City of Portsmouth, New Hampshire Citywide Neighborhood Committee, 23 Mar 2022

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3.23.2022 Citywide Neighborhood Committee

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Thank you very much everybody. This is the wednesday march 23rd.

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2022, this is the cy neighborhood committee, our sole purpose for being.

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It's been great.

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Hi everyone I'm elaine at the time butts. This is also my first time on the committee.

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I'm very excited to be here.

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Oh sorry, I'm from 520 ocean road, ward, 3. hi, I'm john tabor and I'm the city council liaison for.

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The citywide neighborhoods committee and I live in the south end, but it's great to hear people from.

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Where three of who are born in this country, I am harry cacao. I'm the chair.

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133 islington street world war ii. I've been at this business since 2015.

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And prior to that, I was on the infamous taxi commission which, in which case, I decided that the.

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Competition really needs us to resolve the commission. It took about 16 months for that.

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To happen, and competition did come in anyhow anyhow welcome everybody. Welcome to new members.

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um We um I'd like to first stop with anybody in the audience who has something to say.

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Why don't you come up with a disney? uh Do you have a uh kevin? Do you have a uh we don't like handheld.

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Thank you very much for coming. Thank you.

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So my husband and I have been here since the fall of 99., and I want to preface my comments.

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By saying, I know that it's been a tough two years for the dpw. The demands have been high.

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The staffing has been lower than usual the, but his budget has not um allowed for any.

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Expenditures such as new equipment or more staffing, so I'll preface with I get it.

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I understand that, but I'm here to talk about sidewalks and that portsmouth is considered a.

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Walkable city, but really not in the winter, and I walk almost every day um in different.

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Neighborhoods and it's been a very, very difficult year to formulate the city, um although downtown.

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Is always clean to the quick right down to the bricks in immediate downtown? The roads are.

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Clear as can be, but you can't get there so walking in the street is not safe. This is a town, a city.

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That has uh elementary middle and high school, where the kids are walking to school.

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Parents are pushing those strollers got their kids by their side and they're trying to get to school.

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And it's difficult: um we have many housing authority residents who can't leave their.

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Buildings, because the sidewalks are not clear. I know that those are not new, but I think this has.

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Been an especially icy year. Actually, I fell the first time on a city sidewalk this year.

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I was coming from south street south street to jenkins and I slid on that little.

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There was goes from the sidewalk to the road because of the ice and.

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I wasn't injured, but I understand that there were many falls in portsmouth this year. I don't.

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Know the numbers- I don't know how many miles of sidewalks we have. I haven't been able to find.

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That online, but um truly it's not a walkable city in the winter, and I think we need to.

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You know just sort of petition or somehow get the city council to understand that, because of.

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The size of this community and the people who live here we want to be outside it's very much.

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An outside place, and especially for the past two years with kofi people want to be outside. I see.

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The um it's usually young women, but some men too, who use the sonic lodge. I mean not lodge parking.

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Lot um and they walk downtown to the beauty, school and they're trudging with their suitcases. I see.

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People who are going from crossroads house to rite aid or to market basket and they're on the street.

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So I just have to say: I hope that we can make some improvements. Interestingly, I found an article from.

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2019 from the christian science monitor it talks about in ottawa, canada, they form a group called.

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The snow moles and I'd like to get that going because these are people who go out on the streets.

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We do have click and fix, so we can report those, but they go out on the streets and they record.

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An intersection they record a sidewalk that you can't maneuver. So I'd like to work with.

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The city-wide neighborhood association and with uh yeah committee, and um maybe with the pta.

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And um the different schools and work with them on that um so basically.

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um You know I get it peter rice behind me that the budget is constrained, but.

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You know, I think we need to um advocate for all of us who are out walking.

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So that's where I'm at! Thank you we'll sign you up. You are signed. You are signed up at the end.

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Of the meeting your finger you'll be fingerprinted photographs inside into this. This is a I'll give.

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Peter a chance in a second, but I do have a comment and I'll allow anyone else before peter speaks.

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I also agree because I live on islington street and I have seen where there's considerable delays.

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In that sidewalk plowing, eventually, three or four days will pass and then we'll everything will be.

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Cleaned up, but initially it's pretty tough. I know the downtown is almost always first.

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And like yourself, I walked a number of years when I first arrived here. I walked all over the place.

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During the winter and I've had similar experiences, so I'd have to have either crampons or snow grips.

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In order to walk around any case, does anyone else have any observations before we introduce peter.

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Say something: okay go ahead. Please.

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Same subject, um it's related, but it doesn't affect, it should affect um dpw. Okay. My name is elizabeth.

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Spyers I live at 241, south street and my husband and I'm all over the place and we've noticed.

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That in several places, people are allowing their bushes to overtake the sidewalk, their bushes or.

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You know, trees whatever they come right out onto the sidewalks. You have to walk into the street.

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Or something, and I think that people should be held to accountable for keeping their bushes.

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And trees, trimmed so that people don't have to go single file or off the sidewalk in order to walk.

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I don't know if there is a law or ordinance or something about that.

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But okay, we should think about that. Thank you very much that sounds so reasonable. Anyone else.

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Is there anyone? Does anyone wait? Why don't we have peter respond to this particular one.

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And up here you can come up to the mic and then, if there's anything else that comes from either the.

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Or any one of us which wait peter. Thank you very much for coming. I appreciate it my pleasure.

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This is uh very little uh there's 77 miles of sidewalk.

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um The budget constraints have really impacted, purchase, equipment and rolling stock.

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Was there it's, it's, not necessarily an equipment issue from us. It's it's! A combination of staffing.

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uh Having adequate staff and also the storms um the way the way storm operations occur.

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um We do the road plumbing first and what happens? Is we follow in with the sidewalk tractors.

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Afterwards, uh at the end of the end, because we work our way from the highest used pedestrian.

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Areas first, which is the downtown area and the safe routes to schools. The challenge uh is that if.

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You have a particularly long storm or if the storm falls in a wrong cycle, um the staff are at the end.

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They're, exhausted they've been plowing all night and then they're asked to get into the tractors.

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um And it's often challenging to get stuff into the tractors by union contracts and.

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By safety rules, it's hard to force people once they've been exhausted into a traffic.

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This year in particular, we had two two storms which were very challenging: um the one that.

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Sticks my mind, the most is the one where we had sleep, probably about four inches of sleep.

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Which set up like concrete on the sidewalk and unless you were there shoveling it constantly.

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You had to get out there with an ice chopper uh to get that away, so the downtown.

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Is bro? We break our areas up into the downtown area which the parking division.

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Is responsible for parking revenues, not taxes, pay for the clearing of the downtown areas.

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So that's a that's a real benefit to the taxpayers. They may not realize that so, in addition to 3.

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Million 2.4 million dollars direct contribution to um the to offset taxes on the general fund.

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Parking budgets cover the downtown snow removal as well. So that's that's a tangible benefit.

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To the taxpayers, the ability to be able to stay on top of that and having a designated.

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Sidewalk factor to go around continuously is is very different than a lot of the sidewalks.

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Around the city, because you know you have much less amount of sidewalks downtown to be able to.

