City of Portsmouth, New Hampshire 2022 - 2024 City Council, 21 Mar 2022

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From YouTube: 3.21.2022 City Council

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3.21.2022 City Council

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I get freaked out with all these papers that I get like.

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Thank you, everyone for coming tonight, monday march, 21st 2002. I will wait a motion to.

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Suspend the non-public until the end of the evening so moved your honor second.

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And we will need a roll call vote.

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Assistant mayor kelly, yes, counselor tabor, yes, counselor denton, yes, councilman moreau.

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Yes, council bagley, yes, council lombardi, yes, council, blaylock, yes, counselor cook,.

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Yes, mayor mccachren, yes, unanimous and now in something that I still don't quite understand.

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We will require a roll call of attendance. Yes, mayor mcgregor, here assistant mayor kelly here.

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Counselor chamber here- counselor gently here- council monroe here, council bagley here.

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Council lombardi here, council blaylock here council cook here.

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uh And before we stand for the pledge of allegiance, uh I would like to to thank everyone.

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Who's reached out with thoughts on the ukrainian people asking what it is we can do as a city.

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It's something that again, the horus bestowed upon their country by a war of choice.

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Is something I hope we never have to see in our lifetime, and I can only ask that it as we stand in.

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And say this pledge of allegiance that we think of the costs that people are willing to.

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Put forth in order to defend the freedom of self-determination in their country.

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I pledge allegiance to the flag of the united states of america and to.

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The republic for which it serves one nation, under god, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

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And speaking of.

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Independence in the fight for freedom, we have with us uh this evening, um a.

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Vo or a vocal performance um by the children of saint nicholas.

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Greek orthodox church, if they could come in now, I'm going to read a proclamation.

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As they do and and get set up, it's a longer proclamation but well worth.

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Whereas the founding fathers of america drew direct inspiration from the ideals and practices.

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Of ancient greece, when forming the world's first modern democracy and framing the constitution,.

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That provides that guidance by which we live, and whereas 201 years ago, inspired by the same.

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Ideals of liberty, self-governance and passionate belief in democracy that sparked the american.

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Revolution, the people of greece declared their independence from the ottoman empire.

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Now, every march 25th marks greek independence day a celebration of the history and values that.

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Unites the united states of america and the hellenic people republic, a crucial nato ally.

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And friend of the us, and whereas today, greeks around the world gather on greek independence,.

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Day to reflect with pride and passion on the liberation of their home nation and their resolute.

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Actions of their forbearers and whereas portsmouth has a thriving greek community, many of whom are.

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Parishioners of the saint nicholas greek orthodox church, which celebrated its 90th anniversary.

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In 2021, the founding congregation of only 25 men and three women arrived from greece with.

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Great dreams and determination and established a lasting legacy of hard work and generosity. St.

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Nicholas is now flourishing, an active home of worship and culture to over 250 families.

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It is fittingly located on andrew jarvis drive an homage to the greek american businessman.

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And politician who served as mayor of portsmouth from 1958 to 1959, and whereas each year the saint.

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Nicholas community proudly leads portsmouth, it's a celebration of greek independence day.

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Residents, young and old gather to enjoy traditional dancing, poetry, costume speeches.

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And food in recognition of the influence and contributions to the greek community has made.

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To new hampshire and whereas the global pandemic impacted the saint nicholas greek, orthodox church.

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Church's 90th anniversary festivities, so 2020 2022, it's getting tough. There uh we'll see a.

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Continuation of this celebration with the return of the saint nicholas greek festival on june 24th.

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And 25th it will be a wonderful showcase of ethnic pride and invitation for all community members.

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To be a greek for a day now, therefore, I daglan mcacron mayor of the city of portsmouth, on behalf.

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Of the members of the city, council and citizens of portsmouth to hereby proclaim march 25th.

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2022 as greek independence day and call upon the residents of portsmouth to join in observation and.

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Celebration given with my hand and the seal of the city of portsmouth on this 21st day of march 2022.

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Thank you, and I would also like to note and joanna diemer was nice enough to write a little.

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Note reminding me of that, on the top of this, that we will be lighting the memorial bridge.

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In honor of the with the national colors of greece, blue and white over the weekend.

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So when you look to the bridge, you will see the the greek colors in honor of your independence.

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May it be a reminder of everyone's struggle to be free. So now I hear that there's some kids.

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That are going to they, they look. Pretty cool are going to come up and sing.

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For the whole city council and then stick around till about midnight when we usually.

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Finish up no they're gonna go home. Okay, they're gonna go home right after singing, but would you.

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Please come up and and sing uh to all of us all right. Why don't we give them a round of applause.

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This is too cute.

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Great job guys.

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Thank you very much. Thank you.

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Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. So much. Thank you. Thank you guys, good morning, we're so cute.

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Yes, snack for non-puzzlers.

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It seems as though many were here in attendance to watch the singing.

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um So we have uh next up is the acceptance of minutes.

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And there are none for this evening so on to the recognition and volunteer committee reports.

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We have first, a recognition for the fire event on february 25th 2022 by jason.

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And tristan jason and tristan are you here in the audience this evening.

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Mr mayor, I know that assistant fire chief bill mcquillen is here.

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Well, I'm going to read out what uh in case, let's see, um is it possible to uh to.

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It seems it would lose a little bit of the the impact if they are not here to receive it.

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Could we postpone it to the the next uh well postponed to the next meeting.

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And want to highlight, um but the tl uh or the the thing that I learned when.

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Reading it is baking soda puts out fires, something that a 12 year old, knew and.

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Maybe I knew it when I was 12, but I forgot about it. So if there's any grease fires out there.

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I don't want that to wait for two weeks uh use baking soda on them, so we will celebrate jason.

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And tristan uh in two weeks, so next up is um the recognition of of john kavanagh for his efforts.

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In raising awareness of the humanitarian crisis in ukraine, um I know that uh john is.

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Is within uh he's here with us uh tonight and um had uh been on, uh I think you signed up for.

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Public comment, but I would ask to suspend the rules uh and and bring john to say, a.

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Few words, and then I had a few words to say in response to that. Second, john, would you mind.

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Coming up and speaking a few words on the work that you're doing that's a great place, there's.

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A microphone right there and okay well, um thank you very much mayor and the city council for the.

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Invitation uh very happy to be back in portsmouth, my home, originally from bedford, but.

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Portsmouth has been my new hampshire base of operations for the past 20 or 30 years.

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I do feel a little like rip van winkle because when I was here and was active in politics,.

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Mayor foley was in your seat and worked worked together on a lot of good good projects for.

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The city of portsmouth, which I see manifesting all about when I, when I walk around downtown and.

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Throughout the community, but uh I very much uh appreciate the recognition um and uh but more.

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Importantly, um what I would like to encourage is um a um focused discussion. Not I understand.

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Tonight is not the the venue, but I made perhaps a focused discussion on some very specific ideas.

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As to how the city official city can play a role in responding to the ukraine humanitarian crisis,.

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There's also a lot of opportunities for the citizens of portsmouth to to play a role and.

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Individuals and businesses have stepped up and that's sort of spontaneously happening.

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And it's a wonderful thing, um but I do have some very specific ideas about how the city.

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Might be able to be engaged and I'm happy to meet.

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In a different venue, perhaps in a private session to articulate some of those, we don't have to.

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Discuss all of them right here tonight, but the the reason that I asked you to come and the reason why.

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I'm going to give you uh this key um is that as soon as uh john uh made it out of uh ukraine.

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um And safely back uh to the to the united states and then to portsmouth.

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His first thoughts were: how uh does he uh rally the support of of portsmouth new hampshire.

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uh And citizens concerned at large and helping coordinate efforts to support the.

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Refugees, but also those that are still in ukraine. As I understand your partner is to this day.

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So our motto in portsmouth- and it came from a leaflet in 1923 was, is the city of the open door.

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It's fitting, I think, for this doors are easy to close, especially in times of trouble. In times of.

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Trepidation when things look rough, it's easy to close your door to those situations, but john has.

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Decided that, as soon as getting home, uh his idea was: how does he open more doors, and how does he.

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Convince other people to keep their doors open and what will be a uh either way if the world ends. If.

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The the if the war ends tomorrow, it's still a horrific event, that is, that has displaced.

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You know nearly 10 million people um at this point, so I appreciate the city of portsmouth appreciates.

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uh Your work and I'm gonna come give you this coin, and and uh let it be the the first of many.

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Conversations we have on on helping the ukrainian people right on mayor appreciate. Thank you, john.

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And now on to public comment um again uh rules, we would like uh to keep it to.

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Three minutes: uh portsmouth residents, ask you to line up first, and I will go down the list.

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um And then, if you are on zoom, you have say three more minutes to raise your hand on zoom and then.

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And we'll we'll cap it there so first up we have uh marion yannick, please approach uh and.

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When you get here um just state your name and your address uh for the record, you have, as your topic.

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Mcnab project challenges, daniel street closure and impact on small business floor is yours,.

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Good evening, mayor mcheckern city, council, members and city staff, my name is marianne janik. I live at.

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21 burkett street in portsmouth, I'm an owner of a small business, downtown called calibe.

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Located at 21 daniel street across from mau's, I opened my retail business on may 15th last year.

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Moving in, I knew a large development project. Next door would impact a new business, but I had no idea.

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How much and for how long? I will share two key challenges recommending.

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Solutions first, I would like to acknowledge my gratitude to the city staff for their empathy.

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And their efforts to help me through this tough time resolving issues as best they can. The first.

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Issue is communications, although the point of contact for the abutters is christine leblanc.

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The cfo at mcnabb this process is not effective.

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Not necessarily a fault of her own, the problems are a lack of clear ownership for issues causing.

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Delays and very little resolution, we need a third party to help resolve these issues. Additionally, we.

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Are not getting proactive notifications in a way that is effective. We get technical information.

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That is not actionable. We need to understand what is coming, so we can adapt appropriately.

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I recommend a weekly impact review to allow us to ask clarifying questions and prepare accordingly.

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The second issue is the safe passage of pedestrians, tourists and residents that want.

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To pass my storefront and walk safely onto daniel street, this has been an issue from the beginning.

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And continues today, I've been blocked by various massive construction objects, cars, trucks, trash.

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Bins, piles of dirt granite blocks and more, as you will see in the photos that I have submitted.

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I am even more concerned as we face the daniel street reconstruction project, I'm asking for two.

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Things the first is a protected throughway. People must be able to safely pass my storefront cars and.

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Trucks constantly block this unfinished portion where the sidewalk ends and don't allow walkers.

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To safely pass, this is a big issue for my business regarding the daniel street reconstruction site.

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We need proper signage with all businesses listed that says open during construction.

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Establishing an abutters committee that can work with the city and the developer would allow for.

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More dialogue, input and collaboration: this is a complex, huge project in a very small space.

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The city may not have had ideal policies in place. Therefore, many challenges have arisen. We.

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Need to address forthcoming challenges with clear, two-way communication: I'm a proponent of growth.

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And I know construction is messy. I believe that, with a third-party resolution, contact improved.

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uh Impact review meeting abutters committee and protected passageways in front of all stores and.

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Signage for daniel street construction can work together to provide the lowest negative impact.

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Thank you for your time. Thank you, marianne and I appreciate future dialogue.

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That was eloquent. um We appreciate that we hold uh clapping on on any issue.

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In city council chambers, um next up, uh we have john um you're on here. Do.

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You want to come up and and say anything else or uh we'll carry that over to the.

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The more private sessions I think it's best to start with a private sector.

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Okay sounds great. um Next up we have uh rick bexted uh on the topic of demolition committee.

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Good evening rick beckstead 1395 isn't in street. um Just last week I was kind of reminded of.

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Something that kind of left off april 29th of 2021 was the last time that our demolition committee.

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Had gathered, there was some strong recommendations and from that point on, we have heard nothing last.

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Week I was made aware one at the boa level and then one at the planning board level that we have.

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Two buildings that are to be demoed, one of them, is in downtown portsmouth a stone, throw away from.

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The north church and the other one is actually on essex. Just a strong, throw away from my house.

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When that committee met uh it when it was with councillor monroe, um we had our uh robert marcilia.

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That was on there nick cracknell, barbara ward and john wyckoff, and the strong recommendations were.

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After a house was torn down on aldridge and it was done inadvertently with total disregard.

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To what we had had during that meeting, there were recommendations made to make it stricter.

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I believe there was only one that was on there, not restricting it restricting it.

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Would have been adding up to 180 day waiting period before somebody would be allowed.

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It is the right of a property owner to be able to do things to the home. I get that.

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But what ends up happening is is and I'll use mine, for example, that's down the road. So it's a one and.

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A half story, building down the road from my house and there basically is a two and a half almost a.

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Three story: building that will replace it now most people say well they're, making more room well, the.

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Problem with that is, if you pay hundred thousand dollars for a building in portsmouth, and you knock.

