City of Portsmouth, New Hampshire 2022 - 2024 City Council, 21 Feb 2023

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From YouTube: 2.21.2023 City Council

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2.21.2023 City Council

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Welcome everybody. uh I will first await a motion to leave the non-public and to see.

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The minutes of the non-public so much second, all in favor aye and now uh welcome everyone to the.

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February 21st 2023 city council, meeting kelly when you can please take the role, certainly.

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Man, my captain here assistant mayor kelly, here counselor chamber here, councilor denton here.

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Council moreau here- council bagley here, council lombardi here, council.

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Bluelock here, council cook here, uh thank you, everyone uh for joining us this evening and.

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For those watching at home in a moment, I'll pass it to the assistant mayor to.

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Say a few words, but last night uh over the uh over the evening, um a a perpetrator.

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Spray painted uh graffitied, multiple establishment, including the assistant mayors and the synagogue.

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With hateful comments and swastikas now um it's incredibly disturbing to wake up.

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In the morning, one from you know this is the mayor who, aside from being a great assistant mayor, is.

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Also, a great friend texting you a picture of a swastika on her uh her her business, where she puts.

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As much time and effort serving coffee as she does in the city council serving the citizens, it's.

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It's the act of, and it's not necessarily isolated, because there's been many incidents over the last.

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Few years we were in this hall just a few weeks ago, speaking about the attorney general taking.

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Very seriously and pressing charges against members of a certified, you call them certified.

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Hate groups for hanging a banner on the way to new franklin school so that the the bypass traffic.

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Could could see uh that site and I don't know what drives folks to do that. But I know what it.

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Drives me to do, and that is to resolve, to reject that ideology at any turn, to continue to fight.

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To live up to the ideals of a racial justice municipality and to press harder to become the.

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City of the open door- and I just want to thank the police for taking this incredibly seriously.

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For the community for rising up against this, and for all of us, as we will stand in a few moments to.

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To to recite the pledge of allegiance, remember that it's one nation, under god, indivisible for.

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Liberty and justice for all and that when we say those words tonight, I'd like us to think about.

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What that means in portsmouth? Thank you assistant mayor, thank you, honor, a few words today um when I.

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Received a text message very early in the morning by a ambitious young worker that I have. I was I.

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Was awestruck I was saddened. I was angry like I think. A lot of people were, as I walked around this.

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Afternoon I spoke to a lot of business owners. I spoke to temple members and I think it was very.

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Clear- and it spoke so loudly of our community- that we will not be quiet in acts of hate.

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We've seen these happen in our community before we were not quiet before and we'll not be quiet.

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Again, I think it's very important as a community that we do not take injustice like this in silence.

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What we have to do is make sure that people like this know they're not welcome in our city, they're.

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Not welcome in our community and they're not welcome in our state, and then we rallied together.

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At times when people that we love and that we care about, feel oppressed and we rally around.

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Our community, when people need us- and this is a time that these businesses and the temple need us.

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To me, it's my opinion that this was targeted. They went after people, people.

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Of color people of a different faith, people of a different sexuality of gender origin.

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It's not one-offs, and we have to make sure that we root these out these people out of our community.

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And that they know they're not welcome here. So I ask everyone at home: everyone in our community.

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And everyone here to not just take a moment of silence but to take a vow of action. To take a.

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Vow of unity to stand up for who we are as a community and what we know is right. So I thank.

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You all for that moment. I thank you mayor for that moment and please make sure to support um members.

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Of community we'll be gathering market square on friday afternoon, and thanks to a bunch of local.

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Florists, we are calling the event love blooms here and we will be having flowers that can be.

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Donated to each of the businesses and support and in solidarity as a reminder, this community, in this.

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Community that nobody stands alone. Thank you. Thank you. Please join me in the pledge of allegiance.

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The united states of america, public, for which it stands one nation under.

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God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

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So I'm on a far happier note. It is my honor to celebrate uh one of the best among us today.

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We have a proco mission that was meant to stay somewhat uh hidden, it's tough, because you have.

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To publish agendas and so yeah, I don't know if this you know this cat's in the bag or not, but.

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Under this proclamation we have an exemplary public servant, so if you don't figure it out.

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uh Who this is you will uh very soon so, whereas arthur parrott has served the city of portsmouth.

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For 40 distinguished years and whereas he was first appointed to the planning board in 1983.

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Served in that capacity through november 2001 and helped guide the shaping of the city and our seats.

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Streetscape in some of the most transformative years and whereas arthur subsequently brought.

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His deep understanding to the zoning board of adjustment, of how the face of the city is molded.

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By the way it codes, policies and ordinance are interpreted, he was first appointed as an alternate.

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To the zba in november 2002 and then as a regular member in march 2004, a post he held until last.

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October, when he retired from the cba as chair and whereas arthur has also served our citizens on the.

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Board of registrars for the past 22 years he was elected as ward 4 registrar in november 2001 and.

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Was appointed assistant city head, registering clerk of the board of registrars in 2003 his.

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Dedication, service and respect for the office are worthy of our praise, even more so at a time.

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When the character and professionalism of election officials who protect the most fundamental right.

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Of our democracy, free and fair elections are under threat, and whereas residents of our city of the.

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Open door who, like arthur, have invested their lives and their love in portsmouth help make.

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Sure we continue to hold that door open for all who follow now. Therefore, I, diego mccarran mayor.

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Of the city of portsmouth, on behalf of the members of the city council and the citizens of portsmouth,.

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Do hereby proclaim tuesday february 21st 2023 in portsmouth new hampshire, as arthur parrot day to.

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Recognize and honor an exemplary public servant and encourage citizens to follow the example. He.

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Has set given with my hand, in the seal of the city of portsmouth on this 21st day of february, 2023.

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So arthur I'm going to come down, I'm going to give you these things, I'm going to invite you.

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To speak, the first we have a a city pin which you might be wearing at the moment. I'm not sure.

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um But uh I I can't tell it's going to give you any benefits other than pride. It won't get. You.

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Out of parking tickets or speeding tickets from what the the cops tell me, the second is something.

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That we've started this year. We don't have a key to the city where the city of the open door, but we.

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Don't have a doorstop, so you have set an example to so many, and I would love to to know that you're.

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Part of the inspiration you joined the boards in 1983 the year I was born. Portsmouth changed a lot.

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In that time, to want to make fuel, but you deserve this as much as anyone. Finally, the the challenge.

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Coin, the city of portsmouth- I haven't- had the opportunity to give out to many of these, but.

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You and the president of the united states are are two. I think um that that that got.

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It uh in my my time, I I can't wait to shake your hand and give you this so come on up and.

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Foreign [applause].

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Mm-Hmm, excuse me, as I always say, when I'm on the other side, there speak right.

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Into the microphone and keep it and keep it short, the timer on arthur.

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uh What a! What a surprise and a pleasure- and I have an idea of.

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Who, in my in my family, deserves the most credit for uh instigating this.

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And I'm not going to embarrass her by saying her name, but thank you very much.

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When I, uh when I joined the board, I was just like everybody else without any prior experience,.

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Because you don't go, take a weekend semester and learn how to be a member of a board such as this.

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As everyone here well knows, you learn on the job, which is one of the charms of the whole process.

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And I've, uh obviously, I've stayed for a long time, but over those years it's been my great.

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Pleasure to work with dozens and dozens of very capable and dedicated people, such as yourselves.

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Who are not doing it for the glory, certainly not for the money and who uh you know put in.

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The time the many many hours uh to serve the city to make the system the system of democracy work.

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At the at the grassroots level, which is what we are as everyone here recognizes, I'm sure.

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So the uh the strength of our system of government I would like to think is- is.

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Based on the foundation, if the foundation is any place, that's in the cities and towns such as we.

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Have here in portsmouth and people are willing to step up over the years and say yeah, I don't.

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Know if I'm going to like it or not, it's not and it isn't fun. But it's very rewarding and just with.

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That I would just like to close by encouraging anyone. If you have anyone in the audience or.

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In the tv audience who has ever had a thought of take trying one of these boards, whether I'm most.

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Familiar with the land use boards, obviously the zba and the planning and the and the in the.

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Hdc would be the other one, uh give it a give it a shot right and if you would like to know what.

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It involves uh I'm I'm more than happy to talk with anybody about it, and I have a couple of I.

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Have over the years I have talked with a couple of people who thought to call me, and I was glad.

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To talk to them and explain to them how it goes you come in as an alternate. Typically you you.

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Learn by being here and participating and pretty soon you get an idea that you know what's going on.

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And the and it's based on law and it's based on the ordinances which expand upon the law.

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And uh and things get done and we're all uh we're all citizen participants uh representatives, as I.

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Would, as I like, to put it further greater good of the city and that's why the city? That's? Why.

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Our city council works and uh the and the land use boards do as well, and there are normally.

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Vacancies and the mayor would be glad, I'm sure, to entertain applications and uh make some.

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Nominations and uh make sure that the process continues by having people willing to step up.

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And say: yes, I will put in the hours I'll stay up to the late night meetings and I'll. Do the.

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Homework and uh the results speak for themselves. We have, we have a pretty town which attracts.

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People, as we all know, from literally all over the country, come to visit little old portsmouth.

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And uh always uh complimentary- and I am in other organizations where I get to meet people from.

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Other parts of the country and invariably they're very impressed whether they had any.

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Prior knowledge or not and in favor and very very happy they came to visit our little city.

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So having having said all that, uh I just want to thank you very much for all the effort that.

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Went into preparing this material, I'm sure I'm sure kelly I'll, very fine city had a hand in it.

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So, thank you, mayor and council. It's been my pleasure and I'm and I'm standing as I as you.

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Indicated I'm still on the board of registrars, which I can is more flexible time wise for me and.

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I'm enjoying doing that as well and we're we're making sure that we run a good, clean, uh competent.

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Election system and we're going to continue to do that. So, thank you all very much. Thank you.

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Thank you, foreign.

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Very well said arthur. Thank you.

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Next up we have the acceptance of minutes of november 16, 2022 december 5th, 2022 and december.

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14Th I'd wait a motion to accept and approve the minutes. Second, all in favor aye any opposed.

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Your honor to request will actually move to suspend the rules to request a briefing from.

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Chief mark newport on the hate, inspired vandalism today in the city and any updates for the council.

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Second, all in favor, aye aye any opposed welcome. Chief.

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As you guys are aware, today we are an incident that occurred over the overnight hours.

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Through our investigation, we've learned it happen sometime between 2 a.m and probably.

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4 a.m. This morning there were several areas that were targeted across the city.

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We are fortunate enough to come across some surveillance at some of the locations and we have.

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Identified one person of interest that we have seen actually spray painting some symbols on the.

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Some buildings across the city we are working. We had everybody out there today, detectives out there.

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Today, roaching across the city and looking for clues as to any other potential targets,.

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At this time we do not have an identified suspect, but we continue to work hard, as you guys have.

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Already stated this disturbs us as much as it does the rest of our community. I think the city is very.

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Resilient, we have a no partner community support that has assisted us in asking we've been asking.

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For assistance, so people look at surveillance, cameras and the areas of uh places that have.

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Been then targeted and will continue to follow up on those, and we have offices that are out.

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There right now still looking and retrieving video surveillance that has been provided.

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For members of our community so we'll ask for that continue to help, and hopefully we can.

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Find the culprits that are responsible for this activity? Do you have any questions.

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Thank you, chief newport, all right, thanks, chief good luck out there. Thank you.

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Next up, um no uh recognition and volunteer committee reports so we'll move to public comment.

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um 15 speakers three minute each first up is george remick on the veterans, tax, credit.

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Evening there system, mayor, councilors city manager, on the line to kelly. Thank you. I hope you go along.

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With the veterans this afternoon for this evening weather, it was a really well drawn up resolution.

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I'd like to see it pass and uh well I'm all on that one near the representing the legion.

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And I also uh wheel with the vfw and also the elks crew, which is a back road, speak also.

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So, thank you very much in being elderly. I guess I could throw that in too double dip.

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I've been good at that dude. Thank you very much. Thank you georgian. Thank you.

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Service next up is francis cormier on the topic of the 64 000 question.

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Okay, if francis comes back we'll get him up here, next up is sean muskie on the sherburne school.

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Good evening, council, thank you for letting me speak tonight. My name is sean muskie sherburne.

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Avenue in panwood manor, um I'm here to talk to you about the sherburne school and what we've seen so.

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Far when it comes to potential housing going there, one thing we've noticed is that you know when it.

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Comes to workforce housing, you generally want that near things of interest for them, whether it.

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Be employment shopping and none of those really fit here. The closest shopping is over two miles.

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Away at target there's no public transportation that goes there. As for employment, you're very far,.

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Outside of town, unless you're working at the hospital liberty, mutual there's, not a lot of.

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Employment, that's close and again transportation is going to be an issue coming out there.

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Even once you build it with 80 to 160 units, the national average for cars per.

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Household is 2.5 per household. New hampshire's average for cars per household is also 2.5.

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That would be if you build 80 to 160 units that would be 200 to 400 more cars.

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In that small neighborhood area, now those numbers I didn't pull from out of the air. That's.

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From the u.s census bureau and the department of transportation and federal highway administration.

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Those are accepted numbers in addition to those two to four hundred.

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The liberty mutual is planning to bring employees back from dover, with them. Closing that.

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That location, if anybody remembers what, if I spent 15 years ago when they built that.

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You know all that traffic moved away before that the traffic was horrible. It took forever.

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To get through that end of town and that's on top of the potential two to four hundred.

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More cars that you're going to be putting if you build housing there at that at that level,.

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You know the the size, the scope of that location. It's just not compatible.

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It's not appropriate and then additionally past that you're looking at potentially tearing down.

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100 year old, almost 100 year old building, where probably 10 000 students flow through that school.

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It's part of the history of portsmouth. We need to be very careful about that. On top of taking.

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Away a softball field on top of getting rid of more green space, so those are just a few reasons.

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Why it's not appropriate to have that there, at least at that scale, that you're talking about.

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In addition, we saw this week several members from uh tf, moore and company surveying the.

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Land, so some of us did a little digging. We thought. Maybe the town was surveying the land.

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You know figure out what they want to do with it actually was paid for by the pha.

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That doesn't sound like anything any breaks have been put on that project or that it's slowing.

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Down at all, if they are now expending money to have it surveyed, they're determined to build it.

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That's the way it appears to us. It appears to us that you're not actually doing what we asked you.

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To do you talked about bringing back to the land use board, which is actually manned by three of you.

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From the council and craig welsh from the pha, that's a conflict of interest at very minimum.

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He should never vote on anything having to do with this should not take part in any activities.

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On that board, thank you. Conflict of interest, appreciate you very much for your time. Next up.

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um Is aaron garganta on the topic of the elderly tax exemption so aaron, do you look that good for.

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Your age here, I'm graying on the inside okay cool good evening council, uh mr mayor aaron, garganta.

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423 colonial drive um here to speak in support of the increases to the elderly tax exemption.

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Particularly at the level of the social security rate of increase, I believe it was 8.5 percent.

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um I have some experience recently for the last several years, helping some elderly.

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Family members manage their finances. Last year we were finally able to apply for the elderly.

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Tax exemption, but due to income levels, we exceeded it by twelve hundred dollars.

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um In in my opinion, as the exemption, the exemption is great, but it doesn't really.

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Go far enough in helping our elderly members who have been in the community or have just come to.

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The community stay in their portsmouth homes. um You know you have a a maximum income level.

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But then you're allowed to have assets not including your home, up to half a million dollars.

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But there's a big difference between people who have half a million dollars in assets or almost no.

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Assets aside from their regular income and those assets, really help the elderly population. When.

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It comes to providing for their own well-being and care needs and try to stay in their home.

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You know they they tap those assets to pay for in-home care to pay for you.

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Know utilities to pay for stair chairs means for them to stay in their home.

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But when you don't have assets other than your income and your cash flowing your life.

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You know one pension check to the next pension check or social security to social security.

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You're you're one boiler breakdown away from not being able to make your payments.

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And- and I think there should be like a graduated approach to the asset limit- um you know just one.

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Potential option: I'd recommend is that for every hundred thousand dollars of assets you have.

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Less than the maximum, it should allow you a slightly higher income level.

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To trigger the elderly tax exemption, so, for example, if you had four hundred thousand dollars.

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Worth of assets, it should be worth two thousand or three thousand dollars more on the top end income.

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Level, if you have three hundred thousand dollars in assets, it should be worth six thousand dollars.

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More on the asset level, on the income level, all the way down to, if you have no assets or your.

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Assets are below a hundred thousand dollars your maximum income level to qualify for the elderly.

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Tax exemption should be upwards of ten thousand dollars more than what it is going to be voted on.

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Today, um the other thing I will just add is just in support of the sherburne neighborhood. um I know.

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Some neighbors would like some affirmation um as to whether or not the land transfer to the pha.

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Has been postponed until plans come back to the neighborhood for review and consideration. So if.

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That's possibly an answer we could get before the end of this meeting that that land transfer has.

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In fact, been postponed, I think the neighborhood would like to hear that. Thank you. Thank you. Aaron.

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Next up jim lee on the subject of the veterans, tax, credit.

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Mr mayor city, council, jim lee, 520 sagamore avenue portsmouth, so I'd like to just to speak first in.

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Favor of the of the tax credit, but also to the contribution and the commitment veterans make.

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To this country, if you go back to the declaration of independence, everybody studied the first line.

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Moving around the first lines of that and the scooter we hold these truths to be self-evident.

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And all that sort of thing, but the closing line of that is one that I think probably.

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Gets a little less pr than the others, it says we mutually pledge to our each other, our lives, our.

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Fortunes and our sacred honor, so the 56 signers of that put their lives on the line to preserve and.

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Protect the freedoms that they felt were god-given rights of his people and what's made this country.

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If you fast forward to 1955, then president dwight eisenhower, created by executive order, a code of.

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Conduct for members of the united states armed forces, so ten years after that, airman jim lee.

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Was in the united states air force at lackland air force base, we've got to copy this code to.

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Recite, there's five articles to that, but I'll just read the first of which had the most made.

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The most impact on me it says I'm an american fighting man I serve in the forces which guard.

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My country and our way of life, I am prepared to give my life in their defense, so those words are.

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The commitments veterans in the military make to their country and, by extension, their state and.

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Their town, so I just wanted to share that with you. Thank you for that. Thank you very much. Jim.

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Next up, uh paige trace on the topic of portsmouth.