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Address and you have staff that are devoted to doing that specific route around there and you.

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Don't have trucks and plows necessarily pushing back the snow on the sidewalks. The challenge to.

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Especially route 1, which you point out in the city, is a major concern from my perspective.

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Because of the safety of pedestrians is that department of transportation.

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Plows, that section and whenever we we have to wait until they're done plowing, they wing everything.

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Onto the sidewalk, and so what happens is we'll we'll do the sidewalk trap and then we'll swing.

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It back on top of it, and so we're left with a very challenging uh situations or playing push and pull.

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We do our best to get the sidewalks clear as quickly as possible.

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um And for the most part, we do a pretty good job staying on top of it. You know we understand that.

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People would like all the sidewalks cleared as soon as the storm lets up.

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That is a very challenging expectation to me, so you know we.

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We we talk about. How do we do better on a regular basis um after each storm? We look.

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At it and say what could we have done differently um to make this better.

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And we try to learn from our mistakes, um is you know our or the lack of efficiency um so.

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Your concerns are not um following the vectors, you know, I I truly, I really appreciate you know, and I.

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Know, especially during cocoa times, a lot of people are, you know wanting to walk, they want to get out.

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And it was treacherous uh it was, it was extremely treacherous, um so.

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For those you know, those are challenges, and you know.

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The things that would help um having additional staff would be helpful.

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Having additional staff would be helpful.

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You know: we've looked at adjusting the way, the staffing you know so.

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One of the challenges that, in addition to doing all the snow removal stuff, we also have to get.

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The solid waste pick up the next day so for the most part, unless it's a weekend, um so staff is.

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Often up all day, and then they have to get on the back of trucks, which can be very dangerous.

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As well, so um it it's a difficult balance, um but I feel um you know we do. On a whole, we do a.

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Very good job, and this year was two storms in particular- were very challenging.

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um And you know, as I was not happy um I didn't know, there were areas of the city that were.

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Clear and areas that were not so, and you know looking at that, I had a conversation with foreman.

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So you know we learned from those types of lessons. As for the bushes, overtaking sidewalks,.

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That's an ongoing battle, um it becomes a private property uh challenge because for us to go in.

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And um trim back there are rules that allow us to turn back hedges. We start with reaching out to the.

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Property owners, if they're willing to work with us we're kind of bad, often times it's. It's really.

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It's a matter of what place you're, trying to take you down.

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And oftentimes residents are not willing to participate with that.

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So that's an ongoing challenge um and you know we try to try to get the folks to voluntarily do it.

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And it turns into a legal department reach out to them, and then you know it's not something that.

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So peter she suggested a a corner, watch and report back to saying that this neighborhood.

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Was well, this area was not plowed or this area was very difficult for this area.

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His treasures would that help you, um I would say we already have that it's all the residents that.

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They're people are not shy to let us know uh what their concerns are so dispatches.

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Is informed on a regular basis about concerns following.

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You know what will be helpful is patience.

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You know when your time is challenging for us all. You know we try to our best know. Obviously,.

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If there are areas that are not blocked.

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It's good to hear about it. uh Sometimes staff do forget uh areas, they get tired and they take.

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Sometimes there are sections of sidewalks that are not.

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Incomplete sections of sidewalk, so it's hard for the staff to get in there or their impediments in.

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The way whether it's a street sign or a light pole or something so it becomes challenging to.

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Get in there in the south end in particular, there's a lot of really narrow, sidewalks.

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We've recently started having some of our staff going with walk behind snow blowers. um So that's.

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Been able to address some of those concerns, but that's man, that's very labor-intensive.

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They can go.

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It's always good to hear from the residents uh their concerns.

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um You know if the committee feels that snow watch is something that they would find.

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Appropriate you know that's great, I don't think it's necessarily going to improve.

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Our understanding, because we are already already getting feedback.

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From residents, but you know, I have no qualms about additional information and additional feedback.

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About the you of, perhaps the residents who can report the condition of the sidewalks that they.

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See to your department, maybe through the click and fix, and that there would be some kind of a.

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Dynamic system where, if I want to find out how how safe are the sidewalks in my area, I can find out.

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By going to your website and saying you know what things look like, it might be like a red.

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Yellow green coating to say, okay, those sidewalks are still not not safe. Is that a possibility.

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Would that help at all and then? Secondly, regarding the cutting bushes and things, is.

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That something people could report to the kitten fixed you would that be that's the final there's.

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A final way to do it um the tree and reading committee also uh is the venue that you can.

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Click and fix is a great spot to start. um You know, usually you know where we know.

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Where those hedges are because it's not the first time we've had complaints relative to it,.

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And you know one jumps out, you know the end of the woodbury avenue.

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um That's an ongoing challenge in terms of being able to put together like a dynamic condition, map.

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That it's an interesting idea. We don't have staffing available to be able to make it.

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Valid um you know useful tool for people, um you know we, we are the implementers, the other ones.

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Doing in the city, we're not the outreach group, we're not the you know, communications group.

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um Not that the city has one of those things, but you know we have some staff that are devoted to.

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Those types of things and they do a good job, but you know where any of those types of things almost.

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Actually extracurricular- and you know, given the workload that all our staff has right now.

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It was very challenging to be able to do it or even, in effect.

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Yes, I'm just you're curious about the the areas in the sidewalks that are um difficult. Are they.

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Little in the zones where uh peter had said are difficult for the plow units to get through.

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Or are the entire stretches of sidewalk figures referring to? Well, it's a combination of both.

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There are barble skate, there's a number of pinch points that make it challenging.

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To get around and the guys go off the sidewalk on the sidewalk.

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And when staff is available, we'll go back up and shovel them and clean it up.

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South end, there's a bunch of cobble or durham paver sections along marcy's feet, which is very.

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Narrow some of the residents have taken it upon themselves and it's very much appreciated.

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And to get out there and to plow and sidewalk some of that stuff, it's awesome very much.

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Appreciate it because it's something that becomes really difficult for us, you know we try to get.

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As much as we can, but we really have you know the staff that's doing. That is also clearing.

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The stairways downtown they're, helping to make sure um different access points downtown, are.

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Opened up- and you know really it's a matter of you know- trying to make sure.

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This much of this connectivity can be maintained. They also need prescott park. It's the press.

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Conference, that's doing that so yeah, that's kind of where I was going with the question is you know.

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As a neighborhood committee and as a community, if we can work with the ddw, and you know if there.

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Are pinch points in little places that you know if the neighbors know about and do what you know what.

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Especially hybrids, if people have a private landscaper house shovel up the hydrant, that's.

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Awesome because that's something that you know we try to get to as quickly as possible, um but.

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It sometimes it takes a week before we get there pinch points. If you know, there's a section or.

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Or drain minerals catch basins, if you know that's, we got a touch base in there shovel it off. That's.

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Very helpful as well, anything residents you know feel they can take on would be greatly appreciated.

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You know it's, it's really. You know when I grew up as a child. We had to struggle with our sidewalks.

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And it was, you know it was you did it, then I would go down to a number of neighbors that weren't.

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Capable of doing it, because my mother would put me on the head and say you don't have to do that.

