City of Portsmouth, New Hampshire 2022 - 2024 City Council, 14 Dec 2022

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From YouTube: 12.14.2022 City Council

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12.14.2022 City Council

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Welcome everyone to tonight wednesday december 14th uh city council meeting. We will first.

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Need to come out of now in public and I would wait a motion to leave the non-public session.

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To seal the minutes so moved second, all in favor aye and then uh we will start the meeting.

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With a a roll call at this meeting, this meeting.

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Here assistant mayor kelly, here, councilor tabor, here counselor denton will be joining.

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Us a little later time tomorrow, here, council, bagley here, council lombardi here, council.

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Of layla here, council cook here, thank you kelly um before we go to the pledge of allegiance.

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I would just like to ask for prayers actually for my brother. He had a procedure today and.

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Ended up, uh it was a normal procedure, but had a a heart attack as a result of that duncan.

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Was a or is a son of fort smith, he was a vice principal at the middle school a little bit.

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After I started, he will be in a uh an induced coma until friday, his wife sylvie, who also.

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He met when he was the teacher at the middle school, so over in paris. His daughter is back.

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From from first year, um went to pairs is back in paris and uh her brother, his son lucas.

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Is finishing up exams we're hopeful for a speedy recovery, but uh still not out of the.

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Woods yet so think of him and and all of your loved ones, uh it's uh it. It can be uh pretty.

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Quick um for things to to change unexpectedly.

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Please join me in the pledge of allegiance.

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To the republic, which it stands, one nation, under god, indivisible with liberty and justice.

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And now the happiest time, oh russ is just going to go into it. So no introduction whatsoever.

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But um pmax um brewery, big band holiday, music performance, we're so happy to have you in.

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Here please fill the hall with beautiful sounds of the holiday season.

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I don't know if I'm able to say something really quick but first. Thank you so much for.

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Having us here today, the brewery lane big band is part of pmac's extensive, adult ensemble.

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Program, community members coming together to play music together every single week. It's.

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Something that we're very passionate about at pmac and we currently have 14 different.

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Adult ensembles, meaning every single week at our school, everything from jazz, big band.

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To concert band to string ensembles to bluegrass to rock all different types of things and.

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I did want to mention very proudly here in the community today that the foundation for.

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Seacoast health just awarded pmac, with a grant- that's going to make all of these ensembles.

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Now, free for anyone, 75 or older, so now older adults in the community will not have to make.

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Choices about whether or not they want to participate in these programs, this is going.

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To keep people engaged in their community and active well into their 80s and 90s, so.

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We're really proud of that. So thank you for having us here today we're going to finish.

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With let it snow which we hope it doesn't do on friday, but uh you can blame us if it.

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Does happen, thank you for having us.

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Thank you, [music] foreign.

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Thank you russ and thank you katie and all of pmac and for the brewer big band uh orchestra.

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Here and and we'll take a five minute recess, but before we do, I had the pleasure of of.

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Joining pmac's 20th anniversary celebration- and I want to just note that you guys have.

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Been making music in the community for uh this long and really making community happen.

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In our community, so thank you so much for that and there's a quote that I remind myself.

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Often of uh in uh in on this side of the deus, but let me write the songs of a nation and.

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I care not who writes the laws. Thank you for being the soundtrack tonight for portsmouth.

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uh We're better for it and thank you so very much another round of applause, foreign.

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Chairs out and we'll resume after that, thanks all right all right! Welcome back and thanks again uh to pmac and the brewery big band.

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uh That was awesome. So next up uh we have the acceptance of minutes, which there are.

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None um or recognitions and volunteer committee reports so we're on to public comment uh with.

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The first speaker page trace for the topic of portsmouth.

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Good evening, everyone it's christmas, um page trace 27 hancock street. I could talk to you.

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Tonight about a lot of things, but you've been here a year and you're all still here and.

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You're all succeeding very well, so maybe it's better that I just simply say merry christmas.

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Happy new year to you all and a healthy new year um and maybe you'll say a little something.

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For those bugs out on pierce island, because I'm thinking they're a little cold anyway,.

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Thank you all and merry christmas. Merry christmas paige merry christmas and, yes, they will need.

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Those bugs on friday, when we're getting two inches of rain.

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Next up esther kennedy uh with the topic of water, I think water.

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Esther kennedy, 41 pickering ave, merry christmas, happy hanukkah and mary kwanzaa. I am here.

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To talk about water, but I do want to put a little question and plug in for our downtown.

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Non-Dining businesses- I know you're talking about dining in the streets tonight, a little.

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Bit doing an overview, and I happen to go into two businesses to do christmas shopping on.

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Saturday, and in one case I was running in just to um pick up some shoes that I had ordered.

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And the business person it was nice just to park quickly run. It was saturday in the middle.

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Of the day there was parking and the business owner said. Isn't it nice to have parking again.

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And another case I was going into another business and the person knew me and said esther.

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This needs to stop. We need to have our parking, so I hope that we don't just think about the.

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Restaurants, I know it's an important entity in our community and it's a very celebratory.

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Entity in our community, but I hope we think about those poor businesses and the parking.

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That we take away that they don't have that quick run in. I got 10 minutes to pick something.

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Up or I got a few minutes to run in and get the thing I saw a couple weeks ago, so I just.

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Hope, as you have your discussion, you include that um I also want to point out on what I.

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Really was here to talk about as a cip. I know we're having a meeting tomorrow night. Unfortunately,.

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I will not be able to attend, however, I really want you to think about water. Folks, there's.

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A lot of money in that cp millions in that cip for sewage treatment plants, one is out.

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At peas- and there is a lot of money- and I hope you do your research, because the one.

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On pierce island, um there is a need to add more to that plant. Exactly what we set was.

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Going to be a problem has now ended up being a problem by our experts that we hired when.

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We question it in the first place and I really really hope you all do your research so that.

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We can have a good discussion and we're talking about those supertrema plants and the water.

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Line the drinking water. Lastly, um the intimate domain of the drinking water, I'm hoping you're.

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Questioning it animal domain is very hard as a counselor to think about and want to.

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Do and I really hope that we can look for other alternatives and work with the members.

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That might be involved the citizens that might be involved, whether there are citizens or.

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Another community citizens, but there's usually a way around it and over my time on the council.

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We were able to find numerous ways around without having to do intimate domain and taking.

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A property so thank you and again merry christmas, happy, hanukkah and happy kanzaa. Thank you.

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Esther uh and and next up we have is already here no arthur quo.

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All right um next up he's coming. Look at that.

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Arthur right on time.

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With the topic of background checks, foreign.

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Merry christmas and thank you for the nicest welcome ever I'm arthur, clow, 431 pleasant.

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Street in the course of hiring people background checks are done. I work in the financial industry.

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When I have a background check done, they check my credit to see if it's good. If I have any.

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Bankruptcies, if I have been honest about my educational background, if I've been honest.

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About my past employment background, the reasons why I left my jobs, the whole thing for other.

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Jobs, it's less! If you work at a retail store, you probably just get a criminal background.

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Check that's the basis of almost every background check and if you're, a police officer or in.

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Finance um then you get a financial background check and I've known of people who went through.

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The entire course of interviews and had impeccable educational background and they at the very.

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End did the credit check they didn't get hired specifically for not having good enough credit.

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The reason is, if you're in finance and you're going to be close to the money we need to.

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Know that you're healthy in your finances and bankruptcy is a pretty grave place to.

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Get to for a person, especially somebody who's, going to be working with money.

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This is uh something that shouldn't be missed. There was a police officer here once during.

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The course of his employment he got, he went through a personal bankruptcy, who's the same.

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Officer that was involved in the goodwin weber case, one of the officers involved, and he also.

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When he left, he got an illegal, unapproved, not officially approved sixty thousand dollar.

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Plus payout, that's the kind of thing you have to watch out for for people who can't manage.

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Their finances so for the last 27 years that we've had the same auditor we've had somebody.

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Pretty high up in the finance department with a personal bankruptcy, this is the red flag.

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That you look for to make sure that the people that you have working for you are going to.

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Be careful with your money, it is disturbing, and I believe at this point, even if we change.

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Our auditor, because we haven't been very thorough about our background checks. It appears that.

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We probably need to have a forensic audit and even worse, uh the auditor, that people.

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Fought so hard to keep ended up, giving data that produced a cafe report that still won.

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An award but was missing crucial data, as pointed out and requested by former council peter.

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Huda, who has not received the figures as of the last time I spoke with her so background.

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Checks yeah, they matter. Thank you arthur next up sue poadora on the subject of.

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I think appointments and other.

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Middle street, um I read an article in the paper today regarding the appointment of mr.

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Realm to the sony board, the cba and I was just on the hall, the hdc meeting and before.

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They even started the meeting. They have a statement saying that their goal is to avoid.

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Any kind of conflict of interest, so they read this statement just before they start and.

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I'm thinking this appointment should I raise the flag to many people on the council and.

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It didn't now. I am not questioning the background of the people involved. I hear the very outstanding.

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People is very outstanding, his wife is very outstanding, but the goal here is to avoid.

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Any kind of perception of impropriety at all levels, it should be the goal of every committee.

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In the city, it should be your goal, um it is.

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It is surprising to me that nobody in this council bought it against that appointment.

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Knowing that it might lead to some sort of conflict in the future.

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um I cannot understand why, like I said, the people are have excellent reputation, but the.

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Fact that they are, they have a close relationship with each other and they're in two. Why is.

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I uh political boards, you might want to say, creates a perception that you do not want.

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And I am amazed that everybody here proved it and nobody saw it. So I'm going to recommend.

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That during the holidays, you will think about this, because that is your job triple trade.

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The affairs of the city at a level where nobody can cast a shadow on anybody on the proceedings.

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On the outcomes or anything, so I leave that with you just wanted to bring my opinion regarding.

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This again, I have been part of many situations where, if I have certain.

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That I needed to walk a very straight line when it came to taking any kind of um perception.

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Or leaning towards one supply or another, so this is something that I'm very familiar with.

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And I would like your your consideration and resolve this issue because it will come back.

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And will be a detriment to the city of portsmouth, also very quickly. We need updates on mcintyre.