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It down you're, basically buying that land and then the permission to be able to tear it down once.

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That is done it offsets as far as the land value. So it starts over again and as we've repeatedly.

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Seen this year after year, it redefines our neighborhoods, it actually raises the land value of.

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Those neighborhoods and inadvertently it ends up costing everyone more money. You know it's valued.

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At more money, but everyone's taxes around it go up, so I would just go and ask that the mayor a lot.

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Working with councillor monroe, if you're still in that position, I mean now you're a counselor.

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So I think a planning board representative would have to go on there, but basically be able to see.

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That, through I talked with attorney sullivan this afternoon, and it basically would become.

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An ordinance so the council would have to go and do a first reading. The recommendations are.

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There I'm sure councilor monroe, um who agreed with all of the recommendations at that time.

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um To stiffen those to prevent that type of action from happening it deters it doesn't eliminate it.

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From happening, but it deters would make people's things not redefining. Our neighborhoods is key to.

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Everything once you redefine those I've, been a part of a lot of actions that have taken place.

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Over the years, one of them down the road from uh mayor mccrince and it got nasty.

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um Promises were made and then not kept um it it. It creates a lot of chaos and it's something.

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I think that we really want to go and avoid. So if we are crystal clear and deterring, um I think it.

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Will actually make a little easier so again, thank you very much and have a good night. Thank you. Rick.

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Next up, somehow, okay uh is arthur. Clow on the ethics can be simple.

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Good evening, arthur clough, 431 pleasant street.

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About a month ago, this council voted to make portsmouth the city of the blocked doorway. This.

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City council ignored the 85 percent of the downtown businesses, which are not restaurants.

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And you decided to make portsmouth's downtown into an outdoor eating extravaganza at the cost of of.

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Businesses being able to have customers that can go downtown and park if you're going to get your.

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Sewing machine repaired: are you going to go to the downtown to the one store downtown that repairs.

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It with no parking around or are you going to probably take it somewhere else? This city has put.

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Itself into a legal predicament by choosing one industry over another and people knew that it was.

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Wrong prior to the february 22 vote in response to a long-term downtown retailer, john taber assured.

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Him by email, joe kelly, should recuse herself, and I would bet sullivan, has advised her on this. I've.

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Heard multiple people who are against the ethics complaint that I put in still say that there was.

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A conflict of interest, here's the conflict of interest, you own, a business; it sells food.

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It's a restaurant, you're, renting out the city property you're voting for paying less than what.

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The city manager said the taxpayers are paying the rent, essentially because you've taken a discount.

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That's a conflict of interest, you're voting in your own interest.

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And I challenge you to have the moral courage to stand up and I'm talking to the whole council now.

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And reverse your vote on outdoor dining 300 parking spaces down in the city parking garage.

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And you think that the that, if you give somebody a low rent.

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um Loading zone that that's not going to affect the store, that's immediately in front of it.

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Businesses are frightened that they're going to out of business, and you guys just want to party.

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You want a beer, you want to do your restaurant challenge, you want your comped meals, whatever.

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But you are not honoring the downtown business people and they are afraid I talked with them.

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I talked with a number of them, they're afraid to speak out. Some of them did, but you didn't listen.

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They're afraid to speak out, because they believe that the city is going to just use.

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Punitive measures like they have in the past by doing over-inspections or denying permits, etc,.

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This council is, has put the city at risk of losing businesses and being sued. I challenge.

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You to reverse that vote, make the city open for everybody, stop favoring, just the restaurants.

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Thank you arthur next up is mr brighton as a follow-up listed as the topic.

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Mark brighton, uh south mill street.

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I'd like to say uh point out that the.

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The mayor and the city attorney, or whoever will do this uh review of the complaint.

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Is supposed to act more like a grand jury than a judging jury.

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The ordinance reads: if either the mayor or city attorney feels the sub feels the.

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That the issue has substance, then the mayor shall refer the matter to the board. It says, shall refer.

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It- and it says, substantive substance if it has substance, that means that it has.

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Weight and nothing could be clearer in this issue than is there a conflict of interest.

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The uh it needs to go to the yeah ethics board and let them make a determination if it comes back.

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You know that they find they have a finding of wrongdoing. Then at that point the city council.

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Can take in any mitigating circumstances, mr cloud and I are not looking for heads on pikes.

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Big fat apologies would go very nicely and go a long way once upon a time. The city attorney.

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Would give a nice presentation on what a conflict of interest was in the front of the planning.

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Board he once said, I believe it was in 2016., maybe october. You should all be purer than caesar's wife.

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If you have to ask yourself, should I appear or not appear, should I recuse myself or not recuse myself.

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My advice is: don't vote the last part honors exact words, but I kept on going too long bob. So.

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He's also stated on numerous occasions that, ultimately, the decision to vote.

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Is up to the individual? No matter what advice they get.

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It is up to the individual, they are responsible for their decisions.

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It's that simple and again big fat apologies would go a long way. Thank you mark. Next up we have.

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Josh denton, as a reminder, any counselor can also enjoy speaking uh from the lectern as a public.

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Comment, uh you must state your name and address josh stenton 110 brewery lane apartment 312., I'm.

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Going to speak briefly as the commander of vfw post 168 in your packet is an invitation to the.

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Welcome home end of the iraq war parade scheduled for sunday may 1st at 10 o'clock in the morning.

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A similar invitation went out to all of our elected officials at both the state and.

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Federal level this is the last sunday of spring break, so I totally understand if people cannot.

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Attend I want to extend invitation to anyone watching tonight, especially to any veterans.

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So, although it is marking the end of the afghanistan war, america's longest conflict.

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It's a welcome home parade, so it's for any veteran to attend um I'll, go over the basics.

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Of the parade we had a subcommittee meeting this afternoon to flush out some more details, but it's.

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Forming up at prescott park by the emerson, hovey fountain the same namesake as the post.

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It's going to go on a 0.7 mile loop downtown. It's going to go under the bridge down daniel.

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To market square, that's where we're going to ask elected officials who want to observe.

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To stand, then we'll make a left go down, pleasant, make a left on, go down state street and then we're.

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Going to end at the park itself, I'm going to have a small cookout where anyone is invited.

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The event itself: it's a non-partisan non-political event, so we're making clear up front that we don't.

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Want any flags that are not authorized like an american flag or pow flag to participate and.

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We're looking forward to anyone who is able to attend, but there's no public speaking, although.

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Anyone who does go to the cookout could feel free to talk to whatever else is there.

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Two more things I want to hit on both as the commander of vfw. First is the disabled veterans.

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Tax credit: this is for any veteran who's watching who has not applied to the va for benefits.

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Organizations like the vfw are here to help you apply to the va, so please feel free to reach out.

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And the second one in the packet is a application from laura lee godfrey she's. Actually, the post's.

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Nominee for a eagle scout of the year program where she possibly get.

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A five thousand dollar scholarship she's applying to the sustainability committee.

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I'm the longest serving non-continuous member of the sustainability committee, um excluding the.

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Current chair and she applied to that committee and I think she would do a wonderful job on it.

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Thank you. Thank you. Josh. uh Both your service to portsmouth and to your country.

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Next up we have esther kennedy with the topic of, I think it says. God knows.

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Is that what it says um I was being late coming, so I had someone sign me up. Oh mr.

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Brighton, you certainly are even now esther kennedy, 41 pickering ave um I'll, come before you tonight.

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Because tonight you have a really important decision to make and maybe you've already made it.

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I was part very active in getting an audit committee put together.

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And that committee, one of the reasons I spent time and energy on it, was because.

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It was time for a change. We had the same auditor for 28 years now. I do not know if.

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There has been anyone that applied, but I know and have read thoroughly numerous times the rfp.

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I was active when there was public meetings and I was active before when I was a counselor.

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On that committee I ask you the one thing: the most important thing a counselor does.

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And I heard this from numerous past: counselors is the budget and the finances for our city.

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I ask you to take that serious. It is time for a change. I don't care.

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How you get there, I don't care what happens, but we need a new audit committee. I mean an audit.

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To take place, and you need a new group to do it- 28 years is too long.

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Actually would be 27 given the one year that they probably should have done it, which was.

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The first year, second, I want to bring to your attention that it's interesting to.

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Me that some people still think that I'm a counselor and call me for some reason. And I.

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Encourage you to change this people are scared of retribution from the city to come and speak.

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And I do not know exactly why. I have felt that I have not been.

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Found upon because I speak out a lot, but our downtown businesses have a story to tell.

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And they do not feel they can tell it. Given the vote that took place last monday night.

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And as a business owner myself in the city, I think people feel comfortable coming and stopping in.

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And telling me, but the small businesses that are not restaurants do not feel they were heard. So I.

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Come before you and ask you to listen to them, I have said all along that we do not do enough.

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In our city for small businesses, and actually maybe it's time to start a small business group.

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We take care of the big businesses, we take care of the big developers, but we don't do enough for.

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Small businesses, I would ask this council, given the number of small businesses sitting up there.

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That you take action on this and start to come and start a group for small businesses.

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And let them be heard. Thank you. Thank you. Esther. Next up we have peter huda on meeting notices.

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Good evening, mayor and council, peter huda, 280 south street um tonight.

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Oh, as you all know, I wrote to you last week and uh requested the subject for the non-public meeting.

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When I did that, I hadn't received a response, and I understood why so my question is and mayor.

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Can see what I'm saying if he follows down and tonight's meeting is also noted incorrectly.

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There is no rsa 91, a 3, 1 d. It goes to c so um when I was researching all of this.

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uh I went back quite a bit and I found that there were eight meetings that were incorrectly.

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Notified, I do not know what the ramifications of this is, but um I'm asking you to please.

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Correct it, um and if, if possible at all times for transparency, it would be really nice. If you could.

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Give the public a subject on this. Also I'd like to speak on the announcement of the auditor tonight.

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I am hoping just like counselor kennedy. I put in a lot of time on that and I am uh really hoping that.

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We can move forward with a new auditor. After after 28 years I had I had left the audit committee.

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After december, and had followed up as well as I could with public sessions. But when it went.

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Into deliberation after proposals were received, the public was not invited, so um I have uh high.

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Hopes that you will make the right decision when it comes to selecting the new auditor. Thank you.

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Thank you, petra. uh The sections here are section uh two, and that is l and then section uh one.

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Which is uh d so there's two listed there, but we will clarify that in a memo to be released.

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Next up, we have paige trace.

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Same idea, city of portsmouth, listen! God knows it's a all-encompassing catch-all.

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um And it's good to start out with some humor and um actually that is uh rsa 91-9.

K

One d that's listed, and there is no one d for clarification. One goes up to c and not to d and.

K

I think that's what past counselor huda was trying to say to you, because I noticed it also so.

K

Ladies and gentlemen, paige trace 27 hancock street uh first. This is a laundry list of little things.

K

Hopefully, um city manager, you look like you've, got to be very tired of having to to constantly.

K

Provide everyone with everything without people helping you or questioning, sometimes and.

K

I would remind everyone here that you work for the residents city manager and the city attorney.

K

Work for you, but I repeat you all work for not just me, but 22 000. Other people in this city.

K

So I think the frustration that you're hearing is that in your efforts to have a great energized.

K

City during the summer, you're neglecting a silent portion of the city and it's hurting them.

K

It's really hurting the business owners. They don't get to have their parking space in front.

K

Of their shop anymore, because somebody's called dibs on that space for x amount of.

K

Money and city manager. I applaud you because you suggested, uh I believe, fifty seven hundred dollars.

K

Per spot- and I think that was reasonable- I would remind all of you that restaurant owners.

K

Business owners were capable of arpa main street and ppp at least once, if not twice on the ppp.

K

Funds, you can go online, it's public, it's obscene, the amount of money that was handed out.

K

And the business owners to my understanding didn't get quite the same ability to have that money.

K

Attorney sullivan multiple times when I was a counselor, I asked you, sir.

K

One question another because it was the right thing to do and I'd come up and I'd say.

K

I'm not really sure if I have a conflict on the htc tonight, but please help me.

K

Never once did he say to me: you should vote this way and the same thing on the city council.

K

He would say to me if you question: if you have a question it says to you, do not vote.

K

Abstain from voting and that's what I hope you will all do from now on, because I don't think.

K

It's pleasant and I think that we need to remember we work for the residents. Thank you guys. All right.

A

That is the end of in person and one hand one hand, uh okay, uh we'll hear from shelly saunders.

A

uh Shelly, will you please state your name and your address, um and then you have three minutes. Yes,.

B

Thank you, um shelly saunders, 15 oak street. I'm just calling in to support uh speaker, petra huda,.

D

And esther kennedy in finding a replacement for the auditing committee that we've had for 28 years.

D

I would hope that um 28 years is enough, and I would hope that you are going to pursue finding.

D

A new and fresh audit community- and I support that- thank you so much. Thank you very much. Shelly.

A

All right with that, we will.