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Suggestion um to get the word out um one is: we have a bad um sidewalks, you know after a storm.

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Perhaps in the city of portsmouth newsletter they could use, we don't have a resource.

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Just a little reminder to people.

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um The local fire hydrant or the manhole cover like catch basin,.

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Thing um we're happy to do that. I mean I. I just naturally do that in front of our house.

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But you know, but there's probably lots of people like us.

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So if there could be a you know, a little reminder in the city of portsmouth newsletter.

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And things like that- and you know you could add the awareness of the icy conditions to.

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The regular newsletter that'd be something that people wouldn't want doing. That would be great.

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Yeah, because you know sometimes people, don't they don't think about it. They don't realize.

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Okay, uh thank you. I I think that's a very good idea. I mean I myself had shoveled a good portion.

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From 133 all the way over to kill them catholic kill them, because I've won a cup of coffee.

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That's a ulterior motive and I did it this year during the second storm. So I I like the idea that.

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That um people should be encouraged to go out and shovel if they're capable of doing it. You know and.

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Being careful especially my age, uh about going out and doing it, and I think that's probably something.

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That that um an awareness campaign wouldn't be such a bad idea. I mean this: isn't an adversarial.

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Thing you know the city is the only one to shovel them if they don't shovel and not complain.

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That's baloney, I mean I, I think it's a lot of people would like to go out and get a little.

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Exercise and do so so I think maybe there's some some narrative in that type of macarthur. I.

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Haven't heard anything about that in a long time and people complain- and they really should be.

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Willing to shuttle, if necessary, they shovel their their stairs. Why not their.

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Driveways and things like that, so anyhow, that's that's with it. um At this point, I'd like to ask.

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Kevin, if you, let's open this up to anybody in the zoom, we have about 10 or 12 people who haven't.

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Signed in anybody who wishes to make comments or ask questions, this is the time to do it.

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Yeah one person no hands raised, I think james blaine was- was interested in doing something.

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Yeah he's not in here anymore, so.

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I don't know all right, so the answer no uh yeah. It looks like no.

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No, no okay! Thank you any anything else uh before we move to the next one. Yes, please just.

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Mentioning jim's plane, I actually had a problem a week or two ago and we were talking about the.

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The time hassles.

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Idea not actionable yet, but maybe tied to the night out the summer night out in august. Then.

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Maybe neighborhoods do their own little neighborhood time, capsule.

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Kind of as an exercise and is an activity also to kind of connect. The kids with the older.

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Residents and you know kind of to really stitch people um in the neighborhoods, together with a.

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Singular activity. That's a very interesting point. I I mean we're we're talking to the folks of.

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uh Portland 400 and the idea of of starting in 2022 to uh to see if we couldn't get some sort of.

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History, you know, if that's what they want, because uh I've already asked our only asian person to.

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um To tell us if there were any specific events that they wanted us to address.

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In this year- and she said not yet so I think they're still well into the planning process.

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At that moment, so um I think uh I think that's a very good idea and um we probably.

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um Like just pursue it a little further when we get through.

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Get closer to national night out, which will be on the center yeah. I want to thank everybody.

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For the opportunity to come this evening and have a good evening, and thank you very much.

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Peter I just wanted to ask you: do you have enough staff and equipment to address the.

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Sidewalks I walk on the sidewalks every day. It's been pretty good to be honest with you, but.

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Five, well, we have, we have one downtown, we have four or five, they go around the rest of the city.

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But we have four of our staff.

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So you know everybody, so everybody we're pulling in foreign.

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And that becomes a real challenge, especially if it's you know sunday night that this ice.

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Storm comes in so you know it's just it's just observational comment as to.

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And it's literally, it looks like a big huge meat, tenderizer.

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And we tried crushing the ice. Unfortunately, it was long enough after the storm.

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So it really didn't give us a good feel for how it worked, but they use it on an airport.

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But you know it's again: it's an additional piece of equipment. It's expensive.

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You know you know and how, if it becomes a more frequent occurrence, then we you know.

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We need to start looking at changing our operations. um It's like so I appreciate.

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Which really is about what we should do for the rest of the year.

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Now often often, uh sometimes what we do all the time or every year.

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We repeat ourselves and we just keep going on and on, but this year I'd like to have an opportunity.

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To to address some of the issues or some of the action items that we have in the past.

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And some of the issues- and maybe we can have some sort of consensus here today-.

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About how we should proceed for the rest of the year, it can't be all done by the chair.

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um Kathy berger on the previous chair said that for over five months, nobody in the committee did.

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Anything and she was the only one running it that doesn't happen with me. I'm gonna be away.

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I'm gonna be in different places. The vice chair and everyone else needs to help if they want to.

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To work on a certain program and even uh even neighborhood neighbors, who like what you have.

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Suggesting some action items I think that's a very good idea and, and all of those cannot be.

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Done by the chair alone and therefore it's very important that we go through the list and say.

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Is this enough well kevin? Could you go to the third slide? That's it! Thank you all right.

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On the left hand side you see some of the major things that we have.

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Been dealing with in 2021 and even prior to that I'll start with the first portsmouth 400.

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We've had many people talk about. What's going on in 2023, very exciting lots of action, a lot of.

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Activities parades ships, uh historic homes and so forth, and uh so far we don't have anything.

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On the table for a specific action item, uh I think um they will uh the committee.

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For what the 400 would like us, probably to contact neighborhoods at some point in time and actually.

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Communicate certain activities or events or or things that they that neighborhoods need to do.

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I have given them a complete list of the neighborhoods that we know of.

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And who and but not who's in charge because that's confidential. Nevertheless, um we have about 17 to.

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19 active neighborhoods that we can say they form a um and I'll, be very happy to share that.

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With anybody who would like to see that that list they've been active in national night out and.

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Especially and that's usually the only time we really get to talk to the what I call the.

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Neighborhood representatives, um at one time it was like 25. um so considering national night. I.

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Was the as the marker? um It's not a bad list, and people for the most part are active, so we'll have.

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To wait uh for the committee with the 400 to let us know what particular action item we might be.

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Able to help them with, and I will invite them to one of our meetings and they can spell it out.

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What they would like us to do, and we can organize ourselves how we want to address.

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Whatever they have to say on some barriers, that's still up in the air, but it affects.

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Many many neighborhoods and we did have a speaker, come in and talk about um near what.

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I call near progress if you want to call it that, where somehow the idea of the sound barriers on.

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95, it gets closer to some sort of completion has to do with the executive committee. I'm sure that.

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Peter might have a little more insight on that when the time comes, but it's certainly an issue.

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That we can have and address that issue, maybe on a special forum or a special night of the.

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Committee meeting- let's say lord one, and invite everyone in to come in and make comments on that.

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On whether the progress has been made, but so far I haven't seen progress not to the extent that.

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We've been trying to do for for many years for a few years: larry, yes, so actually just.

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I think two weeks ago, the legislature just passed a house just past the 10-year transportation plan.

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For the state which now includes panaway manor and the seminaries in that area,.

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The reason that's so important is because any federal money that comes to new hampshire has to.