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uh This is a big mess, just kind of getting more and more uh convoluted and messier. We.

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Need to have the details as soon as possible. Thank you. Happy holidays. Next up is duncan.

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Here his topic is scheduling city council meeting on the same night. At the same time,.

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As an important hdc meeting, so I could take that as he's not here, okay! Well, if it gets.

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Done with that important meeting, I can come back to this one and we'll hold it open. If.

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We don't have any speakers uh next up is francis cormier on the topic of being nice or be nice.

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Francis call me your melbourne street uh title be nice. Very few people know this, but the.

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Last dairy farm in the city of portsmouth was owned and operated by a woman. Her name.

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Was mrs stokel, her love for dairy farming kept things going into the 1960s one day. She.

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Invited us kids into the barn to pet the cows. She also had a gigantic bull. His name was.

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Pat, he was nice, but big and scary. She told us kids, the reason dairy farmers keep a bull.

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Is because they help the cows make their babies one day she went to lead pat out into the.

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Barnyard, when all of a sudden he turned on her and with his gigantic forehead, he pinned.

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Her against the wall and mrs stokel began to suffocate. That's, not nice. Is it so she.

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Reached out and grabbed the brass ring that was in pat's nose and pulled real hard. This.

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Gave the bull a brain and he learned to be nice real fast in a similar way. The history.

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Of our nation is mocked with men and women fighting with one another. So in due time, god.

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Sent a man to help us. His name was martin luther king jr. He began teaching us how to.

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Be nice to each other and forgive those that hurt us, but one day a bad man came and shot.

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Him everyone was sad, but soon our sadness turned to anger and we began fighting with.

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Each other all over again, that's not nice. Is it to put things in the words of folk singer.

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Joan baez, who wrote in one of her songs, it takes more than guns to kill a man. I never.

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Died said he I never died said he end quote martin. I know you are up there and you're.

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Safe now in the presence of jesus, but let it be known that the mission god gave you.

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One of non-violence, peace and love was not in vain, as we enter the year. 2023.

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And celebrate the birthday of martin luther king, let us always remember, be nice to each.

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Thank you, francis next up, nice message for the holidays um be nice to one another. We.

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Have nancy clayberg on zoom.

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And we'll everyone hi nancy, happy holidays. Can you hear me we can loud and clear. Oh okay,.

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Good evening everyone happy holidays. um I am nancy clayberg, I'm at 405, fw hartford drive.

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And many of you know that I have the distinct honor of being the chairman of the horseman.

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School board- and I just wanted to take a minute to applaud a police department and our school.

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Department, many of you know that last thursday we had a um a hoax, a shooter called the.

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Potential shooter called the police department to say that there was um we had a shooter.

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In a high school, which fortunately turned out to be false, but what was so impressive.

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And I think the citizens of portsmouth should be very proud of the response that our police.

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Department had with our school department within two minutes, a police chief, newport.

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Was in the office of our superintendent, dr mclaughlin, and they were working out, the strategy.

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That would take place over the next several hours. Many of you may know that the agreement.

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Was made to lock down all the schools, the police were immediately dispatched to each.

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School with the new hampshire state authorities and the schools were all swept, and it was.

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Determined that there was no danger to any there was no active shooter in any of the.

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Buildings, so the announcement was made that the school would be put back in operation.

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um But what I think is really impressive and what really needs to be told is a cooperation.

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Between our police and our schools, I know that doesn't happen in every community and.

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I think it's something that we should be very proud of. The response was immediate. The response.

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Was strategic? The response was made with intelligent input and also, I will add that parents were.

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Notified as soon as the police chief and our superintendent felt that they had the opportunity.

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To inform in parents get to inform parents as to what was going on so um obviously nothing's.

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Perfect, I know that um chief police, chief newport and dr zach, dr mclaughlin, are going.

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Back over the steps of what happened last thursday and making any improvements or adjustments.

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That they feel and necessary, we also are looking at. Do we need added personnel in our schools.

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To deal with situations like this, that might happen in the future. We do have a full-time.

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Middle school resource officer and we do have a full-time high school resource officer so.

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The question is: do we need some kind of personnel in our elementary school, whether it be resource.

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Officer added mental health professionals added social workers to help students at the.

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Elementary level when an event like this happens, so I want the public to be assured that the.

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Police and the schools are working together to come up with a strategy to address that.

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Issue also, so I just want to take an opportunity to thank the cooperation and the collaboration.

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That we have in this community, I think it's something that we should all be very proud.

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Of and hopefully an incident like, this will never happen again. I think you may know that.

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The same phone call was received at several other high schools in new hampshire. It was.

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A hoax, apparently it's untraceable, so it's not anything that we can ever find out what.

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Really happened, but um I just wanted to to let everybody know that I'm very proud of.

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How our community responded to this and um and hope that you all you all, have a wonderful.

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Wonderful holiday season, thank you. Everyone bye! Thank you, chairman clayberg. I appreciate.

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That that update would agree with the swiftness and the response of both the police and school.

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Departments on that day, as a dad, do it a a six-year-old the first year of kindergarten.

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um I think that's it um we'll we'll have to let uh duncan's topic uh deliver his uh I'm.

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Sure it would have expounded on that. We shouldn't schedule city council meetings, the same night.

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As hdc meetings, but we did so uh recognizing uh the hanukkah overlap on monday night and.

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As a council, we've we've looked to avoid.

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So um unfortunately, we will have to wait to hear what he has to say until the next.

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The next city council meeting so with that we will go to third and final reading of ordinance.

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Amending chapter 12 and chapter 15 city's building code and wait a motion to pass third.

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And final reading of the ordinances presented so below your honor. Second, any discussion.

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Ender questions for this.

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Seeing none thank you for the effort that went into producing this. uh We'll have a a.

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Roll call vote, okay assistant mayor kelly, yes, counselor, tabor, yes, councilor genton, yes,.

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Councilmanuel, yes, council bagley, yes, council lombardi, yes, council, blaylock, yes, councilor.

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Cook, yes, mayor, mcc, cochran, yes, queen animus, next up, third and final reading of ordinance.

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Amending chapter 5, article 1 fire department, section 5.101 personnel and article 9 fire.

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Code, I'd wait, a motion to move uh to third and, uh let's see, uh move to pass uh third.

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Reading of ordinance, as presented so moved, second uh I'll have a any discussion of a.

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Roll call on this: it's our taper, yes, consular denton, yes, council moreau; yes, council, bagley, yes, council, lombardi,.

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Yes, council blaylock, yes, council cook, yes, mayor mccarron, yes, unanimous next up our city.

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Manager, thank you, your honor. We have four items for you this evening. The first one is.

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uh A renewal concession agreement between the city and operation blessing inc for use.

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Of the green leaf recreation center and the renewal agreement is uh in your packet and.

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Proposed we uh we've had the pleasure of working with operation blessing since 2000. I'm sorry.

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2014 and prior to that, and since we've acquired the building from the federal government before.

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Operation blessing, it was the portsmouth housing authority and those organizations have a close.

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Relationship you may recall that the property was former u.s coast guard maintenance facility.

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Which was then deeded over to the city as surplus property, and the agreement is to support.

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Operation blessings running of and programming of, serving persons with disabilities providing.

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Youth recreation and out of school programs and adult programming, including the use of.

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The facilities for residential groups and, as many folks know, it's in very close proximity.

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To wameset, which is very helpful to that neighborhood and the use of the center will continue as.

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In prior years, we're looking to extend the term of this agreement from two years to five.

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To make it consistent with other city leases and licenses and we've reduced the limits.

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Of liability to be consistent as well up operation blessing in turn, will update its list of programming.

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And provide the city with annual participation reports, as well as a copy of its strategic.

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Plan and the city enjoys working with operation blessing and when we would look to have the.

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City council move to accept this renewal extension agreed a motion to accept. There were no extension of the greenleaf recreation's concession agreement.

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With operation busting incorporated as presented so moved second, okay, any discussion, um I'm.

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Just curious as to since I happened to spend a lot of time near this property, you can even.

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See the corner of my office building in the picture, the land- that's all behind the recreation.

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Building is there a possibility of us turning that into like a sort of little like uh thinking.

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Like a swing set and something something for the kids that actually hang out in that neighborhood.

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It seems like it's just a large grassy area, that's sort of overgrown and not maintained.

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So I was just thinking: is there another use that we could possibly do to that? If you look.

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Into it, I know, there's concern about liability outside of ours and and what the original.

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Procurement agreement with the federal government allow, so we could certainly look into that.

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And report back. That would be great because I know that there's a lot of kids that just.

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Sit in the parking lot of our office condo instead, so it would be nice to give them a.

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Safer place than sitting in the middle of a parking lot, foreign.

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All in favor aye any opposed all right great. The second request is to schedule a public.

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Hearing for a supplemental appropriation related to the mcintyre project and as shared in the.

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Packet and as shared at the previous city council meeting held on december 5th, we received.

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Preliminary cost estimates they very very widely and as such, in order to achieve.

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To accommodate the financial plan that accompanies a national park service submission, we asked.

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For and received a 90-day extension from the national park service and the general services.

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Administration and during the next three months, we will engage in discussions related to how.

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To advance uh all of these elements of the application, the expected expenses are estimated.

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To be up to fifty thousand dollars per party per month, so it is our request at the january.

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9Th meeting that this that the city council provide approval for supplemental appropriation.

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In an amount not to exceed 150 000. they'd wait a motion to schedule a public hearing.

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It's january 9, 2023 city council meeting regarding the proposed supplemental appropriation, someone.

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Geron second, any discussion: councilor bagley yeah, thank your honor. um I'm just want to.

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Say I'm looking forward to hearing the publix comments on that night. I think you speak for.

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Us all on that look forward to hearing the public comment and the plan uh presented.

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And without uh any other comment or question, and this is to simply hold the public hearing.

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Just to clarify um all in favor aye any opposed all right. Thank you item number. Three is a.

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Temporary construction license for 46 state state street. It is known on the city's assessor.

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Map as tax map zero one zero five lot: zero zero one one the applicant is performing exterior.