A

Move on from public comment.

A

To public hearings and vote on ordinances and or resolutions, the first of which.

A

Oh that's right: okay, slight audible, since we have roseanne here our city assessor, and she has.

A

A presentation on uh the statistical revaluation we will move uh to suspend the rules and move up.

A

uh Roseanne to deliver her presentation before the public hearing adoption of the resolutions.

I

Second, all in favor, aye aye. Thank you mayor, we're in the process of trying to bring it up for folks.

D

uh Tuning in I was impressed that we got all of that figured out before we got that figured out.

A

In terms of votes, I forgot to send it to the most important person the presenter.

M

M

Thanks kevin.

M

Good evening, mayor city, council members tonight I just would like to.

M

Give you some information on the upcoming 2022 statistical revaluation. I know this is a lot of.

M

Counselors first time going through revaluation, so I just wanted to go over some key aspects.

M

M

And, as everyone knows, I'm roseanne lands the city assessor. The next slide. So.

M

Tonight, I'd like to go over what a statistical revaluation is versus a partial reevaluation.

M

Revaluation standards definition of market value. What market data that I currently do have that.

M

I can share with you the revaluation team who will be conducting, who will be monitoring and.

M

Who will be supervising the timeline and then any questions that you might have at the end.

M

There are several types of revaluations, but the two, the city of portsmouth utilizes, the.

M

Most are statistical revaluation and a partial update, which is also considered a revaluation.

M

A statistical revaluation was last completed in 2019. This revaluation means the process of.

M

A revaluation of all taxable and non-taxable properties in a municipality using existing.

M

Property data to arrive at full and true value. As of april 1st, a partial update which our last.

M

One was completed in 2017 means the process of analyzing market sales throughout the.

M

Entire municipality to identify and if necessary, implement needed value, changes to affected areas.

M

Or classes of property bring those properties to the municipality's general level of assessment.

M

Utilizing the existing base tax year and providing an addendum to the existing usep compliant report.

M

In short, that means to bring everybody up to the current level of assessment. So if my current level.

M

Assessment was 85 during a partial update and if certain classes of properties were below or.

M

Above that 85 percent, I would bring them up or down to that current level of assessment.

M

Whereas during a statistical revaluation, I bring every.

M

Everybody closer to market value was it, which is a hundred percent of value.

M

Thank you. Evaluation standards were adopted by the new hampshire assessing standards board. This was a.

M

Result of the sorel decision a long time ago from the city of portsmouth, challenging how assessments.

M

Were arrived within the state of new hampshire, the level of assessment, which is the overall median.

M

Ratio of a municipality should fall between 90 and 110. This is during a statistical revaluation.

M

Measures how this measures, how close assessed values, are to market value.

M

The the dra looks at three strata which are.

M

Property types which are improved residential, including four families, improved non-residential.

M

Which are commercial and unimproved property, which is vacant land? The median ratio of each group.

M

Should be within five percent of the overall median ratio, this measures, proportionality,.

M

Uniformity of assessment, which is the coefficient of dispersion, is no greater than 20 percent. This.

M

Actually is how close all of our assessments are within market value to one another.

M

So residential properties, they like to fall between 5 and 15 percent of.

M

Each other of the median ratio- income properties, five to twenty twenty percent.

M

And then other properties between five and twenty percent, which would be your vacant land, and I.

M

Think the first one residential properties is five to fifteen percent. I think I said twenty.

M

They also look at what's called the price related differential, which measures, if lower end.

M

Properties are being valued disproportionately to higher end properties, or vice versa.

M

They call this the prd, which should fall between 90 80 and 103 or 103.

M

So the state of new hampshire assessing standard board adopted iaao standards of acceptable.

M

Appraisal, practices and utilizes these standards to determine acceptable ranges of a municipality's.

M

Level of assessment and uniformity of assessments, which is that 90 to 110 percent during a.

M

Statistical revaluation that cod that I just talked about in the price related differential.

M

The new hampshire department of revenue, administration, utilizes these standards.

M

Established by the asb to analyze and measure mass appraisal, performance and.

M

Reports the results to the municipality and the assessing standards board, so the city of.

M

Floyd smith is obligated to meet these standards during revaluation.

M

The city will also monitor these standards during this revaluation, with help from whitney consulting.

M

To ensure that the above standards are here too next slide.

M

How is market value determined market value? Is the price a buyer of property willing, but not.

M

Obligated to buy and a seller of property willing, but not obligated to sell, would agree on after.

M

Taking into consideration all uses to which the property is adapted and might be reason in reason,.

M

Be applied, there's lots of definitions of market value. This is just one of them.

M

But they all mean the same thing: a willing, buyer and a willing seller with undue influences.

M

Conducting and coming together in a sale, there are three approaches to value the sales approach which.

M

Uses comparable sales of properties we use are you're going to use sales for this revaluation.

M

From april 1st 2021 for residential properties and we'll go back two years.

M

For commercial property so april, 1st 2020, and we also look at the income approach.

M

Next slide, so I just wanted to give you some information about. What's been going.

M

On in the market since covet or before coven, so in this slide, which I got from.

M

The new england, real estate network shows supply and demand the green shows, supply and.

M

The blue shows demand so, as you can see from this slide in 2019, there was plenty of supply.

M

Which is in the green and there was still the same amount of demand, but there was more supply.

M

The prices of properties were lower and, as you can see, going october, 21 there's no supply.

M

And still the same demand, which is causing the real estate market to become very expensive.

M

Within the city and throughout the state of new hampshire and throughout the country, next slide.

M

I pulled data from the new england real estate network to try and show what uh residential.

M

Properties we're doing with that city and I went back to 2018 and I got the median sale prices of.

M

Residential properties, as you can see, these sale prices have been going up substantially.

M

Since 2019 to 2021, there has been at least I think it's been about a 15 to 20 percent increase.

M

And you can see even the first two months of 2022, it's equal to the full year of 2020.

M

If you look at the median sale prices of single-family homes, which is the top.

M

Chart you can see that that has been going up so today the median sale price within the city of.

M

Portsmouth is five or six hundred and ninety three thousand dollars for a single family home. The last.

M

Time we did, a revaluation was around 465 000. The median sale price for condominiums has increased.

M

But not as fast as single-family homes and then, if you look at the median sale price of mobile homes,.

M

It has increased also, but not as fast as single-family homes. Next slide.

M

I also wanted to get an indication of what's been going on in the commercial.

M

Market I looked at the office market which we had data for, and we looked at the industrial market.

M

As you can see with the office market since covid in 2019, it was very low vacancy rates.

M

In 2020 and 2021, higher vacancy rate rates, less demand for office market in the office market.

M

And you can see by the rents, which is the chart to the right that they have been basically level.

M

Which is causing no increase in the office market demand or in the value of the office market?.

M

Next slide, so if you look at the industrial markets, totally the opposite.

M

We look at the vacancy at the bottom of the charts to the left. You'll see that there's.

M

The vacancy rates have been going down, which means there's high demand for the industrial properties.

M

And then to the chart to the right, you can see that the rents have been going pretty high.

M

From six dollars, 2020 to about 11 and 2021., so high demand for these industrial properties. But.

M

We have very limited supply, causing these prices to increase, so our office market.

M

Is not going to be the same as it once was for this revaluation. These.

M

Rents have been staying, pretty steady, which means that the values of these.

M

Properties will not be increasing like they had in years past. The next slide.

M

So conducting the revaluation will be vision, government solutions and mike.

M

Trello he's been doing our evaluations from the city of portsmouth for the past five years.

M

Very familiar with portsmouth, and we work very well with one another.

M

Utility property we'll be looking at with brian bogg. We have used him in the past to revalue our.

M

Properties within the city and I'll be supervising the revaluation, along with whitney consulting who.

M

Will be helping me go over everything that is presented to the city council in the future.

M

And also to look at the values going forward that will be sent to the public, the taxpayers.

M

Next slide, so this is our tentative timeline. We've had a startup meeting just with vision. We will be.

M

Having another startup meeting with the department of revenue at a later date right now, we're in the.

M

Sales review process, looking at commercial and residential properties and analyzing these sales.

M

To determine where they're falling in comparison to the current market, I'm holding a presentation.

M

To you tonight we'll be reviewing field reviewing all these sales and all the properties that will.

M

Be going through this process in the revaluation which will be starting in june, twenty twenty two.

M

This will be ongoing until around august, when we send out preliminary values.

M

We'd like to hold another work session with the city council before preliminary assessments are.

M

Sent out to show you our analysis and what will be affected and what neighborhoods will.

M

Be affected and how much property values will be increasing throughout the city.

M

After that, we'll be sending notices to taxpayers on their assessments.

M

Will be holding hearings starting sometime around august through september.

M

Final notices will be sent out if there's any changes to preliminary values.

M

The week of september, 26th I'll be doing the ms-1, which is the valuation to the state of.

M

New hampshire to come up with the tax rate for the city of portsmouth, based on our new values,.

M

The tax rate will be set in october and then tax bills will be hopefully mailed out sometime around.

M

November and thank you and any questions, thank you, roseanne um and your comment at the beginning that.

A

You know there are many new counselors, it's always a good thing to start from a if you.

A

Want to get to b, there's many new homeowners out there. Many people that have found themselves in.

A

Maybe a different financial situation and they're looking at their taxes.

A

And their valuations more closely, so I appreciate the work that has gone into this and the many.

A

Opportunities that we will have to understand this more fully uh going forward, but I'll open it up.

A

The assistant mayor and counselor cook is that a hand, okay, that was a hint and then counselor taber.

B

Thank you, um quick question for for the council and for people at home right now,.

B

What is the percentage of our property value based on residential versus commercial in.

B

What weight do those two categories carry, I believe we were about? I don't have an exact.

M

Number in front of me, but I believe we're about fifty six percent residential to 40.

M

45 or something 50, 40 or 60 40, something like that.

M

That's going to shift this time, there's gonna, that if that will be shifting this time, the residential.

M

Values in portsmouth are very strong compared to the commercial property values in portsmouth.

M

And that's directly connected to what has been going on with covet. Thank you.

A

Councillor cook, I was hoping you could just explain why uh we're doing a statistical.

N

Re-Evaluation versus a partial update, because our assessment level is, is right. Now we're.

M

We're two thousand and we report to the department of revenue every year where we feel our ratio is.

M

Going to be- and they look at those sales I'm estimating for this year- we're at 82.

M

But that's only until from september since september, we've probably dropped.

M

Another five to ten percent, so we're probably in the seventies right now.

M

As far as our market value is concerned, and the longer you wait to do a revaluation, the more.

M

um Chances there are for people to be valued all over the place, instead of being very proportional.

M

To one another, the assessments just start to fall and become non-conforming, so revaluations.

M

Correct that and it's important to do that now, our property values are.

M

Been holding steady for the past two years, but steady at a much higher value than they were.

M

In 2019, when we did our revaluation last so a partial update doesn't correct a partial update.

M

Just brings everybody up to the same assessment level. A statistical revaluation corrects.

A

Counselor tabor. uh Thank you mayor roseanne. I've always been impressed by how methodical and.

E

uh How data-based your process is.

E

When it comes to the commercial property, we have a lot of new property going on the books like.

E

The frank jones apartments and the west end yards kate street projects. Things like that are we able.

E

To and there's no it could be difficult to get a dollar value for those if they were for sale.

E

They're not they're brand new. uh Can we require uh the income method to be used and can we require.

E

Those owners to give that income information no they're, not required. We, we have sent out.

M

Income and expense questionnaires a couple of weeks ago, but that's purely voluntary. Nobody is.

M

Required to send us that information, we do a lot of research. I have a lot of resources available.

M

To me um that I can have a really good handle on what's going on in the income.

M

And expense arena with our commercial properties. I know you watch the rents yeah.

E

But I think that's important uh yeah no they're not obligated, but we do have a lot of methods.

M

That we can utilize to make sure we get as accurate information as possible. Thank you.

A

There's no more questions roseanne. Thank you. I think that um you know in terms of the budget.

A

There's two levers when folks get their tax bill. Obviously how much we spend up here from.

A

The council is one of those levers. The other lever is, you know, for the individual, how much they are.

A

Proportionally going to pick up around that, um this is a a big part of that. It's.

A

It's disappointing to hear our commercials falling versus our residential. If I own no commercial.

A

Property, so um that's a disappointment for me personally, um but it's also. I think this. This is.

A

An education that we have to do year on year off with uh our residents to help them understand so.

A

I thank you for doing that. I guess if there was one question, are we confident that since there.

A

Was a two-year time period since we've done this before that, it's taken into account the overall.

A

I guess influx of folks maybe finding a new means of work and permanently relocating up here or do.

A

You expect specific neighborhoods to to find themselves in a in a in a more, I guess, valued.

A

Market there are certain neighborhoods and until I have the total analysis in front of me, I would.

M

Really not like to go into that without having the actual statistical information in front of me.