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Go through the d.o.t and if the project is not in the 10-year plan that money can't be used for that.

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Project so the first step is to get yourself into the 10-year plan and then, when planning funding.

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Is made available for various reasons, you're already eligible to be able to use that money.

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So we are now well. The bill hasn't yet been signed by the governor, but there's no reason to believe.

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That it won't be uh once that's signed, then we can. We can assume that we're in them in their schedule.

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Last time I heard it was supposedly maybe two years before they start to work on it.

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This has to do with the fact that this project is part of an attempt to use the.

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Breakdown lane of 95 as an additional lane when the traffic is too high.

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And when they do that, that impacts those neighborhoods even more, and so it was decided.

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To fold this funding into that project as part of that alleviation of trafficking.

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The other part is that some interviews did not get included, for example, around new franklin.

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School which did not get included because the metrics used by the dot have to do with.

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Making assumptions, as far as the noise impact on a piece of property that is.

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Occupied by a single family home, not by school, so it's not just one family that gets impacted.

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In school, it's like hundreds of kids and they have no way of accounting. For that.

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So that's been left out, but one of the things that is worth looking into considering for us in the.

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City is: is there some way that we ourselves as a city, can create the noise barrier needed for that.

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School property and it could be a symbol of hong kong and simple, but it could be as easy as maybe.

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Looking at plantings, trees root, bushes, whatever we think is effective in mitigating the noise.

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And I've reached out to the university of new hampshire to see if there are experts there.

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Who could advise us and get the city to look at mitigating those noise through those measures.

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Ourselves, because that was not included a good question um so as far as you can see,.

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uh We should hear rather soon about the details of whatever has been passed. I think that's.

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Something that would be a so obviously a public uh worthwhile to have some sort of forum just on.

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On that subject alone and the idea that you rise on trees and other areas of mitigation, if the.

A

Funding isn't sufficient to cover everything I think can be brought up at that point in time.

A

I mean I wouldn't want, I think it affects so many neighborhoods along I-95, that it's.

A

Definitely our business, at least at least to get the word out and to make sure that people have.

A

Feel comfortable enough to come in and comment on what the plans are, and that would probably.

A

uh Necessitate having the state uh have the d.o.t come in and talk and give us a briefing.

A

At the same time, that would be really terrific that we can. We can schedule that.

A

So do you think that uh I think john already knows, because the dot gave us the presentation.

B

For the city council, oh behind this very topic and the project, they're planning.

B

So it is kind of an official presentation that they gave us before the 10-year plan got approved.

D

And that's on on video, um what we were able to do through a lot of neighborhood engagement, going.

D

To the 10-year highway plan, hearings was get sound barriers for paneling moves from.

D

A level two priority which had never been funded and was just languishing to level one connected.

D

With this padding of a breakdown, so it's in the 10-year plan and it's funded for the first time.

D

So I think it's it's going to happen unless your plan gets here and it's worth.

B

Pointing out that originally, the city already set aside a plan to fund some of the costs.

B

When it was still a type 2 plan, but since it's now a type 1 plan, the city is not obligated to kick in.

B

Anything which would give us an opportunity to use that funding for franklin school.

D

All right, so you guys are talking about the sound.

C

But wasn't there something about the fumes that was weird, that's the.

A

Way to proceed on that, if at all okay I mean we could announce, we can have a.

A

uh Go to uh franklin school and have people comment. We can have the city talk about.

A

Whatever account plans, they have you know, so that's that may be worth that may be worth a.

A

um A city, my name, would be with the participation. That's a good one. Thank you, the other one that is.

A

uh Is underway is a city-wide parking session that I was thinking about.

A

That the idea, not the idea, the trains themselves and the fumes from them and the island of the.

A

Trains down, especially by a founding place, affects that whole neighborhood, the israeli creek.

A

Neighborhood and they've been complaining for some time, maybe brought up before the city council and.

A

On numerous occasions have uh have made comments before the citywide neighborhood committee itself,.

A

What I found out and what I found out some time ago, is that there was a public hearing.

D

um Another publication actually a daca on the merger of pan am railways and cmx transportation.

A

um Extremely large rail company, I think, they're over 50 to 60 billion billion.

A

um Pan am is 300 billion, so it's just kind of like a small thing, but pan am is merging with them.

A

And um I believe they're only going to go in buckets. Yes, that's right as a result of learning.

A

About this, thanks to the city uh I and three other neighbors in israel, creek filed comments.

A

Before the uh daca we presented um a, um we were there uh during the special public hearing, zoom.

A

Hearing and I wrote final comments on the issues involving our own neighborhood is a concrete and.

A

Some solutions around now that has been filed and we I expect at least one paragraph in the in the.

A

In this merger of 51 billion and 300 million, I think we'll get two paragraphs.

A

uh But one thing that was a surprise and that is the president of cxx promised that he would.

A

Look into the matter very seriously and then and ordered his vice president to uh to come and talk.

A

To us about this, which he did he and several other staff members from albany showed up in.

A

The in the middle of the winter, we were able to talk to them about what the problem is and several.

A

Solutions- and they were waiting for the doctor for the merger to be approved, but they promise.

A

Several things already, one: that's going to clean up the yard number two get all the railway cars.

A

That are not being used uh here. uh Three seriously consider rockingham junction uh as a major.

A

Switching area, rather than the switching area in front of a foundry replace and four they promise.

A

And they don't have to promise this, they have brand new equipment compared to pan am.

A

And as a result that should mitigate some of the noise and some of the smell, um we are very.

A

Encouraged by this, I didn't think that I thought we'd get a good boot. You know where or the short.

A

Change but they are serious about this, as we were serious to file in a federal docket.

A

And I will probably have them: have the vice president show up either at the city council.

A

Or at this forum here with a reporter to tell us what they were going to do.

A

After the emergency takes place, so we don't necessarily have to make a big deal of this.

A

The work has been done as much as we can do at this point, but we did get.

A

From a transportation point of view, national recognition, probably the biggest pain that.

A

They ever had and they had to get rid of us. Nevertheless, the issue is being addressed and.

A

Much to my surprise, the outcome. Well, thank you for doing that um national night out.

D

What would happen to the land.

D

Thank you. That's a very good question. It's a question that we asked um the city manager. I.

A

Know I know how difficult it is to buy something the city actually coming forward and buying a.

A

Piece of profit, you know it's like the school, the school down in what three I guess it is.

A

um For ten million dollars, it's just a lot of money. Yeah, it's a big deal. You know it's.

A

A big deal it takes all kinds of time to do that. They answer your question directly.

A

uh If they move, if they, if the business case allows them to move most or all.

A

Of their switching to rockingham junction, which is six miles south of foundry place,.

A

um That there will be some land there. That would be that probably could be available for sale. Now.

A

We all know, what's underneath, all of that um when they built the garage they had to pay, went four.

A

Or five hundred thousand to mitigate some of these stuff, on the other hand, uh for american parks and.

A

Recreation it it has some merit to at least look into it, and one of the things that I was planning.

A

To do to talk to the city manager and actually say you know, maybe we want to look into this.

A

The city the city has been very supportive of us, but because they had numerous lawsuits, they really.