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Your honor assistant mayor kelly, I will simply say what I hope many are thinking this evening.

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An open letter to the vandals of last night, you are not portsmouth, there is no place for you here.

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We know you for who you are, is your ignorance, spews hate.

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Your evil hopes to spread fear. You think you hide behind freedom of speech, but scurrying late at.

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Night with masks, vandalizing portsmouth with your special brand of stupidity, will get you nowhere.

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We are portsmouth, we will not succumb to you, we are strong and we are brave for each other.

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We love our city and we protect our neighbors. We are blind to slurs against religion and skin color.

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We do not see somebody for their sexual identity. What we do see is your hate and your evil.

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Please take it elsewhere because we won't stand for it here will collectively rise up and protect.

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Those who need it will protect our neighbors and see to it that your hate has no effect.

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We'll band together and see to it that you have no oxygen, no air, not in portsmouth, sometimes great.

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Good comes from the darkest of moments. Those of us who care about our city will expose you for the.

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Common criminals that you are frats scurrying in the night, with your krylon cans of hate.

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But that which you hope most to achieve will not happen.

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Know this we do not fear you or your abhorrent messages. You achieve nothing except to bring.

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Us closer together as a city, you remind us how we need to protect those who need it. We.

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Live and love freely in this wonderful city. You will not take that from us. Thank you. [Applause].

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Thank you paige beautifully well said.

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Next up, reuben zagaria on the sherburne school transfer, expert.

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Hello, uh reuben izigiri, 337 colonial drive in the panaway manor neighborhood, so I am a resident of.

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Panaway manor this city council has claimed to represent the interests of our community.

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Of pennaway manor, if this is really true, please suspend the transfer of.

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The sherburne school property to the portsmouth housing authority.

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Next month, this transfer represents a bad faith. Action against our neighborhood requests.

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We several hundred people have demanded an analysis of other use of this property.

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The transfer of this property to the portsmouth, the pha shows this request has fallen on deaf ears.

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If the city council does not work for its constituents, who do you work for.

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We, the hundreds of good, hard-working people of panaway manor demand. You suspend the transfer.

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Of the property to the pha until all options have been reviewed and voted on by our community.

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If you do not your false allegiance to us is obvious.

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And it proves our voices are just a roadblock in your already predetermined.

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Destiny of our neighborhood in summation, the future of our neighborhood should not should.

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Represent the will and want of its people, not the financial interests of developers and contractors.

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Which, unfortunately, seemed to be benefiting the most from this project? Thank you. Thank you. Reuben.

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Next up, lisa sweet on the topic of community power.

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Ning, um my name is lisa sweet and I live at seven winslow way in rye and I'm here to offer all right.

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Hold on sorry, I didn't see the right or even read so, can you we got three more speakers and then.

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We have portsmouth speakers forth. Sorry, no worries um next up uh kevin dwyer on outdoor dining.

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I am kevin dwyer resident 461 middle street in portsmouth, and I own dwyer's pub at 96 bridge.

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Street also in portsmouth, um I just wanted to say that I'm confused as to why the council voted.

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Unanimously on the fees for outdoor dining and went back on it two weeks later, without notice,.

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I guess I'm just I'm asking that more thought go into this discussion specifically regarding.

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The math of what makes these fees and what? What is fair to cover the city's costs well also designing.

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The program to be inclusive to owners of all different means and let the program as well.

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As the town flourish, I think we should think about how to make portsmouth competitive in the seacoast.

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um And I do want to say I am grateful for everything that the city has done up to.

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This point regarding this program, specifically during coven. Thank you. Thank you. Kevin foreign.

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Next, up uh dave hurwitz on the veterans, tax, credit.

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Good evening, mr mayor and ladies and gentlemen of the city council, my name is dave hurwitz. I.

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Reside at 55 ocean road in portsmouth I lived in portsmouth for about three.

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And a half years been a property owner for about nine months. And I'm just here to.

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I'm a veteran of three deployments to the middle east, and I'm just here to.

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uh Show my support for the proposal to increase the tax exemption for veterans. I think it's a.

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Great idea, you know, on behalf of all veterans uh whether or not they live in portsmouth and.

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Made it home from their deployments or not, and I hope you guys will uh consider.

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It as well. Thank you very much for your time. Thank you dave and thank you for your service.

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Next up, petra huda on the subject of the audit contract.

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Good evening, petrahuda 280 south street, um I'm here to reference the communication.

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In the packet from chris white, I'm not a committee member. um The role of the audit.

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Committee in reviewing of the new otter contract from cla im, um I would urge you.

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And implore you to use the free services from the financial expert experts on your audit committee.

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um I would also ask that before the staff and councilor tabor.

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Again, state the purpose of the ordinance. I would ask you to compare and contrast.

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um The powers section of the new ordinance on the cable and broadband internet committee section.

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1406., this was just changed by the governance committee and signed and voted on by you.

P

And it says the commission shall oversee the operations on the existing agreement and any.

P

Future agreements, as well as assist in the negotiation of such agreements.

P

So you're actually giving the cable commission the powers to negotiate and assist you here, but.

P

You're denying that to the audit committee, so I would urge you to use your financial experts to.

P

Negotiate this contract at this critical time. This is the first contract to be negotiated.

P

In 28 years, and as far as having qualified staff and experts to do this, I would urge you.

P

To think about using the free services here, thank you. Thank you. Petra next up.

A

Esther kennedy I for the life of me, can't read what was written for the topic. I'm sorry.

Q

Esther kennedy 41 pickering ave and that's uh just some little housekeeping housekeeping. It is okay.

Q

um I guess uh I just want to start and kind of go around and see where we're at. I think.

Q

We have a lot of questions as citizens. I'm going to start my own neighborhood.

Q

Mechanic street I'd love to know what's going on in that pump station, I'd love to.

Q

Know why we have extra pipes around it. I'd love to know why we're getting an extra little smell.

Q

um Down on mechanic street pump station, are you going to let the neighbors know then, let's move to.

Q

um Looking at we'll stick with sewage, looking at what lawson just did according to the packet.

Q

Are we going to give information, get information that lonza has decided not to build and that we're.

Q

Actually going to be on the hook for an upgrade of suey's treatment plant out at peas, where, at this.

Q

Point no residential release goes to. I would like to know who's going to start paying. The million.

Q

Dollars that we were told when the original plant was going to pierce, we didn't really.

Q

Need to do much out there and now we're looking at multi-million dollars the citizens need to know. I.

Q

Think it's pretty clear out a piano way manner. You folks! Oh the residents out there an explanation.

Q

There's been some promises, I've heard people talk about it and I think you need to know.

Q

Why you're gonna, potentially giving land and when you're, going to give it to a developer.

Q

In our city- and they have a right to know that, so I can't wait to hear that information.

Q

I'd like to also go into I'm going to leave the veterans for public comment during that time.

Q

However, when we start talking about ten dollars for our restaurants- and I I agree- everyone needs.

Q

Help and I think it's going to even need more help because of a recession, potentially that.

Q

Could be coming forward, however, folks need to make sure everyone pays their fair share.

Q

And you know, I've watched restaurants and people downtown and they make some nice money during the.

Q

Summer, so what is a fair share and we're leaving up to you to decide, but I would hate to tell.

Q

The elderly, then we're not going to give them an extra amount of money, because other people aren't.

Q

Paying their fair share for potential dining and taking our streets, so you have a lot on your list.

Q

And I've just hit a percentage of it, but I'm going to ask you to really start looking at our.

Q

Infrastructure of our city. Now I'm glad that some of you want to deal with marcus square.

Q

But maybe it's time to take a step back and really start looking at what is going on and at some.

Q

Point we got to talk about great bay and what clf is doing. Thank you. Thank you. Esther next step is.

A

Selena morgan on affordable housing, affordability.

R

Good evening, mayor and city councilors, zelita, morgan, richards avenue.

R

I I'm really disturbed with what I heard today. I actually didn't know what had happened until.

R

I heard other speakers speaking about it and you spoke about it. It is very disturbing and.

R

I have to say that what what happened in our city has no place, it doesn't belong here. It is not us.

R

So I'll move on to my affordability, so we hear a lot about affordable housing, but I also want to.

R

Remind you that affordability starts with how to spend our money, and you have a responsibility over.

R

That you heard people's people speaking right now about the character of our city, the character of.

R

The all the people across the city coming powering love, understanding and support, rightfully so.

R

To everyone every entity attacked by this egregious act. This is a character. This is.

R

Sports myth, so I just want to ask you that the effort you're putting on bringing people in right.

R

That you put the same effort in preserving the social fabric of our community.

R

And one of the ways you have is looking how it's gonna work.

R

What directives have you given so far, two city administration to that effect.

R

So and I want to acknowledge aaron garganta for bringing the elderly so like the elderly. There.

R

Are other individuals in our community who face exactly the same situation.

R

So is it the city of upper arms, to whom is it the city of open arms? To those who are here.

R

You are responsible for that, so I wanted to remind you that your actions actually protect those who.

R

Are right now standing for what we are, who we are so support this community? It's your responsibility.

R

Because you have the power, you have the vote to really make something happen. Thank you for.

R

Your service and thank you for the time zelita next up is justin richardson on woodbury ave.

S

Thank you, mr mayor city, councilors. I have something to hand out briefly.

S

Justin richardson 586, woodbury avenue and I'll say in response to the assistant.

S

Mayor's invitation that the city of the open door- that's that's important- to acknowledge.

S

um I'm here today because of a comment in your package: I've been about woodbury avenue.

S

Been very involved in working with the city public works department on a redesign to provide public.

S

Safety enhancements, I think it's going really well and there's a lot of great progress. A lot.

S

Of really great um support was at the recent public works meeting it's coming before traffic.

S

And safety- and I keep hearing updates about new opportunities and it's really been a great.

S

Thing the comment in your package suggests that narrowing the street, which really isn't.

S

Proposed will only make it more dangerous that it's a major route. It's heavily used.

S

Which is true, and the commenter asks you to please consider the impact on the entire city.

S

um By all means, please do that, but what is the impact? Because I saw that comment. I did the.

S

Math and I did a calculation that the difference between the 85th percentile speed currently, which.

S

Is about 38 miles per hour and the um the goal? Let's say of 30 miles per hour, which is five miles.

S

Out per hour, above this current speed limit of of 25, that would increase travel times from market.

S

Street, where market basket is to the traffic circle by somewhere between 22 and 24 seconds,.

S

That that's you know. This is a great project. It's really well supported by the residents and the.

S

Impact on you know the downside of slowing traffic and making it safer is really negligible. I just.

S

Wanted to give you that information so that you're, aware of it, while you had this in your package,.

S

For context, so thank you very much we'll keep working on this and appreciate all of your support.

S

Thank you justin all right. Next up is we have chris white uh christopher white from the audit.

A

Committee on zoom and then we will get to the two speakers that we have a greater portsmouth area.

T

Thank you, mayor mcgovern city councilors, for the opportunity.

T

To speak on the critical role of the audit committee in contracting with the auditor.

T

Cla I'm chris white member of the auto committee. I live at 28 porter street.

T

The audit committee's work is not done not until a contract is fully executed. Are we done.

T

In the past, the audit committee played a key role in contracting with melanson in the spring of 2021.

T

Our first year as the mayor's blue ribbon audit committee, we told city staff that no less than.

T

The government finance officers association with gfoa stipulated the governments must not rely on.

T

Informal memoranda and scope of work letters to describe the city's expectations for the.

T

Auditor's work the city had relied on just such methods for memorializing expectations in the past.

T

Because of this, for the first time in 26 years, the city finally negotiated a contract with melanson.

T

Laying out the city's expectations for melanson's performance prior to this, the city spent over 70.

T

000 a year without a contract to protect itself, which I find unbelievable.

T

As we help city staff negotiate, this first ever contract with melanson melinson tried to insert.

T

Further costs into the work, description and charge the city an additional five thousand dollars.

T

We caught this an alerted staff to pull this from the proposed contract.

T

Staff agreed and melanson accepted the change. What could they do? They were caught red-handed.

T

There are other changes we recommended in the proposed contract, all meant to tighten up.

T

Melison's performance- these were also adopted. Now, let's fast forward to today, we have a new auditor.

T

Cla, that's great, but it doesn't mean it will be smooth sailing. Cla will likely ask for data that.

T

The city hasn't produced before, or it may request information in new ways all legitimate, but these.

T

May also cause delays and all schedules will be challenged. How to handle this in the contract.

T

Cla will also look at the city's technology. This is long overdue.

T

Cla's capacity to do this was a strong point in their favor.

T

In looking into the city's strengths and weaknesses in technology, areas of concern may.

T

Be uncovered a contract should anticipate this. How will cla and the city handle any such discoveries.

T

The fiscal year 2023 audit will be the first date so to speak for cla in the city after 28.

T

Years of melanson, both parties should expect the unexpected city council use your financial.

T

Experts who have business experience to help fashion a workable document to protect your.

T

And the taxpayers interests, the expertise is free. What do you have to lose? Thank you.

A

Thank you, mr white. Next up is we'll go back to lisa sweet because they know their hands.

M

Okay, um good evening again, I am still lisa sweet and I live at winslow. Seven winslow way in rye.

M

And I'm here to offer my support for portsmouth community power, which will be considering the.

M

Elect electric aggregation plan a little later, I'm a member of rise energy committee and I.

M

Represent the town of rye on the board of the community power coalition of new hampshire.

M

Our family lived in portsmouth for about 20 years before we've entered south, and so portsmouth is.

M

Still near and dear to my heart, rye is one of 10 communities in the state of new hampshire. That's.

M

Currently, all ready to launch with community power and we're really excited because we're.

M

Going to be able to offer lower electric rates for our residents and businesses and give our.

M

Community greater choice over our energy future community power is enabled by rsa 53e, which is the.

M

Community power law, this law enables cities, towns and counties to aggregate or pool their energy.

M

Customers and purchase electricity on behalf of them, and this gives a better economy of scale.

M

Than we get as individual residents and businesses like portsmouth rye community power has chosen to.

M

Work with the community powered coalition of new hampshire portsmouth will follow portsmouth's path.

M

Along to implementing a community power program but they're you're working hard and poised to.

M

Kind of follow these launching communities pretty quickly, hopefully the community power coalition.

M

um Has built a team of industry professionals that will handle all the services for energy.

M

Procurement, the cost of these services is shared among all of the coalition members.

M

um And the power demand of all the coalition members is aggregated. um This means a lower cost.

M

For services, because we're sharing among more of us and higher bulk purchasing power, because.

M

We're aggregating many more of us. um The coalition is a member governed and non-profit power agency.

M

And currently we have 28 members soon to be 30., um and this represents over a fifth of the population.

M

Of the state of new hampshire seacoast members include portsmouth rye exeter, new market, durham.

M

And dover, currently so our community program rye community power. In essence, all of the community.

M

Power programs that we'll be launching will essentially be purchasing the electrons that.

M

Flow into your homes or businesses, this is the supply. Your current utility, which I believe is.

M

Eversource for everyone in um portsmouth, like rye um eversource, is going to continue to deliver the.

M

Electricity to maintain the lines to maintain the grid, if you have an ice storm or something.

M

They're going to come out and they're going to fix all those poles and wires that crack down.

M

They'll also continue to send out the bills so um ride community power um when we implement we'll.

M

Offer like lower uh prices and more choices, and one of the choices is, if you don't want to.

M

Participate, you can opt out um so community power is really about better pricing, more choices and.

M

Local control, so we are excited um and encourage you to adopt your energy aggregation plan. So thank.

M

You for allowing me to speak. Thank you lisa. Next up we have, let's see uh oh uh lou uh hits rot.

A

Also on the electrical education plan, yeah, thank you mayor and uh members.

U

Of the council for letting me uh from a sister town come and say a few words to.

A

um Could you please just state your name? Oh I'm sorry and I'm 185 high street in exeter.

U

New hampshire lisa has given you uh a full description of uh community power and how it.

U

Will work and I'm here simply to urge you to approve your electric aggregation plan, which.

U

Is a very important step in moving towards a community power program. I've been associated.

U

With the exeter energy committee in the exeter uh community power aggregation committee for a number.

U

Of years and we've done a great deal of research into community power, and I I think I'll say that.

U

um Quite briefly, all we see is advantages and no disadvantages, and particularly the.

U

Advantages are lower cost for electricity, which at this time is a very important consideration.

U

But maybe even more important is the uh the advantage of choice.

U

Residents and businesses will have the opportunity to choose supply rates that include greater.

U

Amounts of renewable energy, something that you can't do through the default supply from.

U

The local utility and finally there's another thing that really intrigued me when I first got.

U

Interested in community power and how it works, and that is that every community will have the.

U

Opportunity to fund a reserve fund, a reserve fund that will grow over time and that can be.

U

Used for a whole lot of improvements to the uh the infrastructure, the electric infrastructure of the.

U

Town, this might be adding more battery storage for uh for the hospital or a a a solar array. So I that.

U

Too is an advantage that I think you should take in into account, and so I again I strongly uh hope.

U

That you will approve the electric aggregation plan that will come before you tonight. Thank you.

A

Thank you, lou. Please give exo to our best next, that's it. I think we've made it through.

A

um So um we got a few uh public hearings uh I'll just state, and there was two questions.

A

On this- and I thought this was clear and that's my fault for not being clear at the.

A

um uh The timeline that was proposed of the transfer was a ph time on pha timeline to us.

A

We did not adopt that when we moved it to the land use committee, so there's not going to be.

A

A transfer of the property on march there's not going to be a transfer until we have that back.

A

And have that conversation? So just you know, I hope you stay for the rest of the meeting.

A

And all of the public hearings that we have, but I want to make sure that that message was.

A

Received because I've said it one off to here and there as people have emailed us, but it hasn't yet.

A

Made it onto the city website as I understand, but it's a big website. Next up public hearings.

A

And vote on ordinances and or resolutions. The first is the continued public hearing.

A

On the capital improvement plan, so we had the presentation on this: if there's any questions.

A

We can have them now, but we'll go to the um and there is so counselor cook. Oh, is.

A

There a presentation we've had it there's just a modification of three pages, one of which relates.

V

To the wastewater treatment plant, but I'm happy to defer to counselor cook if you'd like to go first.

V

So, um at the b at the very back of the agenda, there's a memorandum explaining what we've learned.

V

Through conversation recently with lonza relative to their wastewater needs long story short their.

V

Their needs do not require an expansion of the plant, so what we have done and in keeping with.

