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

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From YouTube: 11.14.2022 City Council

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11.14.2022 City Council

A

Are you supposed to good evening? Everybody uh welcome to tonight's uh city council, meeting uh november 14th 2022 at.

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First await a motion uh to leave the non-public and to steal the minutes so moved. Second, all.

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In favor aye and on to this meeting kelly, would you please be as kind to take the role.

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Here, assistant, mayor kelly is absent this evening.

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Councilor tabor here councilor denton here, council monroe here councilor bagley here.

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Council lombardi here, council blaylock here council cook here: okay, foreign.

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For the invocation uh there's a fort smith- well originally somersworth, but.

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Moved to portsmouth a man by the name of lincoln soldadi uh lost a.

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Four and a half year battle uh with cancer. Recently many in the community know and love his.

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Wife kathleen, who my mother did birthing classes uh way back when, uh when she was giving birth to.

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uh To michael, he leaves uh pacifico michael emmett and gemma behind, and I just wanted to.

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Take a moment and send our condolences to the cell daddy family as they grieved the loss of lincoln.

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Please join me in the pledge of allegiance.

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Allegiance to the flag, the united states of america and to the republic for which it stands.

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One nation, under god, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

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Right all right, uh no recognitions and volunteer committee reports, but I do want.

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To recognize kelly for another fantastic election uh that her and her team made.

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Made sure happen without a hitch uh highest midterm, uh uh voter turnout ever and um and.

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Almost touched the 2020 number, so uh there's a huge amount of work that goes into that.

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You know it's it's hard work and making sure you vote, but making sure all the votes are tabulated.

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um It's a hell of a job uh kelly, so thank you for being on the front lines of our democracy.

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um Next up uh public comment: um the uh the first up is elita salita. Are you here.

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She's, not here once elita gets here. We will, you will have her speak next. Up is uh mary lou mckell.

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Lane on the topic of maplewood, intersections, hey, look good evening, city councilors, mayor.

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City manager, city attorney, mary lou, mckell, lane 259 south street, and thank you for.

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Acknowledging kelly, I was working at ward 5, and it was amazing how answers came immediately if we had.

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Any issues we have policemen there all day long everything went smooth. It was a great great day.

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um I'm here to talk um not as a member of the parking and traffic safety committee, but as a.

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Resident pedestrian and my concerns are specific to the three intersections on maplewood avenue.

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At congress islington at hanover and at deer street several years ago, these intersections.

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Were upgraded, however, as part of that the stop lights turn green when the pedestrian light is on.

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And so the chances are, it feels very threatening to be crossing the street when a green light is on.

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And you still have a pedestrian light going. I've had many incidents when it's happened.

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To me, when vehicles a big truck came up, they come up. What happens? Is they come across the.

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Crosswalk in their lane to turn right and they come right up to the crosswalk that you're on.

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um I've seen it too often. I saw it with a group of people a couple of weeks ago and not everybody.

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Who is crossing, the sidewalk is totally paying attention. First of all, they don't step off the.

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Curb as soon as the light turns for the uh pedestrian walk and, um and I'm not sure if.

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The car is turning right are paying attention either. If they've been at a stoplight, they may.

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Have been using their phone, they may still be on the phone. It feels very threatening.

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It's intimidating, it's dangerous and I feel as if cars are, drivers are actually chomping at the bit.

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When they're waiting to turn right, they aren't paying attention to the signs that say, yield.

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To pedestrians, they're not paying attention to the signs that have a icon, um pedestrian, icon.

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On it or the numbers so you're crossing those blocks and the pedestrian icon is on and at 15.

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At 15 the light turns green and those vehicles. Those drivers are looking to turn right. So I I.

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Would like you to look at it? I've been told that it's safer, it's not safe enough. Thank you. Thank.

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You mary lou uh next up uh christopher burns on the topic of the flagpole at 238 deer street. Oh.

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Hello, my name is christopher burns. I'm a portsmouth resident sydney, dennett street.

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Thank you, city, councilors, mayor mceachern, for your time, portsmouth has a fabulous history of.

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Flagpoles the liberty poll at prescott park has stood there since 1766. a refurbishing project for.

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The liberty plow was completed in 2019.. The gilded american eagle resides at the portsmouth library.

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Memorial park has many flags and even in frontier, we have two very large flags. I recently discovered.

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The city has another opportunity to preserve a historic flagpole in portsmouth, appropriate 238.

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Deer street has a flagpole that was the home of the portsmouth veterans, foreign wars, post 168.,.

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The city portsmouth sold the property to the vfw in 1966. there they built the vfw hall.

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The vfw hall at deer street welcome home veterans from korean war.

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Vietnam, war, iraq and like and afghanistan, it was a home from camaraderie of veterans of world war.

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One world war ii veterans day started at the location of this very flagpole that parades.

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The flag on that pole for 50 years has honored half staff the vfw sold the property in 2017.

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Since then, the flag has flown locally at the known restaurant, the state in 2021, a proposal.

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Was submitted to redevelop the property at 238 deer street, the development proposed the building.

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Of popular mixed use, development plan did not include anything to preserve the vfw history. The.

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Plan did not preserve the flagpole. The rendering drawings did not even include american flag.

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The property has been sold again in 2022. I do not know the current owner or their development plans.

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This is not important to me. What is important to me is remembering our veterans and to preserve the.

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History of this flagpole, the city council, has an opportunity to give the citizens a.

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Portsmouth an opportunity to thank its veterans for the service by preserving this flagpole. The.

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Flagpole stands about 30. Feet is in excellent shape as a pivoting flagpole, meaning the base.

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Can be decoupled from its foundation, lowered to the ground level, for repairs and relocating? I'm.

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Inquiring, the city council, investigate pursuing of the 238 deer street flagpole, an investigation went.

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Crude pursuing ownership of the flagpole, storing a flagpole during construction and finally, building.

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A location for a foundation of the flagpole on the corner of deer street and bridge street.

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I see I am out of my time, so I want to thank the counselors mayor mceachern for your time and time.

B

Thank you chris appreciate it uh zalita.

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On the topic of various.

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Well, not the last today, so um thank you good evening, uh zalita morgan, 39 richards. uh I want to.

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Recognize our city, clerky clerk and team, as well as all our award moderators, regardless of your.

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Party for upholding democracy. Thank you so much. Thank you. [Applause].

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Now bubble comments our favorite topic, um if you could only active, listen.

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So active listening fly, someone is intent in understanding someone else's position.

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And because of such can raise, intelligent questions make comments and if in a position of.

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Authorities such as you all are counselors, I think, and ponder of possible ways to address concerns.

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I totally agree with with the comments made by the legal director of the aclu on any censorship or.

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Infringement too legitimate freedom of speech. Our employees are well paid and compensated.

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They are hired to provide a service, a public service to our community, using funds yeah.

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By all of the stakeholders, property owners, renters commercial businesses and so on.

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And the actions of our city staff should be transparent. Let me share again my thoughts.

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Over my experience so I have been, I think you all know how I feel my thoughts about a governess.

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Meeting that takes place on mondays at 10 o'clock in the morning now a governance meeting is a big.

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Deal you're talking about how we function, how we are governed and how we expect to recovered.

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So for several months I have attended several meetings. I have communicated expressed my.

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Opinions provided positive thoughts over that. I have shared those thoughts with our mayor. I.

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Have come to you quite a few times and shared so as far as I'm concerned, that has been absolutely.

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No active conversation around this, nothing has changed. You continue to bring here to the.

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Public forum in a very rushed first second reading, and we know what happened with the.

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Other committee was sent back and when he came back to the public it was rewritten.

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Not as you had intended, you had passed the language so [music] in audience of 50 15.

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Participants is not representative of a city of ours. You must agree with me. Thank you. Selita.

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I guess I will um submitted this comments later to the city clerk.

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So that it can be with your consent, it can be attached to the minutes of the meeting.

F

Thank you. Thank you. Next up uh mark brighton, this subject of apologies.

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Mark brighton, south mill street mayor since you speak for the council, you owe a big fat.

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Apology to those of us sitting in the cheap seats, the peanut gala peanut gallery, as it.

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Were for even intimating that this council had the power to control the content of our speech.

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Councilor blaylock, as recently as uh the wednesday's htc meeting you, you said.

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That there should be no applause. What is the matter with you, people? What are you afraid of.

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The aclu scorched you.

G

Here's a little history lesson that is in order aaron goodwin a cop is in did.

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In my, in my opinion, we're in his way into the life of a of an elderly woman with dementia.

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He got himself named in her will to receive 2.7 million dollars in property and stocks, if not.

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For the efforts of a retired police officer, john connors goodwin would have uh gotten away with it.

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Gotten away with this, in my opinion, swindle cars was summarily fired from uh his part-time position.

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Of police work by having exercised his free speech rights of by talking to the local paper.

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Connor's gained the the backup of the of the mass uprising of the citizenry.

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Who vote spoke vociferously at police commission meetings and before the council.

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Mr mayor, your father would eventually uh represent john connors.

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I don't think you were around then, but, uh and it may be news to many of you since.

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The most of you people having a clue what I'm talking about at this moment.

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If not for the free speech, if not for free speech, this travesty might have occurred.

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Meaning goodwin getting a hold of this money and we might still be stuck with a.

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Corrupt police hierarchy who backed goodwin to the hilt, remember this the next time you.

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Want to vote us off the island. Thanks mark I was around and uh he left beth dyna did.

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Some good reporting on that as well. Next up liza, hewitt topic of a few things on my mind,.

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Is liza hewitt? I live at 726 middle road tonight the mayor is considering the nomination of david.

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Rayum to the boa board of adjustment, this nomination is problematic for several reasons.

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Mr rayon's wife beth moreau is a member of the city council. She also sits on the planning board.

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And is the chair of the land use committee because both the planning board and the boa.

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Are quasi-judicial boards having a husband and wife as members on those two boards presents a.

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Conflict of the juror standard, as I don't think it is reasonable to assume that they will have no.

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Discussion about projects being presented to their opposing boards, because the governance committee.

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Is can is currently discussing membership on boards and committees? Perhaps there should be.

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A discussion on husband, wife teams, representing both the planning board and the boa as well.

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As the additional conflict of the juror standard involving a city councilor married to a boa member.

H

My next concern is for the changes to the assisted living ordinance, which you are considering sending.

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To the planning board for review, I have attended all of the land use committee meetings since.

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They began in april the first three months. The committee discussed what they called phase one.

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Changes such as building heights, the next four months, the committee spent discussing changes to.

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The accessory dwelling unit ordinance also in your packet, this involved both resident.

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Surveys and focus groups over a four-month period now comes the changes to the assisted.

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Living zoning regulations, which were presented at the november 4th land use committee meeting.

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Three members of the committee spent eight and a half minutes.

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Discussing the changes they were proposing, which would impact zoning through large.

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Portions of the city keep in mind that the adu discussions took four months.

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I felt like I was attending a meeting in a different country spoken in a different language.

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The eight and a half minute discussion consisted of acronyms and abbreviations, none of which were.

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Explained no map showing the areas impacted by the proposed zoning changes was provided to either the.

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Other members of the committee nor the residents attending the meeting. In fact, the paid land use.

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Committee consultant appeared as confused as the residents as to which the change is proposed in as.

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To what the changes proposed involved, something isn't right here. Zoning changes involving the.

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City deserve more than an eight and a half minute discussion. I urge you all as city council members.

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To do your due diligence and ask that the proposed assisted living ordinance changes be sent back to.

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The land use committee for further clarification with maps before this council sends it along to.

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The planning board for review. Thank you. Thank you. Liza next, up page trace the topic of portsmouth.

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Evening, ladies and gentlemen, um my first time up here, council, mayor mccackrin, I.

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Called the other mayor, it was mayor blaylock, and I called him mayor lister.

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It was a long time ago and I had maps in my hand, and I thought I'll never do that again here. I am.

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To continue mrs hewitt's comments.

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um I urge the public and I urge all of you to watch the land use committee and watch it from 20.

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-10 to 23 minutes 22 seconds it's about helping out. I think we have we've addressed it. Gd1 gd2.

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Cd5 cd4 now, what's included in your packet tonight, is a general list like this, which god forbid.

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Mro cd4l1 g, a m h, b, c d: four, w w b, o r I w one so g-a-m-h is changed from n to s.

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um Mro cd4l1 is changed from n to s. The good ones for assisted living are cd4 cd5 from n to p.

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And and to be again, but do any of you know whether p is permitted or not permitted prohibited.

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No, you don't really. Unless you go to your legend down below or do you know where it is.

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Because that would require a map and a legend of which neither were included.

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So I say to you: even the head of the planning department said well: we've had.

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Specific requests haven't we does this help, so I say to you: in the interests of transparency,.

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You were elected to serve all the residents, not just specific requests for a change in zoning.

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For assisted living- and I thank you very much for your time- it's about the process, it's about.

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Transparency. Thank you. Thank you. Paige uh next up uh former mayor rick bexton on a simple request.

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Good evening rick baxtad 1395 islington street, uh basically the last.

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I've watched several of them. uh It was very confusing uh exactly what was cited by former.

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Counselor trace numbers were basically given out. There was no map of any kind. At all. I mean.

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I served four years on councils and I have never seen a proposed change on any land use regulations.

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Of differences and not have a map, you yourselves tonight, don't have a map so you're, basically.

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Relying on councilman road to be able to go and depict or answer any questions for you and, as far.

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As one of the things that I learned on my last two uh years on the council, I had a counselor that was.

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There um that reminded us from time to time many a time that if a document wasn't in the agenda that.

J

It's something that the council really shouldn't be voting on, because the public really didn't get.

J

A view on it, there are major concerns on it, some of the sites. If you look on the maps- and you had.

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To go back, it took the weekend on and off to be able to figure it out. You're talking about.

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Beverly hill road and changing zoning for that that would allow this assistant living you're.

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Talking about constitution, you're talking about heritage, you're talking about bartlett street.

J

People don't know these things and I think if they had known something about that at the land.

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Use committee, which was supposed to be part of the start of the public process, and they had a map and.

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They were aware of it. I think you probably would get a little more participation from it. I think.

J

It's something fair to do to the public with such a huge change. You're talking about industrial land.

J

That's out there on beverly hill road, I mean it's very controversial, I'm sure if and he never agrees.

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With me is david choate, david choate comes to the edc meeting at least once a month, and he gives a.

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Review on what we have for industrial space, I know the workforce is having issues with it, but.

