We are going to bet that if you had to deal with rats or mice running near you in your workplace, you probably would not be quite as productive as if you did not face this.

Nashua Public Works Director Lisa Fauteux hopes a new strategy will allow her employees to operate without this safety and health hazard.

“So, the area where the administrative assistant sits, she has rodents in there every year because of the building,” Fauteux told our reporter of the conditions at the Solid Waste Department, 840 W. Hollis St. Because of the rodents, the department has resorted to setting up rat traps in an effort to keep critters from entering the facility.

In Nashua, the Division of Public Works consists of five departments:

• Engineering,

• Parks and Recreation,

• Solid Waste,

• Street, and

• Wastewater.

A common theme throughout the facilities is inadequate space to store and maintain the expensive equipment used to care for the city’s property. This showed itself to be true at Parks and Recreation, which is currently using an old horse barn to do repairs on vehicles and equipment. They are also parking many of their plows out in the elements year-round.

One might reasonably expect these to be “dirty jobs.” After all, these are the folks who snow and ice from the streets during winter, ensure swimming pools stays fresh and clean during summer, and remove garbage throughout the year.

However, the conditions as described by Fauteux are not something employees should have to endure.

“I think everybody agrees that this needs to be addressed,” Fauteux added.

“I think it’s well-recognized that these facilities are in major disrepair and we are not providing adequate workspace for our staff and that needs to happen.”

We agree that something needs to be done to address the conditions of these facilities. We urge Nashua city leaders to consider addressing the problems.

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