V

The schedule of the cip is replaced the previous element sheet, which is known as page 57 in the.

V

Document which had a much larger number and considered a contribution from lonza directly.

V

Given that they're no longer seeking an expansion of their allocation, the new element sheet is again.

V

On page, 57 shows no increase in fy24 and at the moment, a number in fy25, as I would call a.

V

Placeholder of 20 million dollars. What we're doing right now is working with our consultant to refine.

V

That number and to understand the upgrades needed to the plant in a phased approach. So to reiterate.

V

That page has been modified as such. In addition, there are two pages that relate to the parking.

V

Fund, specifically on pages 124 and 133, the monies requested in fy24 are now being shot in fy25. We.

V

Can manage with existing balances and we can plan ahead so that there are no expenses incurred in.

V

Fy24, but we would seek to push those out one year to fy25. That would be parking lot paving in the.

V

Amount of 150 000 now in fy25 and wayfinding again on page 133 in the amount of 350 000 pushed out.

V

To fy25, so those three pages as amended will be part of the revised document that will come to the.

V

Council on march 6 for a vote. Thank you. Counselor denton, oh wait hold on counselor cooks. This is.

A

Our first and then I got distracted by all those numbers, all right, council cook. Thank you. Connor.

E

A bunch of informational questions, um the the first I have is: do we have any final ideas or.

E

Estimates on the community campus changes for lister academy. I know that that currently is.

E

Sitting in the budget um and that we didn't have a final figure, as my understanding.

V

uh We do not, and if the I'll provide an update at the march 6 meeting as to the status of that.

E

On the status of the new police facility, um is it is it in the right place in the budget.

E

Currently, do we anticipate um a build starting in 2025 and finishing all the planning by then.

V

At the current time, the the page is correct. um If there's a need to update that at the.

V

March 6 meeting we will do that, but at this point in time the page is correct.

E

And also, as far as the south mill pond playground, would it be possible to get a cost estimate on.

E

Building just the playground portion of those improvements at south mill pond, we can do an.

V

Opinion of cost best best estimate we can come up with between now and march 6. We can do that.

E

And I suspect we will receive another update on this, but the greenland road.

E

Recreational facility, I think, also known as the skate park- do we have any final cost cost.

E

Estimates for phase one which is concerned that we make sure we're addressing that.

V

If I may, or this will, this will move up an agenda item further in the agenda relative.

V

To the skate park, the verbal update and dpw director peter rice and recreation.

V

Director todd hanley are both available to to elaborate, but it is my understanding that.

V

The bid for the work for phase one will go out march 1st. It will be received back march, 31st.

V

It is our anticipation, although we'd love, to be surprised, otherwise that the number will come in.

V

Higher than what we have on hand for appropriated funds with that, the plan would be to bring.

V

To the council, at the first april, meeting and understanding of what the need for a supplemental.

V

Appropriation might be at that time, so, at the first april meeting we would ask for the council.

V

To hold a hearing at the second april meeting, so that if there were a need for supplemental.

V

Appropriation and an appetite to support that it would be heard at the second april meeting.

E

Thank you and um actually I'll, just ask my the rest of them later so counselor cook and just.

A

For the folks uh watching at home, we will vote uh at the next council meeting on the cip. We.

A

Still have a public hearing for this, but we will typically have our amendments to the cip at the.

A

The next council meeting counselor done thank your honor, the um the new element sheet for the piece.

W

Wastewater treatment facility uh reflects lonzes changes. I know there's been headlines recently on.

W

Cisco expanding and I'm wondering if it would be able to uh what's now being proposed, handle.

W

The increases by cisco, I'm looking at the staff and it's my understanding that what we currently.

V

Have on hand handles current and and anticipated capacity needs for both lonza and cisco. Thank you.

X

Councilor bagley yeah. Thank you honor. I just wanted to um call attention we're.

X

Probably gonna have a meeting on the russell street intersection before the next hearing.

X

I've met the seam enter and the director, and I.

T

But they're technical in nature, so they there may be no changes. There may be some minor changes.

X

Okay, all right council bluff just to clarifier. um You said we would bring any job options to.

Y

The cip at the next meeting of the march yep. So when we adopt the cip we'll we'll go through.

A

And we'll make amendments um typically, uh you know it's. It's only taken. You know.

A

I think this is four so the fourth year for me to to really fully understand this process, but.

A

um We'll come we'll, have we'll go through uh line by line and make.

A

Sure that we make it adjustments either pulling things uh in or out and then years.

A

um You know if we wanted to push something out to align to our our debt limit. That's the place to do.

A

It and we do that at the next council meeting in march march 6.. Thank you. It's only. My second rodeo.

A

All right, um so we did extend the uh the public hearing, so I will open the public.

A

Hearing or not open the public hearing, but I will welcome public hearing speakers.

A

On uh the capital improvement plan, uh please come and state your name.

K

Cochran paige trace portsmouth. um I suppose it falls on me to ask the hard questions about peas,.

K

65 million dollars and lonza comes to you and says: oh no, we don't need.

K

It we're not paying our half because we're not building what you think we're building.

K

So I'm great with that. We've just cut a lot of money off of working on that plan.

K

But where pray tell did the 30 odd million dollars that was in the cip go.

K

Does it get taken out of the cip now? Does our entire budget go down by 30 million dollars.

K

Huge project and suddenly poof or are you going to come back with us.

K

The the residents and propose what you're going to do with the 30 million dollars that disappeared.

K

At it's 65 million dollars versus 30 million dollars and suddenly we're now a year out.

K

It's not actually 20 million dollars in one of the sheets at the end of the packet.

K

It's actually closer to 30 million dollars.

K

Tell us what you're going to do with the 30 million dollars that you took out of your cip.

K

Does this mean that the residents get come back with all those projects that you said couldn't.

K

Be done because we have a ceiling of what is it 1, 143 million dollars and we're coming perilously.

K

Close to the 10 percent ceiling, you know now we aren't, if you're, taking away 30 million dollars.

K

So I just want to kind of know where the money's going and is: does this really mean that it's.

K

Going to be christmas in portsmouth, despite the fact that our tax appraisal is surely.

K

Going to go up this fall, but we've suddenly got 30 million dollars that we're not using.

K

Or are you going to come up with a lot of valuable projects that could hypothetically use it.

K

And I assume that in a year the 35 million dollars that you're going to.

K

Use for peace is that still coming from the ppp that you'd planned or is it being bonded.

K

That's my other question and, along with that, you've got long-term control plan in the cip.

K

That you have to do because of the second modification of the consent, decree and judge.

K

Barbara darrow and you've also suddenly got lo and behold you're separating sewer on woodbury.

K

And does this have anything to do with conveniently being able to do the woodbury.

K

Project because you've got to separate the sewer, because that's in the cip also.

K

And like past counselor kennedy, I would also love to know. What's going on down at mechanic.

K

Street because it looks like we've got water, world, west or east, there are pipes going up and down and.

K

Every way, but sunday so and I'm sure, that's not free. How are we paying for it, but anyway.

K

Good luck with the cip and I would love a little more clarity. It's the process. It's not the amount.

K

Although the amount is important when it's 30 million dollars, thank you. Thank you. Paige.

Q

Esther kennedy 41 pickering up and I'd like to tell you where that 30 million dollars should go.

Q

um If you haven't guessed, I think we should do the whole project for the skateboard park.

Q

um Where you have come up with some extra money here and found some extra money, I.

Q

Would encourage you to look at that um again, I'm going to do my plea for mental health.

Q

It was a sad thing we saw in our city last night and this morning, but it has to do with mental.

Q

Health, too and anger is part of mental health, not understanding. Others is part of mental health.

Q

So I would ask you to look at for our police department. I'm pleased that.

Q

We're looking at some social workers, but I would ask you to look at a psychologist.

Q

And I really would ask you to look at the mental health of our children. There's research everywhere.

Q

About the mental health, um especially in females right now- and I ask you to look at the cip and.

Q

What can we do today in our general fund, because I'm sure you're working on that.

Q

Budget and what do we need to do tomorrow in our cip and it's lacking right now, folks.

Q

The other thing I really would like to know in a cip is tonight you're going to be voting on.

Q

An art committee I would like to know not only where did very special arts money go.

Q

I saw the little hanging thing still up. I know it wasn't a city entity. I know that miss nancy.

Q

Pearson owned the entity, but I want to know where the money is and what's some plan for.

Q

Funding that program, which I believe is a program we need as part of our mental health.

Q

But what is happening where's the plan for that? What's the plan of action for the funding of that.

Q

I, like uh counselor uh page trace, I'm very concerned about the budgeting we haven't seen.

Q

The changes in the cip- um I I read the pages in the back, but it sounds like there's even more.

Q

Changes to what's going to happen to the sewer, not only at the piece what's happening to mechanics.

Q

Pump station, but also out at the um out in uh p or at peas, not only at pure sound but also at peace,.

Q

Where is that what's happening there? And I think you owe the citizens some information on that, where it's multi-million dollars.

Q

um Recently, we saw that there was a lawsuit by clf over storm water. I've been predicting that.

Q

And talking about it for quite a few years now, knowing that it was coming down the pike.

Q

And I would ask you: where does that fit in your plan?.

Q

Where does that fitting in the cip? Do you have enough money in the cip for that.

Q

um You know, I think it's to be honest for you. It's pretty helpful that lonzo doesn't want to run.

Q

Through our outflow pipe um because I do believe that would have caused some more stress on the bay.

Q

But what do you folks doing to make sure that the city is protected on that area?.

Q

um And lastly, there are some other concerns. Environmental concerns.

Q

All over the city high cost potential on superfund sites.

Q

What is your legal, I'm assuming you're talking to attorney morale, but what is a legal problem.

Q

Is going to be in our city, given all these concerns that are starting to come to light.

Q

And are starting to migrate from peas into some of our neighborhoods.

Q

We have the jones app, it wasn't a name superfund site, but has the same chemicals but coakley.

Q

So what is this cip? Given the most recent information we have gotten and you guys have been.

Q

Loaded with a lot of information, there have been a lot of things that have come up in the last.

Q

Couple of months- and I do not wish to be in your spot and dealing with them but they're serious.

Q

And I guess I don't see that in our cip right now and I know maybe when.

Q

The cip was originally put in place, those weren't out there. They weren't concerns.

Q

And now they are so I think you owe it to the citizens to let us know financially. How are you.

Q

Going to handle some of these things that are part of our community today. Thank you. Thank you. Esther.

P

Huda 2a south street, so um I'm going to start with the mechanic street pump station.

P

um We don't know: what's going on down there, we've heard that we've had pumps go out. It looks like.

P

You're rerouting, and what I like to call to your attention is: when you look at the ask for.

P

Fy24, there's nothing in there for pump stations. You do have um an amount that was bonded.

P

um I believe it was last year fy22, you also have other money that was bonded for the willard.

P

Avenue pump station sitting there uh willard avenue, according to the uh the state, the site.

P

Is not supposed to start until the beginning of fy 24., so I guess I would urge you to take a look at.

P

What you have there now and consider um putting some money on this, but we have no idea from a.

P

Taxpayer perspective of what you're looking at next I'd like to talk about lonza, also.

P

And um in reading the memo certain things came to my attention. It's, I guess it's a good thing.

P

That they have pulled out and they're not doing it doing their they're not going to participate.

P

But the questions that remain in my mind um when I, when reading over the memo were they are still.

P

Building their buildings, so if they're still under construction, that means they are going to.

P

Move forward with whatever they have to do so, I would also ask you to take a look at a line.

P

Item called wastewater reuse at peas, wastewater treatment plant, it's out in fy25, there's two.

P

Million dollars in there and 25 and then there's 6 million out further. So my question is: was that.

P

Related to what lonza said, they're doing in uh upping their sustainability, or is that something.

P

That actually needs to come out of the budget. Now that we have an answer basically from lonza.

P

um The last thing I'd like to talk about is the uh yeah, and I'm gonna beat this dead horse because.

P

I have I have another thing for you to consider here on uh building out of offices at the foundry.

P

So um what we were told was um the reason for this build out was to.

P

Get the parking, uh the parking and transportation people all together.

P

So if you go back to the parking and transportation um position and salary reviews.

P

um What you'll see is in the administrative salaries 45 of the amount that's coming in is.

P

Allocated into parking and transportation, what allocated means is that they reside in another.

P

Department and they are billing- some of their salary- into parking.

P

Keep in mind parking is a revenue center. That's probably why so, my question to you is.

P

Can you actually justify this request, based on the reason that we were given.

P

So we we do have um positions that are in administration, uh the director, the project.

P

Manager and facilities manager in there probably do need an office. I don't know if they're down.

P

There now I have no idea, but if you look at the rest of the of the positions there, it's actually.

P

um People who manage the garages- it's not administrative people, it's enforcement, it's meters.

P

It's the people who work out in the in the garage actually collect the fees, so I ask you: do we need.

P

Offices for these people, the three or four people that we have or do we need more parking.

P

In the city of portsmouth, the other thing that was a little surprising to me is the number of.

P

Engineers that we have here and the statement that was made in there, that the engineers are.

P

Here for to assist the planning department, so I guess I would be kind of confused as to what.

P

Parking engineers are doing to assist the planning department.

P

As a function- and this is when you allocate when you allocate salaries out, it kind of hides things,.

P

Because it's broken, it could be broken down and in some cases it is to 10 percent of a person's.

P

Time ten percent of 40 of 40 hours is only four hours a week. The question would be do.

P

They really work four hours a week in parking or are they just being put in there and allocated.

P

Something for you to think about. So that's my uh that's. My last update, along with the rest of the.

P

uh The updates um that I have previously asked you to think about and uh wish you luck. Thank you.

A

Thank you petra, and it doesn't have to be your last update because we'll.

A

Hold the public hearing open until uh the march 6 meeting as well any other speakers.

A

So you can sorry um you we can take it. I guess, but.

A

This isn't the time to do it, but happy to 200 centimeters.

A

Thank you reuben. Next up any other speakers on this. Any other council questions, counselor cook.

E

Master planning around market square or plan process for market square and that expanded plan.

E

um I did have one question um that we received from our resident. I wanted to make sure that I.

E

Had answered um is there when the council discussed middle street and middle street.

E

Bike lanes uh last year we had discussed a planning update to middle street. That was.

E

Coming in the next few years, and I'm wondering if that is somewhere in the planning process,.

E

And we're just not seeing it for the in the cip. We can bring that at the next meeting as part.

V

Of the conversation about adopting the crp we'll bring that update all right. Thank you.

A

Any other questions.

A

um City manager um could either you or um potentially the deputy city manager, deputy.

A

City attorney susan woodland, explain how we bond and enterprise funds work for the viewers at home.

A

When it comes to, you know, 30 million dollars when something's in the cip and that we're going to be.

A

Bonding for it, what that? What the effect of that, especially given that it is a enterprise.

A

Fund, meaning that the costs of the service are incurred by the ratepayers of the service, I.

A

Think that would be useful. I think I think you did about 80 percent of the of the pitch mayor, but to.

V

Answer the question sewer uh the contemplation of expense expenditures on the suicide did not.

V

Impact the 10 limit and, as the mayor said, sewer and water function as enterprise funds. They are.

V

Not impacted, nor do they impact the general fund, which is supported by the taxpayers, sewer and.

V

Water are impacted by rate payers and that those can be two very different sets of things, but don't.

V

Know if suzanne wants to add anything further, I think she's sitting at the moment. I don't.

V

Know what to I think that covers it? The important thing to understand is I mean I am a taxpayer and.

A

A repair so sometimes when we call a sewer as a repair instead of a taxpayer, it seems that it's.

A

Not taxpayers that are paying it and usually they are, um but it's it's not something. That's tied to.

A

The general fund, and especially with lonza, contemplating on an expansion that required.

A

More water, before they contemplate an expansion that required less water through different.

A

Different uh things being used, they don't require as much water anymore and won't be using the sewer.

A

In the way that they were before so um they're not going to we're not going to have to outfit the.

A

Plant to support uh that and they won't be paying that back so um again, it's not. Unfortunately, we.

A

Can't build the 30 million dollar skate park out of it, although that would be pretty sweet.

A

um The uh we're gonna, but the money does go back to uh or it doesn't come out of rate pairs. So.

A

Hopefully, that's helpful, I'm happy to discuss it more when we get down to the miscellaneous or not.

A

Miscellaneous but information at the end there any other questions on the cip and, if not, I'd, wait a.

A

Motion to extend the public hearing to the march 6th meeting, that's all below. Second, all in favor.

A

Aye any opposed great next up, we have the discussion or the public hearing the adoption of.

A

Resolutions uh resolution pursuant to rsa 72 colon 39-b, the city here by amends the elderly exemption.

A

Based on assessed value for qualified taxpayers such that the exemption shall be available only.

A

When qualifying taxpayers have a net income of not more than an option, one is eight point.

A

Is an increase of uh 8.7 percent proposed increase of elder exemption by the social security cost of.

A

Living um single 50 137 increased of increase of four thousand uh 13 and married six thousand.

A

598 increase of five thousand uh 490 or option. Two is two point. I think that should read.

A

65, sorry, I think I should read 65 000 um and not six thousand and then option two.

A

Is two point: five: five percent per per proposed increase of voter exemption by the november to.

A

November consumer price index, with a single uh being a forty uh forty, seven thousand.

A

Three hundred dollars an increase of 1176 uh and married sixty four thousand dollars with.

A

717 increase of one thousand six hundred nine or option uh three uh doing nothing.

A

um So it would remain unchanged, except as amended here by so we have a presentation from roseanne.

A

Once um and then we'll have time for questions and then we go to the public hearing on this.

A

Many of you spoke in favor uh during the public comment and we'll weigh that in this discussion.

Z

Good evening mayor, my name is roseanne, I'm the assessor for the city of portsmouth.

Z

I'd like to tonight go over some of the income and asset requirements for the elderly exemption.

Z

And the options that we have brought before the city council for the increasing of these exemption.

Z

Amounts new hampshire state statutes, conditions to qualify for the elderly exemption are not limited.

Z

To but inclusive of a person must be a state resident for at least three consecutive years.

Z

In the state of new hampshire, the exemption has to be applied to their principal place of abode.

Z

And occupied the minimum statute requirements that the city can't go below are thirteen thousand four.

Z

Hundred dollars for a single person for income and twenty thousand four hundred for a married person.

Z

And the minimum asset requirements are thirty: five thousand next slide annually. We review the income.