A

Didn't want to jump into this, this particular fray and I don't blame them, um but we did have a zoom.

A

uh The vice president of the northeast region was at that cxx was at that zone and the city manager.

A

Was there and the meeting was like about 20 minutes, but I think the whole reason for the zoom.

A

Was to make sure that four residents of island and creek were not there's only ones at all, who.

A

Were complaining that the city of portsmouth was definitely behind us and they were, and I'm very.

A

Very proud to have worked with um with a city on this particular thing. I think they did a.

A

Terrific job, we didn't say very much about it for good reason. Nothing has happened yet uh filing.

A

And getting comments before federal got, it doesn't count for anything. What does count is the action.

A

At the end and we'll find out very soon just how serious um uh the cxx is about uh helping our.

A

Neighborhood, yes, just a question uh about you know. Thinking about the future of that area is oh there.

B

Was a greenway, it was island, concrete, greenway project yeah. I don't remember if it was a master.

B

Plan or an actual design um is that complete? Do you know if I remember, I don't know the answer.

A

That, but maybe one of you, too you're talking about entering the city by way of, I think.

A

Market street or or you know, as you come into the city, there's going to be greenway on both sides.

B

I guess my point is if that area is potentially part of that design, uh maybe reach out to.

B

Maybe the city to reach out to the designers- and you know, get some ideas for for future development.

B

Of that, the greenway is being negotiated with each developer of the parcels along the north. So.

D

It's an exaction from those developers.

D

And you're right, it would go from bartlett all the way over to stagger.

D

D

You know, I don't know what the timetable of that would be. I don't think the city could.

D

Could do it before the lands developed, but it will be part of 105, for example,.

B

Yeah, I guess I guess my question was: if it was more of a planning exercise, the green way.

B

um Without the constraints of immediate time or immediate development or money of you know,.

B

Procuring land that it might be an interesting thing just to put out there to envision what.

B

What that area might have the potential of being from the voice of a group of people who.

B

Really know that context and what's going on, I think, that's true. We have thought about.

A

Suggesting to cxx they may want to sell that land or donate it or one of the other. And I.

A

Think, that's probably um it'll be the next thing that we're going to talk about, because if they.

A

Go up to anything that we can encourage them to do all their switching in another location would help.

D

This particular issue and help all along those tracks. Thank you. Everyone. Thank you. Thank you.

D

And I think that's a that would be a right on the top of our at the next step. But we have.

A

To get them to uh to stop the idling as much as they can and the fumes that's the first priority.

A

All right, let me move on if you have no objection to.

A

National night out, that's august, 2nd it's a big deal. I normally uh and will continue to.

A

Manage manage that in the sense that it's more of a coordination function. But I will need.

A

Someone to help you with that as we go forward, and that is slated for, I think the second or.

A

The third of august: it's um is everyone here aware of national night out, okay and then the.

A

Citywide parking session uh that the city-wide parking uh and the talking program in this.

A

Islington creek is soon to be resolved, one way or the other. um The parking program in israel.

A

Concrete was a success from the neighbors that I spoke to. um However, the city did have a survey.

A

And they and the results of that survey uh should be uh out very soon and yeah, and uh it would tell.

A

It would help us we did hear we were on. I was on a zone call with uh with the parking division.

A

And they they gave, in my view, almost an unintelligible, statistical output.

A

Outcome of what they found during the parking permit program trial.

A

The no opinions were given only some sort of what they call synopsis. I was a bit disappointed in.

A

That but the city manager did promise to make the survey public, which it should be. And if the city.

A

Doesn't take charge of that in a proper way, in other words, make it as transparent as possible.

A

And tell us if they want to go forward with the idea of a parking permit program, then we will.

A

At least I believe that it's proper for us to do that and the last time we had a session like that.

A

We had peter rice and we had, we had the ben fletcher and they gave some results. The audience.

A

Was about 40 or 50 people jammed into the city hall audience? They were mad as hell yeah. There are.

A

Verse opinions all over the place, and that will happen again because that was a very, very helpful.

A

Public when the public makes comments like that, because you hear all the different variations.

A

Of what a program was supposed to be so that I'd like to do that as an agenda item.

A

If, if the city doesn't do that themselves, okay, so those are the immediate.

A

Neighborhood issues we have the usual ones down below and there's in the slide presentation here.

A

Sidewalk safety and other things and issues with city agencies like we have tonight.

A

Nothing is nothing like sound barriers, for example, but very, very important, um I'd like to think.

A

That this is a place where people can make comments freely and that's why I like the idea of.

A

Using the library as one as one source, sometimes we get a few people sometimes.

A

We don't so, but tonight was more of an administrative night than anything else.

A

Oh, the holiday lights is december. That's our choice. um Usually the mayor.

A

Asked us to do it.

A

Yeah about thanksgiving and then with the holiday lights just before christmas, it requires everybody.

A

To be involved in that it is very much neighborhood things we, you know, we got about 40.

A

I think we had 35 to 40 applications and uh people who wish make their uh light displays public and.

A

It was, it was, it was interesting, but it's a lot of work and it means that it ties up the entire.

A

November and december, among all of us, I mean really each one of us have to do a little software.

A

Anybody who's skilled with with computers, for example- maybe you I don't know.

A

There would be something for them to do and it's a while it's a fair amount of.

A

Management too and then all of us go up and actually vote on.

A

And whatever, what they're selected that we vote on them, so it's a fair amount of work.

D

If we see that the numbers are declining, I would I would pause and at any point in time, if.

A

Any if we have a majority rule on this, I won't I won't offer. I just won't. You know it's up to us.

A

We decide if we want to do it. The mayor can ask us, but we can still decide.

A

I think it's beneficial. It was beneficial during the during the pandemic.

A

uh Hopefully, we'll be out of the pandemic, there'll be other things that we can do.

A

um All right, thank you for pointing that out.

A

Forming the committees um during the first one is cnc awareness campaign of all the things that.

A

We've been talking about, that was the one that bothers me most one of the neighbors.

A

Our last meeting raised the point that she really didn't know what we're all about.

A

Why should I call or contact the cnc about anything, because I don't even know what they do.

A

Oh, it's nice that they do the light thing and then national night out. Thank you very much.

A

But is that all that we're about? And so she was suggesting in a women's campaign program and that.

A

May involve newsletters changes in meetings like at the library here and zoom as a part of every.

A

Meeting which is fairly easy to do, and we can certainly zoom more often than none, if necessary,.

A

Yeah, that's right, but the newsletters and getting support from the city to work with us.

A

That's that requires a lot of work and the awareness might start with, like I was trying to.

A

Break down the mission of the uh of the committee to be, as I say, advocates.

A

For the neighborhoods, with the admissions thing is fairly wrong, but but that portion jumped out at me.

A

And we just need someone to give that a lot of thought and present an idea to us as to how we.

A

Can increase our awareness because it can be a lot of work, but then again we're not all about.

A

National night out or holiday life contest we're about what neighborhoods are most concerned about.

A

You know and that's what I'm trying that's what I would like to do, um how to make us much more.

A

Aware I know the city council has maybe similar uh problems, but this is our problem and we kind of.