M

But from what I have been seeing, there are various neighborhoods that will be going up.

M

Twice what the average neighborhood is going up in the city of portsmouth, just because of.

M

The demand for those properties, thank you all right, rosanne. I think uh that's it. We have next.

A

On the agenda, the public hearing, adoption of resolutions we're going to go back in order here.

A

Resolution pursuant to- and this is, this is number a resolution pursuant to rsa.

A

72 call 139-b amending the elderly exemption from property tax based on assessed value for the.

A

Qualified taxpayers such that the exemption shall be available only when the qualifying taxpayer.

A

Assets do not exceed five hundred thousand, whether single or married. I believe that is up from 175.

A

Thousand uh roseanne: do you have a presentation, or was it just to read what I just read.

M

Is basically what to read what you just said, but I just like to give you some information about.

M

How many elderly we currently have in the city of portsmouth, so we currently have 104 elderly.

M

Exemptions, 21 of those fall between the ages of 65 to 74 24 well between the ages of 75 to 79.

M

And over in 59, which is over, 50 percent, are 80 and over the current asset limit was 175 000.

M

That was changed around 2000 and 18 17 or 18 from 125 to 175.

M

uh The income limits had been changed by the city council last meeting, and I'm saying this for.

M

Anyone that's watching tonight. The current level for income for single is forty. Six thousand one.

M

Hundred and twenty four dollars and for married at sixty three thousand one hundred and eight.

M

The current tax impact for the elderly exemption is about eight cents.

M

We did have, and I uh mary you asked the question last time- is how many denials did we have. I went.

M

And looked, and we had about seven, fifty percent of them were for asset um levels that they didn't.

M

Meet okay, thank you roseanne. uh So a sample motion uh would be uh to move to adopt the resolution.

A

As presented sound moved second, any discussion, counselor dutton, is there a public hearing before.

J

We adopt oh yeah, that's right! Okay, so back to the public hearing, uh if you're in the public- and you.

A

Would like to speak on this, uh please line up. Ask any questions. There's no time limit but, as I say,.

A

Please keep three minutes in your heart and your head as you as you address the.

A

Council good evening again future 280 south street. um I was anticipating uh roseanne's.

L

Presentation tonight and hoping it would answer some questions that I had in in looking at this.

L

I did a little bit of research um as far as the new amounts here and.

L

I I'm I'm, I guess, requesting some more information as a as a taxpayer who would be affected by this.

L

How many taxpayers is it estimated that would fall within the new limit and.

L

My reason for asking that is this would probably make portsmouth the highest.

L

In the state for assets, um I did some research on this concord's limit is 98 000. manchester's.

L

Is a hundred for single 130 for married lebanon is a hundred thousand nashua is 150.

L

And keene is 61 and 87.. um I guess the the reason I'm asking about this is um I I.

L

I like an estimate on the the impact that this is going to have on on our revenue, and this will.

L

Be passed on to the other set of taxpayers. We only. We only have so many places where we get.

L

Money to cover the expenses- and my first question would be how many taxpayers would be impacted.

L

And what is the the revenue impact as we put this forward and the next question.

L

If you pass, this is how are you going to cover the decrease from this in revenue.

L

And I the last thing I I guess I'd I'd like to remind you is when we decrease the revenue.

L

In one area, we have to make it up in another, because the only other place is property taxes.

L

And that goes back to the same property owners uh as we're talking about with this.

L

Thank you. Thank you, petra. Any other public comment, any other questions. I will um indeed oh.

N

My name is julie, robb and I live at 405 south street.

N

And um I am one of those seven people who was turned down last year when I sought the elderly.

N

Exemption, I know I don't look elderly, but um at any rate uh I wasn't thinking about trying it.

N

This year, because it was my assets, so I just wanted to clarify my house on south street.

N

Is has gone up tremendously in value as we know, so that would have counted towards my.

N

No, the house is separate, it's just what I've saved for my dotage, so okay! Well, that's good!.

N

News, I think for me, so I would be in favor of you voting for this. I understand uh what ms huda's.

N

Point is certainly we'll have to get it elsewhere, but um you know my money's only going to go so far.

N

Hopefully I'll live a long time and but it's something to think about you know my my house is.

N

One that has been in my family for 118 years now uh my great-grandparents bought it in 1904. I built.

N

Bought the property built it and, of course, it's gone way way way up. My taxes are far exceeding.

N

What it cost to build the house and my efforts to to utilize my asset to the vacant, lot that I.

N

Have at the back that was turned down last week by the zba, so I've got to put my my thinking, cap on.

N

And come up with something else, creative, so please be careful! Please be gentle with us old folks.

A

Thank you julie. I know you're quite young.

A

Any other uh counselor bagley. um I guess I do have a question uh that former counselor who brought up.

O

Do we have an estimate on the impact to the overall taxes or I guess that's really difficult.

O

To predict, I don't know, there would be no way to predict that I would have to know how much.

M

Everybody's assets are in the city of portsmouth in order to predict if they would qualify for this.

M

Or not, based on the asset limit, I mean, um I don't even think the census would report on anything.

M

Like that, for me to be able to get the information from to even estimate it, so I guess I thank you.

O

um Maybe it's a question: maybe it's a comment: if, if we do this- and I think we should because of.

O

What julia just said, you know it's important to keep residents in their home um that they don't.

O

Get pushed out if, for some reason we pass this and it's overly burdensome. Is it something that.

O

We could revisit and lower next year to say, 300 000 or something like that or how. What is the.

O

If we went too far, is there a way to kind of come back so um I'll just I'll? Take this let's say.

A

There are two qualifications uh to get a a discount on your home, not.

A

No taxes but a discount in terms of the value of your house being reduced.

A

That is taxed on so there's a limit in terms of the reduction we increased that it was last.

A

Council term we increased the total deduction that you get on a property. We increased that.

A

We increased this year already the limits roseanne. Are you? Am I making a mistake here? If you don't.

M

We mind we didn't increase the amount off that house. We were going to wait to do that until.

M

The revaluation, but what we did change, were the income levels last time increasing them.

A

So sorry, what I meant is the previous council um in in the last two years we uh we increased the.

A

The total uh uh percent off after uh councillor tabor, I think, was who brought it up, but the.

A

If somebody has their assets increased what we noticed or what I've noticed, uh and I think many.

A

Going door to door when we told people about the program uh they said well, I qualify because I'm.

A

I'm only living on social security plus, you know a small amount of money that I draw down to make up.

A

For that every uh you know every month in order to uh to pay for expenses, but I have because I want.

A

To live, you know, as as you know, for another 20 30 years. I have to make that money go as much as it.

A

Can and so to have the income limit where it was at 175 000 before didn't really account for how.

A

People are, you know, moving off away from pensions into 401ks and drawing down over retirement.

A

And that was being held against them to see if they actually qualified from an income standpoint.

A

So this was to try to align to that, to keep more people in the homes that they've they've lived.

A

In knowing that you know the the revaluations are likely going to be more impactful, uh this.

A

Year than previous, it's always possible that we would reduce it in future years.

A

um I would say it's tough to put genies back in the bottles, and this would be one of those genies.

A

Thank you counselor by luck. Thank you, beer. um I think it's important to support.

C

The elderly, in our in our community- and I just want to make sure our houses can't get jobs.

C

Right, I can't I think I've heard you say that before mayor, um but I think for that reason.

C

And I know most people's houses evaluations have gone up um and that is adding a cost for them to.

C

Stay in those homes, so I think it's important that um especially we support the elderly in this case.

A

Any other questions.

A

Any others I haven't held the I haven't closed the public hearing. I guess so um and you would have a.

A

Right to speak to the next one, so counselor huda, if you have another or former councillor petra,.

A

You'd like to return, if I may just uh answer um partial of counselor bagley's question.

L

In our paffer uh it gives us the portsmouth demographics, and I don't know how this. What.

L

Would help but um uh 26 of our population, which is five thousand eight hundred sixty two people.

L

Are forty five to sixty four? That is the hard one to determine, but uh thirteen percent of.

L

Our population, two thousand nine thirty one- are sixty five to seventy nine and uh four percent 902.

L

Are possibilities um over um 80. and uh in the last presentation, roseanne noted that.

L

That had the most population that was participating, it's still a hard thing.

L

To do- and this is kind of a double-edged sword, but um I guess it would it would.

L

Be great for everybody to know um what what number, what type of numbers you're looking at here.

L

Based on the concern from from counselor bagley hope that helps. Thank you. Peter.

A

With that, I was counselor cooked.

N

I just wanted to say something: uh the income levels that we're talking about that we've.

N

Already voted on um are actually really very low income levels if you're paying property taxes in.

N

Portsmouth already and when we're talking about 500 000 over the span of somebody's life, post, 65.

N

With an average lifespan around 88 for the average person, um this 500 000 is not a lot of money.

N

To to make up the difference um between 65 and 88 all those years, I think that that this is a.

N

Reasonable number, given the cost of property in portsmouth, and we don't want to lose residents.

N

Because they can't pay their property taxes, especially residents who've, been in their homes.

N

Their entire lives, I think that it's really important for the character of portsmouth.

N

That we consider those residents we're thinking about this tonight. Thank you. Councillor cook,.

A

With that, I will call for a roll call vote. Okay,.

B

Well, we need the motion on the table member. We we took it back, okay, so first emotion, move.

A

If we had a motion to move to adopt the resolution as presented so moved, second, thank you.

B

Assistant mayor kelly, yes, counselor tabor, yes, counselor denton, yes, councilman rowe, yes,.

B

Council bagley, yes, council lombardi; yes, council, blaylock, yes, councillor cook, yes, mayor mccatering,.

A

Yes, unanimous I'd like to note that um uh roseanne has previously stated that she will.

A

Be accepting applications for this for an extended period of time, given that this is a new edition.

A

The deadline is april 15th, so if you're watching at home don't use that as a way to to put it in.

A

A june you know still get it in, but if you find out about this later, this is something that we are.

A

We're actively holding open so that people can be a part of the program. Next up is the same.

A

Resolution, but for the disabled exemption resolution pursuant to rsa 72 colon 37-b.

A

Amending the disabled exemption from property tax based on assessed value for qualified taxpayers.

A

Such that the exemption shall be available only when the qualifying taxpayer or taxpayers assets.

A

Do not exceed five hundred thousand when single or married roseanne, anything to add in terms of color.

A

And numbers around those currently qualified for this or would be qualified the income information.

M

Is the same as the elderly? We currently have only seven disabled taxpayers receiving this exemption.

M

And currently, this exemption um impacts our tax rate about three and a half cents.

A

Thank you, your honor. I would move that we uh adopt the resolution as presented.

A

We still have a a public hearing on this, so you caught me on the last one yeah. I skipped this one.

F

This one got you back to me, but if anybody would like to speak on uh this, it's the same but for.

A

The disabled exemption, seeing that it's the same asset levels, um we will close the public.

A

Hearing on that and move on to a sample motion which I counselor table is about to.

A

Provide yes, I would move that we adopt the resolution as presented.

A

All in favor aye.

A

And then, um finally, we have, uh through the work of uh councillor uh denton and councillor.

A

Embardi the resolution pursuant to rsa 72 colon 35 modifying the optional tax credit for service.

A

Connected total disability in the amount of four thousand dollars as of april 1st 2022.

A

On the taxes due on the residential property of any veteran who has been honorably discharged.

A

Or an officer honorably separated from the military service of the united states and who has.

A

Total and permanent service-connected disability or who is a w, amputee or paraplegic because.

A

Of service-connected injury or the surviving spouse of such a person, who has not remarried.

A

Roseanne, is there a presentation on this? No, I just wanted to go over. um There are four.

M

45 current applicants that receive this, this disability tax credit and.

M

The increase would impact the tax rate less than half a cent. Thank you. Roseanne.

A

Any comments or questions on this counselor doesn't have a comment. There are numerous.

J

Tax exemptions for honorably discharged veterans, who also own residential property- I do not own.

J

Residential property, I would highly encourage anyone who does in the city of portsmouth to.

J

Reach out to roseanne's office, so right, I'm going to give your number at 603-610-7249.

J

To see if you could apply for any of them, the deadline to submit the required paperwork.

J

Is april 15th, so please reach out to their office they're great to work with. Thank you.

A

Any other comments or questions all in favor.

A

Anybody to speak on this, no I'll entertain a motion move. Second, all in favor, aye, aye.

J

Okay, your honor, if I could I'd like to make a motion to suspend the rules to.

J

Bring forward item 15c, which is actually my item on prescott park, license fees.

A

Certainly, second, and just so all in favor aye.

J

Let me pull it up myself.

J

I moved to adopt the fee committee's recommendation to reduce the.

J

Fy23 prescott park license fees by one-third.

O

So moved you're wrong. There was a motion, and there was over this a second um and.

A

Counselor tabor. Yes, I have to recuse on this. um I'm on the board of the arts, festival and.