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I don't think that the the intent really should be to change that. There's such little industrial.

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Space that we have in portsmouth, I think that should be a conversation for the entire public.

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Maybe even a charette of some sort before we really gonna make those changes. When I watched.

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The video and the planning director had mentioned something about incor worries that meant that.

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Somebody specifically came to the city and asked for this change on a property they either own or.

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They're looking to own, so what would what do we have to do with that? You can't go and just change.

J

One zoning for one piece of property: you have to look at the entire city and I think, just a.

J

Few people were involved in the uh basically the ability to be able to go and make those.

J

Recommendations to changes and then bring them to you. I would ask that to go back to the land.

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Use committee, so it has more public involvement with it and more awareness and I'm going to leave.

J

It at that other than the simple fact that the gentleman that talked about the flag poll is.

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Something that isn't owned by the city, it's owned by a property it has been transferred over. I was.

J

Not aware that the property had been sold again, my recommendation would be is at some point and.

J

I know it'd only be in the corner. The city is going to be putting a park up, that's going to.

J

Between the founding place garage and lot three of the dsa, I would make a recommendation. That's.

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Going to be city property, the city could then relocate and own the flagpole, so it would stand.

J

Forever, thank you very much. Thank you. Rick next up is elizabeth bradder uh on the topic of zoning.

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Oh hold on sorry uh forgot you or dover. uh You have to go last uh arthur.

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Arthur clow uh on the topic of a shakedown.

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City councilors, I'm arthur cloud from 431 pleasant street. I'm here to talk about the.

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Quasi-Ju judicial nature of the boards uh several years ago, a person who had been on one of these.

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Boards told me that she was called aside by another land use board member a different board.

L

Actually, and took her out to lunch and said to her, the mayor doesn't like the way that you're voting.

L

Now, if you're on a jury, then you have an idea that you're not allowed to discuss the case.

L

With people you're not supposed to influence juries you're supposed to leave jurists alone.

L

But we have a historic, we have historic presidents and current occurrences.

L

Of quasi-judicial land use board members being intimidated.

L

One after she had this initial meeting, she sat down with the mayor at the time who asked who.

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Tried to intimidate her along with uh city staff, and they, the mayor, said to her all of the other.

L

Members are they stupid, they all voted different than you are. Are you calling them all stupid.

L

So that just things to intimidate them, but this stuff is still happening today,.

L

Recently several different land use board members have come to me and- and let me know, or I've heard.

L

About it through the grapevine and confirmed it that city staff, including the legal department,.

L

Is intimidating? Them is calling them in and in one case, a person in the legal department.

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Suggested that looking at a person's facebook profile, not facebook, excuse me linkedin profile.

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Could be considered stalking, that's concerning, according to the state of new hampshire board,.

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Of conduct for attorneys, a lawyer shall not communicate with a juror or prospective juror.

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If the communication involves misrepresentation, coercion, duress or harassment, they shall not.

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Engage in conduct intended to destruct disrupt the tribunal. What I've heard from multiple people.

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Is that they are being intimidated to leave their positions? They're? Not because the.

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Intimidation went too far and even the mayor one time participated in this on a level when he asked.

L

Attorney sullivan to reach out to one of the land, use board members and tell him that he, because he.

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Was a land use board members he had to have a different decorum at the meetings. This is this.

L

Is juror harassment? It's despicable attorney shouldn't be involved with this. Neither should.

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City staff, neither should anybody on the council. You guys should stand up for these volunteers and.

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Protect them. Thank you arthur next up is the pizza hut with the topic of mcintyre updates.

M

Mayor city, council, peter huta, 280, south street, I just have a slight request. um If you look at the.

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Agenda tonight the city manager has nine pages all together in here before the council and then in.

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The back we have number 15 16 17, with a mcintyre update report back on the dog, ordinance and city.

M

Cemetery committee report- my request- is simple: can we please move everything together.

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So that when the city manager is speaking, it's continuous and the residents do not have to sit.

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Here for two three four: five, depending on how long you're here and wait for not five, hopefully not.

M

um And wait for for an update on this. um That was my first question. First request: please.

M

uh My second one is um in the last update that the city manager gave she said that we will be.

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uh Receiving a financial analysis on the mcintyre project soon uh my request is: is.

M

This going to be made public, and uh when will that happen, so the rest of us in the.

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Public can read and enjoy. Thank you. Thank you. Petra. uh Is there anybody on zoom? There are no.

N

All right, uh oh sorry, I'm so forgetful. Thank you. Counselor elizabeth.

O

Good evening my name is elizabeth bradder property owner of 159 mcdonough street and.

O

A few others, but we don't need to talk about that. um I'm just coming to ask that the assisted living.

O

Part of the land use committee that was submitted be pushed back to the land use committee. It was.

O

Presented with very little time to look at it a lot of the committee members didn't.

O

Even get it until less than 12 hours before it was discussed, it was very confusing for people.

O

Who don't know much about zoning? [music] um The acronyms were not available to look at and I.

O

Noticed in the packet they're, not there either when you get to that at the end of the meeting.

O

um I felt that some of the zoning areas like cd4w, which are butts.

O

Very a lot of single-family homes such as grc, gra, cd4l1 and cd4l2. In case you don't.

O

Know those some a couple of them are mixed use, but the rest are residential single-family homes.

O

um Things that I understood at the meeting to be changed to special exceptions are showing.

O

Now is permitted, so it just seems to me that this portion of it should go back to land use committee.

O

I've attended all the meetings I think, except for two liza can correct me on that.

O

um But I try to go because I think it's important to have some sort of public show up and you guys.

O

Don't see me because I think the city people who live here should be doing that. But I am.

O

Known very well in the zoning board and in the planning board. So I do go to a lot of meetings.

O

And therefore I am familiar with the letters and what the acronyms stand for, but most residents.

O

Do not so, therefore, I would ask you specifically to move the assisted living back to the land use.

O

Committee to go over whatever details people have concerned about, and um it's a big thing to change.

O

Zoning and I think, a lot of times we try to get it done in a certain amount of time and sometimes.

O

Those those impacts are great and we're looking at adus and yet adus were modified or cleaned up.

O

A little bit not too long ago, a few years ago, so I think this is something that we should take very.

O

Seriously in any city, and um if there are any kind of things that are concerning to citizens, I think.

O

They should go back to the original committee and then represent it. Thank you. Thank you. Elizabeth.

B

Checking again no hands on the zoom, uh we will go forth uh to the public hearings and vote on.

B

Ordinances and a resolutions uh first, mr america, we do acceptance of the minutes.

B

You know what we didn't. We had kelly worked so hard put them in.

B

The package just thought we should probably I didn't even didn't- even see that it's okay.

P

So right move. We accept the minutes of august 22nd. Second, all in favor aye, all right.

B

um Anything else I'm missing in here I'm missing here: nope, uh okay, so first reading.

B

Of ordinances, uh first reading of ordinance amending chapter 12 and chapter 15 cities.

B

Building code sample motion move to pass first reading and schedule a public hearing and second.

B

Reading at the december 5th 2022 city council meeting so moved. Second, any discussion on this.

B

Nope, well, I think it's a there's a there's, a lot that goes into this look forward to.

B

Hearing the public's uh feedback on it, I think, anytime, you can cut a document more than half.

B

You know it's a reasonable uh start. A lot of it is duplicative, but you know getting a you know.

B

Having to just go to one place, uh for that will be helpful, so all in favor aye any opposed next.

B

Up is the first reading of ordinance amending chapter 5, article 1 fire department, section.

B

5.101 personnel and article 9 fire code I'd wait a sample motion to pass first reading and schedule.

B

Public hearing and second reading at the december 5th 2022 city council meeting so moved second.

B

Any discussion on this, no, I think, we'll get into more of the questions uh when.

B

When we get to the public hearing on that, but appreciate that all in favor aye any opposed.

B

uh And now the first reading of ordinance amending chapter 1, article 4, section 1.408.

B

Cable and television and communication, cable, television and communications commission I'd.

B

Wait a motion to pass first reading and schedule public hearing and second reading of the january.

B

9Th 2020 2023 city council meetings so move. Second, any discussion on this council moreau.

Q

um I I really like the changes in the way they've kind of restructured it and rewarded.

Q

It a little bit, I guess um I don't know if this is possible, but to work in that would.

Q

Be really nice if they could try to find a way to do as much underground utilities with some.

Q

Of this, and be proponent of that would be also a nice add-in to it would be my only comment.

B

Any other discussion well I'll, just add that we get not a surprisingly amount but a reasonable.

B

Amount of of inquiries on why cell service sucks so bad in portsmouth and a part of.

B

This would be to broaden the scope of of what is kind of under the purview of this. So uh pretty.

B

Excited and thanks to uh uh deputy city manager, suzanne woodland, who has kind of taken this under.

B

Her arms and and brought forth some pretty good changes, so all in favor aye any opposed all right.

B

Next up a public hearings, adoptions of resolutions, public hearing adoption of resolution.

B

Appropriating 85 000 from american rescue plan act or arpa grant to pay costs associated with.

B

The purchase of an ambulance and the payment of costs incidental and related there, too first up, I.

B

Believe we have a presentation, I am happy to speak to this and the fire chief is with me. Your honor.

N

Essentially, what we are here tonight to request is an additional 85 000 to use toward the purchase of.

N

A new ambulance in the last three years we have set aside funding in the amount of 300.

N

And ten thousand dollars, uh typically, we set aside a third each year for an ambulance and.

N

Last year, as a way to absorb some of the costs and the increases in the budget, we put the hundred and.

N

Forty thousand dollars set aside in year, three of three for the ambulance to be used for our by.

N

Arpa funding and not the general fund. uh Since that time, we have learned that the price of an.

N

Ambulance is eighty five thousand dollars more than we have on hand, and so we find it most.

N

Appropriate to continue with the acquisition of the ambulance and not delay, but to see.

N

Carpet funding for this amount and as such we are required to hold the public hearing and we would.

N

The chief and the fire commissioner game store are both here. We are happy to answer any questions.

B

Any questions from the council.

B

Pretty informative in the packet. uh Thank you city manager. um Now we have a public.

B

Hearing speakers, anybody from the public that like to speak on on the adoption of.

B

The resolution appropriating the 85 000. going once going twice. I will close uh the public.

B

Hearing seeing no further questions, I would await a motion to adopt the resolution as presented and.

R

So moved second, um do we need a roll call vote on this? Yes, uh I had a way to roll call. The.

C

Assistant mayor kelly is not here: uh counselor tabor, yes, counselor denton, yes, council moreau. Yes,.

C

Councilor bagley, yes, council lombardi; yes, council, blaylock, yes, councilor cook, yes, amanda cochran,.

C

Yes passes unanimously next up the public hearing, adoption of resolution appropriating.

B

Eight hundred thousand dollars to purchase one fire apparatus and authorizing a bond.

B

Issue and or notes of up to eight hundred thousand dollars to meet this appropriation.

N

Your honor again with the assistance of chief mcquillen and fire commissioner gamester. If you.

N

If you need them, this is a request to replace an aging fire engine currently in our fy25 rolling.

N

Stock schedule, however, similar to the ambulance, which has a two-year lead time. This also has a.

N

Two year lead time, what we're looking to do now is to seek bonding authorization of the up to 100.

N

Up to eight hundred thousand that we had set aside so it we that we may sign a contract to.

N

Ensure that the apparatus will be delivered on time in july of 24.. Please note that we do not.

N

Have to make any payments until delivery occurs, but the idea would be that borrowing of the funds.

N

Would not take place until fy25, which is when we scheduled it anyway. We just need this earlier than.

N

Normal authorization because of the longer lead time, okay, that makes sense to me any questions.

B

Councilor bagley, I think you're, going to just to clarify when we authorize the bond. We don't.

S

Actually set the interest rate until we need the money so to speak. When we go to market there's.

S

No risk that, because interest rates are high, now, hopefully they'll be lower. When we go to market.

S

At some point in the future, that would be ideal and correct any other questions. Counselor tabor.

P

um Thank you joanna. I was reading about these two-year delays in getting fire engines.

P

um Are we safe with our current 2006 apparatus for the next two years.

B

But you're getting the fair chief to come out of the seat, but originally this is going to be.

K

Purchased in uh 2025, correct yeah, but you're all right. Thank you uh for the.

T

Question councilor: yes, the uh the the truck that this would replace is a reserved piece.

T

Of apparatus and then the current frontline piece of apparatus will be moved into reserve.

T

um And this by doing this tonight, this enables me to be able to sign a contract, essentially.

T

This week, so that we can ensure that we get uh delivery on time of the vehicle we don't have.

T

To face any more delays, thank you learned. We have reserved fire engines and papers.

B

Thank you any other questions. Seeing none could we have a roll call vote, wow public hearing anybody.

B

From the public would like to speak on, moving up the authorization on the fire apparatus.

B

Seeing none, I will close the public hearing and ask for any additional.

B

Questions we're just seeing none. I will need a motion right yeah. We.

B

Have a weight of motion uh to adopt the resolution as presented so moved? Second,.

B

Kelly, can you please call the roll counselor chamber? Yes, councilor denton, yes, council, moreau.

C

Yes, councilor bagley; yes, council lombardi; yes, council, bluyla, yes, councilor cook, yes, ma'am! Yes,.

B

Next up we have uh the public hearing a second reading of ordinance amending chapter.

B

1 article 4 commissions and authorities, section 1.412, public art review committee.

B

um Do we have a presentation on this council cook? Would you like to speak to it? Thank you, mayor.

U

Mckecker um on behalf of the governance committee, I'm bringing forward tonight for public hearing.

U

The public art review committee ordinance- this is a new ordinance that is being proposed and it.

U

Comes directly out of the public art guidelines adopted in 2015 that included recommendations.

U

For a public art review committee, the reason that this is coming forward is that we have found over.

U

The past few years, especially since we do, we no longer have art, speak functioning at the city.

U

Level that it's much more difficult at this stage to set up a review committee whenever we have a.

U

Proposal for public art that comes before the council currently the way it stands any public.

U

Art proposal that comes before the council has to be referred, then, to the city manager to set up a.

U

Second, a committee to review that proposal. It can take months to set up a committee.

U

um So it also can be very difficult to find people to serve so that becomes a challenge.

U

When it comes to trying to consider public art projects- and we have an ordinance already- that.

U

Requires public art projects whenever we have a capital project with the city.