A

Go along year after year, and we really maybe need a little more vibrancy, maybe just.

D

Maybe it's just a public relations thing. We just need to improve our public relations. It's not easy.

D

It's not easy, it may be to change what we do. If that's the case, it will change if we have to.

A

And but I want someone to or who wants one or two people to work on that and report to us.

D

B

You know brainstorming for for some ideas as well a certain time and do our own brainstorming again.

C

uh If, once the two of you get some ideas, we'll have a zoom in and then we'll just uh we'll.

A

Lock it up, I mean it isn't ugly, though it's just to talk it out and see what makes sense.

A

Sure all right, so the other one. We talked about forum changes.

D

We we know that some of the more distant forums.

A

Or what I call more distant from downtown uh was one four one. Three and four are more remote and.

A

To have in-person uh forums there as well, so it's not a bad idea uh from a from a technical point.

A

Of view having the forums either here or city hall for the most part seem to make sense and.

A

And the it department and the city has have told us that much more complicated to get.

A

A recording done on the meeting, as well as getting zoomed in in some of the schools that are in the.

A

Neighborhood, I don't know about the firehouse they're working on, so that would be something.

A

Interesting there, nevertheless, um that would be uh terrific, we'll have again have a special.

A

Zoom, just on on on awareness and see how best to proceed on that and that I would like to do.

A

So you could show the next slide I'll be okay! Thank you all right. So we covered some of.

A

This already, um the next question is: how many meetings do we want for all meetings like what.

A

We're having right now, how many meetings do we want for the remainder of the year.

A

This is our second one, and do we want um we want more. We want three more.

C

Problems like once a month: well, we can. We have a lot going on right. Let's say we on the wall.

D

It's nice to have something once a month or a.

A

I would say we want at least two more, especially in the fall. Maybe we have three.

A

We have a special meeting for the national night out. That can be just those who are working on the.

A

Committee and then the neighborhoods themselves, so it's your suggestion. Are you going to agree with.

A

Me, whichever you perform yeah, just a good question, uh not having really stated in this report that.

B

How is, how are the committee meetings typically organized? Is it are they? Are they focused on.

B

You know what we need and we focus on, of course, the 400 or we focus on.

A

That's a very good question: the formal meanings.

A

Can be the issue that is addressed with me besides having public comment, which is a number one.

A

Can be at the suggestion of any committee person, so anybody can suggest a topic. I have suggested.

A

Some topics already and we've talked about a few of them and they can be part of the meeting. uh It.

A

Doesn't necessarily require us to vote on anything, it's just so it's just getting more information.

A

Out and inviting the public to come in and comment on what we're, what we're talking about so.

A

It's more of a fall meeting and historically, we used to take attendance and.

A

And uh at those formal meetings so like we have four years what the requirement is.

A

Bylaws, so we decide on the agenda, but essentially, if they're more formal meetings.

B

So that's the answer to uh approaching 400. That's this september right. Has it heard this.

B

Of course, the 400 has not liked when the 400 has not identified any particular date. Yet, okay,.

D

National nine hours august- I guess I'm trying to the 400th year- is 23.. Okay,.

B

I guess I'm trying to think about what we want to be a person trying to figure out what we need to do so that we can build on that. You know and.

B

And come up with a plan to deal with, you know kind of the things in front of us and then uh really.

B

Find complementary things we want to to kind of build upon that, but I agree.

B

Yeah just suggest that maybe the fortune 400 issue- maybe we could use this year's night out.

B

To let people know about this idea that maybe next year for next year's event,.

B

Each neighborhood think of treating something as part of that history.

B

So that next year, when things start to happen, maybe there might be some ideas with you.

A

Yes, I know I like that idea and what that is is ahead of time. You set up some sort of.

A

Either poster or billboard or something- and we have of course, 400 people work with us.

A

And as we go through the neighborhoods, because we have defined neighborhoods and the neighborhoods.

A

uh There's there is a definite representative there, the neighborhoods have fun there. The police.

A

Fire and public works go there. This is a good time to have. um What's with 400, people circulate around.

A

And so we can help on that and that department that's an excellent idea. I like that all right.

A

The forums I'd like to have lori who've been very, very diligent in organizing the forums.

A

uh Come up with a suggestion or suggestions as to um how many forms we should have and where they.

A

Should be located yeah, can you do that uh yeah? I actually have been thinking about it. You've.

C

Gone hard, I know they first started in 2000 at least the dates that I have started in 2017.

C

We had three there and in 2018 we had two and we covered all five.

C

um So then we went to 2019 and we did two that year. I think that was uh we had one in 2020.

C

uh It was a coffee time we were losing some health, it took us a while to get.

C

Started and when we got started then then I had two and um or three and two in 2021.

C

So so right now we are missing to finish up the whole thing. I was going to try to push.

C

It really hard so that we could have just gotten. You know five every two years, that was the goal.

C

So we had five in two years and then we had one two, three or five in three years and.

C

So now we have one four that we need to. Oh, we have that already. uh We need five three one, two and I'm.

C

Just gonna, I can't really do that's a tough one to do four, but I couldn't do three in one year.

C

You know take some: it takes a while to get the uh get everybody's appointment and get it.

C

You know it takes at least three months or so just to um just to get one to happen so.

C

Once it happens, it will be quick, it'll be easy as long as you can get there.

C

Their schedule, so would you uh you're recommending three for this year, yeah.

C

Three and then we can just do the last one. Maybe you can push it into three.

A

The city of the city has been very helpful: it's usually a zoom and a an in-person presentation.

A

Of the fire department, police department, public works, public work primarily and the.

A

Mayor and city manager, uv attendant over all their representatives and then the.

A

Folks, in the particular ward have the opportunity to question them if they want so yeah.

C

I'm just going to say because the last time we had one you know when there's no issues going on.

C

People don't show up and last time um the board was uh poor and there didn't seem to.

C

Be a lot of issues and people didn't show up, and you know I don't I don't know you know we.

C

We certainly do issues when they're happening, but that's not I'm not quite sure.

C

You know I'm trying to figure out it's like it's fun to go to. I love these things. I get.

C

To see a little bit about the neighborhood and see what's happening around the city.

C

But but remember the last time we had it, it was hardly anybody there and it was sad because we.

C

Had this entire force of people that are just ready and willing to answer our questions.

C

It was it was that particular point that I began to the thoughts that maybe we should.

A

Make some sort of change or change or change over there? I know that I know the city council.

A

Loves this sort of thing all the city councils loved. uh It gives the people in the uh awards.

A

They listen to the people in the woods and, um on the other hand, I often I often think to myself.

A

Have we been doing the same thing for the last 10 12 years, the same way, and it's just not.

A

Interesting anymore, or maybe there are not there's no information yeah enough issues. We I mean we.

A

The city publishes the forums, the newspapers, occasionally it's published forum. uh I go on.

A

Social media and I grow it up and I announce them two or three times and that's about the extent.

A

That we can do um and if they don't come, if people don't come forward, that's kind of like saying we.

A

Don't quite need that so I began to think. Maybe we should change a little bit. Maybe you might.