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Brickwork improvements to this property and the applicant has encumbered the sidewalk.

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And can do so administratively through our staff for up to 30 working days that permit.

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Will expire on december 15th, the applicant is looking to extend the encumbrance beyond.

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30 days and as such they're requesting this license agreement, so the applicant seeks to.

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Encumber three parking spaces along with the sidewalk inside in front of the subject: property.

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Between the dates of december 16th and february 28th, the sidewalk will be encumbered in two.

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Phases for the first 30 days, it will be completely inaccessible and for the remaining 45 days.

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There will be passed through staging and, as you recall, we look to charge for inaccessible.

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Areas, but we typically waive the fee when there is passed through staging so as a combination.

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Of the license fee for the three parking spaces, plus the encumbrance of the sidewalk for the.

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First 30 days, the total license fee would be 11 670 dollars and both legal and planning.

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Have looked at the request and have approved it to form.

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I'd wait: a motion to authorize the city manager to execute and accept the temporary construction.

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License construction license to con encumber the sidewalk in three parking spaces that.

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About 46 state street, as requested so moved. Second, any discussion, councilor cook I just.

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Have a question for the city manager: um this is this project blocks. I think one of the.

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Primary paths to downtown for individuals living in the neighborhoods beyond it, I think.

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Not a lot of people think about crossing the street there and then crossing back again.

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To avoid this project, uh how will we make sure that this alternative path is clearly.

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Marked and also what can we do to make sure that that path is also cleared quickly from.

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Of ice and snow during the winter right well, let me address the second question. First, we.

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Will strictly enforce the clearing of the sidewalk by the applicant and we will work.

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With the applicant to properly sign the need to cross because they'll not only run into.

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The inaccessible parking, uh the sidewalk but they'll run into the encumbered parking space.

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As well so we will make sure it's signed.

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Any other questions comments all in favor, aye aye any opposed. Thank you. The last request.

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Is to schedule a work session following up on an earlier request by the council at one.

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Of the october meetings to schedule a work session on the disposition of the sherburne.

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School and what we're proposing is that we tack it on to an existing previously approved.

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Work session for the to go over the audit on january 12th, so uh in a perfect world, the.

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Audit conversation is six to seven and then we would speak to the disposition of sherburne.

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School from seven to eight I'd, wait a motion to schedule a work session regarding the disposition.

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Of the sherburne school on january, 12, 2023 at 7 p.m,.

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Any discussion, your honor um in preparation for that I just request um if the staff could.

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Show us any and all places that potential projects with portsmouth housing authority.

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Might be placed on the site.

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Housing being, I think, a goal of this council.

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Question for the city manager do we have that identified already, can make sure that it is.

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Part of the presentation, and it would um would we have uh it would be, I guess my expectation.

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That the pha would be a part of that conversation. I think it would make the most sense for them.

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To be part of present, their preliminary thoughts that relate to the site that'd be great. Okay,.

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So um we'll go uh councilor brodie, then counselor cook, just a question uh so has the school.

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Department released this property, the school department, the school board took a vote in.

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July, to relocate the lister academy to the community campus and when that. But without.

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A date certain and when that word was to take place that they would no longer require the.

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Use of the sherburne school for educational uses.

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So, quick follow-up to that we cannot the. If us, the city, only controls the uh the property.

A

I guess in in concept only if a school uh facility is occupying that and they have to.

A

Actively decide to leave that uh and alert us, so that is what would have to happen for.

A

Us to to gain actual control of the of the property, even though it is a property. I thought.

A

There was more, there is so they have to. They have to um basically the community campus.

A

Has to meet the needs before they can before they can move and there's that needs to happen.

A

Thank you, council cook. um Thank you, your honor will. We include representatives of uh the.

P

The schools at this meeting so that we can ask questions of them or we could certainly.

M

Do that so I think um here would be if I could tackle that, I think the um we have. I think.

A

We know where the school stands and the standpoint of they have. They have made a vote to leave.

A

Provided that they can move to the uh the um community campus, um we have some work to.

A

Do on the community campus to get them to be able to to get them in there. So I think.

A

It would certainly can invite them, but um I would expect it to be more in a asking questions.

A

But considering they're currently there, it might be a good idea to make sure that they.

A

Are involved, but I would. I would hope that the conversation is centered around what we.

A

Can do provided that we can accommodate them in the community campus. That would be the.

A

Hopefully the goal, but good call, I think they'd want to be a part of it.

R

Counselor denton thank your honor. Would it be possible to hold the work session at sherburne.

R

School, oh, I don't know if we have the technological I'm thinking about whether it's accessible.

M

Or not, we definitely do not have the technological capacity and I'm unsure of how accessible.

M

The building is okay. We could certainly provide an inventory, a pictorial inventory. Would it.

M

Make sense for folks to you know, have a slide deck of what the building looks like well,.

A

I think also, maybe the council denton's point. It might be nice because the neighbors could.

A

Come very easily right from there. uh It's predominantly pan away could make it into.

A

So that's that would be nice. I mean, I think you don't think kevin can whip up a teleconferencing.

A

You turn the tv on so quickly sure you could produce it, but he could not broadcast it live.

M

Is what I believe is the correct answer and I'm getting a thumbs up on that um that doesn't.

M

Mean we couldn't um share it as soon as it's over that's what typically happens.

Q

Maybe we could proceed the meeting with a 30-minute site visit. We'd have to do it before.

M

They audit um presentation from six to seven. We could reorder things, we could do all sorts.

Q

Of maybe a 5 30 site visit, followed by the meetings.

Q

Entertain whatever it might take a little longer to accommodate a six o'clock start.

M

Whatever the will of the council would be foreign.

M

I would also suggest it'll be the first of many conversations about the sherburne school.

M

Maybe we follow up with a specific meeting that involves drawing the entire property.

M

K

That may be the best way to do it.

Q

I'll follow on visit.

A

All right, so I think the motion that we have uh to schedule a work session regarding the.

A

Disposition of the server in school on january, 12 2023 at 7 pm, encompasses the conversation.

A

To to date, any other comments, all in favor aye aye any opposed. Thank you all right. Next.

A

Up is the consent agenda and uh a way to motion to adopt uh the consent agenda so moved. Second.

A

All in favor aye any opposed.

A

All right, we have presentation of our planning director beverly mesa zent as you're coming.

A

Up, I would like to to thank you for the work that you've provided the city of portsmouth.

A

Your professionalism and execution has been noticed by so many in our community and and.

A

You've left a mark, even if it was a short time. We wish you all the best in your new.

A

Endeavors and whatever the new year brings, but personally thank you for drinking from.

A

A fire hose for um and and never ever uh flinching and always having all of these archaic things.

A

That I struggle to even read properly seemingly from memory, so appreciate all the work that.

A

You've you've given for the city of portsmouth and look forward to this well-crafted end.

A

Of season report, thank you. Thank you very much so um good evening, mayor and city council.

S

uh At the february 22nd 2022 meeting uh city council was directed to provide an end of.

S

The year report council asked that staff to survey restaurants to better understand the.

S

Customer demand for outdoor spaces survey local businesses with a hundred feet of outdoor.

S

Cafes to better understand, impacts to and concerns of, abutting businesses and maintain.

S

A database that sort of identifies concerns and conflicts related to outdoor dining, so.

S

This is the end of the year report with we'll include some staff recommendations tonight.

S

I'll cover a little background, talk about the season and review what we saw this year.

S

In terms of participation uh to survey responses from a butters and also from participating.

S

Cafes and drinking and eating establishments and then staff recommendations for the year.

S

S

As part of that february report that staff presented staff introduced the concept of.

S

Providing a transitional year this year would introduce reduced fees and a slow integration.

S

Of programmatic requirements that would allow businesses to have uh to who have come to.

S

Rely on outdoor dining to prepare for and transition to, stricter regulations and potentially.

S

Fees as well programmatic features for 2022 that were different than 2021 included, an.

S

Interdepartmental working group to administer the program, uh the adoption of fees, uh 10.

S

uh I mean five dollars per square foot for sidewalks and non-parking spaces and fifteen.

S

Hundred dollars per parking space.

S

We also had a better approval that was shown on the screen. We required that a budding businesses.

S

Also provide approval for the business to extend in front of those abutting businesses.

S

So these were some of the uh the uh requirements that we introduced this year. We developed.

S

A form and a butters had to complete that form for the business to extend in front of.

S

Their business so I'd like to start with a season in review.

S

um We received 47 applications, uh 43 were approved, two were withdrawn and two were never.

S

Completed and the two that were drawn were redirected to other processes uh that serve.

S

Their needs better um 21 street licenses were issued, uh two were for sidewalk and for streets.

S

And 20 were sidewalk only of those street licenses. Five were in the travel way, twelve.

S

Were in parking spaces, two were in the travel way, necessitating conversion of parking for.

S

Traffic two were in the loading zone and one was in the loading zone, necessitating conversion.

S

Of parking for loading, um uh we received a total revenue of uh 98 605 dollars. um The.

S

Biggest chunk of that came from sidewalk licenses, which I'm sorry from parking service agreements.

S

Which was fifty one thousand nine hundred dollars.

S

I wanted to also note that six outdoor dining recipients applied for and received a 200.

S

Credit for composting we're able to show their conference composting service agreement and.

S

We gave them that 200 credit I'd like to talk a little bit about what we heard from a butters.

S

uh From november 1 through november 23rd, the city surveyed, abutting, businesses and residents.

S

um 95, as it turns out that the the respondents out of 139 respondents, 95, were residents 16.

S

Were retail business owners 16 were officer non-retail business owners, six were dining.

S

Or drinking establishments and six were identified as other when asked to describe their experience.

S

As an outdoor dining of butter, 88 percent, uh which or 63.8 percent indicated their experience.

S

Was positive, 12 percent indicated their experience was neutral and 38 percent indicated their.

S

Experience was negative foreign.

S

Those that of those who uh responded that the experience was negative identified, loss.

S

Of parking impact to business and disrupted traffic traffic circulation as the main reason.

S

For their negative response, we included a quote here: saying outdoor dining block, sidewalks.