E

My fiduciary role there conflicts with my fiduciary role with the city: okay,.

A

Now bob does he actually have to step out when he recuses himself, no you're on or not something like this. It matters where it's a quasi-judicial body.

O

Got it as opposed to legislative, we always recommend that the members step aside.

B

Okay, but here would not be necessary all right. Any questions.

J

I could speak to this real quickly, as it says in the packet the discounted prescott park license.

J

Fees would be 1080 for the new hampshire art association, four thousand six hundred.

J

Seventy nine dollars for the gondola company and fourteen thousand three hundred ninety six.

J

Dollars for the prescott park, arts festival, uh this is being recommended in recognition of the.

J

Ongoing uncertainty that surrounds the pandemic and fy 21, all these fees were waived and in fy.

J

22 they were reduced by two thirds, so this is slowly ramping. It back up in hopes of the.

J

Following summer that things are back to normal, but we're not there yet, and I've said this.

J

Plenty of times in the past, the first summer of kovy did not feel like summer.

J

In portsmouth, without the arts festival and what I learned that summer and numerous up.

J

Here did as well it's incredibly hard to um run a arts non-profit in the middle of coven.

A

We'd agree with that all in favor aye hi I'd like to make one more motion: your honor. um I.

J

Request that I be excused for the remainder of the meeting, god speed all right, foreign.

J

And just so the public knows I'm having rotator cuff surgery at 5 45 tomorrow morning, at the.

J

Portsmouth hospital thanks through the va's community care program, and I full faith in.

J

The council and the decisions you make tonight so thank you. Thank you. Josh and may you have a speedy.

A

uh Recovery and a safe surgery look forward to. We don't play a lot of council softball, but look.

A

Forward to doing so once uh you uh you're on the mend, but as do I have full faith in your doctor.

A

Okay, after that brief uh suspension of the rules, I think we are on to the.

A

City manager's items which require action, city manager. Thank you mayor. There are two items.

D

Requiring action by the council this evening, the first is a request related to the watson's.

D

Landing subdivision, which was approved initially by the planning board and the easements that.

D

Are before you tonight were approved by the planning board uh way back on march 18 2021.

D

uh And have subsequently been amended, uh something that's not in your in the comments here, but in.

D

November of 2021, the planning board, uh with the advice and counsel of our legal department, amended.

D

The approval and the subsequent and the uh why we're bringing you the easements tonight.

D

Is because there were four house uh single-family home lots approved and back in november of 2012.

D

There was a definition that legal asked for to make it clear that there was a fifth lot to be.

D

Created to show as the private road so that um and just so the public knows all five of.

D

Those lots are conforming and the three easements speak to water, sidewalking, utility and sewer and.

D

These have been approved by planning public works and the legal departments.

D

And we are looking for acceptance of these three easements here tonight.

A

Councilman I'd make a motion that we accept the easements as presented.

B

Second, any questions comments on these easements. I can speak to them briefly. I think they're.

B

um They're very straightforward and they give the city the access that we need in.

B

Private developments, when we don't have public streets so- and I saw them back on.

B

Planning board and the revisions all the way through, so I think it's it's well done.

A

Any other comments, questions concerns all in favor, aye, aye.

D

Thank you item number two relates to moving forward for authorization of a bond of up.

D

To 1.4 million dollars for costs related to the feasibility and design of a new police facility.

D

And or the rehabilitation of the existing facility, which was approved back in the fy22 cip. And we.

D

Are bringing forth now so that the city can work with the police commission to advance the concept.

D

And the uh the study and the programming really the programming needs for a new police facility.

D

So what we are looking to do your honor is to schedule a uh hearing on april 4th and uh we need.

D

To do that at this time, oh wait. A sample motion sample motion, your honor. I move to authorize.

A

The city manager to bring back for public hearing and adoption the proposed building authorization.

C

For the feasibility and design of a new police facility and or rehabilitation rehabilitation.

C

Of the existing facility, as presented for the april 4th 2022 city council meeting second.

A

Any discussion on that. No, I will say that I am happy to see that we're bringing this to a public.

A

Hearing it's been a few years since the last conversation around this, and it is a large ticket.

A

Item that we will need public involvement, so look forward to scheduling that I will all in favor aye.

A

All right, we have up next the consent agenda. The proper motion for adoption of the consent agenda.

A

Move to adopt the consent agenda to adopt all right, give beth a second um all in favor, aye, hi.

A

Looks like there's a hundred mile bike ride bike ride coming up on september, 24th that.

A

Unless there's always seems no thank you, gotta start training for that 300 yards.

A

And then there's presentations and written communications.

A

First up is email correspondence. The sample motion move to accept and place on file.

A

Similar to your honor, second, all in favor aye aye we've had the presentation from the.

A

City assessor, as item b item c, is letter from josh denton, commander vfw, post 168, inviting.

A

Both myself uh assistant mayor kelly and all of our us city councilors, to observe.

A

The welcome home end of afghanistan war parade on sunday may 1st 2022 at 1, 8 or 10.

A

Am a sample motion been moved to accept and place on file so moved? Second, all in favor, aye.

A

And then, finally, a letter from uh our city manager, karen connard, uh requesting the council conduct.

A

Her evaluation, as per the terms of an employment agreement uh with the city. Now I think we need to.

A

Ko you might have to help me out on this one. We there's a specific stipulation in that we need.

A

uh Counselors that have been here a year, so it only is myself um counselor, tabor and.

A

Counselor denton. um Well, I need to bring that back at the next uh meeting, or can I move to form that.

A

Committee, you can move to form that committee at this time, so I will await a motion to form.

A

The evaluation committee consisting of city councillors that have been city councillors for a.

A

Year at the time of june, and go about our business of the evaluation so moved. Second, all in favor.

A

Aye aye all right under my name, um we have appointments to be considered. It's the.

A

It's a true honor to be able to uh to talk with the folks that that want to serve the city in.

A

A capacity that is often thankless uh but known as no less necessary uh than the work that we do.

A

Here, uh first up is the, uh and these are just um appointments to be considered so no vote tonight.

A

uh The reappointment of rob capone to the cable, television and communications commission um second,.

A

Is the appointment of laura lee godfrey to the sustainability practice blue ribbon committee.

A

And the appointment of alana brooke to the arts and non-profits blue ribbon committee.

A

I haven't yet sat in on the cable television communications commission, but I did get a.

A

Chance to sit uh along with the assistant mayor uh this afternoon and counselor cook at the arts and.

A

Non-Profits blue ribbon committee there's a lot of great work. That's going into that. I I look forward.

A

To the work that alana will be able to add to that and laura lee, if I hadn't been impressed already.

A

With all the work that she's done, I I got to see her penmanship and my god. It is a thing of beauty.

A

It it is honestly, like a font, um and I don't want to embarrass her more than I have, but.

A

I am so appreciative for the work that she's she's done um just being herself uh in support.

A

Of the the city of portsmouth and excited to put her name forward next week to the sustainable.

A

Practice blue ribbon committee, so with that I'm done on to councillor tabor thanks your honor.

E

I would request a vote to appoint kevin charette, as our representative.

E

To the community power coalition of new hampshire, with peter rice as an alternate.

E

And I'll make that a motion if I can get a second second, um I think I put kevin's biography in here.

E

uh We all voted to join the community power coalition, and the city attorney reminded me.

E

That our appointment as a board member needs to be approved by the council. So if we can get.

E

That vote we'll have a voice in how the community power coalition develops over the next 18 months.

A

All right any questions.

A

All in favor aye aye all right. Next up, we have counselor cook but he's brought in.

A

Our counselor tabor, but uh along with counselor cook,.

A

Selection of an audit firm for fiscal year, 2022. thanks your honor.

E

The audit committee was formed by an ordinance under the old council.

E

And councillor cook and I joined it this year.

E

I think what we'll recommend.

E

And I can make the motion is that we.

E

In response to both the process and what we've heard in the community.

E

That we look at changing auditors, but we maintain uh melonson one year.

E

Typically, these audit contracts are three to five years.

E

I I would move that we maintain melons in one year and then have another rfp process right away.

E

As soon as august and I'll explain and give my reasoning for that, if I get a second second so.

E

First, we want to thank chairman chris white and jesse lynch and hawk furman. They spent.

E

A lot of time interviewing the two applicants we had to be our auditor, those were melinson.

E

Which does almost all the cities in the state.

E

And cla a larger firm, um both very good, both very capable. This was the maiden run for an.

E

Audit committee that was created by the old council and unfortunately, we had some miscues.

E

And that's the reason for our our interim recommendation of one year.

E

Under the old council, the audit committee was very clear that they wanted to separate.

E

The audit from another process called the nana test services and the nana test services are.

E

We get an outside firm to convert. Our accounting from cash to accrual is really all it is.

E

Then this year, as we began interviewing firms, we learned that that was going to raise the.

E

Cost about 15 percent, and we also learned that it's very common and common practice with proper.

E

Safeguards to have the same firm do the nano test and the audit, but the rfp from last year was only.

E

For the audit, so in this process we had to go back to the two bidders and we had to ask them to.

E

uh What what price they would give us if they.

E

Did both services, none of that was part of the rfp and therefore not in writing.

E

So that that was a bit flawed and then in the process of going back to them.

E

One of the committee members began communicating by text with one of the bidders.

E

And this was an unfortunate development. It was not with any bad intent, but.

E

It did create a flaw in the process, at least for councilor cook, and I we thought so so.

E

We discussed this and I think the council has had a chance to deliberate on it and we think.

E

It's best to redo the competitive bidding. um I liken it to a poker game where you miss deal.

E

And you pull in the cards and redeal them again, so that you have a good process um we'll get.

E

More bidders, I think, we'll probably get the same bidders. There may be more competition. We can bid.

E

For both the nana test and the audit services- and you know we can have a clean process um so.

E

That's why we'd have we'd have a one-year contract with melonson in the meantime, which in effect puts.

E

Them on notice that that we're really looking to open this up, so that would be the motion and.

E

Happy to answer any questions.

A

Councilor cook also on the audit committee. I just wanted to echo what counselor tabor said.

N

uh It's really important that we get the process right. um Financials are really critical for the.

N

City, that's a critical role for the city council and we have to make sure that we are following.

N

The best process possible, so I think it's a wise decision to move forward with a one-year contract.

N

With our current auditor and then go out to bid again as soon as possible,.

N

For a longer term contract for both not a test services and the audit.

A

Councilman, I'm just wondering if this is even possible, where we're doing the one year of.

B

Melanson, I know that there's been a lot of comment out there about having the same company. Do it over.

B

Over again, can we specifically request a fresh new team that hasn't done the city before within.

B

The company- I don't know if that's possible, but I thought I'd put it out there in the discussions.

B

Because it might be a way to help alleviate any concerns that there might be out there.

A

That would be a question uh likely for.

A

uh The deputy city attorney assistant city, she didn't know, I was gonna, make her susan woodland.

N

So there has already been some turnover in the team since last year, due to the nature.

N

Of they lost some employees and have added some employees and the principal.

N

Alina corsac, I think this is only her second or third year. Maybe it's the third year.

N

So she would be finishing up the rotation. They have a rotation period at melanson.

N

I think it would be difficult to given its march to dictate that there must be.

N

A change because they already do that um in terms of their rotation, so, okay, thank you.

O

Counselor bagley, thank you, your honor, um so I I guess in the discussion and and hearing from.

O

The counselors that were on the audit committee appreciating the work that everybody did uh in my.

O

Personal job or private job- I guess you'd, say I often deal with contracts, because I.

O

I sell large commercial equipment and when I sell to what we call a mom-and-pop uh manufacturing.

O

Plant, it's it's very easy. You walk in you talk to the owner, you close the deal with.

O

Him or her and you're on your way, I also deal with tier one defense contractors, universities,.

O

All around the world and it's a very strident, rigorous process where once the rfp goes out,.

O

There's a lot of rules to make sure that happens in a very fair and transparent way.

O

If you don't have that background, you may not be aware of how.

O

Challenging those rules can be to follow sometimes, and it sounds like maybe.

O

The rules were not followed, as well as they could have been.

O

So I think this is a good compromise where we kind of take a mulligan. We do one more year. I think.

O

All of us are aware that everybody would like to try a new audit firm since it's been such.

O

A long time, but I don't think we want to do it with such an important thing as the.

O

The city finances we want to make sure that we cross every t and dot every eye. In my opinion,.

O

So I think this is a reasonable compromise. Thank you. Councillor bagley councillor tabor.

A

Yeah, I just did want to add, too, because I think this process had to go on in non-public, because.

E

We had competitive bidding going on and it's awkward if you start doing that in public.

E

Session because one bitter sees or that's a discussion of the other bidder.

E

But what we did also do- and this was good work by the all the citizens on this committee.

E

We did extensive interviews of the two firms.

E

We checked references. The whole committee was in on reference calls we developed a matrix.

