NASHUA, NH – A contract enabling a warming station at the Unitarian Universalist Church was authorized during an emergency meeting of the city’s finance committee Wednesday night, prior to the scheduled Board of Aldermen meeting.
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The warming station, announced by Mayor Jim Donchess, will open as soon as possible and will operate overnight from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. until the end of April. The $97,000 to operate the warming station will cover the cost of staffing and other expenses, and come from the Opioid Abatement Trust Fund.
Alderman said the hope is to offer the warming station during the cold-weather season again in the future.
Bobbie Bagley, the city’s director of Public Health and Community Services, asked the finance committee for the contract on Wednesday night. The warming station will extend overnight shelter in Nashua. Numbers quickly increased at the Nashua Soup Kitchen & Shelter when they opened an extended overnight shelter, having to turn people away when at capacity, Bagley said. Unlike the soup kitchen, the warming station will not provide beds, but will have tables for people to sit at.
In other business, the matter of unanticipated revenue of $51,843.88 into the Opioid Abatement Expendable Trust Fund was assigned to the budget review committee and will be discussed at a special board of Aldermen public hearing on Thursday, Feb. 8. at 7 p.m. in the aldermanic chamber.
Bonds to fund additional costs for building renovations at Birch Hill Elementary and Main Dunstable Elementary were also assigned to the budget review committee and will be discussed at the Feb. 8 public hearing as well.