A

Have a specialty flaw: have a legislation for so yeah, something like that something you know like.

C

Are we gonna call it from board one two, three four five or it's gonna have to be underneath.

A

Legislation- and they can come in and ask questions that they want.

C

Having said that, we can wait because really, if we go for the reward forum.

C

It's more driven, it is war driven, that's right, and I'm not sure that, like the next one is um ward 5.

A

Well, the question is that we can always yeah. We can always ask uh our first and.

A

The friends of the south end to sponsor their own form. So what that means is that we would.

A

Make the contacts get the city officials to show up? They will do their own using their.

A

Own mailing lists get a lot of the people to be there now everyone, anybody in the city can.

A

Attend any of these four, so we would continue doing our own thing. Oh, the difference is.

A

That one five would be more or less running they do. They have special advertising.

A

For this, and they may have their special issues, I don't know what those issues are all the time.

A

It's easy for us to bring the city officials in that's, not that's not the question. The question is.

A

If we invite, if we have let's say we want five fossee and do their uh you know, take charge of.

A

This, in effect, it's especially it's for the south and the law, we probably would get a little more.

A

Interest more people would show up and if they had any some only is this really an issue yeah I mean.

A

But they would want to do that. I mean they would have to say. Yes, the issues are sufficient for our.

A

Neighborhoods in what five that may not be just what it'd be the neighborhoods in that area, that.

A

We want a special form for our own. That's, okay, I'm actually that'll be fine. I mean that's one thing.

A

That would generate different sure I mean you know if we're trying to get the word out about the cnc.

B

What we do um and we're trying to establish uh a criteria for successful forms that are better.

B

Attended you've already showed up for issues right. They mobilize her issues, not necessarily.

B

Because they live next to somebody else, and so it makes sense to um to send out like a citywide.

B

Know survey like.

B

uh You know they just raise some of the neighborhood issues in the city and.

A

That certainly has a lot of marrow, so I'm not sure exactly what you said.

C

Address some concerns that I go on in that area raise ten.

B

Of ten topics that are directly affecting the elements um you know clearing of snow or.

B

You know speed of vehicles or you know the. uh I guess I'm thinking out loud.

B

You know and allow people to, because I think one of the things is: nobody knows what we do. We want.

B

To make the distinction that not every concern in the city should come to us, however, we want to also.

B

Celebrate the fact that there are things that we can, that we, you know are doing and are able.

B

To to kind of bring to other people's attention and work on so um you know, I don't know just as.

D

Well, I think we definitely need to get the word out about that. We exist and then let them know.

D

Who we are and what our mission is and then start there just get the word out more than.

C

Do away with the word forums or we're not using your forums, to do something I like the forums I.

D

Did actually attended the last one via zoom, but I'm just saying that we should maybe reintroduce.

D

The cnc, just let people know that we're here and who we are, who the new members are and.

D

You know existing members and then go from there. We can introduce a survey. I love that idea.

D

Introduce a survey get a list of maybe five things that we can. We can. You know we can kind of.

D

Introduce to them thinking about what you know, maybe there's an issue in this area and.

D

Then give them an other box as well, where they can insert an issue that they would like to talk about.

B

The form of the forum in that case would be the end result all right. So that's not a bad.

A

Idea, just just let me think out loud about that we have. I have 20.

A

Representatives of neighborhoods from national night out from last year, that's right.

A

And and we have the names and addresses and phone numbers and so therefore that's.

A

One source right away and we would then send them to their representatives and.

A

The representative representatives to use their mailing lists to send sent the.

A

Survey out to them, okay, and so that's one way and then the usual traditional way would be the city.

A

Would would announce it the um public social media? I would send out something on our mailing list.

A

Which has about 200 people a lot and then anybody who has who knows neighbors to contact them.

A

So we have to cross-section, but the focus would be on those 1819 uh neighborhood representatives.

A

What's important to them, would they be interested in having.

A

The city address their particular concerns in their own neighborhood.

A

I mean there's nothing wrong with that. I mean it could be different ideas, I'm not.

A

I'm not going to go in with and just follow what the question should be, but.

A

It could be but you're asking the questions and if you get some interesting responses.

A

You would do a forum or a special meeting can address those and we can bring them to attention.

A

So I mean that's like the forum. Would that would be like the end result of this or multiple form.

A

Would be the end results of this if it was a particularly good issue? People are rather said.

A

To come forward and as a neighborhood or maybe they just don't want to be more, but some of them.

A

A

In the meantime, could I recommend that laurie you set up a a forum.

A

For um ward five, and why don't we ask the what five posse if they want to sponsor the meeting.

A

And at least we get that we do two things at once, so we're going to set it up. First, oh yeah,.

D

So the date that I have there is is, um I was going to.

C

So then those two would wrap up um all right.

C

So I think, maybe eight like august.

C

Yeah, that would definitely be ward 3 yeah. I was going to say that as a.

D

State representative from north korea, because there is a lot of developmental issues going on.

B

And we've got west yards and a whole new neighborhood. We have the community campus.

B

Also more through is that one freedom we have the new development in banfield, the millionaire road.

B

There and of course, it's prime location bathroom and then there's a new development. That's not it.

B

Broke the ground it's going to be on peppery hill set back 50 units or something like that.

B

Then the cinematic is going to be transformed into another development. There.

C

It is the living place, a living development. I think so it's going to be condos.

B

So what I'm suggesting is there might be a forum that we could use that to kind of bring people.

B

In to talk about the development going on in that war and how they feel about it, what kind.

B

Of inputs they have maybe some of the new people who are now living in those areas could be part of.

B

The you know come out and tell us so what happens if they all wanted to come and complain about it.

C

But we do want to hear what people are thinking.

B

In their neighborhoods and how they could be mitigated, perhaps not okay,.

B

You know it's not it's not a person.

B

Businesses, hotels and businesses, but these are residences. This is people.

A

So let me just trace it through just one moment.

D

And I'm just I like the idea right. So if you talk about land use issues, all right and people come in.

A

And they say well, you know I don't like this or not like that. It's not necessarily our bag. Here.

A

If we saw something really immoral about them, okay, but but you have all these.

A

Things converging all the developments converging and you have a with all those developments.

A

Converging, you do have traffic and safety issues, you could have prime issues.

A

You um you might have trash and other issues, I mean you might have a number of.

A

Issues that we normally not only address would address to getting different people in.

A

The land use issue itself, we probably wouldn't I would. The event has already happened. It's.

A

Already, probably, we don't get involved unless, of course, it's really something. That's the.

A

However, the fallout from that which, in this case could be like this is a concrete pocket.

A

A [ __ ] problem, okay, the fallout of of having this develop. These developments, the traffic.

A

Issues and traffic problems and speeding and everything else that goes along with them.

A

That is something that is in the peru for sure, okay, so I kind of like the idea.

A

Myself you're a significant trap: yes, yeah, no there'd be a lot of stuff going on.

A

That would that would get that should get an interesting set of comments. This is kind of a.

B

Really related thing, I'm not suggesting this is so no anytime. You get a group of people together.

A

That's even better as I'm concerned, because then what you do is you get the essence of the.