U

So this is designed to fix that challenge so that we have a standing public art review.

U

Committee that relieves the need to constantly recruit members to serve on a public art review.

U

Committee and it follows directly the guidelines that came in our recommendations. They were part.

U

Of a review of what were the best practice for public art review for the city, so we're just.

U

Really adopting those recommendations and setting up this public art review committee.

U

And hopefully relieving some pressure um on the council on the city manager to to constantly be.

U

Trying to reinvent this process every time we have public art come before the council.

B

Council cook, any council questions.

P

Council tabor, I would just add that another benefit we'll get from this.

P

As counselors is that they'll meet at least quarterly and.

P

They will give us a written report and they have the capability to.

P

uh Encourage contributions to our public art trust fund, so there are things we as a council can't.

P

Do well that that citizens from our community can do well, and I think this is a great example.

B

All right, I agree, uh listen to the public if there's any speakers, but I I love looking.

B

Through and there's a lot of experience, you know, that's that's called out there, but then there's.

B

Also, folks, like myself, with, aren't necessarily the artistic ability, uh but the appreciation for art.

B

Included there, so I appreciate the wide swath of people that are included in that council cook, so.

B

um With that we'll open the uh the public hearing on this, are there any public members.

B

From the public that like to speak too far against the public art committee,.

B

Seeing none, I will close the public hearing um and we'll see if there's any additional questions.

B

If not, I'd wait a motion to pass second reading and hold third and final reading at the december 5th 2022 city council meeting, so it moved second.

B

Kelly, would you please call me: oh, we don't need a roll call, because they're not spending.

B

Money, not just the committee, it's a fantastic community. It's not eight hundred thousand dollars.

B

All in favor aye any opposed and a post. Okay next is the second part of of counselor cook's.

B

Work uh public hearing second reading of ordinance amending chapter one article.

B

17 funding of public art, section 1.1704-1704 exemption in section 1.1, 707 funding, accepted.

B

Would you like to speak on this as well? um Yes, thank you mayor.

U

um This is our current public art ordinance and we, this is coming forward from governance again.

U

These are some minor changes to the public art ordinance that are coming about because of some.

U

Challenges that the councils incurred in the past in dealing with public art, the first change you.

U

Will see is actually not until you get to 1.1704 the exemption section and the reason.

U

That this arises is we have dealt with this very recently with a sewer treatment plant when we have.

U

A public art commitment: we basically require a percentage for the arts, and that is capped.

U

um So it's it, it never exceeds um the. We never calculate that one percent beyond a 15 million.

U

Dollar expenditure. So just note that if we have a 40 million dollar expenditure, we don't use 40.

U

Million dollars to count our our one percent, we we look at a 15 million dollar expenditure, but.

U

In the case of the sewer treatment plant, the question was: where do we put the public art.

U

And we really didn't have a good provision for how to deal with that. So when we got to.

U

The exemption the idea was well, it's not a good place to public art. How can we deal with this.

U

We wanted to make it possible for the council to allow public art in.

U

Another location, that's a city-owned public property associated with a capital project.

U

If the location, that is where the capital project is being built, does not make sense,.

U

For a public art piece, so that's what you see with the exemption in section 1.1704, it says.

U

In those cases, the public art associated with the project should be placed on other publicly owned.

U

Property within the city at the determination of the council, so this still leads us to the council.

U

And in section 1.707, this also allows the council to accept donations with a designated purpose to.

U

Commission works of public art to be placed on public property. This is another challenge that we.

U

Have when people come forward with a donation that they they want to give to the city for public art.

U

It's not really clear that we can accept that donation if it's designated for a specific kind.

U

Of art or specific piece of art, so this allows us to take those donations and if we have a public.

U

Art review committee, then of course, then they would consider what to do with that.

U

When it comes down, so it just allows us to accept more money and more donations.

U

For public art and that's the goal, I would note that in section 1.1704 there is a strike through.

U

That I would offer a slight amendment to before. If we can before we hear the public hearing or we can.

U

Offer it after, but I want the for public hearing for people to know that where we did strikethrough.

U

On 1.1702, that is not accurate. That shouldn't be there that strike through. It should be left.

U

As it was 1.1702 and not change to 1.1701, that was just a missed reference. Okay in renumbering.

B

I think that's certainly fine. um Do we need an amendment on uh legal inquiry.

B

I guess do we need an amendment uh on the make that correction to make the correction.

B

Or could we just simply pass it and have the correction be made for third and final reading.

V

I'd be happy to move to make that correction. Think you can do it either way.

K

B

And do we we'll get to it after the public comment, but let's hold that until we um well.

B

I'll slightly change the uh uh the requested motion, any uh members from the public that.

B

Would like to speak on the public uh uh funding of public art, um section, 1.1, 704 and 1.1707.

B

Seeing none, I will ask the counselors if there's any uh further questions, no.

B

um You know, I think it's a there's, a lot of questions around the sewer treatment plan.

B

About you know: what are we putting all that art uh back there? I still think it's a beautiful walk.

B

Out there, but um I also uh my dad full of many lines, but one of them was, you know. We remember.

B

The wars we start and the art we leave behind. I don't think anybody that has visited portsmouth.

B

uh At least under 10 has done so without getting on the back of that whale in prescott park. It is.

B

A an image burned into my uh brain and one that I was happy to to share with my daughter. You don't.

B

Even realize that you're, uh your your world, is expanding um just by uh being around art, so I.

B

Would love to be able to do this in a way, and, what's beautiful about this, is uh being able to.

B

Incorporate the the public art earlier in the design of buildings, so it's not just about you.

B

Know taking this extra cash, but how can we make buildings? You know uh impactful and beautiful.

B

At the beginning of that process, so thank you for bringing this forward um and I would wait a.

B

Motion and so we got to wait a motion to pass uh second uh reading with um uh section with the or.

B

The removal of the strikethrough, as noted uh by councilor cook and hold third and final reading.

B

At the december 5th, 2022 city council meeting so moved. Second, all in favor aye all right.

B

So we're on to the city manager, but I see I'm just trying to see if there's uh I know that.

B

We have uh mark and larry out in terms of uh we have two presentations, so can we I got through.

B

um We got through the uh the majority of the or all the public uh comment, but can we get.

B

um Can we pull forward um the.

B

I'd wait: a motion to pull forward the uh the presentations and written communications section.

B

uh All in favor aye aye, I meant to say this- is suspend the rules.

Q

To do it, yeah, okay, all right! I thought it.

B

um So first up is the 2022 data collection presentation uh by uh mr zan lentz. Thank you.

W

Good evening, mayor city, council members, um my name is roseanne, I'm the city, assessor.

W

For the city of portsmouth and I'm coming forward today to.

W

Bring forward to the public and to the city council, the data collection process that the city.

W

Of portsmouth assessor's office is going to begin, hopefully this coming week in order to comply with.

W

State mandates and maintain accurate property data. It is necessary to measure and list properties.

W

Throughout the city, periodically data collections are conducted to enhance the overall accuracy.

W

And of property data throughout the city and to help maintain fair and equitable property values.

W

The last measure and list that the city did was in 2012 and it was completed in 2015. So.

W

It's been a while this data collection is expected to last until the end of tax year.

W

2024 fiscal year 2025, so I'm expecting it to last over an 18 to 24 month period and it's.

W

Going to be done by in-house appraisers versus hiring outside appraisers or data collectors.

W

The data collection process requires an inspection of the interior as well as.

W

Measurements of the exterior of all buildings, the interior inspections will take approximately 10.

W

Minutes and is necessary in order to determine the full and true value of the property.

W

All property data will be entered into the camera system for further review and analysis.

W

So a notification process is going to start with the taxpayers receiving a notice.

W

Of the intended inspection in the mail and the city's website will indicate where the.

W

Inspections are in process. This notice will also give property owners the opportunity to make an.

W

Appointment versus a knock on the door, if no one is home, the exterior of the building and ex and.

W

Out buildings will be measured and a door hanger will be left requesting an interior inspection.

W

If a homeowner is not comfortable with an interior inspection, the appraiser.

W

Will and can take the information from the property owner at the door.

W

For safety concerns all city, appraisers and data collectors will have proper picture identification.

W

And view of the in view and the fort smith police department will be aware of the data collection or.

W

The data collectors and appraisers identity, along with the vehicle, registration and information.

W

All appraisers and data collectors will have pictures posted on the city's web page.

W

No appraisal will enter the interior of the property with an underage child in the home.

W

Without an adult and if any residents have any questions regarding the project and information.

W

Pertaining to the data collections, they can call the assessor's office.

W

Any questions to the council, the mayor, if I might uh world again wanted, would want you to.

N

Know that this process will start this week this week, girls and the notices are going to be look.

W

Like a postcard, okay, and so the notices will go to the homeowner before somebody shows up. uh Do.

B

Interior or even exterior, right and we'll be doing them neighborhoods at a time so and then.

W

We'll be listing those neighborhoods that we're in on the web page and then we'll also be on the.

W

Web page, showing, if we when we've completed that neighborhood and people, can still call at any time.

W

To ask us to come in okay, and I guess the second question that I would have in terms of measuring.

B

The exterior, if somebody has a fence, will the um will, the members of your team will they be going.

B

um Will they be opening fences to okay, so they will not open fences only if there is a.

B

um Only if there's a freely accessible outdoor area, they they won't. Okay right, the measuring.

W

List is important, but we have other means. If we can't get behind and fences. We have google earth.

W

That we can measure from we have eagle view we can measure from so we can get that information, but.

W

It's better to have accurate information versus us, estimating it okay, okay, and if a homeowner.

B

Does want um there's uh to schedule this uh for a time when they are home, uh that information is on.

B

The card to reach out to your office- yes, okay and I guess the last question that I have. I don't know.

B

Why I'm so interested in all this, but the? um How did we make it so far uh we expect from it was 12.

B

2012 and it was done in 2015, but then we've made it another uh seven years, but we only expect this.

B

To last, oh, just the data collection so we'll last a whole another. uh Seemingly this similar amount.

B

Of time right, this data collection process is supposed to just help, maintain our property data.

W

Portsmouth has a great permitting system, so we we and and we've had a lot of sales. So we have.

W

A lot of the property data, but we try and just get everybody on the same page. So and this will.

W

Help during the next revaluation to make sure everybody's assessments are fair and accurate.

B

Thank you, roseanne yeah. I really appreciate it. Thank you. uh Next up we have.

B

I think it's yep um the greater ports of the recovery ready community coalition uh presentation.

B

um And larry uh mccall is going to be doing this mark is, is is not, um but thanks. So much he's here.

B

We have questions specifically for mark, uh but thank you uh very well. Thank you uh good evening.

X

Mayor mceachern, council members, city manager, con art, uh I'm larry, mccullough executive director of.

X

Pine tree institute, also with me this evening, is mark lafave, who is director of community.

X

Engagement for pine tree institute has been a lead facilitator for the coordinated response.

X

To substance issue, substance, use disorder, also ellen gold, who, I believe most of you know vice.

X

Chair of the edc is president of the pine tree institute board and also has been a member of.

X

The steering committee for coordinated response uh since its inception uh three and a half years ago.

X

Thank you so much for allowing us to be with you this evening, we're here to really update you on.

X

The progress of the coordinated response and also talk with you about some next steps that we think.

X

Are important to be able to carry this into the future? The uh the the background of this uh some.

X

Of you may remember that in may of 2019, portsmouth city council and portsmouth rotary jointly funded.

X

An initial effort to explore what the city could do in a coordinated effort to address what was.

X

Clearly becoming a crisis and dealing with the opiate addiction issues, which have now moved.

X

Beyond opiates to other drugs, like fentanyl, methamphetamines and so on, in that early work.

X

It became clear that having all of the services of the community work together to address this.

X

Issue was going to be essential if we were going to get any kind of traction on it and in that.

X

Early phase, we worked with the services to say so what are the big areas that we need to address? We.

X

Identified five areas that were the priorities at that time: recovery, housing, employment.

X

Access to services, which very quickly became the issue of connectivity during the pandemic.

X

Coordination of services across the community and also community education and training. These.

X

Were the five areas that continually came up over and over again as the priorities to be addressed.

X

This group has been working for the last well since fall of 2019 to address these areas and.

X

There's been some substantial results that have been achieved, pretty pretty astounding, actually.

X

In may of 2019 there were no recovery homes in rockingham county. There were no recovery beds.

X

And in the recovery community there's a maxim that, if you're working on recovery, the maxima.

X

Is housing first, if someone in recovery does not have a stable place to live, it's very difficult.

X

To get anything else beyond that 2019 there were no beds in rockingham county. There was a need 80.

X

People were sent outside of rockingham county for services since that time, through the efforts of.

X

The coordinated response, and through some private operators, there are now two recovery homes based.

X

In hampton, but to serve all of rockingham county and directly through the efforts of this through.

X

The coordinated response, and through the generous contribution of a private donor over the last year.

X

The number of beds is doubled, so there are now 24 beds in rockingham county 12 for women 12 for.

X

Men and the ones for men are being expanded. We are hoping that that number will be doubled as well. So.

X

A substantial effort, which was a gaping hole two or three and a half years ago, some other efforts.

X

uh Coordinating all of the work of the employment services, there are a number of organizations and.

X

You'll all have copies of this slide that give you the the details of this a number.

X

Of organizations that provide employment services are very difficult to access. They began working.

X

Together and provided access to employment and employment, counseling and coaching uh access for.

X

For phone service during the pandemic, this is this started as transportation, but during the pandemic.

X

We said well, the issue really is telephonic access and through coordinated response, we were able to.

X

Gain uh access to a hundred phones for people free of charge who needed to be able to access.

X

Medical services during that time, during this effort, uh coordination of services, the there's.

X

Been substantial progress in rockingham county has made the most progress of any county in.

X

The state on getting providers on the unite us platform, which provides coordination of services.

X

And this has been done under the leadership of the new hampshire doorway, so bringing the new.

X

Hampshire doorway, expanding access and connecting all of the services so that people can cross refer.

X

To each other and know when the referrals have been made- and it's not just this sort.

X

Of knock on some doors and hope that somebody's going to respond, much more coordinated approach.

X

And then, finally, a very substantial effort on community education, particularly in the area of.

X

What's often called adverse childhood experiences or aces understanding that the roots of much.

X

Addiction can be can be traced to some issues of trauma and early experiences. So there's been.

X

Education in schools and mental health agencies in the police department and the fire department.

