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Nashua Board of Aldermen appoints Jim Ravan to Ward 1 after three-candidate interview
Summary
After interviewing three candidates for a Ward 1 vacancy, the Nashua Board of Aldermen voted 11–1 to appoint Jim Ravan, who was sworn in immediately. Candidates discussed taxes, budget priorities and ways to work with other board members.
The Nashua Board of Aldermen on May 20 appointed Jim Ravan to fill the Ward 1 vacancy after interviewing three candidates and voting 11–1. The board announced a quorum, heard opening statements and questions, and swore Ravan into office immediately after the tally was announced.
Ravan, who introduced himself as a long-time Ward 1 resident and co-host of a local radio program, stressed constituent service and neighborhood issues in his opening remarks, saying property taxes and traffic top residents’ concerns. “If you vote for me, you’ll vote for the AFL‑CIO and the teachers union,” he told the board, characterizing his labor-friendly background and community ties.
Earlier candidates framed different priorities. Mr. Tibble, a former at‑large alderman who cited a long record of local projects including the New Hampshire Holocaust Memorial and the Broad Street Parkway, said his top goal would be restoring the city’s spending cap and imposing tighter budget controls. “My number one priority is to get the spending cap back to the people of Nashua,” he said, urging limits on supplemental appropriations and proposing a target of a 3% budget increase.
Adland Schmidt, who described decades of Ward 1 residency and experience on the school board, emphasized technical and budgetary competence and said he would attend other public meetings to coordinate city and school efforts. Schmidt cited past work on school capital projects and cybersecurity experience as assets for board service.
Aldermen’s questions focused on how each candidate would work with colleagues and with agencies outside the board’s direct control, how they would weigh budget tradeoffs, and how they would represent unsheltered residents. Candidates offered varying approaches: Mr. Tibble emphasized aggressive budget scrutiny and possible litigation if the spending cap was not restored; Ravan emphasized listening and building consensus; Schmidt highlighted close review of budget line items and experience with capital projects.
Following closing remarks, the board conducted a roll-call vote. The clerk announced the count as 11 votes for Jim Ravan and 1 for Fred T., and the president declared Ravan the alderman‑elect for Ward 1. Ravan took the oath of office at the meeting.
The board then approved a motion to adjourn by roll call (13‑0) and ended the session at 8:56 p.m.
