking to be a trusted member of the Board of Aldermen for the city,” Moran said of his candidacy. “What I’m hoping to do is to work with other Board of Aldermen members and the Mayor’s office to try to implement some incentives to invite critical workforce numbers into our community.”

We ask voters to take this election seriously and to make their voices heard on Nov. 5.

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