Z

And asset levels for the elderly exemption and make recommendations. Last year the city council.

Z

Increased both the income and asset levels for qualifying elderly taxpayers for a single and may.

Z

For single, the exemption amount currently is 46 100 124 dollars for married sixty three thousand.

Z

One hundred and eight and the asset limit is five hundred thousand. Last year the city council chose.

Z

To increase the exemption amounts, 5.9 percent, which was the social security cola for 2022.

Z

This year, the social security cola for 2023 is 8.7 percent.

Z

Which means, if you chose to increase it by that amount, the single income um option.

Z

Would be 50 137 an increase of four thousand one hundred four thousand thirteen dollars.

Z

Mary would be sixty eight thousand five hundred and ninety eight dollars an increase of 5490.

Z

The 10-year rolling average, which is option two, would be a 2.55 percent increase single would be.

Z

Forty three thousand three hundred an increase of 1 176 dollars married, would be sixty four thousand.

Z

Seven hundred and seventeen dollars an increase of sixteen hundred and nine dollars option three.

Z

Is to do nothing, which means the income and asset levels would remain the same as last year.

Z

I've included a chart which shows where our meeting assessments have been since 2019 and.

Z

Where they are today and each one of these lines represents where the current asset or.

Z

Where the current exemption amount is in comparison to the median assessed value.

Z

So you can see for the 60 to 6 74 year old, which is the purple line they're about 50.

Z

Percent the exemption amount covers about 50 percent of the assessed value for age 75.

Z

To 90, which is the orange line, it's about 60 percent and age 80 plus, is about um 70 of the.

Z

Median assessment, so that's where the exemption is falling in comparison to the median assessment.

Z

The next slide is the impact. This just shows you how many.

Z

Exemptions we are currently giving and the revenue loss.

Z

The tax impact for the elderly and disabled exemption combined is about seven cents on the.

Z

Tax rate or approximately thirty four dollars a year on the single family, median tax bill.

Z

The next slide is just a comparison of where our local municipalities are in comparison to.

Z

Portsmouth portsmouth, this slide just shows it in alphabetical order, but I did give you other slides.

Z

um Previously, from the last meeting that show you, where that we are exactly in comparison to.

Z

The income assets in comparison to these other communities surrounding fort smith.

Z

We are pretty high in comparison.

Z

The next slide are just some demographic information that I.

Z

Received from censusreporter.org, which is based on the 2021 census, bureau reporting.

Z

So the median age within the city of portsmouth is 42.2.

Z

For our elderly, at 65 and over, they make up about 20 percent of our community.

Z

Ages, 18 to 64 make up 64 percent of our community and ages under 18 or about 15.

Z

Percent of our community. The next slide shows the income per capita and the median.

Z

Household income, so the average taxpayer in portsmouth makes about 62 756 dollars.

Z

And the median is 91 915. If you look at that number in comparison, where you want to increase.

Z

The assessed about or the income limits that 8.7 increase would make the income requirement at.

Z

Sixty eight thousand five hundred ninety eight dollars in comparison and the 10-year rolling.

Z

Average would be sixty four thousand seven hundred and seventeen dollars in comparison.

Z

The median value by the census says we are at forty, eight thousand four hundred eighty seven.

Z

Thousand nine hundred dollars we are actually for this year at four hundred.

Z

And eighty thousand one hundred dollars: that's the assessed value, not market value.

Z

The application process for the elderly exemption along with instructions are.

Z

On the city's assessor's web page tax mayor's payer may also come into the office and pick up.

Z

The application or call to have on mail this is important in order to comply for this exemption.

Z

On this cycle, we are in the process of doing a dra assessment review. All taxpayers wishing.

Z

To continue to receive the elderly exception will be required to refile their application this year.

Z

Which is due by april 15 2023., all new applicants will be required to file the same approve.

Z

Applications will have the adjustment reflected on the december 23 tax bill and the june 24 tax bill.

Z

Thank you. Thank you, roseanne any questions. Counselor cook aye. um We are informing those.

E

Who are applying this year that they do have to refile if they had received the tax exemption.

E

In the past, we send the letter out to every elderly taxpayer. That's received in the exemption.

Z

Notifying them that they have to refile. Thank you and we've sent that letter out already right.

A

Any other questions I'm just curious as how many um people would lose out on the other exemption. If.

AA

We don't go up by the social security increase. If you have any idea, I have no idea they're required.

Z

To file each year, so I would have to look at this year what their income levels are in comparison.

Z

To the increase, so there's really no way for me to know. I do know that if you just think about.

Z

It realistically, if we didn't increase it, they did get an 8.7 percent increase, so they'd be.

AA

Effective, so they probably some of them would be very close to not being able to get it. Thank you.

A

uh So roseanne um maybe a comment in a question uh once some of the question uh a speaker.

A

Mentioned uh a wish to have, and I believe you're here in the the room I wish to have a graduated.

A

um Income threshold with uh assets that they have is that allowed under the state statute.

A

As you understand it, I'm not 100 sure I've never seen a community do that. I know that um just the.

Z

Way, the statute is read, it gives just a limit for each age category and an income for each.

Z

um Income and asset level to do something like that would be um very difficult for my office.

Z

To do because every calculation would be different for every single taxpayer. It's.

A

Applying for the exemption, maybe the comment can help explain why we chose to go so far above our.

A

Our peers, the speaker, mentioned family members being on and drawing a pension that is counted.

A

As income, whereas it's not counted as an asset against them with a pension, correct.

Z

If you look at when we look at the application- and we see an individual, that's drawing from.

Z

Their retire or from their retirement from their asset, we really don't want to double dip. That.

Z

So we either will count it as an income or the asset, not both not want. We, we have to do one or.

Z

The other, so typically we go count it as income, because statute says income from all sources. They.

Z

Draw a 1099 off of that, so that would be counted as income and we will reduce it from our asset.

Z

Level: okay, but if say a a homeowner, a widowed homeowner has a does not have a a 401k but has.

A

A life insurance policy that was left to them through the death of their spouse and they are.

A

Drawing money off of that, how are we calculating that in the city of portsmouth the first year it.

Z

Wouldn't count the second year, it would count as an asset, it would count as an asset and that's.

A

For those that do not have um pensions in the city, but still living on a fixed income and a.

A

Limited in well a limited income and have say you know 25 30 years, hopefully just still.

A

You know be among us that 500 000 would have to to extend out over the life of you know.

A

Their life, if they're not earning any other, come at that at that moment correct all right.

A

What says the council do? We have a uh a motion to uh your honor? Don't is it.

A

A public hearing- oh that's right! We got the public hearing. Sorry public hearing speakers.

A

This is on the um elderly exemptions.

Q

Esther kennedy 41 pickering ave. First I'm sad to hear that I'm elderly! I didn't realize that.

Q

So uh that's kind of a sad thing, but I'm happy to be part of that. That group now.

Q

um I guess uh I really would hope that you would go with option. One.

Q

um I think that one of our goals should be to keep our those people that have given so much to.

Q

The community have lived there and many of them have given to our united states in various ways.

Q

um I would be sad to see us not go with option one and look at.

Q

The 8.7 percent and then give a reduced rate for on street dining.

Q

As someone who has a niece who has served and will be getting out soon,.

Q

And would meet the criterias of the veterans benefit? I really am.

Q

Pleased and proud of what our veterans do and I think it's we owe it as a city.

Q

To thank them, and if this is a one small way we can do it, I would hope we would do it.

Q

I do worry that we don't really take enough time to support. Our population is aging.

Q

As a city, and I think I would encourage us to really think about the gifts they've given.

Q

And looking at this as one way to get back, I've always said this is.

Q

The one thing that we should give the most we can to and.

Q

I do want us to remember that I know we heard tonight that you.

Q

Know we were talking about different things for the cip, but water sewer.

Q

Potentially storm water, and now it looks like the city is going to look at electric.

Q

um And not even ask if people are going to move to it or not they're just going to move people and.

Q

Hope people see it online and move back, which is another whole thing. I think you should talk about.

Q

Those are all increasing.

Q

So this might be a little micro thing that we can do, but I would hope that you would look at.

Q

All those things and maybe look at an elderly benefit which I've heard some communities are.

Q

um For those people for water and sewer, and uh also thank you, thank you, esther any other speakers.

A

Seeing none rise, any other council questions. Oh that's gonna make a motion if we're ready sure.

X

um Or I move that we approve option, one which is a 8.7 percent.

X

Increase to match the social security cost of living increase. Second, and uh just doing some.

X

Quick calculations, if my numbers are correct, we have 125 residents who are taking advantage of.

X

This currently, the majority of them are over the age of 80., and I think, if we didn't do.

X

This increase some of those red incidents wouldn't be able to stay in their homes.

A

um Any further comment: council, tabor uh yeah. I think roseanne points out the 8.7 increase.

AB

In social security this year, so it would be a shame if we uh didn't bring the income threshold.

AB

Up so that people would, in the end, get a nice bump on their social security, but lose this.

AB

Of exemption- hey councilor tabor, there was one slide that jumped out on me is the uh is where we.

A

Stack up against other communities and by adopting option one we would put ourselves back in the pole.

A

Position a position that we have enjoyed uh since uh council tabor. I believe I remember.

A

It was our first year on the council together, where you questioned. Could we do more on this.

A

um And had many fruitful conversations with roseanne, who was well in favor of doing more.

A

For the city of portsmouth and well, you won't toot your own horn. Here we are in the position.

A

To do more tonight because of of the questions that you posed, you know just uh four years ago.

A

Now so I'm looking forward to supporting this uh without counselor blaylock. Thank you, governor.

Y

I just agree with everything: that's been said. um I appreciate counselor bagger making this motion.

Y

I think supporting the asian population and the disabled, it it. They operate on a fixed income and.

Y

I think it's important to support them and I know cost of everything is going up. So when you live.

Y

On a fixed income, it makes it very hard, so all in favor hi any opposed, seeing none the option. One.

A

Eight points per 8.7 percent carries next up uh resolution pursuant to rsa 72 colon 39-b, the.

A

City hereby amends the disabled exemption based on assessed value for qualified taxpayers such that.

A

The exemption shall be based on assessed value for qualified taxpayers such that the exemption.

A

Shall be available only when the qualifying taxpayers have a net income not more than.

A

um Option one is 8.7 uh percent um proposed to increase the disabled exemption by the social.

A

Security cost leveling increase option. Two is two point: five five percent uh proposed.

A

Increase of disabled exemption by the november to november uh consumer price index or option three.

A

Of doing nothing which would leave the disabled exemption unchanged, except as amended air by.

A

um We have any council questions, this is similar, but we have a presentation as well.

Z

Z

This, in order to qualify for the disabled exemption, a person who is eligible needs to meet.

Z

The criteria under title ii or title 16 of the federal social security act for benefits for the.

Z

Disabled exemption is applied only to the property which is occupied as a principal place of abode.

Z

A new hampshire resident has to have been here for five years and again, the minimum state.

Z

Requirements are exactly the same as the elderly. Thirteen thousand four hundred dollars income.

Z

Level for single twenty thousand four hundred for married and net assets not to exceed thirty five.

Z

Thousand same as with the elderly exemption last year, our exemption amount was forty. Six.

Z

Thousand one twenty four: our married amount was 63 108 and our assets were five hundred thousand.

Z

This year for 2023 8.7 percent is social security. Increase single would increase to fifty thousand.

Z

One hundred and thirty seven dollars an increase of four thousand thirteen dollars married would.

Z

Increase sixty eight thousand five. Ninety eight, an increase of five thousand four hundred and.

Z

Ninety dollars that november to november single would be forty three thousand three hundred an.

Z

Increase of one thousand one hundred and seventy six dollars married would be sixty four thousand.

Z

Seven seventeen an increase of sixteen hundred and nine dollars. Again you have the option.

Z

Of doing nothing, which means those levels would stay the same as they were this year.

Z

This is a chart of where we were in 2019 in comparison to where the.

Z

Exemption amount is today and to the median assessed value so right now the.

Z

Disabled individuals are receiving about 50 off of their meeting and assessed value.

Z

Again, this is just an impact, it would be seven cents on the tax rate for the.

Z

Elderly and disabled or thirty four dollars per year on the median single-family tax bill.

Z

Foreign chart as the comparison for the elderly and then all the statistics are the same. It shows.

Z

You, the median age in the city of portsmouth, the median and at or bridge income um in portsmouth.

Z

Where our median assessed value is.

Z

And again, similar to the elderly exemption applications need to be refiled in the city.

Z

Of portsmouth and new applications need to be filed in the city of portsmouth and need to be.

Z

Received in the office by april, 15 2023. again, if approved, the assessments or the.

Z

Adjustments were reflected on the december 23 tax bill on the june 24th tax bill for 2024.

A

Anchors and any questions.

A

Seeing nono open the public hearing any public hearing speakers.

A

All right, um we will close the public hearing any additional questions of the council.

AC

Councilman bardi I'll just make the motion. Let me um to move that we select option one. uh The the.

AC

220 2023 increase for social security represent recipients is eight point seven and it goes along.

AC

Pretty much exactly like the last one, so second any further discussion, all in favor.

A

Aye any opposed seeing none, we have next the veterans, tax right and then.

A

City manager was kind enough to ask me to do something differently on this, for the.

A

Way that need to be adopted. If I may, the roseanne brought to my attention that it would be best to.

V

Suspend the rules and take e before d, because the statute calls for the all-veterans tax.

V

Exemption to be the same as the optional, so that would mean we'd want to do optional. First,.

V

Which is listed as e so moved? Second, okay, all in favor, sorry for the rules.

AC

um I just I have to talk to this. um I think that.

AC

I'm a veteran- I am, um I am part of this, so that I have to excuse myself from this world. Thank.

AC

You vince this is to suspend the rules to bring up e before d, all in favor aye, any abstentions.

A

Any nose all right. um This is the resolution that, pursuant to 72 colon.

A

27A, the city of portsmouth hereby re-adops the provisions of the optional veterans, tax credit.

A

Pursuant to rsa 72 colon 28, section 2 in the amount of 750 on the taxes due.

A

On the residential real estate of any resident, who is a veteran, is to find an rsa 21 colon 50.

A

And served out less than 90 days on active service in the armed forces of the united states. In any.

A

Qualifying war or armed conflict listed in this section and continues to serve or was honorably.

A

Discharged or an officer who continues to serve or was honorably separated from service or the.

A

Spouse of surviving spouse of such resident, provided that training for active duty by a.

A

Member of the national guard or reserve shall be included as service under this subparagraph or.

A

Who was terminated from the armed forces because of service-connected disability or the surviving.

A

Spouse of such resident or the surviving spouse of any resident who suffered a service-connected.

A

Death uh we will hear from roseanne on this presentation good evening. So the reason for the.

Z

Further required by new hampshire, which the legislature passing and governor sununu signing.

Z

um Into law house bill 1667 amending the eligibility requirements or criteria for certain.

Z

Disabled veterans credits so effective on july 26 2022 the bill amended rsa 7228a, which is the.

Z

Standard and optional veterans, tax credit and also rsa 7228b, the all veterans tax credit to expand.

Z

The eligibility requirement of the veterans tax credit to include individuals who are not who have.

Z

Not yet been discharged from service in the armed forces, so basically you needed to be discharged.

Z

In order to receive a veterans credit now, you can be active duty and service and receive this credit.

Z

Foreign tax credit at the existing amount or at a new amount, must be re-adopted pursuant to rsi.

Z

7227A to remain in place and include the expanded eligibility requirements effective april 1st 2023.

Z

So if you don't increase the exemption amounts tonight and you do not re-adop the exemption.

Z

Amount tonight it will revert back to the state statute, minimum criteria of fifty dollars.

AD

Z

Sorry, my fingers are not working.

Z

Conditions for the optional veterans, tax, credit upon adoption by town or city pursuant to rsa.

Z

7228A shall be an amount from 51 to 750. So if you re-adopt at 750 tonight, that's the maximum.

Z

Amount that veterans credit will be allowed. The optional tax credit shall replace the.

Z

Standard veterans, tax credit in its entirety and shall not be in addition to thereof, which.

Z

Means you can't receive the exemption more than once either the standard veterans, tax.

Z

Credit or the optional of extra taxes, tax credit shall be subtracted each year from the property.

Z

Tax on the veterans, residential property, however, the surviving spouse of a resident.

Z

Who suffered in service-connected death may have the amount subtracted from the property.

Z

Tax on any real property in the municipality, where the surviving spouse is a resident.

Z

The next goes over what the mayor just stated: the qualification requirements and also what.

Z

The service qualifying and what war and armed conflict are allowed. This is going.

Z

To be, this presentation is going to be on the assessor's web page for anybody that wants to.

Z

Look at this: this is some good information to see if you qualify for this credit.

Z

And I won't go over everything you already did that.

Z

This next page shows the amount of optional veterans, the city currently.

Z

Gives the tax credit to they're about 660 that are receiving it?.

Z

If expanded, the tax credit, if approved, would impact the tax rate by three cents.

Z

Or approximately fourteen dollars per year on the median single family tax bill.

Z

Any adjustment, if a proof would be for fiscal year 24 or tax year, 23 new applicants.

Z

Must submit an application and required documentation by april 15 2023 in order.

Z

To qualify, applications for the veterans, tax credit are available in the assessor's office.

Z

Further information concerned in the application process and required documentations are also.

Z

Available on the assessor's web page, thank you. Thank you. Roseanne. Are there any questions frozen.

A

Just one: if there is a a spouse that was previously receiving this, they will be notified or.

A

um A spouse that has passed that has previously been receiving this that.

A

Spouse will be notified, their surviving spouse will be notified. We typically notify anytime. We.

Z

See a change: okay, yeah! Thank you any uh no more questions, uh first by any um public speakers.

A

All right got the way from george. um We will take your comments for.

A

Public comment and appreciate uh them any additional uh public comment or questions.

A

Of the council and I'd wait a motion to adopt the resolution as presented so moved. Second,.

A

And any other comment: can we should close the public hearing? Oh, I hereby close the public.

A

Hearing after the motion thank your honor uh like counselor lombardi, I would qualify for.

W

This tax credit- unless maybe no, I don't own residential property, so I'm not going to be.

W

Recusing myself, I wanted to thank roseanne and the your team for bringing this forward as soon.

W

As the legislation was signed into law back in november, I reached out drafted my own resolution.

W

Which, then, you guys definitely helped out with, and um this would max out what we could give.

W

Veterans, those who serve during certain conflict and during that time period, although they didn't.