A

Of what's going on another related issue here- and I bring this up because last week, a legislature.

B

Just voted a bill down is, and it's a national lying issue, that's popping up all over the country.

B

California is an example, and that is that, because of the affordable housing crisis,.

B

Everywhere, in our state everywhere in the nation, there is a strong movement.

B

I don't know exactly who's the mover and shaker behind it or who are those people.

B

But with the idea that we should be able to force municipalities to not allow single-family zombies.

B

But to allow instead up to four units on the same property to be rebuilt or rehabbed um into four.

B

Units where one unit was before, but without any um misspelling having a legal ability to require.

B

Additional requirements or restrictions, even though we're going from a one family unit to.

B

Four things so water sewer parking odds, not a lot. We started any restricted issues when that.

B

Transformation happens and the motivation behind it. What people are saying about it is, we need to.

B

Do this to make more affordable housing? California passed a statewide wall last year to do this.

B

Incidentally, opposed by housing advocates civil rights groups and environmentalists.

B

Supported by developers and real estate agents and this bill that we had last week in the legislature.

B

That was the exact same bill and it was voted down, but it was a close vote and I'm just bringing this.

B

Up because you know you see these developments and you see the impact on sewer water parking traffic.

B

All these issues, new infrastructure, something like converting owen, look, let's say penalty matter.

B

People start buying up panaway manor houses if they're allowed to make them into four units. Each.

B

That will change the neighborhood completely yeah completely. So I just want to bring this to your.

D

Awareness that there is this idea that this would help solve the affordable housing thing.

B

And the advocates from california point out that when this happens, two million people are.

C

Charging the affordable housing exactly they point out that if those units are actually.

B

Affordable if they can build that's one thing: if they're not affordable, then all you're doing is.

B

Group is also to clearly define what we do not do.

B

On something to make it clear that that's not, but there's nothing we can do about it and.

B

You know, and then you know to be as clear as possible in terms of people showing up are.

B

Not then getting even more angry, you know.

A

um It was suggested that the city council, public comments and.

D

We're also looking at getting the technology set up so that we can have city council meetings.

D

A

So we would be interested in that. Would we not yeah.

A

And that would that would really uh increase the awareness of our mission.

A

Because we would sponsor that event. In other words, the city council will do.

A

Whatever they could happen, I would not get their public dialogue before and then we would be up.

A

Next quarter, it would be a forum next. In other words, you have a public dialogue session and then.

A

You have your your city, administrators and either way either whether it's a meeting or it's a forum.

A

And I think four and three and four are the four remote ones, and so that that could be a.

A

That could be a uh um a good time to try this out, at least once because it's.

A

Far away from the downtown downtown you can get through it first. One five is very vocal anyhow.

A

And so uh that's interesting, I, if you're agreeable, if everyone here is agreeable for this.

D

um Idea, we will try it if it doesn't work all right. Okay, yes, all right.

A

um Would we like to do the holiday lights this year or shall we wait on that? One.

C

I I think we should be able to pull this off. Can you just explain, what's needed to do that? That's.

C

For someone here, yeah, of course, so really this uh it's our mandate to go around and.

C

um And recruit the people to come into the holiday lighting, um we'll come up with um whether they're.

C

Applying for a traditional or you know, creator for like leaving it, I think, last time we decided.

C

We didn't want to really define it. The first time we defined it and.

C

Everybody was choosing different ones and we had no people to judge for the.

A

He answers the leadership runs around and he says we could collect some money and give.

A

Her the prices- personally, I don't care about prices for something like this, but people do.

C

And so then we go around and last time they chose to have the kids.

C

Do it it was cute to watch the kids. Do it, you guys did.

C

It was challenging to get the whole thing was challenging because all of a sudden they've.

C

Jammed up since the end and had to have it done on a certain day, any complaints.

C

No, the good news is, in the end.

D

I was actually away and I was watching you guys. um No, I didn't attend that one.

D

When mark was still that's right, you guys were discussing how you were gonna. Do the volume.

D

You know how the judgment was: gonna, be all the jobs. That's gonna take place, that's right. We uh we.

A

Have a business plan on how to do that? So, in other words, it's already, the procedures are more or less.

A

All spelled out the primary requirements that the city will announce and the city signs them up.

A

We promote a little bit and then at the end we judge, and then we tell the city council.

A

At the last meeting of the year, the winners and we just and then the mayor will.

A

Announce the winners, thank you very much, so it was a. It was a lot of fun driving around.

C

No actually, at some point we just said you know people could tell we were judging. We got out.

A

And we will obtain that mailing list which we have the right to do and we will use it for.

A

Surveys and others and awareness, and so that we will add to that. um The next thing that I'm.

A

Going to do here is a committee to help increase awareness. We already talked about that. Thank you.

A

Very much for the preview. The last issue are the issues that we need to address at any point in.

A

Time, anybody on this committee can raise issues about their above neighbors and or neighborhood.

A

Issues there is no problem whatsoever and it can be a special self-section of any meeting.

A

As someone in the past with them uh kevin over the last slide,.

A

August 17th, when we can decide whether we want that or not the october 19th and the.

A

December 13th meeting they're, usually it's important that we have at least those two.

A

The um we have an nno in july- that's that's! Okay,.

A

And so yeah, that's just what the what happens. There is I'll coordinate that particular.

A

Session the neighborhood representatives come in. They talk about any concerns that they have. We.

A

Have the fire department, police department and especially the police department, to help to see.

A

If there's any any special needs, public works jumps right in, and talks about, trash cans and.

A

Things like that, and so we just plug that's a coordinating meeting, usually july 12th.

A

um August, 2nd is the nno event, as far as I know, um laura you fill in the dates for.

A

The uh forums and talk to our colleagues here who volunteered on awareness.

A

And we have uh elaine and peter as.

A

What I call project manager, all the managers will do is read the script.

A

And change the script that they want to read the script and then.

A

Tell you what the next step has to be. So that's what I proposed to do at least at that point.

C

I know I'm like so what are we we're not going to vote or anything.

A

No, we don't have to volunteer all right. Let me hear you.

A

The chair vice chair and secretary, are up for grabs. Even my position, I'd be happy to.

A

Say I'll be delighted to pass it on and someone else if they want. Let's thank us. Thank you. um We.

A

Can have a special zoo meeting that will last 15 minutes on on the three positions the.

A

You nominate and then we second and then there's a vote. That's it's very, very fast, okay, and so I.

A

Suggest a special zoom, so it is a big deal and we just published it at the next people.

A

And the zoo meeting will probably be in early april or something like that.

A

If that's agreeable to you, then let's do that: yeah, okay,.

A

um I have no other business. Do we have any other business? I just wanted to clarify.

B

And if I can kind of contain my participation really into the survey uh portion.

B

There'll be kind of a recreation needs; assessment done in the state is about.

B

What kind of recreation needs people would like to see? Yes, I remember that so I think.

B

I think that's another good idea to get input on to to see the people to make sure that all.

B

Demographics are uh addressed in that by encouraging participation, possibly even sometimes.

D

Anything else do I have an emotion.

D

Thank you very much.