S

Even when it's unused, which is often and often it offers limited benefits for a few businesses,.

S

At the expense of other businesses, pedestrian traffic, parking spaces, delivery, spaces and.

S

Vehicular traffic, some of the recommendations that were uh were identified by the abutters.

S

Were and there's a whole host of those and the full report is included in your packet.

S

And the full survey results in your packet as well provide standards for barriers, provide.

S

More uniformity, fewer outdoor dining locations, one suggestion was even a lottery, moved tables.

S

Near restaurant entrances, away from residential entrances consider impacts to traffic and.

S

Turning visibility do not allow do not allow forced one-way streets, shorten the season.

S

From may to november, create a pedestrian-only zone in market square and impose and enforce.

S

Noise ordinance after 9 pm.

S

Of the participant surveys, we had seven respondents on a scale of one to five respondents, rated.

S

The importance of outdoor dining 4.7, similarly, respondents read the experience as a 4.7 indicating.

S

An overall positive experience so, when asked to further elaborate on their experience, respondents.

S

Identified increased revenue, foot traffic and downtown activity and vibrancy as the.

S

Main reasons for rating the experience positively, some of the recommendations we didn't get.

S

Actually quite a lot of recommendations, but one was a suggestion not to increase fees.

S

When asked how to increase in fees would affect a decision participate, the average respondent.

S

Rating was 3.2 on a scale of one to five. uh There's a comment here. I don't think you should.

S

Increase the fee. Restaurants have a hard enough time with staffing getting items to cover.

S

Menu needs one participant also suggested more communication between the city and business.

S

Community to understand the long-term viability of the program.

S

Some staff recommendations tonight, if the council is ready, staff is seeking some guidance.

S

About the programmatic requirements going forward, the next few slides will summarize.

S

Some of our recommendations for the next outdoor dining season, the staff recommends that future.

S

Outdoor dining be restricted to parking spaces, sidewalks and loading zones, and only when.

S

A parking space loading zones only when there's a parking space available to off um set the.

S

Loss of that loading zone, similarly, applications that result in a significant impact to traffic.

S

Pattern or that result in a change to directional counter street should not be considered and.

S

In arriving at that recommendation, we really did receive impact from I mean comment, not.

S

Only from the public on this issue, but also from multiple staff members who were charged.

S

With enforcement and management of traffic that was redirected, so it does reflect both.

S

The public and staff concerns some of the comments that we received from staff were.

S

Restricting traffic were creating a one-way street on established two race street was.

S

Problematic in 2022 drivers accustomed to two-way traffic often did not notice or chose.

S

To ignore the do not enter sign so traveling the wrong way up. What was now designated as.

S

A one-way street, the closing streets or lanes that signalize intersections require changes.

S

To signal operations which often result in inefficiencies in traffic and pedestrian flow.

S

Additionally, solid waste pickup locations on newly created one-way streets resulted.

S

In cars, stacking behind solid waste trucks, generating complaints from drivers, residents.

S

And business owners stack staff looked at traffic counts for early december this year.

S

And found a fleet street, and this was a request from one of the council members at the last.

S

Meeting so we're responding to that, I believe it was a councilmember tabor um uh fleet street.

S

At gillies um we uh there was a 2 370 vehicles per workday counted. I think this was over.

S

A period of a few days that these uh these accounts were taken and 2 254 on a saturday.

S

Pleasant street at the clipper tavern 2550 on a weekday 2 422 on saturday hill street.

S

At tanner street 50 work day that we did not get a saturday account there. Staff would project.

S

The 10 percent increase to those numbers for the summer season, foreign.

S

Staff recommends a fee of three thousand dollars. You may recall this was our recommendation.

S

Last year, but as part of the transition council chose to cut that fee to fifteen hundred dollars,.

S

And this would include loading zones where on-street parking has been used to replace.

S

um The loading zone that is repurposed for outdoor dining, the annual revenue you may.

S

Recall in our original presentation is approximately 5 700 waited for the partial year. We have.

S

That information from our director of parking- and this was based on 2021 revenues, a total.

S

Of 67 parking spaces all together, we're out repurposed for outdoor dining. The approximate.

S

Normal season revenue generated from those total spaces is 384, 000., uh 278 dollars.

S

The fees for parking space again were approved at 1500, and staff is recommending that.

S

We return to the 3 000 uh dollar recommendation. This this course does not create full cost.

S

Recovery on those loss of spaces, we recognize that there is continued value. That's brought.

S

By the conversion of those spaces to the vibrancy and overall traffic in the community and about.

S

That I mean business traffic, um but we we would like to recommend that even and also.

S

For loading zones that are lost for the parking spaces, they're used to repurpose those.

S

Staff recommends on the next slide. This is actually an error. We recommended ten dollars.

S

Last year, but we are, uh and uh council again approved a five dollar. I believe that I actually.

S

Reached out, but I'm not certain, I got the answer on this one, but I think that's based.

S

On sidewalk encumbrance fees that we use that ten dollars uh square foot, um so uh staff.

S

Is recommending that the sidewalk fees um move to ten dollars um in accordance with.

S

That original recommendation and then last of all the question of barriers, we did get.

S

Quite a few comments that many of you may notice in these survey regarding sort of the.

S

um Inconsistency in the barriers- some were really um you know, uh looked very sharp. Some.

S

Were very tall, we did have a deal a great deal of enforcement questions about that. I.

S

Think the intent of the barriers was really to create sort of an outdoor community, so.

S

Often, if we saw barriers that were taller than people creating almost an extended room.

S

Where there was a wall, we would ask that they reduce it, but this became challenging when.

S

Some of the barriers had some transparency and others didn't and does this meet the standard.

S

And we had to make a lot of calls on that um and so enforcement of barriers and additions.

S

To the um to the jersey, barriers really were an ongoing issue throughout the season. We.

S

Option one staff would recommend that barriers be limited to three feet, except for the addition.

S

Of which is the jersey barriers, except for the addition of the planters and the picture.

S

There shows really an example of that. You can kind of see the planters over the jersey.

S

Barrier and that would be a consistent look for the on-street dining no additional barriers.

S

Or or separators beyond, this would be allowed for on-street dining flexibility could still.

S

Occur for sidewalk dining, but this would be a recommendation for the on street just flat.

S

Out three: the only addition that you can get is additional four feet for the um for the.

S

Planters and then I'd like to just photo give photo credit to ann weidman, who took some.

S

Of these photos um option two would be that again that the barriers, the on-street barriers.

S

Would be limited to three feet with the planters, but then we could introduce a standardized.

S

Barrier for the sidewalks as well, so we would recommend that and they would have to purchase.

S

Like one of you know, we would identify a certain uh standard or quality that we'd like to see.

S

And they would have to purchase that for the poor. We could, you know, potentially rent those.

S

But it seems like it'd make more sense that they would have to purchase whatever we decide is in conformance, and it would be a certain standardized height. I believe that the rec.

S

You know we would want to recommend three to four feet, but certainly continuing that.

S

Outdoor community sense, and the last recommendation, of course, is uh uh standardized barriers. Three.

S

To five feet on the street, it would be uh we could pursue something aside from the jersey.

S

Barriers, of course, there's safety issues and those are put there in place for a reason.

S

But this is what we went with sort of as a short-term fix. I'm not that would probably.

S

Incur some uh some cost to acquire something different that we would require to be standardized.

S

um And then a standardized one for sidewalks as well so and then, of course, all barriers.

S

We there's, I think, the picture on the last one really shows uh I'm sorry. If you could.

S

Go back, one really shows one of the barriers that you know we thought well. This is actually.

S

It's really, you know it's on the street, it's very transparent, it seems to not. You know.

S

Violate the idea of creating that open air sort of community feeling, um but uh I think.

S

That's probably one of the more expensive barriers that probably was put up so really.

S

Just trying to come up with some standardized yet affordable thing would be the challenge.

S

But certainly we had a lot of a lot of issues raised about that and the materials, a consistency.

S

Of materials, so, okay, um you know the butter requirement, we developed a form and we would.

S

Send them the form and say get your neighbors to sign this. You have two neighbors you're encroaching into their area actually worked really well, we got those back and it was interesting.

S

That even some of the folks who might have complained about their neighbor somehow there.

S

Was either negotiation or discussion and then they would essentially sign the butter. The.

S

Butter notice, not in every case in some cases, they would have to sort of move their outdoor.

S

Dining cafe a little bit uh closer to their um their establishment. You might recall that.

S

It was essentially the way we looked at it is that if you project the storefront straight.

S

Out to the midline of the street, anything that would encroach beyond that would essentially.

S

Require a better notification or butter approval and we did get a good many of those forms.

S

Back and we would recommend that we continue that program, but we might want to also extend.

S

That to the residences uh that um we did actually capture a few residents in this last round.

S

And but we would definitely want to if it was a residence we would want to capture the.

S

Resident's- approval of that as well- and that gets a little trickier. But we think that there.

S

Was enough interest in that that we could continue that, and sometimes we wouldn't want.

S

To see it blocking an entrance to a residential unit or something of that nature, so um so.

S

That's our recommendation. We have a couple other recommendations, season dates, staff recommends.

S

That the season the application period begins february, 24th outdoor dining, will begin. May.

S

1St, so that during that period of time we could start to get the barriers in place and.

S

Begin may 1st berry placement would begin. May 1st and then november 12th to 2023 the.

S

Outdoor dining season would end please- and uh this was a recommendation provided by anne.

S

Weidman, who really did a lot of work to try and work with our local cafes and drinking.

S

And restaurant establishments to really come up with something that made sure that we had.

S

Ada um accessible opportunities for our community members with disabilities- and these are some.

S

Of the recommendations put forward, um every outdoor dining place should be accessible.

S

At least for some portion of the tables, often, that would be just a sign saying if you would.

S

Like a if you require a special accommodation, just let us know, and then they would go ahead.

S

And make that available, and I think that seemed to work in a pretty positive way and the.

S

Restaurants and establishments were pretty compliant with that platforms that are flush.

S

For the sidewalk are recommended, we had a good example earlier of how that was shown.

S

And platforms with steps probably would not be recommended portable ramp, though, and many.