W

Deploy just like this council maxed out the amount that disabled veterans can now receive.

A

Thank you, councilor den and you're correct on on two things. One. This is the maximum limit allowed.

A

By the state, and is a subdivision of the state of new hampshire were bound by what we are allowed.

A

To do through the state of new hampshire and the governor had not point to on that. The governor.

A

Had not yet signed the law, and I don't know if the ink was dry on the votes that passed.

A

It- and we had already received an email from you requesting us to vote on this and your credit to.

A

The city of portsmouth and work incredibly hard for all residents, but especially for veterans and.

A

Making sure that the uh the service that they have given our country in our city is thanked.

A

In any possible way, the city council can so thank you, councilor denton, for your work on this.

A

All in favor aye, aye aye any opposed any abstentions. Yes, when abstention, no post.

A

Now we will go back.

A

To section d, this is the.

A

Se, these things they're worth the time, but they are there's a lot of reading here and if I found.

A

Out last time, roseanne, would you rather read this or do you know, is going to be the basically the.

Z

Same thing, okay, so I will go through this for the record resolution that, pursuant to 72 colon.

A

27-A, the city of portsmouth hereby re-adops the provisions of the all veterans, tax credit.

A

Pursuant to rsa 72.28 b to be the same amount as the optional veterans tax credit under rsa.

A

72 colon 28. on the taxes due on the residential real estate of any resident, who is a veteran as.

A

Defined in rsa 21 colon 50 and served no less than 90 days in active service in the armed forces of.

A

The united states and continues to serve or was honorably discharged or an officer who continued.

A

To deserve, or is honorably separated from service of the spouse of the surviving spouse of such.

A

Resident provided that training for active duty or state active duty by a member of the national.

A

Guard or reserve shall be included as service under this paragraph, provided, however, that the.

A

Person is not eligible for and is not receiving a credit under rsa 72 cohen 20, 28, rsa 72, colon 35.

A

And this is the presentation to say that this just covers everybody else. That's not covered.

A

By the previous one that we passed basically great presentation so again the re-adoption is required.

Z

By statute, because of what um the law and the changes were, um so if the city does not re-adopt.

Z

The all veterans tax credit, this stays at 750 dollars, because you just change.

Z

The optional, but we are required, no matter what to re-adopt the all veterans, tax credit.

Z

So the all veterans, tax credit at the existing amount or at a new amount must be re-adopted.

Z

Pursuant to rsa 27a, in order for us to keep the all veterans tax credit on the books, if.

Z

They'll uh all veterans, tax credit is not adopted, then um standard tax credit. This doesn't apply.

Z

Because it's it's very difficult to explain with this one, if you don't re-adop the all veterans.

Z

Tax credit, then that tax credit would go away, it wouldn't be reduced amount. It would just go away.

Z

The credit granted shall be the same as the amount of the optional tax credit. If you re-adopt it.

Z

The all veterans, tax credit shall be subtracted each year from our property's tax bill. It's.

Z

On a resident value of the residential property similar to the other, optional factors, tax, credit.

Z

Person shall qualify if the person is a resident of the state who served not less than 90 days.

Z

And active duty has been honorable, the honorably discharged or an officer on honorably separated.

Z

Or the spouse or surviving spouse of such resident.

Z

Provided that to title 10, training for active duty by a member of a national guard or reserve shall.

Z

Be included as service under this paragraph provided, however, the person is not eligible.

Z

And not receiving the tax credit for rsa 7228, rsa 7235. I believe this all veterans, tax credit.

Z

Was to grab the reserve and the guard into the veterans credit category, so they could receive it.

Z

That's the difference between the all veterans and the optional.

Z

Currently, we have 69 all veterans or veterans receiving the all veterans, tax credit.

Z

Combined for the optional and they all veterans, it's about three cents.

Z

On the tax rate or 14 per year on the median single family tax bill.

Z

Any adjustment, if approved, would be for fiscal year 24 tax year 23. New applicants must submit.

Z

An application to the assessor's office by april 15, 23. applications for the veterans. Credit are.

Z

Available in the assessor's office- and we all have also have information online about the.

Z

Requirements and how to qualify for the veterans, tax, credit for the old veterans, tax credit.

Z

Thank you very much roseanne any questions for roseanne.

A

Did great any public speakers uh too far against seeing none rise? I wait a motion.

A

To adopt the resolution as presented so loved? Second, all in favor. Oh sorry,.

A

Yep I may the um it was very controversial for years before the all veterans, tax credit existed.

W

Because the optional or standard tax credit was only for veterans who served during particular.

W

Time frames regardless, if you deployed so when this came out a lot of veterans in the state.

W

Were relieved that they could get a tax credit if their town or miss paley adopted it and when.

W

I brought this forward six years ago. It was a 5-4 vote filed by another 5-4 vote and I am.

W

Look forward to it not being as divisive. Well, your advocacy on this issue is has led it to be.

A

A very straightforward: I would expect another 8-0 on this, but we'll take to the vote.

A

Any other comment question all in favor aye, any opposed any abstentions. If they.

A

Or an abstention. Thank you. Thank you, council denton. Thank you roseanne good night. I don't.

A

Think you got anything left to do um all right. So am I getting the sense that maybe want to take a.

A

Bathroom break we've been here since 5 30, so uh 10 minute recess and we'll bring it back. Thank you.

A

All right welcome back um donna. I would like to motion to suspend the rules to bring forward item.

W

Number 16 b, which is the approval emergency management performance grant agreement. Second,.

A

All in favor all right any opposed seeing none. We have the approval of emergency med management.

A

Performance grant 79 910 and at a weight of motion to accept the terms of the emergency management.

A

Performance grant has presented the amount of 79 910 for emergency operations, center equipment.

A

Furthermore, the city council acknowledges that the total cost of this project will be 79 910.

A

In which this, this city will be responsible for a fifty percent uh match of thirty nine thousand.

A

Nine hundred and fifty five dollars further city manager, conard mayor mccackrin and fire chief bill.

A

Mcclellan are authorized to sign all documents related to the grant so moved. Second, any questions.

A

uh Councilor cook, can I just.

V

Can I do do you want to speak to her.

V

Please please seeing that he stayed home.

A

Speak to this and any other questions uh good evening. uh uh Thank you, uh mr.

AE

Mayor and thank you for the question counselor cook, uh the the monies were already expensed.

AE

By the city, this is a magic grant. We outlaid this in uh the previous fiscal.

AE

Year, when we did some technology upgrades to that facility out there, thank you sure.

A

I think chief, uh seeing that this is a vote to get the city 39 955. I will uh will call.

A

The question all in favor aye aye any opposed.

X

Although I think it was 79 000. and our fifth, our portion was 39., that's right, but we get.

Q

39. we get 39., we've spent 39 to get 39. yeah, so.

P

All right we'll bring it back to the city managers items which require action. Thank you. Your honor.

V

First, up is approval of a revision to a recently approved memorandum of agreement for the school.

V

District para, educators and police civilian employees association, and I should mention.

V

For the next three items I am joined via zoom by our labor attorney tom clawson. In case you have.

V

Any questions of him, but I under item one. The request is to approve the revised agreement as.

V

Presented and tom in the uh wish to be completely transparent, wanted to make sure that everyone.

V

Knows the actual language and the moa initially was unclear and confusing it did read uh instead.

V

Of starting january 1st 2023, it initially referred to the first full pay period after.

V

Mutual ratification- this is just to make sure everyone is clear. The start date is jan 1, 2023.

AC

Page 54. I'd wait a motion to approve the revised agreement as presented so moved. Second,.

A

Any questions moreau usually picks up on all these little nuances, but appreciate being able.

A

To correct this, all in favor aye any opposed. Thank you. Next up is approval of the collective.

V

Bargaining agreement with the non-supervisory cafeteria personnel, as discussed in non-public.

V

Session at our last meeting, this is a proposed three-year collective bargaining agreement. It.

V

Is not funded through the general fund, it is federally funded and the total cost increase.

V

Which would bring the rate of pay from 1250 to 15 will be borne by lunch sales and federal grants.

V

Looking for a motion to approve click, second, any discussion, all in favor aye any opposed.

V

Number three would be approval of the portsmouth supervisory management alliance. Memorandum of.

V

Understanding regarding a position we refer to as the assistant chief plant operator,.

V

Essentially, the request is to increase that position from a grade 13 to a grade 15 on.

V

Our salary schedule, what we did we, this was an oversight on the salary structure.

V

Schedule as initially contemplated where the assistant chief plant operator dropped below.

V

The person they would be supervising, which is the treatment plant form in position so.

V

This would serve to rectify that issue, and the director of public works has requested this to.

V

Help us attract and retain a qualified candidate for this important position.

A

I'd wait: a motion to pass the approve, the memorandum of understanding as presented.

A

uh So moved, second, all in favor, aye aye any opposed.

V

I think that's it for tom good night, tom bye tom night item number four.

V

Out of four is the request for a temporary construction license for 89-99 foundry place.

V

uh Back in 2017 and as amended in 2020, the planning board granted site plan approval for the.

V

Development of a mixed-use building for property located at 89-99 foundry place, the property was.

V

Conveyed to foundry place llc back in 2017, the current owner intends to convey the property to.

V

Residences at foundry place llc the future owner, so that both entities will execute and be bound by.

V

The terms of this temporary construction license the construction mitigation and management plan.

V

Which was signed this past october identified temporary encumbrances for project related work.

V

Which is common during a project's construction, a reminder to the council and to the public that is.

V

Part of the settlement with dsa the settlement included the waiver of any on all license fees.

V

Payable to the city for use or encumbrance of city property applicable to construction to the.

V

Projects located for lot 6.- the license requested here this evening, is to use 60 square feet of.

V

Pavement and 1112 square feet of unimproved land that abuts the subject: property along foundry.

V

Place for 550 days, which would commence march 20th of this year and wrap up september 19th of 2024.

V

This request is to enable the owner to construct the project and provide a safety perimeter for.

V

The public along foundry place, which is the road to the garage signage, will be required.

V

To redirect pedestrians and the owner will be required to apply for separate flagging permits.

V

When deliveries in cumber foundry place, both legal and planning have approved the form the attached.

V

License- and we are looking for your approval here tonight- wait a motion to authorize the city.

A

Manager accept, execute and accept the temporary construction license for the term of march 20th.

A

2023 through september 19, 2034, sorry 19th 2024.. So I moved any discussion.

A

Seeing none all in favor aye any opposed. Thank you next up. Thank you. uh City manager,.

A

Is the consent agenda uh at a way to motion to adopt the consent agenda so moved? Second.

A

All in favor aye aye any opposed all right.

A

Next is the email correspondence uh wait, a motion to accept and place on file so move okay,.

A

All in favor aye all opposed. I need a post next up a letter from perry silverstein regarding outdoor.

A

Dining rate structure way to motion to accept and place on file. Second, all in favor aye opposed.

A

On to the council, uh under my name, I have appointments to be voted to the public arts.

A

Review blue ribbon committee I'd wait a motion to appoint paul burke, christine dwyer ellen.

A

Feinberg beth hartnett, jen, meister, alyssa, murphy, nancy, nancy pearson, robert thorson.

A

Robert white and mara whistling so moved. Second, any discussion just want to thank.

A

Everyone for stepping up and willing to serve as arthur parrott stated eloquently.

A

Today, this is a a great way to maybe not have fun. Although this committee sounds.

A

Like a lot of fun, but to really experience what it means to give back to portsmouth.

A

Gunter cook, uh thank you, your honor. um I just wanted to highlight that we're very fortunate.

E

To have this particular group of people volunteer to serve in the public art review committee and.

E

uh The reason we're so lucky is several of them have worked on arts issues for the city. For many.

E

Many years, including with art, speak before it was voluntarily dissolved many years ago,.

E

And the recommendations came forward from art speak to establish a public art review.

E

Committee and the council followed suit this year, which I am very thankful for, and we are.

E

We are very lucky to have people with this level of expertise and experience in this area to serve.

A

Councilor cook, for you work on this and for those willing to serve all in favor.

A

Aye any opposed all right, we're on to counselor tabor counselor.

A

Denton and counselor cook members of the energy advisory committee- four is yours: thanks mayor.

AB

um I would propose a motion that we approve the energy aggregation plan as developed by.

AB

The energy advisory committee in this tonight's packet and submit it to the public utilities.

AB

Commission for approval second, second, okay, and uh I think I'll let the co-sponsors go first,.

AB

Any remarks they'd like to make I'll be short and sweet. Thank you for inviting me to join.

W

You on this motion it'll actually be five years next meeting that the city council adopted our.

W

Renewable energy policy to achieve net zero energy- and this is a big step as far as what.

W

The council could actually do to achieve that, and I also love the fact that one of the members of.

W

That renewable energy committee uh ben is still serving on this committee, giving his expertise.

W

So uh kudos to you, councilor, lazenby, councilor cook and all the volunteers on this committee.

AE

Councilor cook, thank you, your honor. um I first want to thank counselor tabor for.

E

His leadership on this issue, it's an honor to serve on the energy advisory committee.

E

With councilor tabor and with our volunteers on that committee, there's a lot of expertise.

E

On the committee, as you can see from the the information you have in your packet and I hope.

E

That we move forward tonight and adopt our energy aggregation plan so that we can join the coalition.

U

Okay- and uh I hope that we covered most of your questions at the work session last week, if not.

AB

It may be the many pounds of material that are in tonight's packet, um but at the end of the day, if.

AB

You came to believe through that work session that we can provide our residents with some rate relief.

AB

Our small businesses too, let's vote for the plan, if you believe we can offset some of these high.

AB

Energy spikes in prices by building a strong financial reserve. We should vote for this and.

AB

If you think that we can fulfill our residents desire to buy more clean energy, which would then.

AB

Reduce our carbon footprint, we should vote for this and, if you believe the program can enable.

AB

Us- and this is the exciting part to me- to fund solar and wind and hydro projects later in the.

AB

Decade and sell that renewable energy back to our residents and businesses, we should vote for this.

AB

So it's no cost to the taxpayers. It's funded completely out of build revenue and.

AB

I think the other feature that's important, is it's very flexible and voluntary after the.

AB

Notification users will see the community power rate, but they can choose to stay with eversource.

AB

I think the price will be higher if they want to do that and it'll be dirtier power, but they'll.

AB

Have that option and uh and then people on third-party suppliers- and I know a lot of.

AB

People have approached me because they buy from direct energy or companies like that they don't.

AB

Have to worry, they'll get the letter, but nothing will happen to them until their contract is up.

AB

And then they can decide to opt in or not so those are the benefits like any startup.

AB

There's risks but to mitigate those risks. Let's remember we have another couple of months to.

AB

Watch how this rolls out in exeter and ryan, it's great to see that support from those communities.

AB

um They're going to go first, we'll watch and be fast followers, and- and we have we're not committed.

AB

Yet until we do two more documents, um the member service contract and the cautionary agreement and.

AB

Then, in april we would make the decision to move ahead if we want to stay on our june schedule.

AB

So um it's also the case that, if anything is proving too risky, we can back out in our residents.

AB

Don't have any contractual obligations, so I think it's when you compare the benefits with the risks.

AB

I think it's it's overall in the best interest of the city to do this. Thank you very much. Council.

A

Tabor council bluff. Thank you girl um and thank you, council, chamber and councilor cook and council.

Y

Denton for bringing this forward, I was able to do my homework and watch the work session from last.

Y

Week it was only an hour and 45 minutes, but uh it was a lot of good discussion um from my point.

Y

Of view, I it seems like this only provides the residents more options for businesses, more options.

Y

um Some relief possibility a benefit and really no risk, so I'm all for the supportive of this and.

Y

In the fact that we can creative fund that that could possibly lead to more greener energy in the.

Y

Future, I think, is just another win, but thank you for all your work. I know this has been a.

Y

Long time coming to fruition- and I think this is a positive for all of portsmouth councilman.

A

I echo a lot of the comments that counselor um blaylock just said and just add to it that it's.

AA

For the amount of flexibility in the least amount of risk, it seems like it's a pretty easy decision.

A

Any other comments, I would also just emphasize the fact that the option for uh much cleaner energy is really.

AC

One of the important pieces of this, as well as low rates.

AB

Yeah- and we should be- we should manage expectations about the rates. These will.

AB

Be you know five to ten percent savings. These are not gigantic savings, um but I.

AB

Think those will grow over time, because this is a non-profit and all the money. That's going.

AB

To people you buy energy from now as profit goes back into either your pocket or reserve.

A

Thank you, council, tabor and councilor denton and councilor cook for the work on this. The work in.

A

The work session um answered all of my questions, there's always a concern for me and I think many.

A

If, if we're going to give government any sort of power, I you know raised a skeptic in the live for.

A

Your diet state, but it works because we're we're taking away the power from uh folks in the utility.

A

Company that never intended to have that power in the beginning, as we learned utilities, were meant.

A

To be the fallback and that's you know, they only had to go out to bid two times a year and we see.

A

The price fluctuations, especially as we've gone from being a net importer of natural gas to next.

A

At porter, exporter of of natural gas we're much more uh fluctuating when it comes to the market.

A

Even here in our in our regional uh area- and so this gives us more control, really taking the power.

A

Away from what the state decides, utilities can do to what our organization decides, that we can.

A

Do now there was a question of opt-in versus opt out. This works because we opt everybody in and you.

A

Still have options in that you're not going to be opted in as counselor tabor said. If you have.

A

Already gone to a uh a third party power provider, you have to opt in yourself. Second, you have the.

A

Option of going with the lowest prices council table points five to ten percent savings. That's.

A

You know, given the option of paying the same or less, I'm always going to pay less as everybody.

A

Will and we're giving that option to our residents and we're also giving the option to go green and.

A

We're going to get some stats on that there's a lot of people that that want to to live up to the.

A

The mantra of an eco municipality well we'll get to we'll get the data and we'll show how.

A

Many people commit their their pocketbooks uh to that and I'm I'm expecting fort smith to show up.

A

There as well, so I really am incredibly impressed by the work that started with you and councilor.

A

Lazenby and has grown to include counselor cook and counselor denton. We are truly blessed in the.

A

City of portsmouth have this, and this is one of the things that we're going to look back on in 10 years and say that was a real winner. I wonder why I took uh so long, so thank you for that and.

A

All in favor aye aye any opposed I'd just like to thank two by name our energy advisory committee.

AB

Allison tanner ben d'ant, antonio peter samsich and tom rooney and, of course, kevin charette,.

