Drum and bugle corps could make an encore performance

Another show?

Paul LaFlamme, the manager of the Spartans Drum and Bugle Corps, met recently with Mayor Bernie Streeter, June Caron of the Parks and Recreation Department and others to talk about another show of some of the country’s biggest drum and bugle performers.

Last July the local group brought in talent that wowed people during the sesquicentennial parade weekend in July.

LaFlamme asked that the group be allowed to use Stellos Stadium again, which could ruffle feathers.

Free parking – for a little while

Some motorists downtown had a nice surprise: When they tried to feed the meters, there was nothing there but air.

Over the past week the guts of each of the nearly 500 parking meters were removed and given a good cleaning. The meters have troubled the Division of Public Works for months.

Susan Klassen, acting traffic engineer, said engineers from the manufacturer POM flew up from Arkansas to get to the bottom of the problems.

She said the city has not paid the manufacturer for the products yet, and the company is being penalized $100 a day for the city’s troubles.

The city should be able to implement its card-paying feature soon.

Sniping on the Finance Committee

The Finance Committee got a bit testy over the purchase of police vehicles.

Alderman-at-Large David Deane wrote an e-mail saying Streeter, the chairman of the committee, needs to deal with his “inner struggles” instead of interrupting him at meetings.

The e-mail was written to aldermanic President Brian McCarthy asking for his assistance to improve the situation Deane believes stems from “personal vendettas.”

“As always if assistance is needed to address the inner struggles of the chairman I am just a phone call away,” wrote Deane, a critic of former Division of Public Works Director George Crombie, a Streeter ally.

However, Streeter replied via e-mail that he was in fact keeping the committee work on track and germane to the agenda, as the job of chairman requires.

“I don’t know what in the world he is writing about,” Streeter said when asked about Deane’s remarks.

The Nashua Police Department apparently wants to use some $25,000 in drug forfeiture money to buy a passenger van.

Strategizing in the Bay State

Leaders in the Great American Downtown retreated to Tyngsborough, Mass., on Friday to talk about the downtown revitalization group.

The daylong meeting at the Boston University conference center focused on strategic planning, outreach, economic restructuring and fund raising, among other areas.

Streeter and Mark Sousa, his business and legislative liaison, attended the meeting for a time.

Sousa had high praise for the workshops and the planning for the upcoming year.

Downtown attorney Scott Flegal of Flegal Law Office is president of group. He took over the helm recently.

One of the topics on the group’s plate is whether to apply to be a formally recognized Main Street Community. It was the rejection of the city’s membership application to the national group that spurred the creation of the Great American Downtown.

New job for a familiar face

There is a new sheriff in town. Well, not exactly.

Ward 5 Alderman David Lozeau apparently left his position as a bail commissioner at Nashua District Court. The newest commissioner is former Mayor Don Davidson, who was appointed by court officials, starting Feb. 1.

The bail commissioners work for the court and are appointed by the court. They serve Nashua, Hudson, Litchfield and Hollis. They are on call on a rotating basis one week at a stretch.

The most senior bail commissioner, who has been doing it for about 30 years, is Larry Noel. His nephew Bob Noel is another.

Nashua . . . From the Inside was compiled by staff reporters Andrew Nelson and Andrew Wolfe.