S

Of our businesses work with ann to get these rubber ramps in place that were not terribly.

S

Expensive and really provided the necessary accommodation and then uh dining areas in.

S

Parking spaces that have no available curb cut should use rubber threshold mats for curving.

S

Up two four four inches, the curb height most common in portsmouth. So these are some of.

S

The recommendations brought forward by anne and barbara masar executive director of pro.

S

Portsmouth also had a recommendation that application applicants approved for dining.

S

And parking spaces on pleasant street between state street and the square may not begin.

S

Outdoor dining, until after market square day, we might modify that to say that they would.

S

Take it down for that period of time or um because that is typically in june. But we understand.

S

Her concerns related to that, and that is a summary of all the staff recommendations. I'd.

S

Be glad to answer any questions you have [applause].

S

Okay and the last one, what ones did we approve on uh pleasant street between uh state street.

L

And the square you're just stating right, I was stating oh I'm not certain. I think that.

T

Was an actor I don't think I think you're right. I don't think they moved to laughter.

S

Because it is more in congress between state street and the square, I'm not sure parking.

L

Spots are just in the I mean. Okay, I think she, I think our question is, has to do with.

S

The parking space is that she doesn't want in cumbered, so they must have been summoned.

S

I don't know if there I think there might have been one or two, but I can remember okay, council daniel. Thank you foreign comment. Then two questions. um The comment is my strong.

R

Preference would be to widen the sidewalks, so we don't have to have this argument future.

R

Councils, don't have to have the argument about eliminating parking spaces and that would.

R

Be done through the master plan so for those watching. When does that process start so.

S

There's two things: I think there is the market square uh plan improvements that that we do.

S

Have that plan funded there's some additional funding, we're seeking for that in this year.

S

Cip for public involvement, and then we also in the cip, has some capital funding programmed.

S

Out in some of the out years for market square improvements, and so that is one part of that.

S

It certainly doesn't cover the entire downtown. um I think that there could be further discussions.

S

As part of the master plan, but as an immediate area that has already been sort of programmed.

S

There is funding available for those we do anticipate the market square sort of planning.

S

Process to begin um actually in 2023, so I think that that's part of it, but not the whole.

S

Part of it, I think the broader picture could be absolutely part of the master plan which.

S

Is also queued up for the cip as well so and my second question from may and the mayor.

R

Was hitting on this, but I couldn't tell him reading is the city staff recommendation to.

R

Go with what um uh pro portsmouth would like on not allowing outdoor dining in those spaces.

R

Until june 10th or so well, I felt the need to present that as a recommendation, I um I.

S

Would say that um I'm not! I wish I could had done a little more due diligence on that and.

S

Could tell you how many businesses it affected. I would say that we would want to at least.

S

Work with those business as a first uh effort to ask them if they could remove during that.

S

Period of time, but I would like to return to that as I'm not sure how many are affected.

S

So I think it's quite a few that it could be impactful and it isn't until june, so that.

S

Potentially holds them off a whole month correct so.

G

um uh Assistant mirror, thank you. Thank you for that presentation. I think you thought.

T

That was lovely. um I wonder if uh the the group had discussed a limited or standard.

T

Size, I know they varied um whether some some had very large uh plots. Some had more narrow.

T

Plots um I know part of that is with your butters, but I I wonder if we could look into.

T

Potentially, having some type of standardized, whether you have in a butter or not, I know.

T

That was some concern with people that some seemed like a massive large scale, even with.

T

The butter approval and some were more regulated to one or two parking spots, so I think that.

T

Would be something to consider with even with a butter your your limited to a certain footprint.

S

I want to say that we did see a few in the street that were very large, so I want to just.

S

Address that specifically, we did not if there was not a parking space, we applied that five.

S

Dollars to the sidewalk and to the street, and that was uh that that was really I think.

S

Challenging because I think those ended up being pretty affordable, because fifteen hundred.

S

Dollars for a parking space, which is you know, nine is probably it's probably nine by 18.

S

Is a lot different than ten dollars? You know a square foot, so I want to say that those.

S

Ended up being a vastly more affordable than parking spaces. So when we did see a street.

S

uh That was utilized without the conversion of parking or loading zone. um Those did tend.

S

To be larger because they were more affordable, so the prices will adjust. Some of that. I think.

S

um I think that will hit on some of those, but I agree that there were some questions.

S

That some did span, and so we could potentially consider how large they could be. There were.

S

A couple- and we could take a look at the ones that were particularly large at large and.

S

Wonder if the fees would help adjust some of those because they were affordable because.

S

They weren't parking space, and that was a tough one, because we didn't really have a.

S

Separate standard, if you were converting a street, then we just charge the same as a sidewalk.

S

We didn't have anything else to charge, there's no parking space there, but that doesn't seem.

S

Entirely reasonable because those were those were really challenging in terms of traffic.

S

And we still had to put jersey barriers down for those. So there's some staff commitment.

S

And time and then enforcement on the barriers of those were sometimes um challenging as.

S

Well, um thank you. My second question would be. I would like to request a report back from.

T

From parking department, um as we know there was the fees did not recoup the total cost.

T

Of on street, but I would look to see if there was a decreased overall revenue or if those.

T

That was, those revenues were shifted, say and we saw an increase in foundry or we saw an.

T

Increase of people parking in other paid spots, that's I can make note of that and get him.

T

Get back to you. Thank you. um I also would just like to make a note. I completely agree.

T

uh With the mandated handicap access, we did see, I think less this year than we did previous.

T

Years of different heights, but I definitely think we need to make sure that we have and.

T

That's um enforced and throughout I love the idea of more uniformed appearance. As we know.

T

They caught the costs, vary from from location to location and some um some restaurants have.

T

The ability to to spend more, um I would also like to see maybe the idea of expanding this.

T

Program to some degree where, if a retailer would like to say just take for a weekend,.

T

In a budding space next to um a restaurant or cafe, they could also do that at some type.

T

Of prorated fee try to even out some type of accessibility there. I think that would.

T

Be really nice, um my my last note would be I agree with the timeline. I think that we.

T

Saw a dramatic decreased use and to some people requesting barriers pulled earlier. I think.

T

That would be great, and I think that is all for me. Thank you. Thank you. This is the mayor.

L

All right we're going over this way all right, we'll go down the line. Council, lombardi, councilman.

L

uh Council cook you first okay, yeah just um one of the comments that I heard mostly from.

K

People is the closure of streets or the turning of one-way or two-way streets to one way.

K

What what is the plan for that at this point? It's our recommendation that if traffic has.

S

To be redirected or circulation has to be converted from two-way to one way that those.

S

Applications not be considered um going forward. I recognize that will have an impact. I think.

S

Staff fully understands the impact that that will have on businesses. We had hoped, and we.

S

Had kind of put them as we entered into the season, letting them know that this could be.

S

More restrictive coming forward. I think that I in my report, had two I'm wondering if there.

S

Was three but there was absolutely two, so I think it would affect at least two businesses.

S

That were um that were only allowed to do it because we redirected traffic, but there.

S

Is a lot of challenges with that and there's some safety concerns as well, and then a follow-up.

K

Is um during um during any given day, restaurants may or may not be open during the day and.

K

Some are open in the evening and not, and those spaces are continue to be encumbered when.

K

They're not open, is there any way to resolve that? I think there is a potential way depending.

S

On what if we were to adopt like a standardized barrier for sidewalks to retract them during.

S

The day, the problem with the street with the parking spaces is that we have the barrier.

S

The jersey, berries and those are, I mean, a little bit trickier to move. Obviously, um I've.

S

I don't know if there's something out there that would be more portable or removable. I.

S

Have I think we've saw one example of that, but generally there's that safety issue about.

S

The the you know oncoming traffic right, so I think potentially for sidewalks. So the short.

S

Answer is potentially for sidewalks a little more complicated for on-street parking spaces.

K

Thank you thank you and thank you beverly for those work um and when we mention um applications.

U

That result in significant impact of traffic patterns. I understand the two cases where.

U

We had to change the direction of traffic um about on congress street, where there was.

U

Just one lane of traffic eliminated was that recommended by staff still or is that not.

U

America, I think that I think that our goal on those is to anything that changes the circulation.

S

Pattern or loses a lane, probably would not be recommended. Conversion of parking spaces.

S

Continuing to do that and conversion of loading areas where we can pick up a parking space.

S

On the other side, definitely continue to do that, but really not to offset this. This circulation.

S

Pattern, thank you, but that would be entirely up to council if they want to make a distinction.

S

P

um First of all, I wanted to say thank you so much for the past year of your work and.

P

I wanted to highlight that one of my formative experiences as a new counselor was coming.

P

Into strategic planning um at the very beginning, sitting next to you and uh it being just a.

P

Wonderful experience sitting next to somebody who had such amazing work experience in planning.

P

And getting to hear your views early on, so thank you again. um I do have a question.

P

That's around parking um and fees. I know we collected approximately 98 000, but 51 000.

P

Approximately it was from parking space, that's correct, um and the idea is that. Well, that's.

P

38 384 000 approximately in revenue or potential revenue, um so I'm going to follow up on the.

P

Assistant mayor's question: um I'm wondering if we can get a comparison not to 2021, because.

P

2021 was a boom year um and people were traveling widely. We had a huge influx of tourism that.

P

Year because people were traveling in the united states and I don't think that that's.

P

A typical year, I'm hoping that I can get a comparison to another year as far as parking.

P

Goes and also looking at um again that offset whether or not the park parking was just offset.

P

If we saw a significant reduction in parking revenues in the summer, yes we'll get that.

S

Information back to you, okay, thank you for that question and I have one other question.

P

Question on um on barriers, looking at the recommendations, I I'm pleased with the recommendations.

P

That we standardize there's, I think that that's it visually more appealing, probably to residents.

P

But I also think it's safer because everyone knows exactly what the barriers look like.

P

So you know you're not approaching something that looks different and you don't know what.

P

That is in in a parking zone as far as the sidewalks go, I noticed the recommended option.

P

Doesn't include a standardized necessarily sidewalk option? What did what would city staff.

P

Recommend specifically, for I believe, option um I believe option two does recommend that.