E

That's 70 percent the qualitative um abilities of the firms, 30 the cost, and so all that good.

E

Work, I would hope, would go into the second process and hopefully we get more bidders.

E

Thank you, council tabor. I will just add if there are no other comments or questions that I.

A

Appreciate the work of the audit firm or the audit committee, I appreciate the work of the council.

A

Of staff and of the citizens that served on the committee, I think that when I supported this.

A

Two years ago, it was in recognition that this was an opportunity to bring greater transparency.

A

To the city of portsmouth's finances, how we spend your money in an effort to serve you, the citizen.

A

It's unfortunate that there were a slight breakdown and process a process that.

A

Is important, I don't believe any of these um were with ill intent, uh but in the in representing the.

A

Government um and the people we have to follow a process and that process has to be able to sustain.

A

um Scrutiny uh and I do not believe that it could sustain that scrutiny in this event,.

A

So I appreciate that the recommendation has been basically to start this process over.

A

In a matter of months, and so uh when august comes and and this is developed, I am confident that the.

A

Work that the audit committee good work, that the audit committee has done will not be in vain.

A

And that the city of portsmouth can see um exactly uh the caliber of people that.

A

We have and the seriousness seriousness we take when it comes to taxpayer taxpayer finances.

A

So with that, I will have a roll call vote on the motion. If we could just read the motion.

A

Back kelly because yep counselor tabor he editorialized after I just want to make sure.

A

That I'm not agreeing to any of that. Okay, that we maintain the lansing for one year and then.

B

Have another rfp process in august: perfect: okay, everyone understand the motion. Yes assistant, mayor.

B

Kelly, yes, counselor tabor, yes, counselor denton has left council moreau. Yes, councillor, bagley.

B

Yes, council lombardi; yes, council blaylock, yes, councillor cook, yes, mayor mccachren, yes, unanimous.

A

Next up, we've already tackled uh josh's and or councillor dentin into anticipation of his.

A

Earlier departure next up is counselor bagley, first item action items and needing approval by.

A

City council, thank you, your honor yeah. So as the council representative on the parking traffic and.

O

Safety committee- I will, from time to time, have to bring forward things for council approval.

O

And tonight action items needing approval by the city council.

O

Acceptance of november 16th 2021 minutes authorizes implementation of temporary parking and.

O

Traffic regulation for creation of loading zones as metered parking inventory for designated times.

O

And acceptance of november 16 2021 minutes authorizes the conversion of three unmetered.

O

Parking spaces on market street to metered spaces in zone b, standard occupancy zone.

O

And do we want to do those two first, yes, we'll take these first and then we'll go.

A

To the second, um so uh if I get a second I'll speak further, a second and so uh sorry just.

A

The motion again is to move to accept. uh First, the acceptance of we'll take november 16th.

A

First, if that move, to accept that okay, okay, um so you have a second with counselor lombardi, yes, okay,.

O

So what we're doing here is is uh actually, I hope, there's a lot of people at home watching.

O

Because we're going to create, I think it's 39 parking spaces downtown the way we're going.

O

To do this is we and by we I mean the previous council, because this happened back in november.

O

Evaluated the loading zones and discovered that after 3 pm, quite a few of them, weren't used.

O

Or on saturdays and sundays, so that loading zone area downtown had the potential to be a paid.

O

Parking space that residents and and visitors to our city could use to park downtown. So what we're.

O

Going to do is create those turn, those loading zones into paid parking after 3 pm and on weekends.

O

And in the packet it breaks it down which loading zones. So it's not all loading zones in the city.

O

They'll be dually marked with signage, but the reason we're doing this is to increase the.

O

Parking inventory in town, particularly in the evenings when the inventory is in most demand.

A

Any questions for councillor bagley councillor blaylock.

A

And then councilman, thank you, your honor. I just wanted to ask councillor bagley. You said the.

C

Valuation was done in november on the loading zones. Did you say that? Did I miss hear you.

O

uh This was the november parking traffic and safety meeting. The valuation, I believe, was done.

O

In the summer time, okay, prior to that excellent, um my only concern was that if it was on november.

C

That there wouldn't be a high time for our loading and everything, but doing in the summer, I think is.

C

Very appropriate: um it gives a good idea of what the usage and everything what actually happens.

A

uh Councilman, I guess my only concern when I was looking at the list of all the spaces that were.

B

Getting changed over um the one on high street uh outside the entrance to the parking garage on.

M

High street you were going to remove, I believe, remove that all together. My concern is that.

B

There's a proposal coming down the pike for a very large development in that parking lot right next.

B

To where those spots are, and it's going to get really tight for loading and unloading depending.

B

On what businesses end up being in there, so I just think is it if you turn it into parking spots, can.

B

We then turn it back to loading down the road. If that's needed, I guess would be my big question.

O

Your honor, if I may that's a burglary, perfect segue, to talk about something that I learned.

O

Recently- and that is the omnibus that happens with parking traffic and safety and what we're.

O

Doing effectively here is we're changing things in the city that require fees and in order to.

O

Do that we need to have a three readings, but every time we change the parking space or we.

O

Change the loading zone um throughout the course of the year, which happens frequently because of.

O

Such as the council renault just suggested, there might be a need to adapt.

O

We'd be constantly doing be doing these readings, so what we do is we evaluate these things in.

O

Parking traffic and safety and if there's a need to adapt, we will and then we adapt.

O

And then, at the end of the year, everything that's a change and that has become permanent.

O

Then gets codified with three readings, so this is the omnibus and by the council approving these.

O

Minutes gives us the ability to go out, implement the changes see if they work or don't work and.

O

Then, at the end of the year we kind of formalize them. So it's like a test run. I like it yeah thank.

B

You and the city manager will correct me if I got any of that. No, you got that right. Thank you.

A

And I just uh the the reason. I believe that this went away from approval of minutes to.

A

Approval of action items is uh during a uh the conversation around the middle street bike lanes.

A

uh That, by approving the minutes, we had approved the action of the pts and required a higher.

A

uh Vote threshold, and so we moved away from that process uh last year, um but it seems like it's.

A

It's time to move back, um counselor tabor and then anybody else yeah. I think this is a great way to.

E

Get more uh parking, um 39 spaces, I think, was the number in the minutes. It said that we were going.

E

To reach out to the businesses through the edc, I just wondered: if that had happened. If we had good.

E

Communication with all the businesses that will happen um and with us tonight is our new assistant.

D

City manager for economic development, who will be staffing, the edc and we'll make sure that happens.

A

Any other questions comments on this. I just had uh two brief ones, uh one on the um reaching out.

A

uh To the the businesses um making sure that we have a um you know we're going above and beyond.

A

To make sure that we get a a response um or if we don't get a response, um a leaflet or something.

A

Seems like a small enough area that we can. um We can do the the same type of outreach as we do for.

A

You know middle street bike lane uh projects and I think, a uh a an opportunity um as these you know,.

A

So everybody knows how to use qr codes now um for any signage to include a qr code that would.

A

um You know uh bring them to the to the proper area to to be able to give feedback. Second, I.

A

Just had a question for counselor bagley on this: if it is a if it is a loading zone,.

A

And somebody's parking in that loading zone they have until three o'clock are there businesses that.

A

Have deliveries after three o'clock and then how is this taking into account any business.

A

That would be maybe negatively impacted by a load or a need to uh to unload after uh three o'clock.

O

Yeah, so what happened? Was we evaluated uh quite a few loading zones and in some of the loading zones.

O

There's no change recommended. So what was seen there was activity after three o'clock, so those.

O

Loading zones will remain a loading zone uh until it expires at 8 pm or whatever. The current time is.

O

And the loading zones where we didn't see activity and it typically seemed to be about 2 o'clock.

O

Those ones now are free to park in after not free to park in, but you can pay to park in.

O

After 3 p.m, so it's very selective. It looked at all the loading zones in the city and some of them.

O

Are going to cease to be loading zones because there's no activity at all and others.

O

Will continue to operate exactly the same way they did previously.

O

And some will be in the middle where we're opening up for some of the time. So it's very.

O

Targeted to the loading zone and the activity scene at that loading zone, okay and then.

A

When no active, is it no activity like zero cars or zero unloads or limited activity.

O

I didn't do the survey, so I guess I shouldn't speak to it. um Parking director, ben fletcher.

D

And his staff made sure that the affected businesses understood the proposed changes.

D

And and took great strides to understand the the loading zone habits, if you will of the businesses.

D

So as such, the recommendations are, as you see them here, and what we would do is once these are.

D

Codified and put into test run mode, if you will parking director, fletcher and economic development.

D

uh Sean clancy will work together to message the the new changes to the to the affected businesses.

D

In that there and they're in that test run phase. If you will okay, they contested it and then I.

A

Guess finally, there's a benefit to the business um in that parking spaces are now parking spaces.

A

And people can park there and it's not a loading zone. That's correct and this might be a good time.

O

If I may to express, if you recall, when we had the discussion about parking spaces for restaurants,.

O

We generate, I think it was three just under three thousand dollars in revenue for loading zones.

O

um By selling permits to people that use them, but the revenue generated for the city would have been.

O

On the magnitude of 150 000, so to say that we only give a discount to one segment of the businesses. I.

O

Think is inaccurate because the loading zones help stores they help. Restaurants, they help residents.

O

So so, as a city, we're always looking for for ways to help the city as a whole and we're.

O

Not trying to target to any one specific area we're trying to be as as equitable as we can.

O

And ben fletcher, our parking director does a great job of looking at the science and how.

O

Other similar size cities are run and what makes the most sense. So this is kind of the evolution of.

O

That what what this does is, it returns 39 parking spaces to the inventory and it also returns some.

O

Revenue to the city, thank you, councillor, bagley councillor, tabor, uh one more question. If I could.

E

How quickly would we implement this? I'm just wondering if.

E

We might be smart to give time for the notification um so.

E

Are we looking at maybe 30 days out or 45 days out.

D

I can report that back to the council, it will take us some time to fabricate signs and and to.

D

Get messaging out, and in that time we can start the outreach process to the affected businesses.

D

But I I'll bring a report back on time frame to the to the group.

O

I guess it may be this if, since we haven't created the signs yet, would it be possible to put either.

O

Qr code or some sort of contact point to to the parking office for for people that may have.

O

Concerns or questions on these signs does that make sense, I'm not sure if it does yeah I'll speak.

D

With the staff and provide that as part of the report back, but I'm happy to advance that request.

A

Thank you, councillor bagley. I appreciate the work on this and the work of the pts uh of last year.

A

Of moving this moving this forward, you know it's there's a lot of work to do in the city and to.

A

Have committees that are focused on efforts like this is uh certainly appreciated to be.

A

Able to dive into the details, the efforts of my questions were to make sure that uh those that.

A

Are tuning into this for the first time are made aware of the work that has already been done on.

A

That so appreciate that, and with that all in favor of this change, aye aye aye any opposed.

A

Thank you um still on you with the conversion of.

A

Yeah so conversion of three unmetered parking spaces adjacent to the park at market street.

O

And russell street to zone b and that's bojenko park, I believe um and if we, uh if the mo the.

O

Motion would be the acceptance of the november 16th 2021 minutes authorizes the conversions of.

O

Three unmetered parking spaces on market street to metered spaces in zone b, standard occupancy zone.

A

Is there a second second and uh just to speak to this? uh Once again, it has to come before.

O

The council, because it's creating a fee for our residents to pay um we're constantly um evaluating.

O

Our parking inventory and I believe the goal is to have 85 occupancy once that number exceeds 85.

O

We want to adjust either the the price of the parking or start to charge for the parking.

O

The goal is to have that 85 occupancy number, and this would get us closer to that goal.

A

Any other questions comments all in favor.

O

All right, one more parking and traffic safety committee action sheets and minutes of november 16.

O

2021 january 6, 2022 february 3rd, 2022 and march 3rd 2022 meetings in the sample motion.

O

Move to accept and approve the action sheets in minutes of the november 16 2021 january 6, 2022.

O

February 3rd, 2022 and march 3rd 2022 parking and traffic and safety committee meetings.

N

Second, just a quick legal inquiry from our uh city attorney. Yes,.

A

What is the legal opinion on voting to approve minutes uh and action sheets of meetings that.

A

We have not uh ourselves attended, there are two things that apply: iran, just a general principle.

I

Of parliament, parliamentary law, robert's rules of order kind of thing is that acceptance of.

B

A recommended action of a subcommittee accepts those actions with regard to trafficking safety.

I

The second thing, there's actually a very specific provision right in the ordinance that says that.

A

So we would be within our duties uh to put this in plain english that I can understand.

A

To accept uh these minutes as part of our duty as a city council.

A

uh As required in the ordinance of ptsd, your honor, when you had mentioned the bicycle bollards on.

B

Middle road, it froze the blood in my vein because of the significance of what you were saying.

O

And that is uh the point you just made as well, and it is accurate.

