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2026-10-06 - Committee on Public Safety, Health and Traffic

Summary

Built from the official minutes of this meeting; no video or agenda is on file.

  • Met 5:30 to 5:52 PM. Present: Vincent (chair), Goonan, Dexter and Barry; Bonilla absent. Also present: Trisciani, Health Director Thomas, Michelle Davis of Hope for NH Recovery (Davis) and Solicitor Rice; City Clerk Normand advised on procedure.
  • Approved the Traffic Division agenda on Goonan's motion, seconded by Dexter: a stop sign on Ash Street at Webster Street (northeast corner), no commercial vehicles on Allen Street between Boynton and South Main Streets, no parking anytime on the west side of Jewett Street from Cilley Road 140 feet north and on both sides of South Jewett Street from Cilley Road 120 feet south, a crosswalk on Park Side Avenue south of Putnam Street, and rescinding the November 15 to April 15 no parking on the south side of Orange Street from Chestnut to Pine Street (ordinance 9457).
  • Approved no parking signs in the new Karatzas Heights subdivision off Karatzas Avenue (request from Jemco Properties LLC; Dexter moved, Goonan seconded). Vincent said the Traffic Division was fine with it. The report was expedited to the full Board (Dexter, Goonan).
  • Approved the Highway Chief Engineer's detour for the Amoskeag Bridge westbound rehabilitation planned for 2028 and 2029: eastbound traffic stays on the eastbound bridge in a single lane, westbound traffic detours over the Bridge Street Bridge, and pedestrians and bicycles use the second (northern) eastbound lane (Goonan, Dexter).
  • Approved limiting Maple Street from Hanover Street to Bridge Street to a single lane northbound, with traffic ordinances rescinding no parking on the west side from Cilley Road to Webster Street (ordinance 3355) and enacting no parking on the west side from Cilley Road to Hanover Street and from 60 feet north of Concord Street to Webster Street (Goonan, Barry); report expedited (Dexter, Goonan).
  • The kratom ordinance was amended to remove "use" and "possession" and sent to Bills on Second Reading for technical review. Barry's motion to expedite the report to the full Board failed, 3 yea (Barry, Dexter, Goonan) to 1 nay (Vincent). Adjourned on Dexter's motion, seconded by Goonan.

Kratom Sales Ban Ordinance

  • The item was a communication from Aldermen Thomas and Barry requesting an ordinance amendment banning kratom. Barry said it was first planned for the Alcohol, Other Drugs and Youth Services committee but the Clerk placed it in Public Safety because Thomas could not attend in time.
  • Vincent: no question kratom needs to be off the streets, but it should be vetted by the Clerk's Office, Police, Health Department and Solicitor's Office to avoid a blanket ordinance; Vincent was fine sending it to Bills on Second Reading.
  • Barry wanted it before the full Board that night. Barry said Solicitor Rice felt the ordinance was strong enough, that Nashua bars sale and possession under 21 and Franklin bans sale and possession outright, and that state Senate and House bills are pending. Barry suggested a 30 day window for stores to return stock, cited a Hope for New Hampshire Recovery client spending $300 a day, said emails against the ban came from out of state, and later said the Police Chief favors a ban. Barry would compromise only to an age limit of 21, not 18, and wanted no age limit otherwise.
  • Trisciani (not a member) warned of unintended consequences: producers would change recipes or rebrand, people using the pure herbal form for pain or addiction would be criminalized, Goffstown deferred to the state, and the oversight cost had not been studied. Trisciani wanted at least an age limit like Nashua's and said the item was not ready for the Board.
  • Goonan supported passing it with about 120 days for department heads to design enforcement, and asked whether it can be dispensed through a doctor. Goonan relayed the Police Chief's question about what the department is expected to do.
  • Director Thomas: natural and synthetic kratom both exist; it is unregulated and there is no test, so police cannot confirm what they seize. An age limit would be a cleaner, incremental compromise, and no one has a full inventory of retailers. City overdose data and first responder contacts show no overdoses or deaths linked to kratom, though Doorways and Hope for NH Recovery report more patients using it; the school district saw no big increase. A young person of any age can buy it now, which Thomas called the biggest red flag. Thomas deferred legal questions to the Solicitor and Chief Marr, and noted the DEA and state legislation may act.
  • Davis (Hope for NH Recovery, speaking in place of Randy Stevens): peer support lead who oversees the Pivot crisis housing respite program; Davis reported a rise in kratom relapses, easy availability at store counters, and risk to children. Davis had not read the ordinance, said it should be banned and agreed with Barry that sale should be banned for everyone.
  • Dexter objected to the words "use" and "possession" (people can buy in Hooksett or Bedford and bring it in, creating more work) and Solicitor Rice said they could be removed. Clerk Normand explained every ordinance goes from its originating committee to the Board and then to Bills on Second Reading, and that unanimous consent was needed to report it that night.
  • Motion: Dexter moved, Goonan seconded, to amend by removing "use" and "possession" and to refer the ordinance as amended to Bills on Second Reading. Vincent urged continued in depth talks among the Clerk, Police, Health and Solicitor. The expedite motion failed 3 to 1. The report goes on the October 20 consent agenda with a recommendation to refer to Bills.

School Area Crossing Safety

  • The Jewett Street, South Jewett Street and Park Side Avenue items above are the parking and crosswalk actions approved for the school area; see School Area Crossing Safety.

Sources