S

The jersey barrier, the planters and a standardized sidewalk, and that we would find or bring something.

S

Back to the council that looks somewhat affordable and also nice, and that we would say this is.

S

What we recommend that folks buy, or something like this, so I think option two is probably.

S

The strongest option it keeps our investment in the jersey barriers keeps those wonderful.

S

Planners, which I think makes such a difference on those barriers, and I think that some of.

S

The comments did and then it also introduces the idea of a standardized sidewalk barrier.

S

Now that I do want to prepare the council, the fact that some people have made investments.

S

In their sidewalk um structures we did see wide variation. In those um I'd say we had.

S

A lot of problems more on the street with folks trying to essentially you know, improve.

S

Them make them taller, add wood to them, and um often it looked very nice, but we did not.

S

Get that consistent love the consistent standard. So I think that option two, which introduces.

S

Both the jersey, berries and the planters and then also some kind of standardized sidewalk.

S

Barrier that we could identify and recommend for the council to approve um might be a way.

S

To go, and maybe in the first year that could offset you could offset that with some of.

S

The fees or something.

A

Thank you, oh uh council, tabor and then council bagley, first fight of the apple and system.

A

Here, uh thanks jeremy. um Thank you very much beverly for all your work. Thank you all. Your.

Q

Good work and um and as typified in this report, good data to make decisions with thoughtful.

Q

Presentations and uh you've just been a great refreshing dose of competence for us.

Q

I had some conversations with restaurant owners and um I think there's not a lot of argument.

Q

About shortening the season, I think there's not a lot of argument about some increase.

Q

In the fees, I think we're really smart to not try to recoup all the parking revenue.

Q

um Restaurateurs are telling me that labor situation is getting a little better. Each.

Q

Month, but it's it's still a factor, um so I think modest increases in fees is important.

Q

Because we're also charging more for less of a period of time, the tricky one is the.

Q

Roadways um and that's why I asked for the traffic counts. um I mean to me outdoor dining.

Q

Has been a success, real success and it's taken the downtown and created a whole new experience.

Q

And portsmouth was a great experience to begin with, with the streetscapes and the history.

Q

And everything that people come here to see and the restaurants and nightlife. But we added.

Q

This extra dimension of an experience so to me, we want to go as far towards an outdoor.

Q

Street experience as we can, while still making things passable and when I, when you said the.

Q

Traffic counts on uh pleasant street or up around 2500 a day and changing the street.

Q

Direction and narrowing to one lane. You know that that one gets it tough to support fleet.

Q

Street is, I thought, a quieter street, but it appears to be just as big a volume and.

Q

As much as I, um my neighbor jay mcsherry may not like this, because it's his restaurant.

Q

On fleet street- and he really likes the experience that the outdoor dining creates there, it's.

Q

Hard to justify 22 000 cars a day choked down to one lane, it's unfortunate. We have to limit.

Q

The experience we're creating because of cars, but that's the reality we face, um so uh I.

Q

Think what I'm hearing is uh a shorter season makes sense. Some increase in the fees is, is.

Q

Tolerable we've got some common sense thing to do about traffic circulation and I think.

Q

You've highlighted those, um and uh you know, even though we hear some criticism of this.

Q

Whole program, uh 64 of those of butters- think it's great. So you know yes, there are a minority.

Q

That uh feel that there's been some friction for them, but I think when we as a policy making.

Q

Body, look at the value it brings to the city and the experience it creates. We want to go.

Q

Full speed ahead.

S

Do you want to note that, although I did include it in my report, the introduction of fees did.

S

Not result in any measurable decrease in participation. I believe we had two less applications. This.

S

Year, we which could be accounted for that the two were withdrawn, and I know that one.

S

In fact was withdrawn because of the fees, if I can add to that, the the one that withdrew.

M

Because of the fees was the only restaurant to my knowledge that was not locally owned.

M

It was part of the only managed.

L

Okay, oh counselor bagley. I think your honor and uh thank you beverly and staff for this.

O

And thank you beverly for your service to the city. um I'm gonna make a few comments.

O

um You know I've gotten to learn a lot about parking uh being chair of the parking traffic.

O

And safety committee and I spend a lot of time researching parking and what makes a.

O

City, vibrant and, and why we actually get to charge for parking and the reason we get to.

O

Charge for parking is so many people want to be in downtown portsmouth that we have.

O

To control the inventory somehow so you know the reason we charge for parking is to get.

O

That turnover to get that inventory to to make our downtown vibrant, it's not for financial.

O

Reasons, the financial reasons are, let's call it. A very nice auxiliary benefit um to some.

O

Of the other counselors questions, uh if you have 384 280 worth of parking at two dollars,.

O

An hour, which is what most of these places are, that translates to uh 162 140 at a dollar.

O

An hour because the reality is, if we have a vibrant downtown people are gonna, go there.

O

And they're gonna find a place to park if there's not a place on the street they're.

O

Going to park in the garage, so we immediately recover half of that money. So now we have.

O

A delta between the roughly 100 000 that we recovered in fees and the 162 000 that we.

O

Would have had so I think what we're looking at is about a 33 reduction in revenue. If you.

O

Look at it holistically now it's very challenging to counselor cooks point to go back too far.

O

Because we now have things like stay and pay and of course, because the pandemic, so I don't.

O

Think we can really get a a perfect like for like so I think looking at it from this perspective,.

O

Maybe is the correct way and then this? The second point I would make is you know the.

O

Reason we did outdoor dining and the reason outdoor dining happened was because it was.

O

To save the restaurants and to give people a place outside where they felt safe, so they.

O

They could eat out um and then we kind of discovered that by and large most people really.

O

Enjoy that experience and they like it and would like to see it continue. So I hope, as.

O

A council we kind of pivot in how we look at this um we're doing the outdoor dining.

O

Because we want it, we want the vibrancy, um as uh councilor tabor said. So you know I I.

O

Don't know that we need to increase the fees uh if we do increase the fees. I would not.

O

Like to see us double them, maybe we can make a a small increase that that would be my preference.

O

The other thing with the traffic- I understand it's a challenging issue. You know one thing.

O

We could consider is, is grandfathering. Those two locations in until they choose not to.

O

Do it and then it goes away forever kind of thing, I'm less concerned with the left-hand.

O

Turn lane there's a lot of research that shows if you slow down traffic through the downtown.

O

It's a better and safer experience for everybody, that's not in a car and um you know losing.

O

That left-hand turn lean. It kind of creates a pullover place for people to run inside.

O

And get pizza and then it creates two. You know relatively vibrant outdoor places and.

O

I, like counselor denton's approach that you know at some point. We should really bump out.

O

That sidewalk, it's it's a little silly, that in a pedestrian friendly city like portsmouth.

O

We've got three lanes of traffic right in our downtown and a sidewalk next to him that.

O

Is so narrow that, if somebody's coming the other way, you actually have to step into the.

O

Street to pass them and we should be prioritizing people over cars. That's that's my opinion.

O

um So what I think we should do, since we're not in a hurry like we were last year, is a.

O

Counselor should bring forward a proposal that we more or less kind of agree to tonight.

O

Make sense for the next meeting in january and then we could, you know, get some feedback.

O

From the public what they like, what they don't like and then we could vote on it, um but I.

O

Wouldn't support doubling other fees. I think we should go a little slower I'd like to keep.

O

Everybody outdoor, I understand that, may not be feasible and um the the last point I'll.

O

Make is we had some great uh aesthetic barriers of massimos the press room.

O

The pizza place, I can't think of the name of right, the rosa sorry, um but we also had.

O

Some like uh on congress street, there was a large one that I received a number of complaints.

O

About that it didn't really put enough aesthetic effort into it. So if we did choose one of.

O

These three options: I wanted, ensure that the aesthetic appeal of like that location gets.

O

Better, but I wouldn't want to do something where we're now telling the press room that.

O

They're out of compliance, because I think that's a a great presentation, so kind of put.

O

A lot out there on the plate for people to consider councilor bagley any other eating.

A

From that plate, all right council moreau. You first comments of the night, we're not at the.

A

Night but first part of the apple and back to the assistant, um I'd like to thank beverly.

N

I've thoroughly enjoyed working with you over this last year. Thank you for everything. You've.

N

Done for planning board for landry's committee and all the work we've done, so thank you as.

N

Far as outdoor dining goes, I completely support all the staff recommendations. I think we do.

N

Need to double the fees, I think that there needs to be um the traffic, the changing of.

N

The traffic I I agree with their assessment that it's it's a huge problem and until we.

N

Can redesign our downtown and make the sidewalks wider, which I'm all in favor of I just think.

N

That we need to do it a little bit more methodically, and I just think that their recommendations.

N

Are taking us, we had a transition year, we need to step back towards normality so that.

N

We can get in that direction, so I support what the staff is recommended and would move.

N

A

Are you moving that forward at the moment? No, I just giving my two cents since okay other.

N

People [laughter] listen, mirror. Thank you. um We talked about the two majors um as we.

T

Know, fleet street and pleasant, uh I think, there's an outlier that we didn't really touch.

T

On, besides the traffic count, which is hill street, which is predominantly in a residential.

T

Neighborhood with the residential support, so I would like for us to potentially consider.

T

um You know if you're outside of the the in line of the downtown, maybe some type of petition.

T

Or major butter, as we do a butter approvals for downtown for that area, as we as we looked.

T

At the traffic counts, you know they're not as dramatic, obviously as downtown, um and it's.

T

Really, I think, also the hill street location cultivated a warmness to that area. We constantly.

T

Hear from people the lack of use of foundry because they don't necessarily feel safe, walking.

T

Down that area at night, you know that area just doesn't doesn't um feel as comfortable.

T

For some people, but I think with that establishment what they've done outside again, I think with.

T

A large amount of neighborhood support and in a butter support um really something that.

T

I would like to see repeated, so I would like to see potentially some type of um mechanism.

T

To maybe um look at trying to to have two different scopes from if you're downtown, where.

T

You're turning a street to a one-way or if you're, in a residential with with heavy support.

T

I don't necessarily think those are one to one, so I would like to make sure that we're.