A

Thank you. I hesitated to bring it up all right uh with that. Are there any further questions.

A

Or comments uh from the council before vote all in favor aye.

A

Any opposed all right. Thank you. Councillor bagley appreciate the work you've been doing on pts.

A

Next up is the approvals of grants and donations. uh First up is a acceptance of donations to the.

A

Portsmouth 400th first roberta keenan, 50 next is peter and kathleen samsich for 623.

A

uh A sample motion move to approve and accept the donations as presented so moved. Second uh and.

A

I would just like to thank everyone who has donated and appreciate uh continued support of.

A

The 400th all in favor aye and then the approval of the clean water state, revolving fund or cw.

A

Srf and the american rescue plan act, arpa arpa grant for wastewater infrastructure projects.

A

Sample motion move to approve and accept grants for the city of portsmouth up to two million.

A

Eighty thousand five hundred dollars from the clean water state revolving fund, as presented.

B

So moved second, a question from counselor cook. Yes, I just I wanted to ask this: the city manager a.

N

Question, if possible, um I'm wanting to know how, if this has any impact at all on our other arpa funds,.

N

um Specifically, how we can use them or not use them if we're accepting additional funds.

N

From the state happy to answer that question, your honor, the the city went out and procured.

D

The availability of grant funds separate and apart from the upper funny funding that is.

D

Coming straight to the city, so in this case the funding we are seeking and got approval from.

D

From the new hampshire department of environmental services does not preclude us from using our own.

D

Allocation of arpa funding for similar type projects. um I hope that answers your question.

A

Great question counselor cook, any others.

A

uh All in favor, aye aye all right.

A

On to the city, manager's informational items, first, on to you, thanks mayor the first of four that we.

D

Have for you this evening is the long-awaited memo from pillar design studios outlining the process.

D

That will take the contemplated, skate park and pump track through design into construction and.

D

This was provided by the firm. This firm has the ability to do both design, build and design.

D

Bid build, and that is a decision. The city will make once we've achieved, 30 design of the project.

D

And I just want to make make that known to the group and the second page of the.

D

Memo speaks to a proposed schedule which takes design tasks through the.

D

Through the summer, um getting us to 30 and then to get us to 100 design by the end.

D

Of the calendar year, that's the goal and then to look to construction in the spring of 2023.

D

Happy to answer any questions- and I also have dpw director rice here with me-.

A

Any questions comments: counselor playlock. um Thank you, your honor, I just like to say the.

C

Skateboard park committee has been working very hard uh working with.

C

Peter rice and todd henley has been doing a great job and the process has been moving along.

C

Nicely um we're anxious to get to this 30 percent part where we can kind of decide which direction.

C

We go, but I also want to remind the public we are running. We are raising funds for the.

C

Lights of the skate park, um so we are accepting donations. You can donate right on the city.

C

Website we're also having a fundraiser at 3s art space next month and hope to raise a lot.

C

Of money for the lights and light these kids up, so we can skate thanks. Counselor, bye luck,.

A

All right um next step under uh oh uh sorry, assistant mayor, my my for my rowing days. I.

A

Don't turn this way easily? uh My question would be for I guess the city manager have we.

M

Committed a signed contract to pillar for design and construction, or it will be the process. Our.

D

Normal rfp process to then it will be a. It will be an rfp process to to commit beyond.

D

The design phase and I'm looking at peter ice, who tells me we are committed with pillar.

D

Through the design phase and then beyond design, we would need to go out for rfp. Thank you.

A

All right any other questions.

D

Next up would be the update on the proposed daniel street construction to take place in the month of.

D

April into early may, this relates to the project being conducted by mcnabb properties, known as.

D

Brick market at sixty penn hollow street and there will be weekday work on the street block of daniel.

D

Between penn hallow and market square, which will cause at times disruption to the flow of traffic.

D

As mentioned, the bulk of the work will take place in the month of april and into early may with.

D

Repaving to follow severino construction is the contractor that mcnabb has hired to do this work.

D

And there are really two sets of work. One is relegated to the street for which there will.

D

Be detours, the street work includes drain line and electric utility work, and then there will be.

D

Concurrent and subsequent work that is outside of the street realm specifically it'll it'll, include.

D

Sidewalk reconstruction new curbing the facade work that you've seen and you will continue to see.

D

So dpw director rice is here to answer any questions. I am happy to promote and share with.

D

The public that there will be a second public input session, where the public can hear from.

D

Mcnabb and severino the the process that uh and the schedule of events and that will take place on.

D

Wednesday march 30th at 1 pm, and we will provide that information and update that as it may be,.

D

Needed to do so so happy to pause there and grab any questions from the council.

A

Any questions in the counsel bagley concert cook council monroe.

A

Are any of these for peter rice? Should you start walking all right, peter sorry, peter? Would you.

A

Mind coming up: oh, this is steps he's getting his steps in he's been sitting here two hours here.

A

Thank you peter uh mr mayor city, council, peter rice, director of public works.

P

um So specifically, um it sounds like this is for infrastructure, a storm, storm, water and underground.

O

Wiring to re, but it says to replace existing underground wiring will the above ground wiring.

O

For the most part, also be moving underground, yes with this, so this will improve the aesthetic.

O

Overall, look of that street considerably once all the paint is done, yep, okay, that was my my question.

A

Easy councilor cook we have received some comments from local businesses.

N

Who are clearly concerned about the impact of construction on their businesses? What efforts are.

N

We taking at the city level to increase signage so that everybody knows the businesses are open.

N

And what are we doing to also help maybe mediate discussions with the contractor, so, uh first of all,.

P

I truly appreciate the concern that businesses have. I know it's been a long haul. um It's hard.

P

To believe that you know it's a project like this, it's gone on as long as it has but they're.

P

They're, actually coming towards the end of the destruction. You know the major disruption.

P

We are talking to the contractor and the developer about preparing signage. That says.

P

You know, businesses are open, you know, please, you know uh cater to them or please go to them.

P

We're working to make sure we we, as a department, meet with them on a weekly basis to make sure we.

P

Understand what the disruptions are and to make sure that they're communicating on a regular basis.

P

The ch you know, construction in and of itself, is disruptive to have not adequate coordination.

P

On top of, it makes it that much more difficult for businesses to anticipate.

P

uh Fluctuations and challenges and impacts to them. What we're trying to do is we're trying to.

P

Help facilitate uh that communication. um You know working with the deputy city manager as well as.

P

The manager uh reaching out to the developer and trying you know working to to make sure.

P

That happens, um the the it's it's very disruptive, but we are getting towards the.

P

Point where the major disruption is is coming to a point where it's going to be finished up.

P

That doesn't mean there's not going to be sidewalk work, there's going to be facade, work, there's going.

P

To be other things going on, but the bigger impacts are going to, you know, get done at the end of the.

P

Day, there's going to be a new section of roadway there, the drainage is going to be improved. It's.

P

Going to be separating this, the storm sewer from sewer so there's a benefit to the city for those.

P

Reasons but you know we really understand, it's been a long haul for the businesses down there.

P

And it's been very disruptive um and we, you know, we understand that we're trying to address that.

A

uh Council monroe and the assistant mayor and then I forgot who's else,.

B

Counselor cook really asked my initial question but sort of a follow-up to that. One of the.

M

Other sort of requests was to ensure during this whole month of april, where you will might have to.

B

Disrupt traffic from that, can you make sure that there are clear paths to the businesses? You know.

B

Not only the signage but a way for people to safely get to and from the businesses.

B

While all those changes are going, yeah absolutely yep that temporary crosswalk to make sure that.

P

The people understand to get across safely and things like that. Absolutely great. Thank you. Yep.

A

The assistant mayor and then counselor tabor, that's it. Thank you, your honor, it's a great.

J

Segue into my um question of is: is this mostly going to affect um vehicle traffic, or is this also.

B

Going to affect pedestrian traffic, I know right now. We just have the one side of the sidewalk.

P

So, from july, from april 4th to the 22nd, it's going to be uh daytime detours.

P

For roadway, the sidewalks will maintain will be maintained um throughout that time period. um There.

P

Will be periodic disruptions if you know somebody has to get up on the sidewalk to do something.

P

But it the the sidewalks will be maintained uh throughout that period of time um that we can also.

P

Look at putting a temporary cross crosswalk to make sure folks coming up from callie b's side. Can.

P

Cross safely and make sure that's clear and I'm sorry what was the second portion of the question.

N

I forget so I feel like that, covers the whole portion of the question. If I can add to the.

D

Conversation whether um could have the impact of altering the schedule. I just want to make sure.

D

That the information peter is giving is, is based on decent working conditions and and understanding.

D

Severino's schedule is that correct yeah it is correct, but you know I reviewed their proposed.

P

Schedule and given the the amount of work I feel like they were conservative and that they included.

P

The potential for weather you know, obviously, if we have a horrific, you know torrential 30 days.

P

Of rain biblical proportion stuff, um you know all bets are off, um but I I I'm I'm comfortable.

P

At this time, but we're going to be doing weekly meetings getting a feel for you know what their.

P

Progress is- and you know, if they're on schedule or off schedule, so we'll be able to report back.

E

Council tabor, uh we had a request from sheryl bogano at moe's about.

E

Replacing the lost 15-minute parking with perhaps some spaces on market street or pleasant street.

E

Would we need a council vote to do that or could staff do that.

D

Typically, we bring that to pts correct um originate there. It depends on depends on the.

P

Duration, I mean if it's a if it's a short duration related to construction. It's not more than 30.

P

Days, we can do it as a simple administrative action, so we would anticipate that would be a.

P

Simple administrative action: once the drainage is done, which they're predicting to be from the.

P

Fourth to the 22nd, the parking 15-minute parking spaces in front of mohs will be re-established.

P

So it won't be a loss of that traffic or that the parking for that entire duration of the work it'll.

P

Be just during the first 20 somewhat days, okay, so that would be within the duration that we could.

E

Do something administratively, I believe, that's something we could do. Okay, council baylor. Thank.

C

You and um peter you did mention, maybe possibly like a sign to say that they were still open. I.

C

Know I've seen those in the past um construction has just yeah. We, I believe, um we've either reached.

P

Out or we will be reaching out to the developer, to prepare those signs excellent. Thank you. Yep.

A

I had a couple of questions peter, uh thank you uh for all the work on this who is in charge.

A

Of this portion of the work meaning in the in the in the street, is it mcnabb or is it the city.

P

All the work associated with this project is the developer's responsibility. Typically.

P

We would have very little involvement in this type of thing, because it is the developer's work.

P

Other than would make sure the quality work that's done and doing it for our specifications.

P

However, in this case, where it has been so disruptive and the communication and.

P

Coordination has been as challenging as it has been, it's appropriate for our involvement to.

P

Help minimize the the continued challenges, so it is the it is the developers responsibility. It's.

P

Part of their site approval uh to do this work, um so it's clearly rest in their area. However,.

P

um We, when we see challenges and problems, we don't turn our back and walk away. um You know we have to.

P

Step up and help out, so that's where we're at right now: okay- and it's appreciated, you know.

A

I think that we've learned a lot in this project and we'll take it to other projects that will have.

A

Similar impacts in the city uh going forward, and you know we're not short of those projects um and.

A

And so I I think that having more of a city involvement is a positive thing around trying to.

A

To make sure that the communication is happening, as part of that is it possible to on the on either.

A

The dpw portion of the website, or the planning board portion of the website have the latest.

A

Updates from the developer on their schedule updated there, I understand that they currently.

A

Provide email updates, but the concern I have with that is that when somebody goes to.

A

To check- or they hear something from somebody else- there's there's often conflicting reports of what.

A

Is actually on the schedule for the following week sure we can look at how best to do that.

P

um That's it's a very reasonable um request. My my only concern is the unintended consequence.

P

Of starting to have to post, you know other private entities, information uh when it's.

P

Really their responsibility, however, in this case we are involved in it. We are helping to manage a.

P

Portion of the project, so I think it's appropriate, uh but I would have to just you know, obviously.

P

Work with the city manager and make sure we do it in a manner. That's not it's clear why this is.

P

An exception to the to the rule, okay and then um in terms of the timeline, and I think this is what.

A

Kind of created some of the outreach and concern from, uh and I don't want to speak for any of the.

A

uh The abutters to this uh project, but last time when we spoke, I think it was the 22nd.

A

In january, we discussed this work um that this work was going to occur.

A

They were surprised to find out when sight walks were occurring on private property that this work.

A

Was going to occur, so I would ask that the communication from the developer or, if we're.

A

Stepping in has a time horizon that is more than a week away, and I understand that's what.

A

We're doing now and we're stepping in in order to to grab that, but it's my understanding this.

A

Work from what we've stated from april 4th to may 22nd or april 22nd april, so.

P

May april 4th to april 22nd is going to be drainage, work, okay, and that is going to be a full.

P

Road closure, during the daytime on the weekends it will be fully open at night. It will be open.