AB

Strong committee, good brains, a lot of industry knowledge, it's impressive! Thank you again, guys.

A

For the the hard work council moreau, yes, thank you. um I will make our original motion.

AA

And request a vote for that before I move on. But I'd like to move to suspend the rules to.

AA

Bring back forward outdoor dining policy for action and discussion excited a roll call vote.

A

It's because we have to it has to get to six assistant mayor kelly. Yes,.

B

Concert taper: yes, counselor den. No council monroe; yes, council, bagley, no council lombardi; yes, yes, no.

B

Mayor mckechron, yes, motion, passes six to three all right and then I would uh make a motion that.

AA

We moved to change the policy based off of the updates that I attached that are in your packet.

AA

If I get a second I'll talk to it, I'll second.

AA

um It sort of you know back when we first reviewed this policy now two meetings ago, I actually had.

AA

Requested that we take our time- and you know postpone it for a meeting so that we could really.

AA

Think about it and look into it that didn't happen, and it came to my attention after the fact that.

AA

um We really weren't being fair across the board that I think that we were trying to push through.

AA

Some stuff that was going to actually um change the policies in a way that would be either hard.

AA

On staff and or difficult for um people who are you know, everyone deserves a fair shot, we're all.

AA

Businesses, well not all I'm a business owner in this town, but I don't own a business like downtown.

AA

Or retail- and I don't get to take advantage of these- so it would be nice to feel like at least.

AA

Every downtown business had a fair shot at doing everything, and it all being, at least at a similar.

AA

Cost and when we talk about fifteen hundred dollars per per spark parking spot and then we.

AA

Look at our prior policy on the sidewalk dining that all really averages out to be ten dollars.

AA

A square foot if you're paying ten dollars on a sidewalk and you get 150 square foot on average.

AA

At a parking space, it all works out to be about ten dollars a square foot, so it just seems to make.

AA

Simple sense for the moment to have everything be the same and be equal, and if we want to change.

AA

That and really look into revising our policy from 2012. Then I think we should do that, but I think.

AA

It's going to take some time and a little bit more public input in order to be able to figure out.

AA

What would be fair across the board, and I also think that we need to least try to recoup some.

AA

Of the costs that we spend administrating these policies because there is quite a bit that goes.

AA

Into the staff time to actually put these policies into place so in requesting that that's what I.

AA

Have been told is that the ten dollars per square foot was what in 2012 was considered the cost to.

AA

Administer the policy, and now it's probably even more than that, so I feel like that. We're.

AA

At a price where we're probably losing money per square foot based off of the fee, so that was why.

AA

I wanted to bring forward some changes and to just try to make the level playing field for everyone.

AE

I I do take exception to some of those comments. um Counselor cook and I spent a great deal of time.

X

Working on this, we felt it was important to bring something forward so that the restaurants would.

X

Have enough time to prepare for the new season, uh we shortened the season greatly. We have new.

X

Requirements with platforms with different types of tables as a council, we voted and approved.

X

And the restaurant for free to then go out and buy all this equipment now, we've rescinded that.

X

So they don't know what to expect. So I we suspended the rules. I wish we.

X

Hadn't, but we had so, I think, we're being pennywise and pound foolish. So in 2018.

X

um From the periods of the first of may to the end of september, our parking revenue was 1.516.

X

Million dollars from on street meters, we had five restaurants, use the sidewalk.

X

uh Dining for a total of 19 310 in fees in 2019, we collected 1.591 million in on street meters during.

X

That period and we had six restaurants for a total of 21 819 fees in 2020. Of course, uh revenue was.

X

Only just over a million dollars we had no fees in 2021, we collected, 1.643 million and fees were once.

X

Again, zero in 2022 this past year. In this time period we collected, 1.842 million and fees were.

X

109 210 for a total of 1.951 million. So if you do the math really quickly in 2022, we had our best.

X

Parking revenue generation year ever by three hundred and fifty thousand dollars a substantial.

X

Increase- and we also had 42 percent more turnover during those months than we did during the winter.

X

Months, which means that people were staying for a shorter period of time when people uh park in.

X

A economic zone like this, the first few hours that they're in the zone is when their spend.

X

Per hour is the highest so we're generating the best possible revenue for our shops and.

X

For our restaurants, when this is happening now, there's a lot of ways you can parse those numbers.

X

um I thought the the best way was just on street parking meter fees, because.

X

um That makes the most sense in my mind, but there there's transient fees that we get at.

X

Both garages, there's monthly, passes that we get at both garages there's uh when somebody's doing.

X

A construction project and they pay for a parking spot uh for all the revenue time we generate all.

X

Those numbers so during that six month uh period for those five years in 2018, the total revenue of.

X

The parking department was 3.77 million in 2019, the total revenue was 4.08 million in 2020. Once.

X

Again, the the very down year was 2.635 million in 2021 it was 4.194 million and last year it was.

X

4.541 million, so what we are showing is that we have massive increases in revenue and the.

X

Reason we have these massive increases in revenue is because people want to be in our downtown. They.

X

Don't go downtown because there's parking they are willing to go downtown and pay for.

X

Parking because it's so desirable, so I feel like we're being pennywise it bad foolish. With this.

X

um We are going to definitely see a reduction down to outdoor dining. This year we had 44 restaurants.

X

Side up, as you know, we've eliminated three now from contention, which is uh 11 865 worth of fees.

X

We are now taking some outdoor dining places that last year had a fee of around 700 and there will.

X

Now be a two thousand dollar minimum: will they participate again or not? I don't know, I think a.

X

Lot of places, especially on vaughn mall, will go with a smaller area area, a smaller area, they're.

X

Not going to have to pay as much in fees, but that's not revenue generating part of the city.

X

We don't collect parking revenue from sidewalks, we don't collect parking revenue from traveled.

X

Lanes we don't collect parking revenue from streets that are closed. That's why the city.

X

Originally said that we should have a lower tier for those places, because what we were trying to.

X

Do was to encourage outdoor dining, which we hoard overwhelmingly from residents that they wanted to.

X

See us continue, we have the data to back it up that it has been a financial windfall for the.

X

City, so I don't understand why we're messing with the success councilor, bagley, councilor, playlocker,.

Y

Thank you honor. um I think that's good that our parking revenue has gone up. I think that's awesome.

Y

It shows that it's not a direct correlation between outdoor dining and parking spaces.

Y

Taken up it just would become more popular. There's gonna be a lot of factors I um that lead into that.

Y

um I think here with counselor moreau's motion, I think before we made a mistake, there was some.

Y

Loopholes, some people got what other people got for half the price. It wasn't fair across the board.

Y

um I myself didn't realize that, right away until some residents brought it to my attention, the.

Y

Second, I realized. I made a mistake, though I would like to correct that mistake.

Y

um I'm not going to just live by the mistake, even though I know I made it on my piece of.

Y

Paper here some things crossed out because I made a mistake earlier, so I crossed it out.

Y

um That's what I teach at the football you know the football field, that's what I teach in the.

Y

Baseball field, if you know you screwed up, then you should probably correct it as soon as possible.

Y

um I think here this applying a ten dollar fee per square foot, um sending a cap on the.

Y

Decomposting, I think this is more fair to restaurant shops, to the taxpayers that have paid.

Y

For these sidewalks, um I think it is fair across the board um I know prior to covet. I I had some.

Y

Friends, restaurant owners that paid for outdoor space on the sidewalk. This goes more along with.

Y

The fees that they paid but those they updated their businesses for many many years and were able.

Y

To you know, pay that fee and that's the way it's always been. So I think, like council moreau said.

Y

Changing that 2012 ordinance or something could be something we look at, but right now, if we wanted.

Y

The government either has to be for everyone or nobody, and I think this is for everybody. It.

Y

Doesn't give unequal opportunities to different people, um so I think that's very important to.

Y

Make equal opportunities for each business, and I do think this will continue to continue to.

Y

Be vibrant, downtown um our downtown will always be vibrant. I know that, but I know this will help.

Y

Thank you, council, bluff, council cook. Thank you, your honor. um First of all, I think it's important.

E

To note that, when we're talking about being fair to residents, that's responding to residents wishes.

E

And what residents wanted on sidewalks this summer and what they want downtown is outdoor dining.

E

And so when our residents have asked for that and we intentionally double the rates for.

E

Outdoor dining for the establishments, we are very unlikely to have the same number of participating.

E

Restaurants, that means less outdoor dining for our residents, even though that's what our residents.

E

Have told us they want on the streets and on the sidewalks downtown. I also want to be really.

E

Clear that the policy as written is fair except a sidewalk dining, because the council refuse to.

E

Consider a policy for sidewalk dining at five dollars per square foot; the policy as written.

E

Says: fifteen hundred dollars per impacted parking space or five dollars per square foot? Whichever is.

E

Less meaning that everyone is paying five dollars per square foot if we had approved sidewalk dining.

E

At five dollars per square foot, the policy would be completely fair. So that's not a reasonable.

E

Objection to this policy that we're not being fair because the policy was designed specifically to be.

E

Fair to charge everyone five dollars per square foot for outdoor dining, and that means that.

E

If their rate was fifteen hundred dollars last year for that parking space, and we measured it.

E

And it doesn't equate to that, it would be five dollars per square foot for that parking space.

E

So as written, it's completely fair, um I think it's, it's really bad form, honestly for the council to.

E

Reconsider a policy that was already adopted when we had restaurateurs here talking to us at the.

E

Council about this policy, we brought it forward in an evening to discuss it with them all present.

E

And they're, assuming that this issue was settled and it wasn't so clearly since we brought it back.

E

Tonight so I think that there will be a lot of surprise restaurant tours coming out of.

E

This discussion tonight, I think there are a lot of restaurateurs that have sidewalk.

E

Dining that didn't have it pre-pandemic and didn't have the spaces the size that.

E

They do now pre-pandemic that are going to be shocked to find out that their rate doubled.

E

Because the council refused to address that and we're not addressing that tonight going to the.

A

Assistant mayor just want one point: um counselor cook made on the policy has written the policy.

A

As written was interpreted by city staff, in line with how councilor bagley interpreted that policy.

A

Whereas was in disagreement with councilor cook, where somebody could, under the councilor cook's.

A

Interpretation, take up half of the parking spot and only be charged for half of a parking spot.

A

Whereas under the city ordinance, we looked at parking spots as as whole and not subdividable.

AE

uh Thank you, your honor. um I didn't agree with the city staff on that interpretation, so that.

E

Should be clear- and it is clear to me, but it was also clear when I spoke with counselor bagley.

A

That he had a different interpretation and agreed with the with the city's interpretation of that.

A

Thus, creating a somewhat of a confusion when, when we spoke on on that matter,.

A

Yeah, your honor, and that was my confusion so when the city originally set, the two prices.

X

um There was a differential for, for whatever reason, I think the reason was parking spaces.

X

Generate income sidewalks and roadways didn't so we just looked at them differently. Was that right.

X

Or wrong um clearly most of the council thinks that was the wrong decision, but what I would say.

X

Is once the council's taken an action, especially when we very clearly said in all four meetings.

X

That we wanted to bring it back this uh summer for an ordinance, so there could be some permanence.

X

Because the number one issue that restaurants have told me is for four years: I've had no idea. What's.

X

Going to happen so I don't know if I should store my stuff in the winter. I don't know if I should.

X

Plan for this, because I don't know what it's going to look like and we've taken away that.

X

Consistency at a at a very high level, so what I would propose is if we've made a mistake and.

X

We want to fix a mistake: we make a reduction in fees to match the lower fees, not raise the fees.

X

On 30 of the 40 restaurants, to match the 10 feet, 10, restaurants, that we're paying a higher fee. I.

X

Think it's much more fair. If the council makes a mistake that we suffer the consequences, not the.

X

People that didn't make the mistake system here, I'm gonna throw a complete wrench in this too.

C

um What is not a dress which I've addressed several times, and I think that we need to.

C

Address is that there's also right- and I think is a surprise to a lot of restaurant tours that I've.

C

Talked to um that, we have written here that a specific type of table like a picnic table.

C

Would not be allowed? I know there's at least four restaurants that had no idea when they came to.

C

Support their proposed policy that they would not be able to use the tables that they had purchased.

C

um Some some up to 250 a purchase that they would now have to go out.

C

And spend another proposed upwards of four to five thousand dollars on tables. Therefore,.

C

Not even considering that the potential increase of fee where they were like okay, if I have to.

C

Pay an increase of fee- that's fine, but we're also looking at potentially them having to.

C

Buy new equipment, so I guess I'm I get confused when we when we tit for tat over dollars and we're.

C

Saying we're trying to save restaurants money so that they can do this. But we also have written in.

C

This policy, something that's gonna- would cost them double. I mean you look at you look at. I can name.

C

Three or four off the top of my head that would have to completely replace I understand the ideas.

C

More accessibility, so we could potentially write in here, must have a minimum amount of.

C

Accessible tables, but I think, if we're we're going through this policy, I think that there's more than.

C

One flaw potentially in this policy that I think through analysis afterwards and I and I personally.

C

Do think we kind of rushed this a little bit and I understand the mindset behind it. I also think.

C

That potentially trying to approve an ordinance by the end of the summer is a little bit rushed if we.

C

Want to do this long term, which I know everyone up here does, and I know our community does and I.

C

And I don't think it's a question of constantly of of is this coming back? Is this coming back? I.

C

Think the question was always going to be: what was what is the rate and what is the longevity.

C

Of this program- and I think that we as a council did somewhat of a disservice to our constituents.

C

By saying, do you want outdoor dining? I think we all know up here that we were going to support.

C

An outdoor on-street policy and expansion of of outdoor dining, it's building the program that can.

C

That can last so I think that there are several parts in here. We can fight all day.

C

About the money- but I think there's other things in here- that we need to make sure we address also.

W

Cancer dead, thank your honor uh first and foremost. The reason why I voted against the suspension of.

W

Rules this time and against the suspension, the rules at the last meeting. It's simply because.

W

um A month ago, there's several restaurant tours. Here we made a decision whether we were positive.

W

What we're voting on or not they walked out with that in mind, and not all of them were back here.

W

Tonight so out of fairness to them, I voted against suspending the rules for both those.

W

Times and when it comes to fairness with the fees as this is written, the 1500 per impacted.

W

Parking space or ten dollars per square foot for travel ways and or loading zones- that's not even.

W

Necessarily fair because the parking spaces as we learn, they're all different sizes. So if we.

W

Truly want to be fair with what's in front of us tonight, it would just be a set fee per square foot.

W

With that said, that would require more work on safe staff to go out and measure each parking.

W

Space just like they would have to go out and measure the actual zone, but I think the.

W

Time, for that would be during the actual ordinance process, where we actually set.

W

One set amount per square foot to be fair to everybody and that's why I'm going to be voting.

W

Against these changes and finally one thing which councilor monroe brought up, which I think is a.

W

Very valid point is the already existing 2012 policy when it comes to sidewalk cafes, there's.

W

A two thousand dollar minimum threshold in there for anyone participating, and that has me concerned.

W

um If you looked at the restaurants, you participated this past year. Many of them were not.

W

Paying the full up to two thousand dollars, even if this is adopted, if there's a majority of votes.

W

Increase this to ten dollars per square foot, some of those restaurants will still be under the two.

W

Thousand dollar limit but then they'll be forced to pay the two thousand dollars. So I think that's.

W

Something which will have to be revisited before the summer, um regardless, if this is adopted or not.

A

Any other comments or questions.

AE

I did um not very accurately, but I did take the liberty of going and measuring most of.

X

The parking spots and loading zones this weekend that were used for outdoor dining.

X

um And shockingly the average square foot was 153.7 which lines up with the fifteen hundred.

X

Dollars awfully close, um the high I measured was 176. If I can read my handwriting correctly.

X

The low 137.4, so we would be looking at about a 500 450 differential between parking spots.

X

Where some people, especially if they have two or three parking spots, could be looking at a.

X

Up to a 1200 swing plus or minus, so I do agree with counselors denton's point that.

X

If we really really want to square foot fairness, then we should just do everything by square foot.

A

Councilor cook.

E

And out again, that's about the cost of costume. um We had a about an 89, 000 differential last.

E

Year in additional fees that came into the city at the lower five dollars per square foot rate.

E

um For sidewalks and for several places that are in loading zones or travel ways, and that.

E

Was a differential from what we had pre-pandemic before we had so much outdoor dining? So what we're.

E

Talking about is we're talking about doubling that fee, almost not quite but pretty close 30.

E

Out of 40 restaurants are going to have a doubling of that fee of their fees, and so we're basically.

E

Saying well this year it's going to cost us um almost twice what it did last year when actually.

E

I I didn't see any provision for the city to hire additional staff to administer the program. This.

E

Year and we try to keep our fees the fee study committee, does this tries to keep our fees close.

E

To what it actually costs to administer a program, they don't base it just on what an arbitrary.

E

Decision because it sounds good to increase the rate to ten dollars per square foot, and I don't.

E

Think that analysis has been done again by the feast study committee, since the decision was.

E

Made to bring this back before the castle at ten dollars per square foot or to reject the.

E

Policy on sidewalks that councilor bagley and I brought forward at five dollars per square foot.

A

Councilman, um the ten dollars per square foot per square foot fee was based off of the analysis.

AA

That's done in 2012 when the first policy was put into place so based off of inflation and cost of.

AA

Everything, I'm pretty sure it's well above ten dollars per square foot at this point, so it's.

AA

Not an increase for what we had previously done, and I just think that we are taking citizen owned.

AA

Private, you know public property and allowing it to be leased out for private gain. So I think that.

AA

There should be at least the fair cost back to the city for the costs that we incur based off.

AA

Of the fact that they do have the opportunity to increase their square footage of use and be able.

AA

To make money off of it, uh counselor bagley yeah. Thank you honor. I guess I won't belabor the point.

X

um We did receive over 200 uh emails from residents. I responded to all of them had quite.

X

A few interactions uh I even took a spreadsheet and analyzed how many cared about fees, and it was.

X

Seven thought we should increase it. 16 thought they should uh be the same or go lower and the.

X

Vast majority didn't care because they wanted their council to figure out what made sense. We.

X

Keep talking about giving away sidewalk space for restaurants to make a profit.

X

This is a six-month period where you're doing outdoor dining outside. So, if it rains it doesn't.

X

Work when you bring the food out, it's much harder, it's harder to get servers. We all know all the.

X

Restaurants are closing a couple days a week, so they don't have enough staff. Outdoor dining is not.