T

Not putting them one to one um as far as to councilman rose just statement, I think that.

T

And to support councilor bradley statement, I think we have to look at this as the new.

T

Norm, outdoor dining, more vibrancy, downtown, more walkability, um you know again, as we looked.

T

As we looked at the master plan as we look to market square renovations, I think we really.

T

Need to come um together and we really need to start getting input from the businesses.

T

Downtown and the residents downtown, um I understand at one point in time I was a huge supporter.

T

Of closing, all of downtown myself and several other business owners hired an engineering.

T

Firm, we put our money in, we looked at it through the growth and through the conversations I've.

T

Had with other retailers, downtown other restaurants, downtown residents downtown, I'm not necessarily.

T

Sure that a completely pedestrian market square is the way to go, but I do think that we can.

T

Look at closer and we need to look at in more in depth some streets, whether that is pleasant.

T

From state to to congress, so I'm really looking forward shifted a little bit really looking.

T

Forward to diving in next year with city staff in residence of what the future of market.

T

Square looks like I was at the trees and greeneries committee today. I know not the most highly.

T

Watched meeting but there was a photo going around of um in the 60s the christmas tree.

T

Was in the center of market square and cars went around it, so I think there's a lot of.

T

Innovation in a lot of of pleasantries that we can bring back to market square in looking.

T

Through our history thanks sister mayor councilor denton, thank you. I was actually prepared to.

R

uh Make the initial motion and then make some amendments to it. And since we're just discussing.

R

I just let the council know two of the motions amendments which I was going to propose.

R

One is what uh assistant mayor just hit upon how like, regardless of what the council decides.

R

To do with changes to let's say um pleasant, street or fleet street to make sure that other.

R

Places with outdoor dining will still be allowed to have it on the street, so thoughts to bring.

R

Back the fees for street licenses from last year, so we can play with that. um So some places.

R

Like the one on hill street can still have outdoor dining and the second one, and this.

R

Is just food for thought? I figured I'd, read the motion now and explain it. So I'm not going.

R

To be explaining it on my feet at the next meeting, but it would be to amend the 200 compost.

R

Composting discount to the discount from what restaurants would have paid last year for.

R

What they would pay for outdoor dining this year, essentially what I mean by that, if a.

R

Restaurant last year would have paid four thousand dollars, and then this year they would.

R

Pay eight thousand dollars. If they were going to compost this year, they would still pay.

R

The four thousand dollars from last year, um the two hundred dollars, is great six restaurants.

R

Did it uh the primary reason, why um pushed it last year, I'm pushing it harder this year.

R

Is food waste is the third largest source of greenhouse gases in the world and I think.

R

Doing something like this would actually encourage more restaurants to do it, because they would.

R

Save money by composting versus hey here's two hundred dollars.

R

Thanks counselor didn't and those are not motions that you're putting no I'm not making.

R

Them there's no sneak previews. Okay. I think I think it would be good if we had a motion.

A

On the january 9th meeting um you know this is uh and and we can move those uh forward.

A

Then I do want the public to be able to um to be well in advanced and notified.

A

About that council cook, thank you, your honor. um I also have a suggestion that the council.

P

Start doing some of this pre-planning for downtown ahead of the master planning process.

P

And the reason I'm making this suggestion is, I feel that you know if we're waiting for.

P

The master plan process and we're gonna, of course, hire consultants and go through that.

P

Process we're looking at down the road another three four years before we start really talking.

P

About what we do to expand sidewalks, so I think it's important that we start having.

P

That conversation now, um because it's it's urgent, you know every year we're going to.

P

Be having this debate about, do we allow uh encumbrances in in the street? Do we allow.

P

um Restaurants to take up parking spots, what do we do with the sidewalks when we could.

P

Be having the bigger conversation, which I think this council is willing to entertain.

P

From what I'm hearing tonight around, what does our downtown look like with expanded.

P

Sidewalks, I think that's a good point. I think you know we could probably all agree if we.

A

Kept the same amount of parking we had outdoor dining and the cars went slower. Most people.

A

Would be a fan of of that you know getting using. You know, thinking of our downtown as.

A

You know route one getting people as fast as they can through the downtown is probably.

A

Not the the goal that uh that that we had um a couple of uh just quick points. You know.

A

uh More tactical on the, if we do set on a um on a design of some sort of barricade, if.

A

We could act as a liaison from a purchasing power standpoint. Make sure that we can organize.

A

Bigger uh purchases of these having um you know some of the smaller restaurants that.

A

That might not have the economies of scale to be able to enjoy some of the economies.

A

Of scale uh that if we do decide on a single approved vendor, I would agree on the traffic.

A

To the broad brush um you know, the assistant marathon had a a reasonable solution to figuring.

A

Out you know where car traffic I mean if we just use car traffic and I I do think that.

A

All of the points that we're going to have are so that I think to a counselor. We agree.

A

That outdoor dining has been successful and we wanted to continue all of the points that.

A

We would make are an effort to even if we disagree on some of those. uh You know how.

A

We go forward is so that it continues and people don't push back on it because they.

A

Are incredibly upset about trying to get to the parking garage or you know, coming back.

A

uh From you know, on pleasant street and not seeing it used and just it blocked off so.

A

I think everything we do has to take in mind that we want this to to last long term and.

A

We can't hope that we, the the sidewalks wide themselves, um and I and I do think some you.

A

Know, even if it's not closing down um you know in the same vein of looking at you know,.

A

uh Traffic counts, if we're looking at large modifications the traffic pattern more so.

A

Than even just the the closing of a street, so if like we're taking, you know and closing.

A

A lane of traffic and moving it over and then causing a traffic. I would expect that to be.

A

Included in in the ones that the staff is not currently recommending to to move forward,.

A

um On that, I I would love to see if there's a way for us to help. You know I'm thinking.

A

About the franklin, oyster house, they're right next to a driveway around the corner, like.

A

If there could be a public-private partnership on that, the city could facilitate something.

A

Like that, where there's next to a um next to a something that could be used and if there.

A

Was a an agreement struck between those owners that we could work to help help facilitate.

A

That from the city standpoint, I'd love to see public-private partnerships, you know when.

A

It's when it's not the the city on the public side, but you know just maybe organizing you.

A

Know uh that, from a a licensing standpoint fees, you know, I think that the same way that.

A

Councilor bagley says that we don't have fees uh in in parking. You know some people who.

A

Haven't met read as many traffic or parking books as counselor bagley. I would think that.

A

The city is getting a big windfall with cash um when it comes to parking. You know it is.

A

A lot to do with you know, regulation of that. I think the same could be said of fees when.

A

It comes to outdoor dining. We want to make sure that the restaurants are using that space.

A

And they got some skin in the game to to maximize that space and to to make it the best and.

A

If you spend double the fees, you're going to put a lot more effort into making sure.

A

That that is a great product that you're putting out there and not an afterthought so making.

A

Sure that, if yeah making sure that the fees strike the balance um and again, uh I started.

A

On this, uh this with you know, cars going slower, and I definitely think that we should move.

A

uh I do believe it's in you know we could find a way to align it to the current master.

A

Plan in terms of a walkable downtown um and use the conversation around market square.

A

And the effort that's going to go into that as a way to kind of jump, start that conversation.

A

So we're not waiting, you know for something to happen in in three years. um You know the.

A

Plan doesn't really kick off in the public partner or the public sense until 2020.

A

For 2025, so I think that we could use that and knowing that the funds are there um if.

A

Public speaker had mentioned that downtown retail two things on that um I'd love to see.

A

Us try to carry forward some of the data around the trolley, you know and whether or not people.

A

Could be using the trolley like if, if this could be something on on high demand days,.

A

Where we do have a trolley, that's going through um the downtown. uh I know that's going to.

A

Cost money, but it might allow us to use less. You know parking spaces downtown if it was.

A

A fun and inviting environment and then seems like a decent enough time to propose that.

A

um We think about about retail, more broadly, it's too late, obviously, for for this year.

A

But I was approached by a few small business owners that were talking about some of the.

A

Events that they've seen at like portland or soas down you know in boston and really.

A

Try to make a um a a you know, just like we have a market square in the in the in the.

A

Summer, to do something around the retailers, even more so than a small business type saturday.

A

Or a free parking holiday to have some sort of event um downtown. I think the one in in.

A

Portland, you know they figured out how to uh you know. Maine has probably a lot lacks.

A

Their liquor laws than us, but to to have you know, serving um beer and why and some bean.

A

Beer and wine, and some of the retailers to have some sort of event, that would be a a.

A

Pre-Christmas thing, I would think that would be a great way to show how serious this council.

A

Is around the retailers and supporting the retailers, so that was a lot and I I appreciate.

A

Beverly all of the work that you've done- and you know you will be- you- will be missed by.

A

uh By many that that know uh what they're missing and even more uh that don't know.

A

What they're missing you've kind of done a lot of work on a short amount of time that.

A

We very much appreciate uh you've made the city of fort smith better and for that.

A

We're eternally grateful. Thank you. Thank you mayor. Thank you. So much I'd like the opportunity.

M

To thank beverly personally when we hired you, we knew your talents and your expertise.

M

And your experience, but what we didn't know is how well you'd grow the staff and I think.

M

Each staff member is better for having worked with you and for you, and thank you so much.

S

Thank you all thanks again, [applause] all right. Let's see pretty close, does anybody.

A

Need a bathroom big, no we're almost done all right, so um some appointments uh to be considered.

A

Under uh my name, uh the reappointment of dana levinson, so the trustees, the trust funds, the.

A

Reappointment of phyllis eldridge the zoning board of adjustment appointment of alan cohen.

A

To the task force to study public private, private public, historical archives committee.

A

And then I had one more uh for the task force to study uh and I'd like you to consider. I.

A

Believe this has been printed out and handed to you so again for consideration, uh but jeff.

A

Keefe for the task force to study private public historical archives, those just for.

A

Considerations, um appointments to be uh voted on uh uh this evening um are, uh and these.

A

Are all to the um arts and non-profits community cultural plan uh subcommittee, uh that of.

A

Alan chance, jeffrey cooper, ellen feinberg, gerardo gonzalez, tom coffeld, amanda kidd kessler,.