P

After that, it will be a partial road closure, so the lane of traffic will be maintained.

P

Some of the parking will be disrupted while they install.

P

The the underground electrical that will be till may 12th. I believe after that, it'll be.

P

Curbing and sidewalk, which is really compressed against the side and that'll.

P

That'll, be uh won't, be disruptive earth work in the roadway, it'll be curbing and brick work.

P

And facade work on the side of the building and that will go until the end of may that'll go into.

P

The so the electrical work goes into middle may and then the side, the curbing is anticipated to be.

P

About a week, and then the sidewalk which pushes it out into may they're predict predicting.

P

The some additional work on pen hollow they're, they're supposed to be out of the street in total, bef.

P

When school, roughly when school gets out yeah, but the the impacts to the major impacts should be.

P

Opening uh reduced in middle end of the major challenge is april. 22Nd. That's a full closure.

P

After that, it'll be a partial closure for a while, but it'll be less disruptive and when.

A

Partial closure, we mean we're allowing traffic to go through right, maybe removing uh parking.

A

From uh the section of the roadway section of the roadway and the parking on the other side,.

A

Is gone so we would be removing all the parking from that section from roughly penn hollow to.

P

um The driveway before moe's, okay, uh so bob's spot, okay, yep um all right and then so.

A

That brings us uh through uh the april may and then they're still june, and they have to.

A

The the encumbrance is till the end of the end of june uh per the permit that we approved on.

A

January 22nd, correct and that and so is it our working assumption right now that they will finish.

A

At the end of may or uh in terms of the encumbrance, uh or does that go all the way.

A

To are, we expecting them to well they're likely going to want to continue to use that in the.

P

Encumbrance space, which is really the loading zone in that area, to to lift the material up to.

P

The upper floors and to use as lulls it's not going to be as disruptive, but it's still they.

P

They will probably be using that space for the duration of what they had asked for. Okay,.

A

On the same topic, is there a way that we can help some of the business owners that.

A

Tend to uh be the enforcement mechanism either calling you know uh some of our the city or.

A

Trying to reach out to the developer in terms of identifying like this is, you know, signage, that you.

A

Know this is a 15-minute spot. You are not allowed to feed the meter here for construction work or.

A

This is a you know. Construction process happens on on this side. I think some other frustration.

A

Is with some individuals having to continually enforce their own sidewalks so to speak, and I.

A

Know, that's not well, it comes to us through those complaints, but it should be on the developer to.

A

Ensure that they're they're police, they're, they're they're folks.

P

You know we've been talking to the developer. I actually was on site a couple weeks ago and I.

P

Actually stopped the construction in the middle of doing what they were doing, because they were.

P

Disrupting the roadway and- and I was very clear to them- you know, get off the roadway and I talked.

P

To the developer, and and this you know, this was as all this was coming really to a head again.

P

um And really helped get everybody's focus um to to the challenges that they're you know having on.

P

The area, um so you know we're very much aware of it staff. You know my staff um are aware of it and.

P

They do uh get in there and you know the challenge is the second you. You know somebody walks off.

P

You know somebody pulls in and does something, that's disruptive. So it's it's a challenge, um but.

P

We, you know, we need to work with the developers so that they, you know, stay on top of their people and.

P

They need to identify somebody, that's going to do that coordination, so we're working with them.

P

To to make that request, I think um a number of the requests from the residents of the businesses are.

P

Really good good suggestions and I think they're things we've uh forwarded to the developer and.

P

We'll have be having a conversation with them to see how we're going to be able to implement that.

P

To see proof that it's happening right um and then I guess the the question, the last question that.

A

I have on this um uh if we found um a ledge in the in this, where we're trying to do the work or.

A

um Something that's not weather related. We can't you know if the weather is is bad. It's going to.

A

Delay things, but if we found something that was immediately told us that there was going.

A

To be two more months or three more months of work, instead of what was thought to be a.

A

You know april may, project then, is looking at a all the way through the summer project is our.

A

Intent to take it all the way through the summer or is our intent to rethink the timing of this.

P

Knowing the length of drain line, they have to install knowing um what it takes to get ledge out.

P

It would be very unlikely for the project to be delayed to that level. It's one trench.

P

It's a 12-inch pipe, it's not a deep pipe. um So you know, ledge is already anticipated. The contractors.

P

Already said that they, you know if they have ledge they're going to use mechanical means to remove it.

P

um It is a disturbed area already so that me, meaning that some pipes.

P

And things are already on the ground so that ledge is probably broken up.

P

So I it's I would be, we will find out very quickly if there's going to be any delays and we will.

P

We will report back, but I would not anticipate it being pushed the road work being pushed out that.

P

Far, all right! Well, I I thank you for this. I think you know that it's coming to the end is a positive.

A

Thing people have at least myself, you know I I remember you know the last 15 minutes of meetings.

A

More than I remember the first 15 minutes, so um you know, hopefully the developer can finish.

A

You know in accelerating with communication understanding that it's important um to to.

A

Set the example of the type of communication that that they have, with the abutters in large, downtown.

A

Projects uh that require close quarters and action um to make sure that we're we're closing.

A

The encumbrance aspect of this out in a in a high level so that you know there's a a feeling that.

A

People are being listened to and thoughts and concerns are being met with empathy and.

A

Understanding that it is a business to build buildings, but it's also businesses that their.

A

Livelihoods and reputations and you know, futures, depend on them being able to serve their customers.

P

If you recall the state street project, that was a city-run project, we did extensive outreach. We.

P

Did a advertising campaign we, you know, had dig, dig state street signs. We had regular meetings.

P

It was very disruptive, but the communication, as part of our project was, was consistent and.

P

That's what we need to approach these projects are when private developers are doing this. We.

P

Need to hold them to the same type of care that we would do for the projects, and so that's you know.

P

Unfortunately, that's a lesson learned. You know a little too it's not too late, but it's later in the.

P

Game and it'd be nice. You know next next time around we'll we'll be that much more aware and.

P

um That much more on top of it and and there's you know uh bad news is always you know. It's always.

A

Better, the sooner I hear it, um and I think that is for for most people as well and there's a lot.

A

Of externalities here with with covet um and and a lot going on, so appreciate it peter. I appreciate.

A

The time that the city staff has has put into this there's no other questions that we'll. Finally, let.

A

The city manager move on to our last informational item. uh Before I do mayor, I just want to.

D

Share with the group that, in response to our demands really for a heightened sensitivity to the.

D

Needs of the abutters. The developer has put a new person, uh not not new to their staff, but new.

D

To the project on for the sole purpose of helping keep an eye on their their own subcontractors and.

D

Other activities in the streets and that gentleman is being very, has been responsive to our staff.

D

And should add a heightened, heightened sensitivity to the to the overall project. Thank you. Last.

D

No number three of four is an update on the fact that we are now able to receive.

D

Or I can say that city customers, through our online payment partner and their work with paypal,.

D

Means uh customers of the city have the option of using cryptocurrency to make city payments and.

D

What I can stress is that that is because of the third party entity, that's doing the cash exchange.

D

uh Mayor you know, we've talked about this several times that the state is still working to allow.

D

State subdivisions of which a municipality is one to accept our own cryptocurrency, but for.

D

Now, because of that third-party involvement, we can now receive payment from customers.

D

Who would like to use cryptocurrency? So we just want to bring that to the council's attention.

A

Any questions on that I had one quick comment. I have asked for this. um You know from a standpoint.

A

Of I think, there's a lot with the underlying technology of blockchain um that a municipality.

A

Can learn from you know. I am definitely the type of person that I hear and I forget.

A

I see and and I remember I do and I understand and I hope that there is an opportunity for us.

A

To to do more around this, just so that we are not missing out on anything whether it's.

A

um It's raising money uh or creating opportunities to you know have more.

A

Trust in digital formats um ongoing from a municipal level, so I will um at some point.

A

In the future, being a subcommittee that that studies and focuses on this- and I would ask.

A

Members of the public to reach out, if there's a desire to be a part of this.

D

Great and and last up this evening would be a wonderful announcement, and I want to acknowledge.

D

That, in addition to director rice's efforts, we have deputy director brian goetz and city engineer.

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Terry demaris here through their concerted efforts over the past year in working with kerry, thurman.

D

And congressman pappas's office, we are lucky to be the recipients of 600 thousand dollars in grant.

D

Funding from the federal government through the congressionally directed spending projects line.

D

Really known, as earmarks, you may recall, if you've, if you're a federal government junkie like me, that.

D

Earmarks were um were popular and went away, they they've come they've made a comeback and where.

D

I really should say is that um apologies for the typo on this memo. This is for the.

D

Little bay water line project it make reference, makes reference to great bay, but it is little.

D

Bay, but really brian and terry um impressed upon the congressman's office and a panel of.

D

Reviewers the importance of this regional project and um the good news is that 600 000.

D

Was signed into law, it will offset the more than 6 million in project costs and we're excited so.

D

They're here, if anyone has questions, but it was a great effort by the whole team thanks brian terry.

A

Congressman I haven't found 600 000 for the city. Yet so you guys are doing the hard work.

A

Up there so uh very much appreciated uh that work, and it's a big project that we all depend on and.

A

Not the most glamorous project, but when you think about it, is the most necessary to ensure that we.

A

Have fresh drinking water so appreciate your continued efforts in in the pursuit.

A

To keep us secure in that, so I have mayor. Thank you. Thank you, city manager, any miscellaneous.

A

Business, including business remaining finished at previous meetings, counselor tabor.

E

I had the pleasure to go on a business trip with two members of the police commission.

E

Buzzer and kate coyle and peter rice and joe almeida from our staff and our chief.

E

Of police and captain maloney and we learned all about building new police stations.

E

And I'll give you a couple of takeaways if you want to take the time to do that.

E

The costs that we've been looking at six hundred dollars a square foot are.

E

Unfortunately, not out of line, we learned that it's up to a thousand dollars a square foot in.

E

California, it's up to it's down as low as 500 in the midwest, but we're sort of right in the range.

E

We really learned a lot about how buildings.

E

Need to be designed for the way police work is changing. Community policing is different now.

E

Than it was five years ago and it's changing quickly and we saw some of the best practices.

E

And there's a lot of in emphasis on uh wellness of the sworn officers.

E

Crisis intervention and community partnerships are now much more a part of community policing.

E

And so we took a look into you know what a 21st century building needs to be like and we're.

E

In a 20th century building, so that was really interesting. We learned a lot as you would imagine.

E

It was run by the association of chiefs of police. It ran with military precision. Everything was on.

E

Time but we learned an awful lot and it was also a great chance for that group of us to talk about.

E

uh The work ahead uh and, and potentially you know, forming a project team out of that, um so um it was.

E

A great experience- and we look forward to using what we approved tonight, to get some expertise.

E

To help us really look at how we could redesign a more effective police facility, the last thing that.

E

We talked about too was we saw living examples of how various chiefs around the country and their.

E

And their command staff had made the case for a new facility and shown the deficiencies in where.

E

They were, and so we talked about a tour for the city council and uh helping bring the community.

E

Along to that awareness as well, so it was a good visit good trip thanks councillor taper yeah.

A

Councilmember bardi. Yes, I had the uh thank you mayor. I had the opportunity to attend the.

F

uh Peace development authority uh meeting.

F

A board meeting and it was exceedingly well attended by residents, there's.

F

And the big question is: is about the cargo development of a cargo port? There there's.

F

There's a lot of concern and a lot of lack of information um about that facility. At this point.

F

And so people have a lot of assumptions um about what it is coming.

F

But so what I I suggested to paul breen, the executive director is that it might be useful.

F

For him to do what he's done in greenland, I think, and in newington, as he came before, the city.

F

Board and and gave a presentation- and I wonder if that might be something he might do here.

F

And make sure it's well advertised so that people can come and.

F

And view that that would be, I think, a fantastic use of time, um I'll I'll look to you to see.

A

If that is something that you would like to see as a work session, where there's you know.

A

More uh back and forth, or if there's a presentation um that people can obviously provide.

A

Public comment uh to as part of our regular meeting my fear of of the back and forth is that.

F

It will be all night. Oh sorry, what I mean by back and forth is so a work session. We would just sit.

A

And we would be asking questions you know yeah throughout that, but um why don't uh we extend.

A

The invitation to mr green and okay- maybe the city manager, can take the lead on that and we.

A

Can put it under your name to invite him uh at our next earliest council meeting that he can attend.

C

Okay, thank you, sir. Thank you all right, councilman, you don't have any miscellaneous. No! No! I just want.

B

To go to the bathroom okay! uh Well, um with that, uh we are not yet adjourning. um We are.

A

Adjourning to a continuation of a non-public and uh with that we'll say, goodnight portsmouth.

A

And I think we need a uh roll call vote to enter re-enter, non-public, know your.

I

Honor, I think you're all saying awesome all right portsmouth. Thank you very much.

A