X

This huge restaurant windfall that people think it is it's this thing that residents love and enjoy.

X

And restaurants kind of do it almost because they have to to compete with everybody else that has it.

X

But it's not this uh brass rig of financial gain, so I think we should you know. I talked with a lot.

X

Of restaurants about this, how can we encourage you to keep doing this and- and I think, we're killing.

X

The the golden goose here with these these fees so uh just want to say a couple of things um and then.

A

uh Actually I'll pass it past the old gavel, the assistant mayor, um so first off, I do think that.

A

And it weighs on me heavily that restaurants are dependent on a business model that includes.

A

Outdoor dining, many are that you know if you're paying 10 grand a month on your 10 minute, grant.

A

A month for a restaurant space and half of it's taken up by a kitchen and bathrooms, you have very.

A

Limited amount of space to to make money, and so outdoor dining has become a part of many.

A

Restaurants, models downtown, I don't you know. I certainly understand that it's a benefit for.

A

The community and everybody I think does enjoy. I take some umbrage at the idea that we're not all.

A

In agreement of outdoor dining, because I think to a person that we are, I think we have a difference.

A

Of opinion on how we are going to create a long, lasting outdoor, dining that doesn't result in.

A

You know emails uh to the council about a council. That's focused on outdoor dining, instead of other.

A

Issues that affect people- you know, tax rates go up and you know we're just talking about.

A

Outdoor dining, so balancing all of that real or not around the perception of of our focus.

A

Two, I don't think that you know it's kind of like an appendix you know it's a vestige of.

A

A previous uh time, the idea that we have uh parking spot and um and a different fee for.

A

Travel lanes, which I think is a much bigger burden on the city of changing a travel lane.

A

Than reducing a parking spot, but I don't think we should be distinguishing between those. I was.

A

I hope to see it in an ordinance that we don't. I think it was a mistake to take that forward as.

A

A continuation, I think, we're here in part, because we took the the previous, uh the previous councils.

A

Our council and previous council's view that we had to make up parking revenue. It would have been.

A

A lot simpler if we had started this process and stated this is the cost to administer this program.

A

It was this in 2012., yeah inflation, but now we're doing it a whole lot. Maybe there's economies of.

A

Scale that we can lower the cost. You know here, portland's, you know two dollars a square foot.

A

Well, they're, like a million people or something you know, there's a maybe not a million people have no idea how big portland is just 350 000.. I mean it's all unfortunate, but they're they're a.

A

Big they're, a big city, much much bigger than us, and so the cost can be spread out. We're a 23 000.

A

Person, municipality that grows to the size of 60 70 000 people, so our costs are always going to be.

A

Outweighed by the residents that that pick them up, and so we have to be mindful of that, but I I.

A

Come back to the idea that you know I I wish that we could have separated, as you eloquently stated.

A

um The the decoupling of parking revenue from parking spots in our downtown, I think we could.

A

Have started at that we would have had a much better decision. I also you know it was probably.

A

A little bit rushed in the the application of this. um You know, and that was you know. I was the.

A

One that called for the vote- so that's on me, um but I wanted to uh wanted to give restaurants the.

A

Ability to understand, but making mistakes- council blalocks- you know it's there until you fix it.

A

um I wish that we could have gone back and and changed that because I would have you know, agreed.

A

With the uh the the assistant mayor that that doing all this work to beautify how restaurants.

A

You know should let their own decisions you know attract their job. Is attracting customers, our job.

A

Is creating a safe place for them to do so? I think the the focus on the beautification of this and.

A

The standards you know with the expectation that we're going to lower fees to make that.

A

Possible might not have been the right way to do it. I wonder now if it would be easier to simply.

A

Go back to the policy of the previous year. Take this conversation work it into an ordinance and.

A

Move on from this this subject, because this seems like we're going to have to get a lot.

A

More public involvement, but I'm not making that as a motion but simply as a way to to move past.

A

This conversation with what we know works to some degree we would have to. Obviously, I think.

A

Figure out, especially with the parking garage, the travel lane on fleet street, because that seemed.

A

Like that was a enormous enormous choke point that I would question the the safety of the city around.

A

um But I don't know if we might be better to served to simply uh going back to to what we.

A

Had and dabling this until we can bring it forward in an ordinance conversation that is going to be.

A

Give it the breadth, especially if this is something that we are planning to pick up.

A

um Sometime in the in the summer- that's that's all I'd, say our assistant mayor, yes, you're in charge.

AC

Of meeting, are you making that motion um there's a motion on the table, so I would. I would not.

A

um I would not make that uh I would not make that uh so you would have to be a friendly.

A

Amendment to the, if the, if the, if the, if the the maker uh would like to rescind their motion,.

AF

But no I'm not to give up the battle yet, but I would be willing to try to postpone.

AA

This conversation and try to fix some of the issues that the assistant mayor brought up.

AA

um You know I I I do I do wish we just hadn't taken that original vote. I wish we had been.

AA

Given the time to actually digest this and talk about it for a couple of meetings before we had.

AA

To make a decision, so um if there's a way of postponing, I just think it's going to take us.

AA

The rest of the year to get an ordinance in place and to do the research that we need to, and it just.

AA

Seems like we need to find a common ground that makes this. You know okay for this year, but no.

AA

It's not staying and we're going to move forward with something else next year and we'll have that.

AA

Out, hopefully, by the end of the year council, look at my recommendation. Thank you assistant, mayor.

E

I'm not in favor of moving forward with this, because what happens is when a restaurant makes a.

E

Decision to stop providing outdoor dining because it no longer fits in their business model, which.

E

Is kind of the decision a restaurant makes you know these restaurants there's an assertion that.

E

These restaurants rely on this as part of their business model, and I would say that.

E

Restaurants in all businesses aren't reliant on something like this. What they do is they make.

E

A calculated business decision, if it's going to cost x amount of money to do this, and I have to.

E

Employ x number of people, I have a cost-benefit analysis. Calculation when I hit a certain cost.

E

I'm not going to do it anymore, and that means I'm also not going to hire those one or two.

E

People that staffed the outdoor dining as well, so that means we're going to have individuals.

E

Who are not working in the same places? They were last year because a restaurant made a calculated.

E

Decision this did not fit their business model so when that happens, and they decide not to do it.

E

Then they were very unlikely to come back next year, so I think we need to be really cautious.

E

About making huge changes right now to the policies from last year, um counselor bagley and I.

E

Were very cautious around that, knowing that there were recommendations to improve the spaces to make.

E

Them more accessible for our community, and so because we were asking to require that we didn't.

E

Want to change any of the rates from last year, because we knew it was going to be a considerable.

E

Expense for restaurants to invest in accessibility. We decided that it was a bad decision to ask them.

E

To make that expense and then also raise their rates this year, because that would likely mean.

E

They just decide not to do it and, as a result, they also wouldn't hire as many staff as they did last.

E

Year so I think we we have to be really cautious around these financial decisions, because they're.

E

Implications in the implication is that if, if we end up costing our businesses a lot more money,.

E

We have fewer participants and our residents are less happy because they really want outdoor dining.

A

I got the gavel back um going over to the system there. Thank you. I you know your honor and.

C

um I understand that some people are hesitant to table this or to go back to previous. Possibly I.

C

Think this is a good thing, and maybe we should have done this in before to send to the edc. We.

C

Have a committee whose direct relationship to the to the business to the business world.

C

Because I don't, I don't think we have adequate information. I I don't think that we have we've.

C

Gone to every single restaurant or every single potential restaurateur and said if this fee was.

C

Seven dollars, if this fee was ten dollars, are you are you willing to sacrifice and pay five dollars.

C

But you have to make up fifty five hundred dollar investment. You have to make a ten thousand dollar.

C

Investment into beautification that meets our standard or you have to get all new tables or you.

C

Have to get all new planters, I don't think we've, given them the full options. I understand that some.

C

Counselors may disagree with me, but we have a a volunteer committee. We have chair people, we have.

C

An economic development commission who's whose job is to to be a middleman, and they are, I think, this.

C

Is a great a great thing for us to potentially send back to them and and get a report back from.

C

Them of like where they see, because I I definitely feel that if you said to a restaurant, a good.

C

Example is say the hammer who has eight picnic tables outside if you look at the cost of four.

C

Tables six tables plus a chair you're, looking at a potential investment of 3 500 to 4 500 dollars.

C

And that's a requirement that this this plays in or or would they say, no I'll take the ten dollars.

C

A square foot we, I don't think we gave them that option. We said you must beautify this. You must.

C

Get to our standards and we'll keep your costs lower. I think we should give them the option.

C

And I think the edc is the correct channel to potentially do that.

A

Thank you uh system, aaron back to calling on people uh council, lombardi well.

AC

um Thank you assistant mayor, that was those thoughts were as mine as well, and I think that's.

AC

A very good process to do. I um I think that the um we should leave things as they are right now.

AC

um For the restaurants this year, but then study this through the edc for next.

AC

Year and come up with a a full policy with that is informed by the business community.

A

Cancer bagley. um Thank you. Councilor lombardi aesthetics was a big part, but the important.

X

Thing about platforms and not using picnic tables is the accessibility. The platforms make it easy.

X

To get on and off if you have difficulty walking or if you need a mobility device, picnic tables.

X

Are very challenging for older persons, informed persons or people that aren't flexible because.

X

It's difficult to kind of maneuver yourself into the seat if we double the fees and let them take.

X

Their picnic tables the cost to the restaurant is the same, so I don't understand why we wouldn't.

X

Want to keep the fees where they are instead of doubling them and give them that capacity to use.

X

New tables that would be more accessible to our residents, your honor system, so let's give them the.

C

Option: let's, let's involve them, we understand the resident input. We understand that we all.

C

Want outdoor dining, I'm just I'm just thinking, and I wish I would have thought of this months.

C

Ago that potentially we need to bring it to them, bring it to the edc, have have again our business.

C

Conduit have this discussion and the edc's charter, which we are looking over right now and is, is the.

C

Balance between business and residential needs also, there are other solutions. Besides platforms.

C

For accessibility, great example, it's my restaurant. We have, we have ramps that we're able we have. We.

C

Had one point, some picnic tables some non-picnic tables, so there's other ways to word this: that.

C

Require still require some accessibility, but also don't mandate a certain aesthetic.

AF

Distribution council cook, um thank you, your honor, um I think you know when we.

E

Were writing this policy? We were writing it with our residents in mind. First and foremost,.

E

And we wanted to make sure that we had uniform accessibility across the downtown um right now.

E

What we have is, we have some places that are very accessible and we have some places that are kind.

E

Of accessible but they're not really accessible, they're difficult for anybody who needs any kind.

E

Of mobility device to navigate picnic tables are one of those things that's very, very difficult to.

E

Navigate and if we don't require everyone to be uniformly accessible, we're not being uniformly.

E

Accessible for people who need it in our community, we're basically saying you can go to these five.

E

Restaurants, because they have great accessibility for you, but this other one. Sorry, you know that's.

E

Just too bad and and I don't think that that's the spirit of portsmouth and our open door.

A

Well, council moreau figures out what to do with her uh motion. I will restate that the if.

A

This goes to edc. There's, no way that we can do it for this year. uh It would, it would be, it would be.

A

um In in forming a an ordinance change that we'd make for the following year, we'd likely have to.

A

Go back to the existing policy. If that would be, I just don't see, there's time to do that. Second,.

A

It's not, I really. I, I really don't want the uh the the conversation well, the conversation is.

A

What it is, but it's not a desire to extract more um out of restaurants. It's a desire to make sure.

A

That restaurant a is treated same as restaurant b. That's my perspective from you know. Having.

A

You know, restaurants are much more mature and restaurant owners are much more mature, but when I.

A

Give my six-year-old something I immediately have to give it to my two-year-old, even though it's a.

A

Book my two-year-old can't read: she wants that. It's just human nature to want what each other.

A

Has and if you have a five dollar a square foot, it's hard to justify that to a restaurant, that's.

A

Paying ten dollars a square foot, and I do not want to pit restaurants against one another and I think.

A

We've brought much more uh a much more a bigger light to this conversation. Now that we have seen.

A

Just the the the discrepancies, especially with loading zones, things that kind of happen behind.

A

The the curtain, in terms of administrative gloss, we now have had a much more full conversation on.

A

So everybody knows the differences that that restaurants will pay it's my desire to have.

A

Restaurants, pay equally and pay fairly for the use of public lands. I don't know if ten dollars.

A

Gets us there no could be five dollars. I doubt it's two dollars because portland's apparently.

A

Not that much big of a city than us, but still a substantially bigger city uh than than portsmouth.

A

But I do want to make sure that if we we're not trying to shoehorn a policy in here just to to.

A

Make change and I take the accessibility aspects uh to heart and I've learned over.

A

And over again, uh just how inaccessible our city is just in general, knowing that.

A

um You know, vern was a, you know, teach it all about. You know the sidewalks that we had.

A

um You know which bricks to walk, and you know how uh best to get to the uh the gas light you.

A

Know from his apartment or from cup of joe's or another coffee shop, so I I take those take those.

A

To heart, but I I don't think that we're necessarily going to solve all that with.

A

Jersey, barriers and platforms- we're probably going to solve the majority of that when we.

A

Invest millions of dollars in streetscapes and sidewalks to make that a much more long-lasting.

A

Commitment to accessibility, councilor bagley, I'm just going to share an accessibility antidote that.

X

A friend of mine shared with me, she has a friend who's uh needs, a mobility device and restaurant.

X

Massimo, as many know, you either have to go downstairs or step up into the bar, so he was.

X

Never able to visit that restaurant until outdoor dining became a thing and he actually told her.

X

That it has now become his favorite restaurant and the only reason he ever got to experience.

X

Restaurant massimo, which is an experience- it's not just a meal there. It's you know it's a it's an.

X

Experience is because of outdoor dining, so we we took, you know that was an unintended consequence.

X

We opened up restaurants to people that can't go to them, because the restaurants are located in.

X

Buildings that just can't become accessible when it's outside and on the sidewalk or in the street.

X

It now becomes accessible to people that it wasn't accessible to before. Certainly take that uh that.

A

Point to heart so, what's before us now, is to pass an ordinance or amend that ordinance or sorry pass.

A

A policy uh which ten dollars uniformly uh affects uh restaurants of all stripes uh or amend that.

A

um Policy further or scrap that policy send it to the edc.

A

Is there another, is this? Is there another? Is there any other options, kelly.

AG

Just point out that, if you, if this fails to pass, you have a policy that you passed a few weeks ago,.

AG

And that would be the standing policy right for the time period until you develop an ordinance so.

AG

You will have a policy in place, but it will be the prior policy that you passed. What is the prior? The.

A

Policy that we passed that didn't include outdoor dining everything. That's here without the red.

AG

Right right out, the red changes right, your honor yep. How would that be interpreted by the just a.

A

Legal point of order before um uh legal inquiry parliamentary inquiry, one of those inquiries what.

A

Would that how would the city interpret the policy as it stands now, without being passed?.

A

If we didn't pass this today interpret what part of it, how would we charge? I guess, like you know, a.

A

Restaurant on the sidewalk or in the travel line, how would that would they be allowed to? Was there.

B

um No, it wouldn't be allowed to okay, so we got to pass something.

AG

There was a travel lane provision in the prior policy, all right suzanne. You can get us straight.

AG

There's more to their policy. Yes, there was more to the crime problems. Clipper would still be.

AH

So in january I guess it was yes january. You par you passed a portion of a policy.

AH

That came from cooked bagley denton, so to speak, which had the um those sections that.

AH

Deal with parking in spaces parking spaces uh using loading zones and using travel ways.

AH

And it had your composting piece, what it was missing was what happens with sidewalks, so the.

AH

Way, I was interpreting it, as I explained in the memo of how we were as staff without any further.

AH

Changes would put it all together is that we would take the 2012 policy, which has your ten dollars a.

AH

Square foot for sidewalks and all the requirements that kind of traveled through covid about barriers.

AH

Etc, when you're serving alcohol so those pieces on top of the new piece.

AH

That you passed in january, which has the special attention towards accommodations.

AH

And changing the travel lanes to where you reverse or better detour traffic and taking.

AH

Those out so that's where it stands right now, which it's a hybrid between the 2012 policy.

AH

To the extent applicable with the new stuff that you modified and gave direction on in.

AH

January, so that's how I see the landscape of what's sitting right now tonight, so you've got.

AH

The 10, the 5, the composting and more ada accessibility does that work.

AH

Does that explain it? It explains it. Okay, I think. Can I clarify if I could? Oh some clarification so.

A

This is in sidewalker, I guess it goes back to the 2012 at ten dollars correct. The 2012 policy has.

AH

A fee it's ten dollars and it's it's same in time frame. It's may 1st uh right, you know the the other.

AB

Time frames, counselors, cooking bagley we're going to come back with a lower proposal, but we didn't.

AB

Get to that we did, but it was voted down, correct correct. They had it on the table, but you voted. You.

AH

Right yeah rejected that it failed to pass correct. I have a question for you: suzanne the 2012 policy.

W

Paragraph seven has a two thousand dollar minimum. Is there any way just add a sentence to counselor.

W

Morose policy, which negates it like that 2012 two thousand dollar minimum does not apply. You could.

X

Parliamentary inquiry: the 2012 policy is different than what we're discussing that.

A

Goes to the sorry! Well, I guess it depends on your deputy city attorney yeah. We amend.

X

The policy that would then, in effect, amend a different policy. You know layers and layers here.

AG

's, I think you it's been explained where you would.

AG

Be if you fail to pass this, you go back to where you were two weeks ago.

AG

um As um suzanne's just explained, so, if you want to take further action, you could move to suspend.

AG

The rules and propose another modification, but I think you need to go one step at a time.

A

Counselor cook, uh thank you. Your honor.

E

um It's fine. I am standing and I can be corrected here if I'm not right that we could just move to.

E

Rescind the policy that was adopted two weeks ago and go back to the policies from last year, correct.

A

So you do that as well, but right now you have a different motion on the table.

AC

Yep, I would be willing to do that if we then are going to send this.

AA

To the edc, to get the data as we've been requesting to report back to us.

V

For the purpose of developing an ordinance yeah, the policies that chip is silent, guys, let's leave.

X

Them before, and I would also make note that the the edc has essentially said to the council that.

C

They are looking for for ways to help the council benefit or to benefit the council, so to help the.

C

Council, develop ordinance and policies, so thank you, sorry phil, so so we want to withdraw the I.