A

Robin lori meyerkoff john meyer, karen rosania, emma stratton and as alternates karen battles.

A

Suzanne danforth and ed simeon. We would need a a vote mayor. um Can you take ellen out of.

K

This and vote it separately, so I can recuse myself from that. If you would like to can.

A

We strike, I mean, I don't see the conflict, but I will honor that the um I will ask.

A

For uh I would await a motion to approve everyone uh that I just read, but ellen um and summer.

T

Second and all in favor, aye I'd wait a motion to appoint ellen uh feinberg to the arts and.

A

Nonprofits community cultural plan so moved second, three accused all in favor aye. We have.

A

One recusal and he knows all right um and I um I was reminded um that on a subcommittee.

A

uh Appointed or the by a mayor's blue urban committee we can appoint, um it doesn't have.

A

To be a city resident and I've been really impressed with anna and sean, um and so I am.

A

Hopeful uh that they will be able to continue to serve, but this way in official capacity.

A

Of sean mcdonald and anna nuttall to the skateboard park, boo urban information, so thanks for their.

A

Their effort and continued effort, as they uh they get those lights. We turn this. We flip.

A

The switch on those and and work to see this a reality and then finally, I wanted just a.

A

Quick update on the holiday lights contest, um so it's a run by the citywide neighborhood.

A

Committee third year that since we brought it back after the pandemic, I'd like to you.

A

Know I did put some pretty festive lights on my house, but I did not enter the contest.

A

um For uh reasons you know I didn't want to, I didn't want to the conflict there. um There.

A

Are 42 entries this year? uh There's a list on city of portsmouth uh forward, slash city.

A

Forward, slash holiday, dash lights, dot contests if you just search holiday lights in the search.

A

Bar you'll get a google map of that, and the judges are school, children so um and their.

A

Family, so if it's a school children, you know too small or they this. You know they're too,.

A

Focused as my daughters are on frozen, you know everybody will will get a fair uh shake.

A

um They're gonna, it's gonna run through the 19th um and there's going to be three uh three.

A

Different categories, as we had last year, traditional light display uh creative light display and.

A

Then kids choice and then we're going to announce the winners uh on the 21st and look forward.

A

To to seeing those lights and again, thank you, everybody for um uh for participating.

A

When that's the prize in the winners and and I will turn it over to the assistant mayor.

A

Who is festively dressed tonight? Hopefully I mean some may call us an ugly christmas.

T

Sweater, I would not, I would just like to make the note. Is we have a resident on ocean road.

T

Who has done spectacular displays for the last few decades? And this is the last year.

T

So so, if the judges are listening, I was going to say southwest would like to try. It is a.

T

Spectacular display that involves 30, plus volunteers and dedication all year round.

T

So please make sure that you drive by and take it all in awesome. Well, thanks for bringing.

A

That I think, he's definitely going to get one of these, but I think if you haven't seen.

T

It and it'd be in the last year. It's definitely it's. Definitely a wonderful display well,.

A

Thanks for that uh kawa, and with that on to you assistant, mayor.

T

And council bradley myself as first-time counselors, uh have brought up the idea of a council year in review at.

T

The beginning of our of our term, we set some pretty lofty goals for ourselves and really.

T

Outlined what we would like to do, and we both thought it would be a great time to set a.

T

Work session to hear from the public how they think we're doing to and to reassess the goals.

T

That we set see if they need modification see if we have any different goals, that we.

T

Would like to bring forward for the second part of our term, okay, and um on that would.

A

We be, um would we be discussing that, like we did at the like at the off site and then.

A

Coming back and having a work session where we bring the public involved, or is this all.

A

In one uh conversation so.

O

um In discussion with staff uh january is quite full already, so the logical way, probably.

O

Would be to have a work session and then a retreat, um but with the schedule as it is.

O

It may make sense for us to have a retreat and then the work session in february. So if.

O

We we could do an off-site retreat or maybe don't need a whole day, but for a couple hours.

O

Just to touch upon our goals, which goals we've achieved, which goals um needs more work and.

O

If we need to change course on any of them now that we've, you know, had a years of experience.

O

Under our belt and so then, if there's a motion on the floor, it's to ask uh or to work to.

A

Schedule a work session with the city manager to review the year and review something along.

A

Those, yes, that's correct. Okay. um I guess I would move to ask the city manager to schedule.

O

A work session and a council retreat in the month of february, with the work session, where.

O

It makes the most sense for her, or I think I said that backwards. I'm sorry I mentioned.

O

That the city manager looked to schedule a retreat in january for the council and a work.

O

Session for the council in february, I would second any further discussion all in favor.

A

Aye aye any opposed. Thank you, samarron uh councilor bagley. I look forward to that and.

A

Yeah, I mean good to uh it's good to check in on on that, and it was a yeah.

A

um Is that it? No? No that's not. We have we have no approval of grants or donations. There's.

A

No city manager, informational items, uh but we do have miscellaneous. Yes, we do. If you.

N

Would all just bear with me um last meeting you all had a presentation by the valerie.

N

Rashon regarding portsmouth, new hampshire, 400 and all the events that are going on.

N

We were hoping to get the approval of the city council regarding the kickoff event. We.

N

Have a few more details about it, of which I can certainly share with everyone. The kickoff.

N

Celebration uh we're planning for january 6 which, as you know, is 1 6 23, so that is 16.

N

23, so it's very, very cool that way: it's planned from 4 to 6 p.m, with a gathering of a public.

N

Forum air in the public forum area of prescott park, turning on the lights of the memorial.

N

Bridge blue, the color of our logo, walking on the sidewalks from prescott park to south.

N

Church for a short reveal presentation, followed by hot chocolate and cookies downstairs in.

N

The meeting room um is, there is an expectation, there'll be less than 100 people. I'm thinking.

N

January, it's cold. I think there'll definitely be less than 100 people, um but there may be.

N

More at south church, because we may tell people you know they can join any part of it. uh We.

N

Have I have some details of sort of what we're planning on the mayor was going to speak? We're.

N

Going to turn the lights on, we will have volunteers to request that, when everyone's walking from.

N

Prescott park down to the church to be on the sidewalk um so about yeah, we'll have the.

N

Switch dropped off, uh probably around three o'clock picked up at 4 30. prescott park would.

N

Be like 4 to 4 30 and then uh the walk along state street to south church would be like.

N

4 30 to 4, 45 and the south church would be like 4 45 to 5 15, with the hot chocolate being.

N

Like 5 15 to 6 o'clock, so um if you guys have any requirements- or you know, I don't know.

K

If we actually need a motion or what legally, maybe the city manager can help me here, yeah.

M

I'll chime in normally an approval, would come in in the form of a letter with less detail.

M

Than councilman rowe shared, but in an attempt to get approval and have you all understand.

M

What was in, what would be entailed if, if you were to vote approval tonight, we would hold.

M

A quick logistics meeting with all the relevant departments and support the event and and.

M

The steps taken so I'd wait a motion to move uh or to send to this request to the city.

A

Manager over the authorization to act so moved. Second, any discussion all in favor aye any.

C

Opposed no any other miscellaneous, um oh counselor, bagley. uh Thank you honor. um I I just wanted.

O

To um addressed the incident, the high school and all our schools last week, as as some people.

O

Know my daughter's a sophomore there, um so it was, you know, hit close to home. uh There's.

O

Been a lot of discussion in the community about you know: is there anything we can do.

O

Better, I do want to say, as a parent, I was extremely impressed with the response of the.

O

Schools and the first responders from the police department, both our local department.

O

And the state police- I think uh you know it's a stress test we didn't want, but we did a.

O

Phenomenal job there has been a lot of discussion in the community. Is there something we can.

O

Do better, particularly regarding, if we need more uh sro officers, I would say, I've received.

O

A lot of feedback on that and- and I would say it's about- 50 50.- there are a number of.

O

Parents that you know think that's something that we should expand and they have their.

O

Good reasons and there's probably an equal number of parents that um think that we could.

O

Allocate our resources in different ways and get more. You know more more out of the the.

O

Resources, if we allocate in different ways, so I think we're going to continue to have.

O

The conversation in the community, but I just want to applaud the the response to the schools.

O

And the police department, I thought it was exemplary. I think council back I just uh I.

A

Would add to that on the the topic, um a classmate of my daughter's, uh a parent um gabe, uh the.

A

Savior um asked me to read a letter since he wasn't able to be here tonight. I'm not.

A

Going to be able to read that letter, I think it's it's a tough precedent to set when people.

A

Ask me to read things um I would expect to see uh that letter in the packet and we can.

A

Acknowledge it at the january 9th meeting and the conversation will continue. I think.

A

For the folks at home, we control the bottom line budget of the school department. If, if.

A

They deem that this is a good use of resources, or they want to ask us for more resources.

A

You know instead of reallocating them, that's a conversation where we have, I will say, as.

A

A uh as a as another parent younger kid, um I was incredibly impressed with the way that.

A

The the police and the school department- and it's not just the cops getting there and they.

A

Got there super fast, um but it's you know um it's the shout out to miss kyle, my my daughter's.

A

uh Kindergarten teacher and I know that all the kindergarten teachers did an amazing job.

A

But it's still in a um it's an incredibly uh gut-wrenching experience when uh the saturday.

A

And sunday after the hoax, your six-year-old is playing with their best friends. uh You.

A

Know active shooter drills where they're closing the blinds in your house, uh while there's.

A

A bad guy outside and she didn't seem scared and the school did a great job, and so as we're.

A

Thanking the the the police officers and their response um and the the superintendents.

A

Response uh timing response so that we weren't worried. I also just I want to thank the the.

A

The the teachers that are in the classrooms, with the kids uh they um they made the toughest.

A

Day for lori- and I um you know another day at the office uh for my my daughter, tiernan.

A

So, thank you for that and and all the work you do to to create the future of portsmouth.

A

Oh happy holidays. Merry christmas happy hanukkah, uh happy new year, we've appreciated serving.

A

You for this first term and I'd waited a motion to adjourn so moved. Second, all in favor, aye.

A

Aye good night portsmouth.