X

All of the services, the recovery centers on understanding trauma, understanding how to respond.

X

More effectively to trauma and understanding the impact of trauma and when we're dealing.

X

With people that are are working hard in their own recovery, so there have been some very substantial.

X

Results over the last couple of years, despite the fact that, after the initial funding, the the.

X

Second round funding from foundation for seacoast health and new hampshire charitable foundation, all.

X

Of the meetings were on on zoom like this is my first in-person meeting with uh council in three.

X

And a half years I think since may of 2019. uh on the next slide. You'll see this just a very quick. I.

X

Won't read all of these names, but you'll see that mayor, mceachern and city manager connard as well.

X

As alan gold from the edc, uh fire chief police chief, the school superintendents, the public health.

X

The let's see the recovery center, the domestic violence center, the homeless, shelter, basically.

X

All of the services that are in some way or another connected to helping to deal with the.

X

Opiate crisis and provide assistance to people in recovery have all been.

X

Involved in this- and it's been a really amazing collaboration among these groups-.

X

um uh Where we are now so just over the summer, we pulled everyone back together and said so.

X

Where are we what's? What are our next steps here and we worked with a group, we said so.

X

What do we need to stop? What do we need to start, and what do we need to do differently?.

X

When it came to what we need to stop, there was nothing that we needed to stop the all.

X

Of the members of the coalition said, we need to keep doing everything that we're doing and.

X

In addition, we need to start doing a few things. We need to really build community awareness and.

X

Reduce stigma and enhance those efforts. We need to look more closely at measuring our outcomes. How do.

X

We know that we're really having an impact. We need to address mental health issues and co-occurring.

X

Disorders as well as substance use disorders, because we know that at least 50 percent of.

X

The people in recovery have co-occurring orders of substance, use, disorder and mental health disorders.

X

We need to look at harm reduction, it's not enough just to send people off to treatment. There needs.

X

To be a a pathway for people to engage them in the process, we need to look for services.

X

For the homeless population- and this was very clearly articulated by our by crossroads house.

X

We specifically want to address youth and prevention and, in fact, there's another.

X

Coalition, that is developing specifically to look at youth and prevention services.

X

And what we really want to do with the coalition is to build support for the next phase of our work.

X

And that's really what I'm here to speak with you about tonight.

X

The proposal is to establish the greater portsmouth established, greater portsmouth.

X

As a recovery ready community, what that means is that we look at the full range of services.

X

Required from prevention to harm reduction, to treatment to long-term recovery support, one of.

X

The things we know is that treatment generally is not enough. There needs to be ongoing support.

X

In the community, if people are really going to be able to pursue their recovery and reintegrate.

X

In an effective way, it's sort of falling off a cliff coming out of treatment. If there are.

X

No services in the community to provide that kind of support so becoming a recovery ready.

X

Community looks across that whole spectrum of services and also engages all of the services.

X

Who are now members of the coalition and who are working together to achieve that.

X

The the proposal is to create this and to to look for multi-year funding one of the challenges as.

X

You know going year to year, is you never exactly sure if we're going to be able to build? We have.

X

Learned that if we put support into this, we can achieve some results. We've also learned.

X

That it takes an investment to really be able to provide that kind of coordination.

X

So the proposal has been to establish the recovery ready community coalition. The cost, for that is a.

X

Hundred and twenty thousand dollars a year for two years and what that provides, is coordination.

X

Of all of these coalition members, it provides for the training of the community and the education.

X

It provides for project management of the task forces that are getting all of this work done.

X

Coalition doesn't necessarily do everything the work is carried out in task forces. There's.

X

A lot of management to make that happen also to build our data and reporting and to expand the.

X

Community education, because we know that stigma reduction in a community is one of the big factors.

X

Allowing all of these other things to proceed, the coalition has already received funding from the.

X

Foundation for seacoast health, thirty thousand dollars, which is two years but contingent upon.

X

The portsmouth city council participating in this we have a proposal pending for the new.

X

Hampshire opiate abatement fund for an additional thirty thousand and our request to portsmouth city.

X

Council is sixty thousand dollars for a two-year period. That would ensure that this coalition is.

X

Able to function and be stable over the next two years to really drive into implementation.

X

um So that is that's our update. That is our request, and while I'm here, I also want to express.

X

Our gratitude, through all of the coalition members, there's been amazing work over the last few years.

X

uh Our gratitude to the foundation for seacoast health and new hampshire charitable foundation.

X

Who funded most of this work also to a private donor who individually made the recovery housing.

X

Expansion possible and to portsmouth city council for providing the initial funds that started this.

X

All off in may of 2019., so thank you for your support. We look forward to would love to request.

X

Additional support and I'm happy to answer any questions or any other comments. People may have.

B

Thank you, larry. Are there any questions? Counselor lombardi yeah, you said you have 24 beds. Is that.

V

Enough, uh no, it's not we. I don't have the statistics from this year. Two years ago there.

X

Were 80 people that were eligible for recovery, housing in rockingham county that had to be placed.

X

Outside of rockingham county, I don't know what the statistic is for this year, but there's a there's.

X

A sort of double thing we want to expand the beds, but we also want to reduce the need so somewhere.

X

There's a happy spot, but 24 is not enough. It probably needs to be double or triple that.

X

Yeah. Thank you for that question. It's a great question. Council denton, thank your honor. I recall.

Y

When um this began, so it's very impressive how far it's come, my questions actually for the city.

Y

Manager um is this something the funding could that come from arpa funds or sorry, if that's a.

Y

Possibility arpa is certainly a consideration. The um the timing, as I understand it, would be a.

N

Calendar year for calendar year, 23 and calendar year, 24, which coincides with the fiscal year of.

N

The effort correct yes and not the city's fiscal year per se, so it would be 30 000 january 60.

B

000 and uh in june and then another thirty thousand, how would we work? I think they're looking.

N

For 60 000 in january, and sixty thousand in july got it to cover that next year, yeah through.

N

Calendar year, 24. yeah we're trying to juggle program year and calendar year right. So the 60.

X

000 in january would cover basically quarters two and three of our program year and then the 60.

X

000 in july would cover that second year of operations.

B

So not so not thirty thousand in january to june put it in the budget for uh another.

B

I guess we'll take this up at um this, will have something that we we figure out with finance.

X

um Yeah yeah, it's the staggering of the program year versus the calendar year: okay, yeah.

X

Cancer cook thank you mayor and thank you so much for coming and presenting to us tonight. I.

U

Really appreciate it, um some of these tasks are really really large tasks and they're going to.

U

Take a long time to to find reasonable solutions in our community, one that struck me that was.

U

Interesting was the addressing the mental health and co-occurring um illnesses. Has there been any.

U

Effort to work with some of the larger groups that have been seeking funding and location for.

A

New mental health hospitals in the state. I know that there was an effort initially to locate one.

U

In epping there's now talk at the state level for potentially another facility. I think portsmouth.

U

Hospital have been working on one. Has there been any coordination yet with those groups.

A

Yeah, okay, would you mind just repeating that? Because we could hear you but the folks at home.

X

Yes, um so we have, they have not been directly involved, but members of the coalition include.

X

Seacoast mental health, the public health department is part of it. The hospital.

X

Portsmouth regional hospital is part of it in the new hampshire doorway, there's parts. So all.

X

Of those coordinate with those efforts, so our expectation is that there will be coordination.

X

Also nami new hampshire has been a big part of this, so they're engaged in the effort as well.

X

Thank you great question. Thank you.

B

Oh councilman, uh just a quick question uh because you are sort of claiming to.

Q

Assist rockingham county as a whole. Have you sought out any funds through the county itself.

X

The so this particular coalition uh is specifically for greater portsmouth, so.

X

What we're defining is portsmouth city, newcastle, rye, greenland and newington. So those areas, the.

X

The coalition members, some of them, do serve all of rockingham county, so their funding, by implication,.

X

Does extend to the seacoast, but this specific effort would be for the greater portsmouth area.

X

And the foundation for seacoast health funding is specifically for those five communities.

Q

Thank you, counselor bagwell yeah. Thank you, honor. uh Thank you for the presentation.

S

um It's always good to see when we get a and ask for funding that there are matching.

S

Funds involved, so that's great to see. um I've got a question for the city manager.

S

um Kind of referencing the the arpa funds, it sounds like we're on a bit of a time crunch.

S

Here, where am I misunderstanding that, as far as that, first tranche of funds that would be needed.

N

Right and speaking with larry and mark and allen, that is, that is my understanding as well.

N

um There are, there are some options on how to if it were the will of the council to support.

N

The request there are, there are funding options that I could bring forth. If that were what the.

N

Council would be looking for so how about we do this? How about we, we vote to have a report.

B

Back uh on those funding options for the next uh meeting december 5th, in order to have uh a a.

B

Path forward to to fund this, but also align with our uh our obligation to to citizen and citizen.

B

Input to be able to speak on public comment around the options that we have. uh So if we.

B

If there was a motion to request from the city manager a um uh report back on funding options,.

B

uh Available to meet the requests of the greater portsmouth recovery ready community coalition at.

B

The december 5th meeting [music] um I think, we'd accomplished that so I moved second all right. Any.

B

More discussion on that counselor bagley, um just a follow-up. Thank you, your honor. um I I understand.

S

The urgency to move forward- and I know um the coveted recovery task force- has a lot on their.

S

Plate, however, I can't help but notice, there's a lot of similar issues that they're dealing with.

S

Such as transportation or phones or things of that nature, so I think there might be a chance.

S

For some sort of collaboration, or or maybe we could send this packet to that task force just so.

S

They can take a look at it sure the task force is meeting tomorrow. I'm happy to bring that. Thank you.

B

Any discussion on the motion on the table and that's the uh here uh from the city.

B

Manager funding options for us that we could act on december 5th. The next council meeting.

B

We have the presentation: okay, all in favor aye, any opposed.

B

Thank you larry. Thank you mark. Thank you, alan for the work that you do. It's important uh work.

B

And it would be be remiss if I uh didn't uh make mention of uh former announcer wasenby and his.

B

Efforts to bring this uh to the table and all the work that uh that I know it was incredibly.

B

Passionate about uh to to make this possibility and to see it grow into this, and we had the.

B

Pleasure to join a previous meeting to see just the brains in the the room myself excluded from.

B

That but there was a there, was a lot of people really passionate people uh willing to uh do.

B

The work that's necessary and uh I hope that that uh the public can come out. You guys don't.

B

Have to come back and sing for the supper on that december 5th, but look forward to that vote as well.

X

Go ahead all right. Thank you very much. Thank you guys. Thank you.

B

All right, since we moved the whole thing up, uh I would await a motion to uh for.

B

Email correspondence to accept and place on file so move. Second, uh all in favor.

K

Aye, okay, um going back uh unless it was not going back. He's a city manager.

B

All your items that require action first up, your honor is approval of a collective bargaining.

N

Agreement with the professional management association there's a memorandum from city labor.

N

Negotiator tom clawson, who is here this evening, happy to answer any questions you might have.

B

So I'd wait: a motion to approve the proposed agreement as presented.

R

So moved second, any discussion on this.

B

Cancer tabor. um Thank you, your honor. um I I think that we're all aware that um retention of our key.

P

Staff is critical to being efficient at how we deliver our services, and uh I want to support.

P

This because I I think it will stabilize and help us retain the skill people we need.

B

But agree all in favor aye all right. um Next up! Oh sorry, I know myself. Okay,.

N

This is yours, appreciate it. uh Next up is uh approval of a second collective.

N

Bargaining agreement for the portsmouth city, employees, local 1386, a union.

B

I'd wait: a motion to approve the proposed agreement as presented second.

B

Any discussion.

T

Council boiler, thank you um not just this councilor tabor said I.

Z

Think it's important. We protect and retain our city employees, and these.

Z

Are some of the hardest working folks in the city so yeah? I was supporting this.

Z

Look forward to the do a lot of uh uh great work uh for us another fantastic.

B

um Hazardous waste uh disposal day uh last saturday, kind of hard to believe 75 degrees in.

B

November but if you think like the november, one is not going to be too hot in there that wasn't even.

B

The case, but I really appreciate all the work uh that they do so all in favor all right. Any opposed.

N

Thank you item number three is a request for restoration of involuntarily merged lots located.

N

At 880 woodbury avenue, and you will remember that at the july 11th meeting, the council voted to.

N

Refer this request to the planning board and the assessor for a report back and at the october 20th.

N

Planning board meeting the planning board voted to restore the property to its pre-merger status.

N

As in taking in the advice and counsel and recommendation of the city assessor and both.

N

The city, assessor and the planning director are available for questions. Should you have them.

B

A way to a proposed motion uh to restore the property located at 880 woodbury avenue towards.

B

Pre-Emerger status and direct the city, gis and assessing staff to update the zoning and tax.

B

Maps accordingly so moved. Second, any discussion, councilman I'll, just state that a lot of times in.

Q

The in the recent past we've actually turned down many of these requests, but there really.

Q

Truly is a plan that shows that this was two separate lots, even though the description does.

Q

Describe it as one lot, and that was one of the key factors, along with all of the structures on.

Q

The property being on one of those two lots that makes this really a candidate to move forward.

B

And I would just take the time I I think that the process that we came up with the last council.

B

Having the assessor do a lot of the research then bring it to the planning board. It seemed.

B

To work out uh for this, it's not a judgment. Call it's not something that you know if we like it.

B

Or don't like it, it just puts it um in the in the documents, if they're, if they're found, if they're.

B

Findable appreciate that, and it is, you know, it keeps getting continued by the legislature so.

B

If you do have, you know, merge lots and you like them unmerged. You have to start that process, but.

B

See no reason to go against the city's sister and the planning board and this so all in favor.

B

Aye any opposed. Thank you item four is a request for approval of the 2023 city.

N

Council meeting calendar that not only includes proposed council meetings but also all the.

N

Budget related meetings updates work sessions listening sessions that we typically include.

N

And it's important to note that additional work sessions could be scheduled at the call of the.

N

Mayor, but this is the proposed schedule as the city clerk and the finance director and I have.

N

Proposed for your consideration, I would await a motion to approve the proposed 2023 meeting.

B

Calendar as presented so moved, second, any discussion and or amendments. Thank your honor.

Y

um I actually motion that we amend the 2023 calendar by consolidating the four budget reviews.

Y

Which are currently on may 9th 10th, 11th and 17th to a single budget review day on friday may 12th.

B

Second, any discussion on that.