AA

Will withdraw my emotion um and then we then we can do the other. You can make the motion if you.

A

Want to send to the edc, then you control it. Well, don't we have to rescind our prior policy before.

AA

We can then request. Oh then we know that we have to suspend the rules then make the motion to.

AA

Rescind the prior policy then make the motion to send it off to the edc. I believe it's the correct.

AA

Order, that's right. If I'm right, I can do that all right. I don't know if that's actually correct so.

X

We had a city attorney said it's correct, exactly which I said, I think that's correct. Unless okay.

AG

So is there I'm not sure if suzanne is so there's a motion on the table? The motion on the table is.

AD

Being withdrawn, so there's now no motion on the table uh you could counselor could make.

A

A motion to so I haven't, we haven't voted on. You don't have to vote to recitation as long as the.

A

Second agrees: you're, fine, okay and the second, I think, agreed who the second was. Was it john? Do.

A

You agree to rescind emotions withdraw the motion. Another motion on the floor. If we wanted to enact.

A

The policy of setting uh the uh rescinding the recently passed, uh partial outdoor dining policy.

A

um And send it to the edc would be to move to rescind the previously adopted uh outdoor.

A

Dining policy, the january meeting date I can't remember- and to send uh the work to.

A

Date to the edc for report back uh for the purposes of creating an ordinance.

A

If we vote to rescind the policy of january, we don't have any policy for.

V

2023 outdoor dining at all could read so we would have to renew the policy of 2022., but.

E

I moved to suspend the rules and go past 10 30.

T

A

So then, um so maybe just so council moreau if you move to re-adop the 2022 policy.

A

To replace the previously adopted uh policy in full, then that should do it right. I know.

X

The matter of of clipper and franklin- um and they were very polite. But if we now give them.

X

Dining again and then take it away again, they may be get a bit confused next year.

X

Well, I don't think there'll be any more confused or upset than anybody watching this at the moment.

V

Mr councilor bagley's concern is there a way to suggest that there could be approval.

V

Of the 2022 policy, with the inclusion of that detoured, traveling, suzanne or susan.

V

Is that one thing you could add for consideration yeah right, so we could pass.

AA

A new reenact that policy, but basically not allow it when you're going to reverse travel.

AA

Is that what you're talking about yeah yeah? Because that was a huge discussion? The last time.

AA

I know I know I know yeah. I think the I think susanna has a point of water. I just want to say.

AH

Whatever you do, just let's be very clear, so if you are going to go and as you suggested mayor just.

AH

You've already withdrawn, if you're going to adopt the same policy as last year, then that's fine. If.

AH

You do- and this is totally you know in your lab, so to speak- whether you want to address what was.

AH

That one of the critical issues of concern, which is the travel ways where you reverse slash detour,.

AH

The traffic then make it clear because otherwise, if it is just do what you did last year, that's.

AH

Fine we'll work with that, but understand that that means that's what it is we'll we'll just cookie.

AH

Cutter, so if you're going to make any exceptions- or you know we'll just just- let me just be clear.

AH

That's all so that was my only caution, so thank you for well, council back. I think it would be it.

A

Would be if we're if the messages that were going back to the previous dining and that you know we.

A

Can't there's not a an enormous amount of people that have that have waited through this entire.

A

Conversation watching us work through this and if the the recap is hey, we've gone back to the.

A

22 policy, except for this- and this I think, that's a it- that's where I think it would be.

A

um I think we have to admit that that we failed to improve upon uh this, for a variety of reasons.

A

Send it to the edc get a report back, that's inclusive of outdoor dining with restaurants,.

A

As well as retail establishments, so we can put that to bed. In terms of you know, a study of retail.

A

Restaurants or retail establishments as well as dining, and I think it would be at this late hour.

A

To figure out how we're going to reverse previous decisions and go back to that, the parts that we.

A

Liked about the policy that we passed, it's going to be a lot of work. I don't think that that's a.

A

Fair thing for talking about fairness, even though it's a less ideal, I still believe that some of.

A

Those areas create an unsafe environment in the city of portsmouth per the um the, especially with.

A

Construction at the garage and the altar travel lanes to begin there, and I would expect the.

A

City manager, if there are edge cases, to take them back to the city council, so that we can.

A

Vote them down, but I would expect the policy to remain ultimately the same as the previous year.

X

Yeah and I think I might be able to take a stab at a motion- that'll address that plus the dates.

X

I move that we approve outdoor dining in 2023, as in 2022, with the exception.

X

That reversing or one-way travel lanes would not be allowed and that the dates would be.

X

May 1st, or thereabouts to indigenous people's day or thereabouts, subject to city manager, discretion.

AB

I'll second, clear.

A

Councilman, you, you need to put establishments, may not conduct outdoor dining. That reverses a.

AA

Traveling, except on any on any street or way which traffic count is below a thousand cars.

AA

A day such additional or specific to the city manager, just because you it's yeah.

AD

Otherwise, you're gonna change it too much. Do you see what I'm saying I'll take that that's.

X

A friendly amendment, yeah counselor taper, greece yeah. I really think I mean I think that is a. I.

A

Know that we put a lot of work into the the travel lines. I understand that that is a uh it's been a.

A

Contentious issue: I hope that if we were to do it again, we could figure out a better way for.

A

Those establishments or not away, but I think that we are trying to have our cake and eat it too. By.

A

Getting what we want out of that, instead of just admitting that we did not get this portion of the.

A

Conversation right and that we need to hear for more retail, more restaurants, about what works.

A

For them and just send the whole thing should have passed again. Then we have to rescind the recently.

AA

Approved and re-adopt for 2023 the 2022 policy. As stance voter, you have motion on the table.

AA

It was just a suggestion yeah. So if you're going to turn around you're gonna have to vote on the.

AG

Motion on the table: first, unless it's withdrawn, I I guess I've got to withdraw the motion because I.

X

Don't think we can square the circle, which means we may not have outdoor dining. Yes,.

A

I don't think so I just so what's clear, I um I am trying not to be frustrated and I apologize if I.

A

Appear so I think that we have done a lot of work uh on this now, uh we've gotten to the point where.

A

We're going to go back to a previous amount of work uh that was done. I think that to try to then.

A

Tack on hours of conversation into amendments is going to get us in the same position that we were.

A

Previously, I would like to avoid that I think it's cleaner to state that we are going to the previous.

A

Policy as adopted, send to the edc and move forward, creating an ordinance, don't think changing the.

A

Travel lanes at this late hour, you know we went from going back or a lot of things, but I think.

A

That is the most understandable to the restaurant community that we would not have to blast out.

A

And have everybody you know come and it's we're doing it as we did last year we thought we could.

A

Make some changes we're sending to the edc we're working on an ordinance to make it more permanent.

X

I'm going to rescind my motion, I don't care okay, counselor cook. Thank you, your honor. I was going.

E

To speak to councilor bagley's motion in support of it, because I think that the council should have.

E

Moved forward with the things that we all do agree on, we all agree on time frame and we all.

E

Agree on the lines that are prohibited, so it seems, seems reasonable to include those in the motion.

V

Yes, we know do not have emotion on the table.

AG

I can take a shot all right counselor, I don't know if I dare um I'd make a motion that we.

AA

Rescind the previous january 2023 policy and reenact for 2023, the previous 2022 policy,.

AA

And then refer to the edc.

AA

I believe that's cleanest. Does that have a second second.

G

Any discussion uh assistant I apologize for doing this. Oh no, oh man, [laughter].

C

Okay, to do a friend friendly amendment, to include the dates of may 1st to indigenous people's day.

C

And also to adopt the language for, for um I apologize, I don't have the exact language in front.

C

Of me detour, the detour prohibited prohibited detour, we can say per uh administrative approval.

C

If we just want to keep it tight.

A

All of those are going to come back to the council.

A

Let's just go with the the languages stated. Okay, I think it's difficult um again at the late hour.

A

To to the dates, seemingly fine, the detours, seemingly because they are they're, contentious.

A

In that it is trying to pick winners and losers based on decent data, um but it's it's still a.

AD

Yeah [music] so then, just a friendly amendment with the dates yeah yeah with a.

AF

Friendly amendments for may 1st to indigenous people's day, would you accept that, yes, okay,.

A

Any other discussion.

C

Sausage is made.

A

A question for dpw director pita rice.

A

Let's summoned pie, ces.

AI

Good evening, mr mayor city, council, peter rice, director of public works, how could I.

AI

Assist you this evening, so um the question on the uh the travel lines now that we're in the.

A

um The the intense work at the high hanover garage would you imagine that.

A

We could safely execute outdoor dining on fleet street, given the.

A

um The additional usage of that street, especially through construction.

AI

Not having all the information in front of me from the contractor, it's a difficult.

AI

It's difficult to say one way or the other. We can always make things safe when we're doing.

AI

Construction, however, it can become more disruptive by attempting to do so. So I I.

AI

Don't have all the information to be able to give you a solid answer on that. Mr mayor, I apologize.

AI

um But I know the preference would be to not uh constrict the roadway in that manner. Okay,.

A

Thank you and city manager. You believe that, through conversations with dpw director, peter.

A

Rice still present at my eyes are so bad. Now, a quarter of 11. We could have a a report back on.

A

Whether or not that street in particular could support outdoor dining, we can certainly provide.

V

The report back and- and I would just add at this moment in the conversation that it's the one.

V

Thing that staff has been firmly against is uh is reversing travel lanes to support outdoor dining.

V

No matter where that is in the city- that's not just for fleet street okay, then, let's take that.

A

Amendment and we'll go with it, so I would, I would add that second part, so the prohibited section. Yes,.

AA

From the policy we just rescinded correct and add it back in got it on your 22 policy.

AA

With the dates it's what I was attempting to do before, yes, ma'am, what do we pray? It's section.

AA

It's called prohibited from the last policy. It that's why I'm using that term, because that's.

AA

The headline of it on the policy, so I figured you can just copy it from the previous. Thank you.

Y

Council bullock. Thank you. um I sympathize with her. You know not wanting to go back and forth.

Y

But I think this is a safety issue. I think this is a public safety issue.

Y

um So I think the fact that we have learned that I think putting public safety first is important.

Y

And I know I don't want to treat any restaurant unfairly than any other restaurant at the same.

Y

And I want to do this policy or ordinance right, um but I think when we factor in public safety, I.

Y

Think if, if that's been told us by staff, I I would feel more comfortable taking those recommendations.

Y

Especially since we've already have, some of us have talked to the business owners and stuff.

Y

That would be affected, and I know that that's what they're already planning they might have already.

Y

Thrown out some of their outdoor dining furniture, um but I I would just in lieu of uh public safety.

A

We're good all right: uh I'm gonna try for all in favor all in favor.

AG

I'll ask for the post all in favor aye aye any opposed? Yes, okay! So there's one a post.

A

We got the majority okay. If you've watched this, you have the previous uh policy now.

A

Enacted again, with the exception of uh well, the reduction in dates um to align with indigenous.

A

People's day, as well as the prohibited prohibition of traveling reversal, okay.

A

Counselor bagley, thank you. Honor um in your packet are the parking traffic safety committee.

X

Action sheets and minutes of the february 2nd 2023 meeting I move to accept and approve the.

X

Action sheet in minutes of the february 2nd 2023 parking and traffic safety committee. Second,.

X

There's not really a lot of items in note. If anybody has any questions.

A

All in favor aye any opposed council cook. Thank you, your honor. um I just wanted to report back.

E

From the governance committee on a discussion we had around the fee study committee, there was.

E

A discussion here at the council about the fee study committee and its structure, given that it.

E

Has two representatives from the council and not three, which inherently limits it as far as voting.

E

Goes if there is a difference between the two counselors sitting on the fee study committee, the.

E

Governance committee discussed the potential of changing the fee study committee and thanks to the.

E

Good work of our city clerk, we found out how the fee study committee was initially established in.

E

1982 by a motion of the council much in the same way, the governance committee was established, the.

E

Land use committee was established. Many of those committees that are committees of the council and.

E

um What we discussed was that it seems reasonable to leave the fee study committee, as is if it is.

E

Discussing its regular orders of business because there's usually not a need to be concerned about.

E

Two counselors voting in different ways. However, if the council decides to refer anything in the.

E

Future to the feast study committee, that's outside of its regular scope of business. The council can.

E

Then choose to vote to add an additional member by a simple motion of the council. And would we.

A

Have to agree on that or would the mayor appoint that person um believe because it's a committee.

E

The mayor would did no point for the person. Okay.

A

All right, thanks for that report, it seems to make sense.

A

Okay, any letter john and josh disagreeing on much all right. Next up the approval of.

A

Donations to the skateboard park lighting fund in the amount of 1717 dollars. I weighed a motion.

A

To approve and accept the donation as presented so move connor all right, all in favor, aye city.

A

Manager some informational items. Thank you. Your honor on behalf of city attorney morrow,.

V

um I'll offer the mcintyre update. As you know, we continue to consult with our financial experts.

V

Regarding cost estimates, the structure of our financial arrangement and design engineering.

V

Just for the public's benefit, those firms respectively, are rkg associates coming and.

V

I'm sorry coming rkg associates and the principal group for transparency purposes. If the contracts.

V

All are not online right now they will be tomorrow so that people can see what, with whom.

V

We are engaging, we expect final numbers from all parties by the end of this week. We have a check.

V

In our second check-in, with the gsa next tuesday, the 28th we will have met our milestone schedule.

V

As of february 28th, and the next milestone beyond that would be for our outside council to finalize.

V

The negotiation of the development agreement and begin negotiating our financial documents with.

V

The developers council and that's it at this time, happy to answer any questions. Otherwise,.

V

Can turn to item number two which relates to a report back on the expanded study area? Didn't.

V

Know folks had any questions. Those thoughts are baked into the city. Manager's comment section.

V

Cook, uh thank you, your honor. um I noticed one thing that I had a question about in the.

E

Report back on the master plan improvement for market square. um There were several references.

E

To just expansion for outdoor dining, I think it's also important to note that.

E

That's not just for outdoor dining, but it's for for better use of sidewalks and.

E

Also in case our retailers are interested in having things like sidewalk sales. Thank you.

X

Just follow the one comment: the one area in particular to me is in front of flatbread there's.

X

A light pull on the sidewalk and it creates a that very specific area, I think, is probably the.

X

Could use some help all right.

V

uh Next up would be item number three, and I know this may take a moment so bear with me. This is the.

V

Work that works to coordinate all of the utility needs along market street and commercial alley. So.

V

There's a very thorough memo in the packet. I know the question that may come up is: why are you doing.

V

This now, why can't you do it at a quieter time the planning for this project, as you can imagine,.

V

Is rather intricate with all of the different utilities being at our request, forced to work.

V

Together, so as to provide minimal disruption, the work uh pretty much quarterbacked by.

V

Eversource has started last winter and we've been speaking to ali residents and businesses since.

V

Last spring, we'll have another public meeting with the businesses this coming thursday, just.

V

So everyone is clear: the time of year was chosen as a start day, because it's the least impactful.

V

To the business community, generally speaking, it's it's still usually too cold to eat outside.

V

That we don't see as much casual retail shopping except for late in the day and at that point the.

V

Road will have already opened and it's also important to note. The road will be open friday.

V

Afternoons through the weekend and um although to work, could be considered between november and.

V

April, it is not normal, except for emergency repairs, which are then typically finished in.

V

The spring, so I know, there's a sensitivity to being as least impactful as possible and.

V

That would be the intent of this group. Sean clancy, our economic development director, will.

V

Quarterback the effort with the businesses and the residents and sean has the support of the dpw team.

V

That's quarterbacking, on behalf of the various utilities but happy to answer any questions.

A

uh System there, um uh your honor thank you uh city winner, just this just went out later. This.

C

Afternoon, um due to the weather, that meeting will either be scheduled for friday or monday.

C

Afternoon, if any uh businesses or residents uh would like to be involved, please contact.

C

uh Sean clancy or myself, and we will have an updated time for you. Thank you.

Y

uh Counselor blaylock, thank you honor. um Thank you, city manager. um I anticipate this is a needs.

Y

To be done now, sort of project, um because I know our intention was to hold off on all construction.

Y

Downtown until after the 400 anniversary was over, um but I just I know I'll get a lot of questions.

Y

On this once it once they see it, but I just I had to ask that question. They couldn't be delayed.

Y

A year that's correct and we will stand up uh a regularly updated uh project page on our website.

V

So that, folks, that aren't directly impacted but may be curious to know how the process is going.

V

The idea is will be three to four weeks of heavily impacted time monday through thursday, during the.

V

Day friday morning and just one follow-up question: um well that be tearing up commercial alley.

Y

Does it may understand that you're tearing up and replace and and restoring okay.

V

Thank you. uh Thank you, your honor. I I know that this is a really. um This is a less busy time for.

E

The businesses and restaurants there on commercial alley, but is there any way to move the project up.

E

Just a week or two so that we complete the project before mother's day, which it tends to be a really.

E

Busy day in downtown portsmouth, we are well, the the weekends don't forget will will not be.

V

um There won't be any work and the work the areas will always be passable, including commercial alley.

V

At no time will there not be access to commercial alley and when the work is done, each and every day.

V

There will be um I'll, say: they'll cover up the area of work, so that's passable. So I understand.

V

There's a a ton of traffic on a mother's day, but we can't make the schedule work any faster than.

V

The mid-april time frame and the goal will be to get it done as quickly as possible, but I would.

V

Imagine there's still mobilization in that mid-may time frame we're just working as fast as we can.

A

Thank you, city manager. Lastly, I'll go quickly on the peas moisturizer treatment facility, your honor.

V

I know we mentioned it earlier. The upgrades are for the purpose of replacing the end of.

V

Life equipment and facility and to improve treatment at the plant. We discussed that.

V

Expansion was no longer deemed necessary. Just want to make that clear. In case people tuned.

V

In late to to listen to that conversation- and we talked about skateboard park already, foreign.

AC

City manager, for the uh update on the um the taking of property for the water main coming from.

AC

The reservoir- thank you for that.

V

Your honor, if I can make a 30 second announcement, we are the city- is very excited it. As of monday.

V

February 27th we will have a very experienced communication professional joining the team as.

V

Our the city's director of communications and community engagement meeting several.

V

Of the council goals that were aligned, it is none other than monty bohannon. We are proud.

V

Or something so thank you for um I know everyone will show them in onboarding. So thank you.

AF

Thanks city manager and our move to adrian second, all in favor, aye portsmouth.