Aldermanic Preview: Moose Plates, yard waste and outdoor seating

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The Manchester Board of Mayor and Aldermen (BMA) as well as several of its committees will be meeting on Monday, April 4 and Tuesday, April 5.

Here are some of the things they are expected to discuss.


Screenshot 2021 04 04 103815
A picture from inside the Aldermanic packet: Penuche’s is seeking to place tables in the red outlined area.

Yard Waste Recommendations

During Monday’s BMA Special Committee on Solid Waste Activities, Michael Porter (Ward 8) has requested a transfer of up to $70,000 from the city’s contingency account to restore the current yard waste pick up schedule in place prior to October until the end of June. They’ll also discuss additional weeks for yard waste collection beyond the end of June in addition to other expiring solid waste-related contracts.

In a communication from Solid Waste and Environmental Program Manager Chaz Newton, Pinard Waste Systems would be willing to accept a contract for yard waste pickup beyond June 30 for $152,950 if the BMA accepts that agreement before June 30 as well as a cost of $69,000 for yard waste pickup before June 30.

Below is the email request put forth by Porter to the special committee on solid waste activities:

April 4, 2021

Dear Honorable Committee Members, Board Members, Colleagues;

Thank you for taking up the issue of continued yard waste pick up consistent with past practice. I want to echo the sentiments of the many constituents who have called me about the reduction in services the new schedule provides. As a Board, we simply made a mistake and this is the time to correct that mistake.  There are times when an issue is presented to us, as a Board, where the numbers make sense. However, there are also times when those real numbers are not translated into the impact on all of our constituents. This is one of those times.  Admitting to a mistake is the first step in correcting the action. Funding the proposal is the next step.

I respectfully request this committee vote unanimously to return the yard waste service to its original schedule; allocate up to $70,000 for the remainder of the contract year which expires June 30, 2021; and as a full Board, we fully fund a contract with Pinard Waste System in the amount of $152,950 for yard waste service consistent with past practice (including the weekly collections) through June 30, 2022.

We are expecting a surplus of approximately $1.8 million. I would request we allocate $152,950 from the surplus to fully fund the contract with Pinard Waste through June 30, 2022. As outlined in the Mayor’s proposed budget, the Mayor has appropriately requested surplus funds be allocated to the severance account and the rainy- day fund. The remainder would offset the tax rate.  There is no better use of taxpayer funds than to use those funds to continue to provide direct constituent/taxpayer services; services all of our constituents have relied upon and consistently paid for through property taxes…yard waste collection.

Thank you for your time and attention to this request. Let’s do the right thing for all of our constituents / taxpayers.

Sincerely,

Michael Porter

Ward 8 Alderman

Last week, Mayor Craig implored the Aldermen to take up this issue during her budget address.


Aldermanic History

During the BMA Committee on Community Improvement’s meeting on Tuesday, just under $5 million in capital improvement program (CIP) and other grant funding will be discussed, including a request by City Clerk Matt Normand asking the BMA to seek $10,000 of Moose Plate grant funding to preserve Aldermanic materials from 1864 to 1953.

Over that time frame, the BMA issued decisions on a wide array of issues ranging from bounties during the Civil War, the construction of schools and bridges, the distribution of smallpox vaccines and the commissioning of the Lincoln Statue at Memorial High School.

Since 1998, the Moose Plate program has raised up to $20 million for the promotion and protection of New Hampshire’s natural, cultural and historical resources

More Outdoor Seating

On Tuesday’s BMA Committee on Public Safety Meeting, there will be several requests for more outdoor seating from city restaurants.

Penuche’s will be asking for four tables on Lowell Street in addition to their current outdoor seating on Elm Street, Buba Noodle Bar will be seeking 12 tables on the sidewalk and street on Lowell Street and Stark Brewery will be seeking 12 tables in the area between its building and Arms Park, primarily underneath the Notre Dame Bridge

 

About this Author

Andrew Sylvia

Assistant EditorManchester Ink Link

Born and raised in the Granite State, Andrew Sylvia has written approximately 10,000 pieces over his career for outlets across Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont. On top of that, he's a licensed notary and licensed to sell property, casualty and life insurance, he's been a USSF trained youth soccer and futsal referee for the past six years and he can name over 60 national flags in under 60 seconds according to that flag game app he has on his phone, which makes sense because he also has a bachelor's degree in geography (like Michael Jordan). He can also type over 100 words a minute on a good day.