Y

So on a previous council, we did just this where we had a city council um retreat, where we did.

Y

All the budget reviews in one day it seemed more effective uh than what was done this past year.

Y

And what we're posing here, because the way this is set up currently on may 8th, we'll have the.

Y

Public hearing, which is a monday on the fy 24 budget, then may 9th 10th and 11th there'll be.

Y

Presentations to us then again, the following week monday, the may 15th is a regular meeting.

Y

Then that, following thursday, wednesday may 17th is a another presentation on the budget and then may.

Y

18Th is the public dialogue and then fast forward to the following week may 22nd. That monday would.

Y

Be the city council budget review and that's a lot to ask of people for three week time period.

Y

And it just seems to be a more effective way to go about doing it and all of everything I just.

Y

Listed the times are all around the same: 6 6 30 7 o'clock. If we moved it to a daytime, it would.

Y

Give more people the opportunity who can't make these meetings that should be able to attend the.

Y

Meeting in addition to that, anyone could watch the meeting on youtube they could follow up, but.

Y

Something that's changed since, when we did that retreat is, we did not have the city council public.

Y

Dialogue back then, so that's something which would remain separate at the 6 6 30. Whenever we decide.

Y

To do it, and, in addition to that opportunity to let the public speak, they would also be.

Y

Able to speak at the public hearing itself, which would remain at the normal public hearing time.

B

Any further discussion on this.

B

uh I see I see, councilor cook is formulating a question, but I see uh council moreau.

Q

I guess I have no disagreement with that change, but I'd want input from city staff as to how.

Q

That would affect their preparation and delivery and abilities. It's interesting that the finance.

N

Staff suggested that we bring something like this forward and is very the staff would be.

N

Supportive of consolidating this into one big budget session so appreciate the the amendment.

B

Any other questions counselor cook, um I thank you, your honor. I just have a question on that.

U

Particular date, the may the 12th date, um I'm not sure that this is scheduled that date, but.

U

There is a pretty prominent portsmouth event that usually takes place on that date um and somebody.

U

Would need to check it. um Tedx portsmouth usually is on the 12th that second friday, so.

U

I just I would think that we would lose a lot of residents that would want to participate.

U

That's my only concern.

U

P

P

I know it seems like we spread this out a lot um taking so many nights to do it.

P

um But I think it's a very important part of our job and I actually like the way we do it.

P

Now I think it gives us time to prepare. It gives us time to give the city manager.

P

Questions that we can have answers for those budget discussions and I think it gives a.

P

Little more space for interactivity with the department heads that they don't normally get.

P

um My concern would be if we pack it all into one day: um we wouldn't have the chance for those.

P

Questions to go back, go out from us and come back. We wouldn't have as much of a relaxed, interchange.

P

To dig below some of the surface of things, so I I myself like the way we're doing it now.

B

So as we're having this uh this debate and conversation, the assistant mayor is, is not here.

B

um She's traveling back is there any reason we could or could not table this to the to the.

B

December 5th meeting to have a longer conversation and confirm dates with other people. I think if I.

N

Can propose a hybrid for kelly's sake? Could we approve the council meetings separate and apart.

N

From the may budget work sessions, so if we could get everything else, okay going and then we will.

N

Come back, we can table the budget work session, so I think, there's a there's, probably a a decent.

B

uh Conversation to be had I'd like the assisted merit to be a part of uh that conversation. Instead,.

B

Of coming back from africa and saying you know we did, we did what and also her voice is.

B

Really important uh into this conversation and could say something we don't hear. I tend to.

B

You know I've done it three years, one way, uh so I would be interested in the the things that we.

B

Are might be missing by having department heads uh go back and and forth and having separate nights.

B

So that we could be, you know we could get uh them to uh answer questions that we might be.

B

Jogged into memory and have them there uh in a way that we haven't had uh in the past. But.

B

um The 12th seems to be a date that would be difficult to to work. I confirmed it is tedx.

B

That day, yeah so I'd wait. A motion to approve the council uh um council calendar uh minus.

B

The budget work sessions so moved. Second, do we need to rescind the motion on the floor? Oh okay,.

C

um So the motion was to amend.

N

Was there a motion in a second yeah, there was yeah, there was a motion to amend the.

C

um The may 12th date so I'm willing to withdraw my motion. Foreign.

B

So that's withdrawn, so we will uh I'd. Wait. A motion to approve uh the city council calendar.

B

Minus the the budget uh work session dates so move. Second, hey request of the city manager. If.

Y

You find a date that works better for consolidated date, other than 12 to propose that sure. Thank you.

B

So we'll we'll vote on this in one second, but uh counselor didn't uh maybe bring that.

B

Up under your name at the the december 5th meeting, so that we can have that.

B

Discussion and try to work to to get a date. You know I'm personally trying something new.

B

um But again you know it is a lot of opportunities to uh to to spread that out, but.

B

All in favor, as the motion is presented, aye any opposed.

N

Of his request for a drainage easement located at 140 west road back in august at the august.

N

Planning board meeting the planning board granted site plan approval for property located at 140.

N

West road site plan approval was required to permit the site alterations at that property.

N

And since august the property has been acquired and, as were the related site plan approvals and.

N

As part of this approval process, the playing board approved a plan which directs storm water from the.

N

Public right-of-way, over and across this property to existing city, drainage infrastructure and the.

N

Planning board recommended that, as part of the approval that this infrastructure be secured in an.

N

Easement deed to the city, a drawing and language of which is included in your packet, essentially.

N

Amounts to 2590 square feet, as approved by both planning and public works and legal, has approved.

N

The language and we would look for support for accepting and recording and drainage, easement deed.

Q

And make a motion that we um authorize the city manager to accept and record a drainage is indeed.

Q

In substantially similar forms the easement road to the west, llc contained in our packet. Second, any.

B

Discussion all in favor aye. Thank you number six is a request for a temporary construction license.

N

Located at 93 pleasant street back in january of 2022, the planning board granted site plan.

N

Approval for the redevelopment of the four-story building, along with the construction of a new.

N

Three-Story building for property located at 93, pleasant street that work is set to begin shortly.

N

Because a construction mitigation and management plan was signed in late october, which identifies.

N

The temporary encumbrances for project related work during the project's construction, long story.

N

Short, the project proponent, is seeking to use 1200 square feet of sidewalk along court street. That.

N

Abuts the property for 517 days to begin december, 1st of this year through april 30th of 2024, the.

N

Idea would be to enable the owner to construct the project and provide a safe perimeter, signage.

N

Will be required to redirect pedestrians to the other side of the street, where the sidewalk will.

N

Be open and the owner will be required to apply for separate flagging permits when deliveries.

N

In cumber court street, the total license fee, for this request is thirty. One thousand twenty.

N

Dollars and legal and planning are both reviewed and approved. The form of the attached license in.

N

Your packet, so I'd wait a motion to uh that. The city managed to be authorized to execute.

B

And accept the temporary construction license for the term of december 1 2022 to april 30th 2024 as.

B

Requested so moved. Second, any discussion. uh Yes, thank you mayor. Is there any opportunity for the.

V

Sidewalk to not be encumbered like having scaffolding over the sidewalk in that area,.

N

The sidewalk is far enough away from anywhere any building would occur. That's scaffolding really.

N

Isn't an option in this particular instance in there and as there are sidewalks on both sides.

N

Of court street there's an ability to support and relocate pedestrians in that area. Okay,.

B

Councilor cook, thank you, your honor. I just have a question on what the limitations are.

U

With regard to flagging licenses and closure of the street for deliveries, I know that this does.

U

Impact some residential homes along the street and there's also a business not too far from there.

N

Right and- and I also I haven't had to answer that question so.

N

um And I'm looking at the city attorney, who I'm sure has not had to answer that question yet.

N

um But there is a butter notification and review as part of these permits requests.

N

And it's called for in the cmmp right, so um just following up on on that question,.

B

What does that mean for flagging and street closures? Is that, as a part of this uh construction.

B

We're approving the permit. uh This is just the license to encumber the sidewalk when they need.

N

To seek a flagging permit that will be a separate ask: okay, separate ass to close the street separate.

B

Asks for flagging on this. This is so along the the length of the the rock wall and uh that they can.

B

uh Close that down for construction and move, um but it's not it doesn't extend past the sidewalk.

B

Correct correct, so it's simply the sidewalk correct, not the road, nothing in the road, no.

B

Trucks parked along the road next to the uh the the sidewalk. No, because there's no parking.

N

In that area, it's due now: okay, council, bluff. Thank you. um We have been working this project.

Z

On the htc- and I do know that that rock wall is part of the project, I know we've required.

Z

Them to number each rock if they take it off, so they can replace it back as kind. um So I.

Z

Think that answers some of the questions about the scaffolding and stuff, like that, all right.

B

We might be able to cut the date down if the, if we're not numbering each rock, all right. Sorry.

B

So any other uh questions or comments on on this.

B

All right, all in favor, aye any opposed. Thank you. The last item, under my name, is a request.

N

For reallocation of public arts trust funds from the foundry place, public art project.

N

To the bohanco park, sculpture garden: this is an effort as part of the portsmouth 400th initiative.

N

And you will recall that back in 2018, the city council approved and appropriated a sum in the.

N

Amount of 150 000 into the public arts, trust for the purpose of purchasing artwork for.

N

The foundry garage that project has since been completed with twenty one thousand one.

N

Hundred dollars remaining in the trust, with no purpose or or any further need for funding for.

N

That project, so I would like to request that the council approved the reallocation of those.

N

Remaining funds in the amount of twenty one thousand one hundred to be used for.

N

The sculpture garden, it's really an effort to provide city funds and city support for this.

N

Important initiative that will hopefully yield several sculptures in the bojango gateway park.

B

uh I'd wait: a motion. It's a long one, uh uh to find that the behenko park, uh sculpture garden, is a.

B

Public art purpose consistent with the public art ordinance of the city and the council approved the.

B

Reallocation of the remaining foundry art funds in the amount of twenty one thousand one hundred.

B

Dollars and no sense from the public arts trust to be used for the bohanco gateway park. Our sculpture.

B

Park garden, he had further moved that the city manager is authorized to take any and all steps.

B

Necessary to accomplish the reallocation of the foregoing, trust funds still moved. Second, second,.

B

Any questions on this I've got a small one on the uh the trust funds. Is this something that.

B

I'm remembering something of the there was money that was allocated trustees. The trust funds is.

B

There anything that we need to be aware of when it's uh is this money, that's overseen by by that.

B

Committee, it is overseen by that committee and this language and the way this motion was crafted.

N

Was to direct the trustees of the trust per your vote? If you were to support this to make this.

N

Money available, okay and the way that we did it last time we we allocated that money, but we.

B

Didn't specifically uh direct them to make them, so this is indifference, or this has changed from the.

B

Previous, I'm forgetting what that what was even on but the it failed that the trustees, because we.

B

Didn't have this language so this language and why it's such a long motion is take care of that. Okay,.

B

Any other questions or comments. I think this is a great initiative.

B

um And I know that they're they're out fundraising, I think using some of the money that we do have.

B

For this uh is a way to signal to other donors uh and to the committee in general that this.

B

Is something that is valued and valuable to the city? You know the eight people on zoom.

N

Four, I know are interested in in this item. In particular, thank you for tuning in on too.

B

Owen, uh do we need a roll call vote on this? No all in favor aye any opposed.

N

Thank you mayor. That's it all right on to the consent agenda with one item.

B

um The uh I'd wait, a motion to adopt the consent agenda so moved. Second, all right.

B

uh All in favor aye aye all right, geez. Louise uh good luck! um That's the requests for people.

O

Watching home, it might not be following on the agenda. This was the uh the sign for cheese. Louise.

B

We've gotten through the presentations and written communications so on to counselor items, and it is.

B

My pleasure uh to bring forth uh the approval of an employment agreement with city manager, canard.

B

I would wait a motion to approve the proposed employment agreement as presented so moved. Second,.

B

Discussion, uh thank your honor. I I just um you know. I think we all know that the center manager started at.

S

Probably the worst possible time with a global pandemic hitting- and you know we faced a lot of.

S

Challenges as a city- and I just want to commend our leadership um getting us to do that pandemic.

S

um Not just her obviously, but there was a great deal of leadership involved in that and since I've.

S

Been on the council, I have been continued to be extremely impressed with the leadership that the.

S

City manager shows, and uh I've had multiple city workers uh comment to me that you know they. They.

S

Really appreciate her leadership as well. There's a lot of city employees and she makes an effort to.

S

To get to know as many of them as possible and and I I really uh commend her leadership style.

Z

Council bagley council bluelock. Thank you um I'll, just repeat some counselor bagley's.

Z

Sentiments um it's been a pleasure to work with city manager canard, so.

Z

Far she's had to handle a great amount of adversity and unforeseen circumstances. I.

Z

Seek to handle those with grace and I'm very impressed um I'll, be supporting this contract.

Y

Thank you anniston uh one of the best things that the a prior city.

Y

Council did that I was on in 2019. Around this time frame was hire. You.

B

Got some moreau I'd just like to say thank you for signing a five-year contract.

Q

Staying so we get to keep her very exciting.

B

Any other comments: council tabor, no, I usually speak and they usually cut something.

K

Right at the end, all right: well I'm in violent agreement with that, every once then, no um it's a.

B

It's it's been fun um uh serving with our city manager, on the deus. Both one was the whole.

B

World was locked down and coveted and we were just boxes on a zoom screen.

B

um You know that was tough. It was tough for a lot of reasons. It was tough to to bring uh folks.

B

Together and we were all in a in a fishbowl- and I think it was- it was a difficult time.

B

In addition to just the general difficulty uh that uh that the entire world uh went through.

B

I've always been impressed with the city manager's ability to listen intently to.

B

To really look to to to get action, if you've ever been in a meeting with her, you feel.

B

um Completely underprepared because she's taken about eight pages of notes and you're thinking.

B

Like man, I should have written some of this down, um but uh it's not enough to to take notes or to.

B

Be attentive it's to it's to when you get that information to to act, to follow up to.

B

Think strategically, and I will say that I've been excited um for the time that that we have been.

B

Able to serve the city of portsmouth, but I'm more excited about what you're going to be in another.

B

Three years and and five years, I think this is a job that has a lot of cumulative. uh You gotta.

B

You got to know a lot to do this job incredibly well, and, and you will continue uh to to grow.

B

Because you're a curious person that really enjoys uh this job and we're really really I'm thinking.

