Nashua legal notices could disappear from The Telegraph

NASHUA — The Board of Alders, during its Oct. 24 meeting, discussed a proposed ordinance that would no longer require the Planning Department to publish legal notices pertaining to the Historic District in The Nashua Telegraph.

During the meeting, Ward 5 Alderman Ernest Jette shared his thoughts opposing the ordinance.

“A lot of people get their notice by looking at the local newspaper, The Nashua Telegraph,” he said, adding that the newspaper currently has 8,000 print subscribers and 100,000 online subscribers. “The number of people who are able to get notice through The Telegraph is a substantial number.”

He said the argument from the Planning Department was that The Telegraph’s advertising rates have increased and that the newspaper’s circulation has diminished.

Therefore, he said it is the opinion of the Planning Department that signs be used to convey proposed changes to the Historic District.

“Do those signs reach 8,000 people or 100,000 people? I doubt it,” said Jette.

He also addressed another part of the ordinance regarding the amount of time the signs have to be up. The current requirement is 10 days; however, the ordinance would reduce it to five days, which is the minimum time required by the state.

“I just don’t think that’s enough time, I think it’s a big mistake,” said Jette.

Planning Manager Samuel Durfee said the city pays The Telegraph more than $10,000 a year to publish notices about the Historic District.

He also said signage is not required by the state, rather it was adopted by the city.

“It is a highly effective means of notification,” said Durfee. “It is right there, present in the neighborhood.”

He also said the state does not require notices to be published in the newspaper, provided they are posted on the city’s website.

Durfee said that in addition to posting the notices online, the Planning Department is currently working with Nashua Community Television to advertise through that medium as well.

Ward 3 Alderwoman Patricia Klee said she was not in favor of reducing the notification period from 10 days to five days.

“I do have anxiety about lessening this,” she said. “The Historic District is Ward 3, it’s going to be effecting my constituents.”

However, she supported taking notices out of the newspaper.

“It was a significant amount of money that was going to be saved,” said Klee.

Ward 1 Alderman Tyler Gouveia said advertising in The Telegraph is no longer the best way to reach residents under the age of 30.

“It seems that newspapers aren’t going to rebound anytime soon,” he said, adding that The Telegraph only reaches a “very small scope of people.”

Vice President Michael O’Brien also supported the ordinance, saying the 8,000 subscribers to The Sunday Telegraph only represent 12% of Nashua’s population.

“I wish The Telegraph existed, it would stop some of the bullcrap that is really going on,” he said.

Ward 4 Alderman Thomas Lopez recognized the cost of publishing the notices in the newspaper.

“I’d prefer to save the money,” he said. “The Union-Leader and The Boston Globe are most likely what you’re going to see in a diner. Using those is not impossible and not ridiculous,” however, if the notices are pulled from the newspaper, he said that requirement must be replaced with something more than just signage.

The board ultimately voted to table the matter.

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