B

This vote's going to go in your favor, um so uh I'm I'm excited to the city of portsmouth to have you.

B

For another five years, so thank you all in favor aye. Any opposed! Congratulations! Karen! Thank you.

B

um Next, up um appointments to be considered no uh vote on this, but david ram uh to the.

B

Zoning board of adjustment- I simply just want to I'd like to happy to hear anybody's questions.

B

um uh On this, uh you know come to to me before that the next vote, um but I I had the I had the.

B

Chance to go through the zoning board process when I wanted to get a deck, I still haven't.

B

Gotten this deck built, but I haven't approved and it's I don't live up to the standard often but to.

B

Be a good chair: you have to facilitate everybody else. You have to take a step back uh from talking.

B

um And you have to be fair and the the things that have struck me. Maybe.

B

You know somewhat surprisingly, so um is the idea that uh that that mr raymond would be anything.

B

But fair, that was my experience uh with him and I think that you need people that are um able to to.

B

Put the uh the person in front of them um in a uh above all their own and that's what I felt like.

B

When I talked to the zba before and that's why I asked and uh he's agreed to put his name for.

B

It so I'm excited about that, but for the next uh the next meeting we have appointments to be voted.

N

Mayor councilman, oh council, moreau I'd just like to state for the record. I will be recusing on the.

Q

Vote at our next meeting, I think a lot of people know that he is indeed my husband um and we did.

Q

Serve both each on our separate boards for a long time- and I know I when I was previously going to.

Q

Run for city council back in 2017, I actually made a point of going and speaking to the city attorney.

Q

At the time about whether or not I could even serve as a city councilor with him being the chair.

Q

Of the zba- and it was a definite that was not a problem whatsoever, so I had investigated that.

Q

Previously, I did not specifically this time when he made the decision to do this, but I have done.

Q

That- and that was what I was told so um just to make that clear and on the record sure I mean.

B

In some alternative universe, where rory wanted to surf on the zba, you know um you know she.

B

We we don't. I wish we could talk more about this city uh city uh with each other, but.

B

um There's you know if somebody has the ability to um to serve and do that rationally. um It.

B

Doesn't it shouldn't be held against uh what they uh who they're married to? I am a little.

Q

Sad to lose him on trash night, though, does that mean I have to put out the trash down.

Q

There, like I'd, also like to speak in support of um david room, because, as chair of the htc.

V

The the uh fire on state street that took down two buildings and damaged the times building.

V

um There was a very large effort to uh tear down that that building it went. um It was contested.

V

Our decision at the htc was contested. It went to the um to the zoning board of adjustment and.

V

It's something that the board of adjustment is doesn't really know about how to be uh to.

V

Be an htc person and he handled that tremendously. Well and as a result of his leadership that that.

V

Building is still preserved. Unfortunately, it is, has not been preserved or rehabilitated. Yet.

V

But it will be- um and I just re respect his leadership there. So he has my vote.

B

Well, um we don't get to vote tonight, so we have to say all those nice things next time.

B

um But appointments to be voted, uh the appointment of uh stuart shepherd to the conservation.

B

Commission, the appointment of I guess I should do this in a motion. I'd I'd, move to a point, uh stuart.

B

Shepard to the conservation commission, brian gibb, as an alternate to the conservation commission.

B

Assistant mayor kelly and mary lou mcelwain to the d.o.t public advisory committee for the route.

B

1 bypass the anne weidman as a regular member of the economic development commission, charles doliak.

B

Kristen peterson emma stratton tom watson and lawrence yerden to the.

B

Task force to study private public historical archive.

B

Second, any discussion: I appreciate your willingness to serve all in favor, aye, india, post.

B

B

I'm pretty excited about this next one, um so we have a a vintage uh christmas shuttle uh coming.

B

Back to the city of fort smith, I did no work to get this done, but somehow I get to put it under my.

B

Name, um but it's going to be through uh december 3rd uh and it's going to be operating on the.

B

The weekends, as I understand it through the 18th, that's correct right and it's going to be doing a.

B

Loop, uh that is, uh it, is in the the packet um running around uh through downtown. You know I.

B

Would love to think that you know in a world where we might not? All you know park downtown.

B

um You know this could be a trial for something that we, you know. We do uh longer term.

B

um To get people into the foundry, I know it doesn't seem, I mean it's it. Walking is all.

B

Relative, so if we can make it really easily accessible from the foundry, get people.

B

Downtown, if we can think of you, know potentially extending uh this uh this loop in the future, but.

B

We'll be looking at ridership numbers and you know- hopefully uh people take advantage of this, so I.

B

Want to thank the city manager uh for for going out and and making this uh this happen for us.

B

That's it just that was perfect. I plan on writing it. I plan on writing it as well. You know I'd love.

B

To drive it, but I think you need to you need a commercial license for that. Don't have that.

B

All right, counselor tabor you're up. Oh thanks, your honor! um I just wanted the council to be.

P

Aware of a survey that we want to put out in the field uh around community power, which is you.

P

Know is our effort to aggregate city electricity demand from all of us and use that to buy cheaper.

P

And greener electricity, um the part a partner we have- and this is the community power coalition of.

P

New hampshire and we would join 19 other cities and towns. Some of those will start in may we're.

P

Looking at starting in september- and we wanted to do the survey for two reasons- to get information.

P

On the service options, the tiers of service that we can give particularly around those who.

P

Want to and are willing to pay for renewable energy, a hundred percent- and uh we also just want.

P

To engage residents, one of our goals on the energy advisory committee is keep engaging residents so.

P

That, when uh assuming the council votes to move ahead, when we notify residents, it's not.

P

A surprise they understand it and they know what it is. So uh we're scheduling this for december.

P

Logistically it may fall in january just because, if we find out getting this out in the midst of.

P

Christmas, um the timing wouldn't work, we'd slide it to january. That's it hey councilor tabor,.

B

Counselor dutton, thank you honor. I just want to start by thanking this council for earlier.

Y

This year, uh increasing the disabled veterans, tax credit to the full amount of four thousand.

Y

Dollars and thanks roseanne in her office for helping a friend of mine recently due to the.

Y

Packed act now allowing certain cancers to become.

Y

Give a presumption that you got that cancer while deployed. Then it would be covered. A friend that.

Y

Several you got to meet at the veterans day ceremony who's younger than all of us.

Y

um She's now, thanks to pack that 100 disabled, she went to roseanne's office and um they did a great.

Y

Job helping her with her taxes, so that's a four thousand dollar tax credit uh which she's now.

Y

Eligible for- and these are two of the other large tax credits in front of us- I'm gonna.

Y

Make each motion, and if it's second I'll, speak to them.

Y

I move the draft resolution increasing the optional veterans tax credit from 500 to 750.

Y

Be brought back with any necessary changes to the city council for read, option before march.

Y

31St 2023 second, so this is the more common tax credit that a lot of people think of it's.

Y

Everything one moment here.

Y

So it's the optional variance tax rate, the way how this one works is uh there's enabling.

Y

Legislation out there that allows municipalities to go up to 750 and for residential property for.

Y

Certain veterans um for the longest time, as long as I've known of it, it's been five.

Y

Hundred dollars, uh the veterans at the supplies to it's, not if you deployed in a combat theater.

Y

It's if you serve during a time of deployment. A great example that I'd like to use is my father.

Y

He's not a new hampshire resident. He was drafted during vietnam. He didn't deploy to vietnam, but.

Y

Under new hampshire law, he would qualify for this tax credit, although he did not deploy to vietnam.

Y

um It's not a conflict of interest for me to be voting on this, although I would qualify for having.

Y

Deployed to iraq, I don't own residential property. um With that said, the other tax credit, the olive.

Y

Earns tax credits a little more confusing, but both of these tax credits they need to be reauthorized.

Y

Prior to march 31st due to a change in the enabling legislation. So regardless, if you.

Y

Want to increase it to 750 or keep it at 500. It will have to be re-adopted march. 31St is just.

Y

The date which any tax credits have to be adopted by and the reason why I'd like to have it brought.

Y

Back at 750 is, we could always go down, but if it comes to a public hearing on this, you can't then.

Y

Increase it at the public hearing that makes sense. So all we're asking for here is this: to.

Y

Be sent essentially to city staff to review, to see if ancient just have to be made to it.

Y

And then to be brought back for re-adoption um at a date undetermined before march, 31st.

B

Council denton any questions on that.

B

Well, it's a there's, a.

B

Just had veterans day, um you know, there's a there's a lot. That's said this is an opportunity.

B

To to put our money um where our mouth is and the ink isn't even dry, I think, on the increase of the.

B

750 versus the original 500 of the state, so I'd be proud uh to support this uh with you to make.

B

Sure that we're leading in the state when it comes to our veterans and and what they can expect us to.

B

Do as much as we can is allowed by the the state of new hampshire, so all in favor aye can you post.

Y

We make the second motion here moving the draft resolution, expanding the all.

Y

Veterans tax credit eligibility to those that currently serve be brought back with.

Y

Any necessary changes to the city council for re-adoption before march 31st 2023.

T

Second, so again, the one we just voted on the optional tax credit, that's one that most veterans.

Y

Think of- and it was actually pretty divisive for years because there were veterans who didn't.

Y

Qualify for it and they thought that wasn't fair back in 2017, I was able to bring forward.

Y

The all veterans, tax credit and that fills in the gaps so essentially any veteran who is honorably.

Y

Discharged having served 90 days or so qualifies for the all veterans, tax credit and when I brought.

Y

That forward back in 2017, there was no idea of knowing how much money it would cost the city. I.

Y

Came up with my own numbers, then the same manager did to see what it could potentially cost and we.

Y

Even had to vote on it twice after a vote passed the first time wednesday council voted for it.

Y

Changed his vote brought it back a second time and someone else changed the vote and it passed this.

Y

Here's different in two regards one: the navy legislation has since changed. It used to be locked.

Y

At 500 now it's tied to the uh optional tax credit, so whatever the optional tax credit's set on in.

Y

That first resolution this will be tied to that. Second, this changes the eligibility to all those.

Y

That currently serve so, if you're in the national guard or, if you're, on active duty. If you've served.

Y

90 days in active duty, then you would qualify for this and just like the other resolution, it.

Y

Needs to be re-adopted due to that change of state law, and all we're asking for here is to send it.

Y

Essentially, uh to city staff to review and bring it back to us for a vote prior to march 31st, 2023.

B

Any further discussion is counselor denton, oh uh councilman, thank you honor and thank.

S

You councilor didn't bring this forward um doing a little research on this.

S

Less than one percent of u.s citizens are currently serving in the armed forces in.

S

An adventure to say that you know, even though portsmouth is a navy town and and we have the.

S

Air force base for many years. You know our population percentage is probably not much.

S

Different than that, so I think a lot of those a lot of us that aren't or haven't served in the.

S

Military think that the percentages is higher than it is, but we do have a all volunteer armed forces.

S

And currently there are less than one percent of americans serving in those armed forces.

B

Thank you, councilor bagley, any other discussion, all in favor aye, any opposed.

B

Council moreau, um thank you, I'm going to make a motion slightly different than what's actually.

Q

In the packet just for warning all right, I I'd like to emotion that we've uh moved to.

Q

Refer phase two of our adu amendments to the planning board the recommendation and to bring.

Q

Recommendation recommended amendments back to the city council for first reading. Second,.

Q

And the reason I made that change is, you know the assisted living was kind of something that some.

Q

People brought to our attention that um there were several areas in our city that we allow.

Q

Like multi-family homes, whether it's four units five units, whatever the size units, so we were.

Q

Trying to equate the assisted living definitions of the size of the units and just allow them.

Q

um In those in those different districts, but clearly there's been a lot of pushback to do that.

Q

I don't think it's change that has to happen right now. I don't think there's anyone pounding on our.

Q

Door, so I'd rather just put it on the back burner for now and concentrate on the adu, which I think.

Q

Is much more important that we keep our focus on that? So that's my reason for making the change.

Q

um The adus that changes that we've made we have been, let's see, we started public input.

Q

Back in july, we've had at least four meetings on uh at land use of the adus, and there have been.

Q

Many many changes to track through. I think what we have now is a complete sort of rework of the.

Q

Law we now have adu units that if you are going to do one completely within your house, so a floor of.

Q

Your home, the basement of your home, and you want to create an adu there. You can basically do it.

Q

Through an administrative approval um and that's and it was or it can be, an accessory structure.

Q

That's already existing as long as it stays within 600 square feet or smaller, so we basically.

Q

Took out garden cottages and now we've kind of equated everything to being either an attached.

Q

Or a detached assisted dwelling unit, so we kind of took out a whole section and worked it into.

Q

And put it in there, we've reworked it to have sort of what all adus have to be. You know what specific.

Q

Attached and detached and then when we have also what any architectural requirements might.

Q

Be- and I say, requirements that really we call them guidelines so that you're within these guidelines,.

Q

That way, it makes it a little bit clearer when there's administrative approval. We were asked to.

Q

Have a way for there to be on permitted houses for a way to be noticed. So we also added in the.

Q

Same notice that we do for demolition review, so there will be signs at the property clear.

Q

View of everyone, so they can see that there's an application in for an accessory dwelling unit and.

Q

Then that way, if somebody had an issue- and there was an approval- administrative approval, they could.

Q

Then appeal that to the zba, we also have uh we're asked to make sure that the direct butters were.

Q

Actually mailed notice, so we've added in that the language that would be on that sign would then be.

Q

Put into you know a letter and notice whatever you want to call it and mailed just to the immediate.

Q

Boundary of butters of those properties that are applying um you know, we've tried to really.

Q

Sort of make sure drain things that you know have happened in the past have been addressed and that.

Q

Hopefully, it's streamlined in a way that hopefully once this goes through and if there are for future.

Q

Changes that make it better. I say that's all great, but our community has a navigator that we're in.

Q

The process of trying to hire their first duty is going to be to take this zoning ordinance as.

Q

Amended and to be able to give us a handbook that we'll be able to, then you know basically have a.

Q

Checklist for a homeowner, saying: okay, is this your property, then this is you know what you need to.

Q

Follow so that they don't have to truly understand the language of the zoning we can put it into.

Q

Plain english and make it easier for someone to understand, stand and to get things put through so.

Q

Those are kind of the broad strokes of the changes that we've made. But if you guys have specific.

Q

Questions I'm happy to answer them, but there will still be at least at minimum, a public hearing and.

Q

Possibly more than one public hearing and possibly a work session at the planning board level before.

Q

It would then come back here to city council for public hearing as well council tomorrow.

S

Council bagley go down the line here, uh thank your honor and and first I want to.

S

uh Thank the the members of the land use committee for their work here. I know they.

S

Put a lot of time and effort into this.

S

I can't support the amendments as written. I think this creates a lot of new hurdles. There's quite.

S

A bit in here of design language where it sounds like we're we're creating the hdc throughout the.

S

um The rest of the city, for instance, if you take these new requirements, if you have a vesto.

S

Sighting you're required to use that it's, not the neighborhood, it's it's your house, the materials.

S

You have to use. If you have copper gutters, you would have to use copper gutters on the edu. It.

S

Would actually be cheaper in some cases for the owner of the main building to tear down their.

S

Existing copper, gutters and put aluminum up for both adu and the main building. There are extensive.

S

And I think unreasonable parking requirements for off-street parking. I just feel that this.

S

As written will actually have a chilling effect on the creation of adus in our city, and I think.

S

We need to approach it from the standpoint of of how to get to yes. This feels like it's.

S

um It's heavily biased towards people that don't want me to use in the community and.

S

I I will say- and I ran on this and and I'll keep banging this drum, but.

S

The number one thing we can do to let people that are in economically challenging situations.

S

In family situations that are challenging to stay in this community is to build and encourage adus.

S

And that's for several reasons: adus is where a community makes its commitment to affordable.

S

Housing and the environment, um it's the least disruptive way to increase, affordable housing.

S

Infill in areas where we have water and sewer, as many people know most of the most desirable.

S

Neighborhoods in our city atlantic heights, the south end little harbor, neighborhood islington,.

S

Creek they're illegal to build today because of our zoning requirements. We can't replicate.

S

Our most desirable in some people's opinions neighborhoods because of our zoning regulations.

S

And I just feel that this goes too far towards creating those types of regulations. That's going.

S

To discourage the creation of adus, so I'd like to recommend that we have a work session as a council.

S

To take the good work that the committee's done, but to maybe tweak it so that we are ensuring that.

S

We're going to create new adus the data since 2017 when the state legislator passed, the law is we've.

S

Created, I believe, 30 adu units, which represents 0.05 percent of housing units in the stig. If we.

S

Were to do 20 times as many adus, they would still only represent one percent of housing units in.

S

The city, so I think, we're a little too concerned with with aesthetics with with off-street parking.

S

um I think we need to take a harder look at this. This is going to be the easiest way we can create.

S

Affordable housing- and I think this is where we really need to take some risks and try and lower.

S

The barrier of entry to adus right now, I believe it costs between twenty to thirty thousand dollars.

S

Just to bring forward an application, an application that might be denied and- and that's.

S

One of the fundamental problems with zoning is it favors developers it favors, rich people, because.

S

They will have the money to go to the boards and successfully argue for these variances and and for.

S

All these regulations, but the people that need these adus, the most who are experiencing health.

S

Challenges or family problems, where they want to the mom and dad to come, live with them or or.

S

Their their children just went through a divorce and has two kids and wants to come home and live.

S

In portsmouth, and if they can just build a small college cottage or put a you know, an attic adu in.

S

They can make that happen. I think we need to lower the barrier to entry on adus and- and I don't think.

S

This legislation why a lot of time and effort went into it? I don't think it accomplishes that.

V

Councilor bagley councilman birdie, um I'm not sure I agree with councilor bagley.

V

um But um because I think that this is a step toward one of our major goals that we have.

V

um I don't think that asking a a person to build a adu that is compatible with the.

V

Existing structure is, I don't. I seriously doubt that we'd have they'd have to put.

V

Special gutters on an adu that they had on their house. I, the the historic district.

V

Commission doesn't require that.

V

um I just um I think it's a step in the right direction. It may need tweaking, but I want to.

V

Commend that all the people who worked on this, the committee and the residents who've participated.

V

um And the planting part. Thank you. That's everybody councilman! uh Thank you. Honor um I'll.

Z

Just say that meet counselor burrell myself, the other members of the landings committee uh beverly.

Z

Sand uh we've had outside counseling we've had immense um public output as well, and engagement.

Z

um We've had tons of meetings, it's a little disappointing, not to hear any input sooner than.

Z

This because this was all public information we've been working on, um but our goal is to lower the.

Z

Barrier- and I think we've been working very hard at doing that- I think this does lower the barrier.

Z

Right now you know if I needed to build an adu for my mother in my backyard. It's a very confusing.

Z

Language, it's 30 grand like you said you know, so I think something needs to be done about that.

Z

um As council lombardi said, I'm familiar with the issue, see yeah, that's that's. That's not the.

Z

Way, things really work, you know we're not going to make you put copper gutters on your adu and I.

Z

Think that's a little misleading to um say that that's what we're going through with this! These.

Z

Improvements here, but I think the work we've done here um because significantly lowers the barrier.

Z

Gets closer to helping the client understand um and just makes it easier more increasing the house.

Z

Getting closer to increasing the housing stock in portsmouth, nice accountability, anybody else.

B

uh Counselor denton and then councilor morale, oh sorry, counselor, tabor, sorry,.

P

um I agree with counselor bagley on one thing that adus are absolutely the best way to add density.

P

With little environmental footprint acceptable to the neighbors and create affordable housing.

P

um The granddaddy of this is california neighborhoods that were built in the 60s.

P

Where people children can no longer afford to buy a house in their old neighborhood.

P

That's been made possible by haiti news if they can return to their their neighborhood.

P

um I did want to ask counselor moreau, though, about the architectural design standards for.

P

The detached adus- I completely get it for the attached adus, but how? How did that? What was the.

P

Origin of that- and I know that we had talked about an aspiration of some some standard designs for.

P

Adus, so that a person could come in and say you know one of these standard designs, I can get up.

P

And going quickly and affordably, so um yep, no uh part of what I was about to say is so one of the.

Q

Balancing acts of these is that we are keeping mind 80 user for single family neighborhoods, so.

Q

You're only allowed to build a single family home, so the idea of keeping any detached or attachment.

Q

Looking like the regular building is so that they look like they go together, so that we're.

Q

Keeping that single-family neighborhood fabric, even though the density has been increased so.

Q

That's the reason behind it: it's if you actually look at the purpose of it. We're not doing this.

Q

In neighborhoods, where you can already have a duplex, so you can already have three units or.

Q

You can already have multiple units we're doing this in neighborhoods that are single.

Q

Family neighborhoods and we're trying to keep them looking like single family neighborhoods.

Q

We don't want to make them look like they're more dense, but we want to allow them to be more dense.

Q

That was the whole fabric behind it. We one of the major major things that came out of the survey and.

Q

Stuff, we did was parking issues and that people had major questions, so we did make this parking.

Q

Slightly more stricter than our actual parking, although I'm a true believer that we need to.

Q

Rework our entire parking area of our zoning, but that's a whole other conversation and a.

Q

Whole nother six months so for now we thought we would just make it because we do round up.

Q

In our parking that we would round up and put it into the adu to allow for more parking based off.

Q

Of the square footage of the units so yeah, I hope that answers some of your questions.

Q

I'm happy to answer any others. Would you like to say anything else? No, I really got to say.

Q

Everything in answering this question counselor cook. Thank you, your honor, um and thank you to.

U

The land use committee for all the hard work that went into this. I do have a question around parking.

U

um Specifically, why are we strict about parking for an accessory dwelling unit in a neighborhood.

U

That has ample street parking that's available to residents for parking and the reason I'm asking.

U

This is that it seems to me that the market would decide who would rent an accessory journaling.

U

Unit, if it didn't have additional parking based upon people someone's willingness to park on the.

U

Street or just not have a car. I fully agree with your comments. The hard part is is that we don't.

Q

Differentiate from neighborhood to neighborhood, so you might have a neighborhood that doesn't have an.

Q

Abundance of on-street parking and you might have another one that does so. We have to account for no.

Q

Matter which neighborhood you're in whether it's a tight neighborhood that has very tight parking or.

Q

If it's a wide open neighborhood, that has lots of it. Unfortunately we have to- and this is my issue.

Q

With our parking ordinance right that we really need to start looking at different areas of our.

Q

Town and having our zoning not be a one shoe one size fits all kind of parking arrangements so for.

Q

Now right, this was the easiest way to increase the little bit of the parking, because people are.

Q

Weary that you're going to put in an adu it's going to have two bedrooms. It's going to have.

Q

Two cars plus the single family home. So there was a lot of concern behind parking and this was our.

Q

Way of addressing the public's needs there, foreign er, I just one quick follow-up, so I live in one of.

U

Those neighborhoods that has a lot of housing without parking. In fact, my next door, neighbor.

U

um One of my butters to my property has a home, a single family home without any parking and.

U

That's pretty common in my neighborhood and so really what happens in my neighborhood.

U

It's a market decision, whether or not you want to own a home without parking.

U

um Why don't we just let it be a market decision throughout the city.

B

So to just so, I understand your question uh to allow no parking.

B

Or yes, that's. My question is that you know that we have single family units throughout.

U

That single family homes throughout the city that don't have parking in certain neighborhoods and.

U

So my question is, is why would we have such strict requirements for an adu for parking.

U

Oh off street, if we have neighborhoods with single families that don't even have parking.

U

um Wouldn't that just be a market decision that would weed out buyers or renters so.

B

um I that question could be addressed uh to councilman robert. I have some thoughts.

B

um On this, and and the reason I would imagine that this needs to be in here is because we.

B

Wanted to to pass the planning board and then to come back here and have people speak in favor of.

B

It and not yell at us and say we're not going to change this uh because you're going to allow this.

B

And since you've not required any parking, it's going to overwhelm my street parking.

B

Like all of this is and reading through it, it's it's all an effort to give people the.

B

Confidence that they, if they follow these rules, they get an adu. They don't have to.

B

Go hire a lawyer hire a consultant just for the chance that they get an adu after thirty.

B

Thousand dollars down uh down down the road so to make more things uh that are actionable, you know.

B

Well, if you ask the former city attorney, how big the the the the zoning board uh or the zoning.

B

Book was when it got here. He uses his fingers. It's like it was this big and how big is it now.

B

It's this big, you know, there's a lot that you know a pastime in portsmouth is telling other people.

B

What they can do uh with their their property, so it might not be perfect um and certainly.

B

Might not be the example of you know everything that that we want out of uh the best uh housing.

B

Supply uh you know what you would do in that I do think by streamlining uh and making some of.

B

The decisions say you could get administratively, uh you could make this happen. It's going to give.

B

More people, confidence and the the question I'd pose uh to those that are detractors. What we're.

B

Doing right now, ain't working, we got 30, you know since this was approved, so we've got to try a.

B

Different tank that might be putting more rules rules that can be changed in the future, uh but.

B

Putting you know more guard rails around this, so that people have more confidence around. You know.

B

Going to to ask for an adu in in the first place, and sometimes not even have to go before a a board.

B

To be able to do it administratively, so it's far from perfect, but that's you know we are the it.

B

Gets past things that are perfect on the national level, even on the state level, we have to always.

B

Do things that are imperfect, and this would be one of those things that I think would be worth.

B

Trying to see if we can get more people to put more, uh you know, take a chance and put an adu in.

S

Councilor bagley yeah thank you, honor and and uh to councilor baylock's point um after watching the.

S

Last uh subcommittee meeting I did reach out to the city to see if it was permissible for me to.

S

Speak because I didn't want to violate the right to no law, but there is a little bit of confusion.

S

I didn't get an answer until 5 30 this evening, so I didn't have a chance to to reach out, because I.

S

Wanted to be very cognizant to not violate that, but I had a misunderstanding of of how that law.

S

Works and I thought it improper and I still think it's improper for for city councilors,.

S

To to go to other committees that they're not on and speak unless they've been invited to.

S

Speak and maybe that's an entirely wrong way to look at it, but that's that's how I look at it.

S

um I do have a question and and sorry to put the is the plane director available.

S

um Adu's under 750 square feet how many of those have been approved since 2017.. Let's give her a.

N

Moment to come on, if you, if you don't mind, no beverly, I don't know if you heard the question.

N

She comes council, would you mind repeating the question for beverly.

S

uh Yes, uh roughly how many adus under 750 square feet have been approved since 2017.

S

And and I apologize for not sending you this a question in advance, I'm sorry could you repeat the.

AA

Question when I was coming on, I got disconnected I'm sorry. Yes, uh roughly speaking how many adus.

S

Under 750 square feet have been approved since 2017 when the neighboring legislation was passed.

AA

I would have to bring that back to you. I don't know under 20 to under that amount. I would say.

AA

Since I've been here, many of the ones that I've seen are uh pretty close to 750 square feet, that.

AA

Seems to be the sweet spot for most of them. We have two going in fact uh this week and one is.

AA

I think 650 and the other one is seventh, not 748 or something so, but I could get that data to you.

S

I appreciate that and then secondly, for the architectural design standards.

S

um Could you comment uh on gutters if they would be required as copyright? I believe that had come.

S

Up previously, but maybe I'm misremembering and then secondly, who um would determine for.

S

Instance that the siding material, texture and profile matches the existing building.

AA

So for most of the adus they're still required with a conditional use permit.

AA

um There is one exception: there's two exceptions to that: there is a attached adus, which would be.

AA

Completely contained within an existing structure or a what used to be a former garden cottage.

AA

A detached which there would be no expansion proposed, it would essentially be in an existing.

AA

um Structure out structure and that it would be converted to an adu in those two instances, the.

AA

Planning director would make the call based on um you know, looking at the rules for the.

AA

Architectural and this they are standards, but for all others, any expansion, any new construction.

AA

Would have to go to the planning board, who would be reviewing that with regard to the gutters, I.

AA

Believe I'm looking at the artificial standards, I believe it said that, where those features are.

AA

Provided they should be similar, but if they're they're not required to be provided, but where.

AA

There is a feature provided they should be somewhere. I don't know if it actually speaks to gutters, though it does speak to other. I don't know if it's better there's an architectural.

AA

Feature but um uh it does speak to um other our more discernible architectural features and then.

S

um Just walking around my neighborhood there's there's quite a few houses that have asbestos.

S

Siding so if I had a house with the best of siding, how would I comply with this requirement? If I.

S

Wanted to build a uh external adu, they would want the uh the exterior materials to be the same or.

AA

Similar in color and and compatible, so I would say we wouldn't require that you put asbestos siding.

AA

But it would need to be similar in terms of the appearance and uh compatible same color, probably.

AA

The same vertical structure, if that's what the structure looks like and similar materials.

S

So so, when we use the term citing material, texture and profile, that seems very specific to me and.

S

Then it also says on the side where we use that term, that these standards are requirements. Shell.

S

Not guidelines should so when I see changes like this in in I mean the there's, I don't.

S

Know 25 requirements that have been added. um It just doesn't feel like to me we're streamlining.

S

It feels like we're we're making the code more cumbersome and perhaps I'm just being dense, but I.

S

I feel like the code's more cumbersome, I actually had an individual come up.

S

To me uh earlier this week and say, they're excited for this to be passed because they.

S

They thought they were going to get a lot more business to help guide people through this process.

B

Are there any other questions for beverly.

B

Thank you, beverly thanks beverly. Thank you. Any other comments or questions from the council.

K

Okay, uh all in favor of the uh motion, as has presented hi hi, all opposed. No, no all right. Two.

B

Councilor bagley. uh Thank you. Your honor.

S

uh Parking traffic and safety committee action sheet in minutes of the october 6 2022 meeting.

S

Sample motion would be moved to post. Excuse me move to postpone until december 5th 2022 city.

S

Council meeting second- and these are the meeting minutes that would end the neighborhood parking.

S

Program so we're gonna not approve them until after the program ends. I believe, on december 4th.

B

All right, all in favor aye any opposed and second, is the holiday parking enforcement.

S

And move to establish holiday parking enforcement from saturday december 17.

S

2022 through monday december 26 2022 for payment of parking time limits would still be, in effect,.

S

And what this does is from those dates of monday december. I'm sorry, saturday december 17th through.

S

Monday december 26th, you would not be required to pay for your parking because we won't be issuing.

S

Tickets to people that didn't pay for their parking, however, it is what we term a parking.

S

Enforcement holiday, so if you accidentally pay for your parking, you can't get a refund.

B

Okay, are we noticing this in any way.

B

Like on the signs like we'll say like no, you don't have to pay today. No, so we this when we went to.

S

The stamped I may get some of the details wrong, but reading the previous notes, um the first year.

S

That we tried to change the electronic meters uh for holiday parking uh required. A third party to.

S

Come in and do that and it caused a let's just say it didn't go very smoothly, so it's become.

S

um The feeling of the city that the best way to handle this is to kind of push this out through.

S

The council meeting, possibly an article in the newspaper out on social media on the city website,.

S

So that locals know that they don't have to pay during this week. But if you were say coming up.

S

From boston, you'd have no idea and you'd continue to pay for parking. So it's a bit inelegant, but.

S

It does two things one. It gives locals uh the chance to not pay for parking and two. It doesn't.

S

Hurt city revenues that much because people from boston are going to continue to pay for parking.

B

I mean, unless they like, have a experience where they're they found out, they got duped. I don't.

B

Know it just seems like we should have signs that go up on if we can't change the meter to turn it.

B

Off we should put signs on all these things to say: you're not paying for it. It seems kind of.

B

Disingenuous to have parking, that's free, except if you didn't watch this council meeting tonight.

S

I don't disagree um that it's not ideal, but we've kind of looked at it over a course of years and by.

S

We I mean councils, if I, if and then, I'm looking at stephanie who who cannot yes or no it's my.

N

Understanding we post parking holiday enforcement on our website and we put that information in the.

N

City newsletter and we tweet it, and we put it on the normal channels of communication.

V

Maybe the chamber too, we could do that. We could do whatever this council would like us to do.

B

Well, I guess I'd like to see it because I must.

B

I I would love to live in a world where everybody in portsmouth knows what we do. um You know and.

B

It would make my life a whole lot easier to make everybody well, maybe a whole lot harder. Actually.

B

um But there's going to be a lot of people portsmouth residents that are not going to.

B

Tune into this they're not going to go to the website, they're not going to go to the city website or you know they will find out about it after paying for parking one time, and that seems.

B

Like that risk, if we can't figure out how to just these are electric devices like and if we can't.

B

We could go back manually, stick a sign on all of these. That say we're not going to pay for parking.

N

What I, what I can do is talk to the parking director. There could be a way to inform residents.

N

Who use the park mobile app and and apply the resident discount? Because we've been teaching.

N

People how to do that, and um I had another thought that just went completely out of.

N

My head, but it's related to messaging and it'll, come back to me, sorry, but we can't, I guess, like.

B

We can't put, we can't, go out and put a a placard that says free. We could do that um if ben were.

N

Here he would tell me to tell you that december was the second highest parking revenue month of.

N

The last fiscal year, second, only to july, so we would be giving up 10 days of a very lucrative.

N

Month of parking, that being said, we could certainly place signs if, if that were so desired,.

N

And message it accordingly yeah, I guess I would I don't. I don't want the council to be in position.

B

Of voting for something that we expect, the only people are paying attention to get the benefit of.

B

Either we vote for this and we extend it and we make a big deal out of it free parking or we or we.

B

Don't uh vote for it and we don't make a big deal and I guess it would be tough to see that we would.

B

Assume that anybody would know through any of the normal channels that this is so either through the.

B

App on the the meters themselves or with signage on it, is what I would expect uh for for this to.

B

So that people cannot pay uh for parking, not that we won't enforce it, but they cannot. They cannot.

B

We can't we we've got to be able to just turn off the ability to receive payment for parking.

S

All right, so I I understand where you're coming from and I appreciate it, um there are some.

S

Additional logistical difficulties. So if we uh sign everything that you you can park for free.

S

um People are just going to assume that they can arrive at you, know: 7 a.m and park for free the.

S

Entire time, when they're at the store, um this creates two challenges, one in the time when we.

S

Want the absolute most turnover for our retail and restaurant establishments, we're gonna have.

S

People parking for a very long length of time, because we've told them they can park for free.

S

All day, so it kind of becomes a early bird gets the worm which, on principle, I'm not opposed to.

S

But from an economic standpoint, if we don't enforce time limits, we reduce the sales that.

S

The restaurants and stores are going to be able to receive during the holiday season. However, if.

S

We say that it's free parking, then we really can't enforce time limits, because if you give somebody a.

S

35 ticket because they parked for three hours when they thought it was free all day. I think.

S

That creates a new challenge. However, the flip side of that is it's. We don't do freak parking at all.

S

um We all look like scrooge and I don't think any of us want to look that way. So we're trying to.

S

Kind of thread, the needle on doing something good for the community, focusing the good on the local.

S

People as best, we can, however, still getting a little bit of turnover throughout the day.

S

So that we don't you know sabotage the retail and restaurant sales during the holiday season.

B

Sure I I understand this, I just the the uh councilmer awesome I think after having worked.

Q

In the downtown for six years and parking is always a big thing, I think there's a lot of.

Q

People, especially residents who go downtown a lot who know we have a parking holiday and they're.

Q

Always waiting to find out when that's going to be so they'll be looking out at the website.

Q

Or the newsletter or, however, they communicate. It usually comes out in the paper as well. So.

Q

I would think that the people who live here are going to seek out to find out what those dates.

Q

Are just because we do typically do that and therefore I think it's really the people from.

Q

Out of town that may not known I'm, okay with that, you also cook. Thank you, your honor. um I think this.

U

Question is for the city manager. um How did we do this last year and did we have any complaints.

N

I think I can take the second question first because I don't recall any complaints, and I.

N

Would believe we um we structured it this way, we we took a holiday from enforcing parking, but.

N

We still enforced time limits so as to keep the turnover and and happy to provide a report back.

N

We still have time, there's a there is one more meeting before well. There are two more meetings.

N

Before this is contemplated, yeah you're on yeah I'll, say david and then councilman brody.

P

I think if we, if we, I I'm sympathy with sympathy with the mayor, you know if it's going to be free.

P

Parking, we should say it's free parking um and if we have enforced a three-hour turnover in the past.

P

That gives us the antidote to people coming in at 7 a.m. Staying all day.

P

um If we're concerned about revenue loss, maybe we may get seven days or eight days instead of 10.

P

Days but it seems like we should be clear and up front that it's free parking. I would think we can.

P

Show that on the display panels of the meters, I don't know if we can or not.

P

But, um and and uh and with signage, and I think it sends a message to people who come to portsmouth.

P

That that's how we do holidays here and we give you that little extra yeah uh counseling party.

V

uh This has been going on for a lot of years and everyone, I know, has free parking started.

V

Yet as free project started yet- and um you know I mean everyone's aware of it in portsmouth, I agree.

V

That really would be ideal to make it public to everybody. um And maybe um I don't know how many.

V

Meters are there, I mean there, there are lots and I'm I'm. I can confirm that staff is sharing with.

N

Me that it's difficult to change the devices there are different kinds. There are so numerous hundreds.

V

Could be put on them and that says free, free, three-hour parking solve the three hour thing.

B

So I guess like what I see in other communities and I've seen is like it's a marketing opportunity.

B

So I get that we have a residence will know about it and it's a nice thing to do for the residents.

B

I think the businesses want to be able, you know they would probably look at us to be over as long.

B

As there's a time limit to be able to promote this a little bit more than we have in the past, I think.

B

That there's, I don't want to do something that we're losing revenue out of and then not get the.

B

Actual benefit of that from the the pr standpoint to other communities that are coming in here, I.

B

Don't want them thinking like, oh, you know or the opposite of them. Oh, you know the schmuck just pay.

B

For parking, it's free, you believe that just paid 12 bucks for parking- and I didn't have to I really.

B

Don't want that feeling in people's mouths when they are, you know when they're they're in the city.

B

So I I think we can agree that this is something that we want to do and look to the city manager.

B

To figure out a way to make this, as known as as as possible, with these little machines that we have.

B

Councilman, thank you connor. um I agree. This is usually a special gift to portsmouth. You know.

Z

But I think it's a gift to the residents and the people that visit portsmouth.

Z

um I don't want to mislead anyone. um You know serving up here where I know we were trying.

Z

To look after our citizens and the budget is part of that and parking does make money, but.

Z

um You know growing up in portsmouth working downtown my whole life. This has always been.

Z

A nice gift- and I think, people that come out of town to shop in fort smith, like appreciate.

Z

That gift as well, but I wouldn't want to mislead them either yeah I mean when they know about it,.

B

I feel like they're, going to be a little bit more generous in their. You know, in what they're going.

B

To be buying like it's just a free is so much better than than anything when it comes to the.

B

Psychology, if we can fix the the time limit um thing, but we've spent a fair amount of time.

B

On this, so any other questions or counselor bagley anything else to add on this I think I'll, rescind.

S

My motion, and maybe we can bring it forward at the next council meeting if the second agrees.

A

It's fine, okay! Do it on the fifth okay, bring it back under your name,.

B

All right, next up approval of grants, uh donations, um the new hampshire department of natural and.

B

Cultural resource division of historical resources, moose plate conservation grant.

B

For the repair of north cemetery wall of twenty thousand dollars, I'd wait a motion to approve.

B

And accept the grant from the new hampshire division of historical resources in the amount.

B

Of twenty thousand dollars so moved. Second, uh any questions or comments. Thanks to the effort that.

B

Went in to get this uh the cemetery community, I see uh susteria in the in the in the audience.

B

um Great work on getting that uh and look forward to the work uh to begin on that all in favor.

AB

Aye uh next up invest new hampshire, municipal planning and zoning housing opportunity grant the.

B

Amount of eighty two thousand dollars a weight of motion to accept the invest new hampshire housing.

B

Opportunity grant funding and authorized staff to enter a formal grant agreement so moved. Second.

B

Any discussion anybody want to give any props on this.

Q

Like just once, once our planning director uh beverly zen, she did an awesome job, putting.

Q

This together, it adds in uh to our community housing navigator, grant that we got. This adds.

Q

Us the money to get the actual technical person to actually rewrite the zoning for.

Q

All the information that the other person will be gathering so they'll be working closely together.

Q

And with the land use committee moving forward so very exciting stuff, all right, all in favor, aye.

B

uh Next up a donation to the annual tree planting uh for uh from robert grantham and cynthia nix.

B

For future planting of trees in the amount of five thousand dollars uh sample motion would be.

B

To approve uh I'd, wait a motion to approve and accept the donation from robert grantham and.

B

Cynthia nix for the annual tree planting in the amount of five thousand dollars so means second,.

B

uh That's a very generous gift and and all in favor aye back to the city manager.

N

I think you're honor a verbal update on the mcintyre project last week, the the development.

N

Team of the city and renegade king did receive some cost estimates from three firms that were.

N

Mutually agreed upon and what we're doing now, as a team, is evaluating those numbers and understanding.

N

How they impact the project uh as the community plan, so we will keep the council and the public.

N

Apprised of that work as we come forward with with information and the council and the public, should.

N

Know that our next check-in, which is required every 45 days as part of the license agreement.

N

Extension with the general services administration is set for next tuesday november 22nd, okay,.

B

Okay um and then there's a report back on the dog ordinance and the historic.

B

Cemetery committee report- uh thank you for both of those.

B

Any other, oh, we got miscellaneous city-wide neighborhood committee meeting october 19th 2022.

B

Minutes in the citywide neighborhood neighborhood outreach forum, uh ward, one october 26 2022 had.

B

The pleasure of attending that in the old new franklin or not the old, that's the new franklin.

B

School but my old elementary school, it's still odd being in there to be honest as an adult, but well.

B

Attended thanks for everybody that that appeared and and came before us there, any other items.

B

Under miscellaneous just quickly mayor, we had 293 people take advantage of household hazardous waste.

N

Day this past saturday, I wish I knew how that compared to previous ones, but we did take a poll.

N

To find out if people had been taking advantage of this event and about about half had not been.

N

To any such events in the last two years, so that's encouraging people are coming out. We also include.

N

The towns of greenland and newington in that effort and we had representation from all three.

N

Communities all right, good thanks, council burlock daycare. um I just trick to remind the public that.

Z

We are doing a public input session this wednesday six o'clock at the community campus. It's part of.

Z

The recreation needs study, um so I always compare this to coming to the fair landing and not telling.

Z

Me what you want and then making me just guess what you want. um So this is your opportunity.

Z

To come and order what you would like, so we can give that to you as a council and as a city, but.

Z

At six o'clock this wednesday at community campus- and I hope everyone attends it- gets work anything.

B

Else all right I'd wait in a motion to adjourn ing all in favor, aye, aye, good night fort smith,.