City of Portsmouth, New Hampshire Citywide Neighborhood Committee, 22 Jun 2022

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From YouTube: 6.22.2022 Citywide Neighborhood Committee

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6.22.2022 Citywide Neighborhood Committee

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Good afternoon everybody, this is larry taldo, chair of the city-wide neighborhood committee,.

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uh This is our committee meeting dated wednesday june 22nd.

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2022 and we are waiting for several other participants good evening elaine. How are you.

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Good to see you.

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C

There we go there, we go okay, good, sorry,.

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I think will is uh ready to come on board and then we'll begin. Oh hello, I will oops there. We go okay.

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Nice to see that you're outside yes, I'm on vacation this week, so where you are, are you.

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Located at this point, uh I am at my house- okay, all right all right. This is going to be a fairly short.

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Meeting there are no other participants that I can see um so we're not going to hold anybody very.

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Long anyone else who joins us we'll see what they want, but um I think the first order of business.

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Is elaine has a few things to say about how to increase our awareness? Yes. Well, I sort of.

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Had a presentation, it's a very short, um I can share the slide with you guys. Let me um here.

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Here, where is it.

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Here it is okay, go.

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All right back to page one.

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You're going to see it yeah we can and technically technically I can see it. I'm on my phone.

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Unfortunately, I don't know I typically do zooms on my work, laptop, which I.

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Left at work yeah, so uh if you could read that, would that would be great.

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Okay, I can do that larry. Do you still want me to read the whole thing.

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Pardon why two? Oh there we go okay! Yes, here we go okay, all right! Well! um Well, I was hoping there.

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Would be other people in attendance? um You know specifically residents of portsmouth but of course.

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You guys are awesome as well. um I was going to start with just a brief history of the cnc.

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um You guys may know that it was started in in 1996 by by assistant, mayor evelyn sorrell. She.

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Was appointed by put on the music? My screen here was kind of bothering me hold on just a second.

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Here we go: okay, okay, there you go um as I started to say: the um cnc was formed in 1996 by assistant.

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Mayor evan sorrell, along with james plain and jenny weeks, they were appointed by mayor eileen,.

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Foley, who succeeded sorel actually and as mayor in 1998., do you guys know that history, sorry.

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Okay and when the cnc started, there were just a few neighborhood associations, including sherburne.

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And fosse within 10 years, though they were able to grow that number to 35.. Today there are.

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About what there are about 16, active associations, I I would, I would say, closer to 20.

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Participate in the national night out, so that's a fair number.

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Yeah, what I would encourage uh the residents of portsmouth is that, if they are unsure whether or.

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Not an association exists in their neighborhood to reach out to us, then we can help find out for.

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Them, okay- and I went on to just put our mission statement on here. Okay and you guys are familiar.

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With the mission statement, so maybe I'll just you know, move past that um I did want to share some of.

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The some of the objectives of the committee- and um you guys are you guys- know all the eight.

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Objectives, one of the things guys that I wanted to bring up is that I think that we should really.

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Start with bringing in the speakers that we've talked about, I know that we've only had one.

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Official meeting, which was in march right- and we didn't talk about starting to bring in speakers.

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Maybe to educate the the neighborhoods about cip about tax and budget those kinds of things.

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I'm thinking that maybe we can get together and and start planning what kind of.

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Topics we can help bring to the neighborhoods and we can. We can start asking city councillors or.

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Professionals throughout portsmouth to help us do that. Do you guys think.

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Yes sounds like a good idea: we do it, we do it on occasion, but um uh with when.

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If the topic is really juicy, then that's the time to get the speaker yeah, like a budget time or or.

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If there's some firehouse event that that's worth uh uh announcing ahead of time, we do.

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Elaine, we do have a few people schedule in the next two or three months.

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Nothing definite, okay. um What yeah! I think, I think it's a great idea. I I just would.

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Caution, you know about piling on too much. You know too much workload too quickly. um You know.

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uh You know just putting on a lecture series and and organizing all that and having venues and and.

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And so forth, um I guess it's easier with with zoom, but um but it's uh you know.

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It is, it is a lot of work, um and so um I I think it's I think it's a great idea and.

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I'm all for it, but I just I would want to to make sure that we can get our kind of baseline.

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Tasks done and- and I see some really really great ideas here and and perhaps we um I just think we.

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Need to have an honest conversation about capacity uh and uh and make sure that we can do it. And if.

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And if we can, um you know maybe roll out a program a year or something you know just just to make it.

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Manageable yeah, well one of the one of the one of the things that we already do. That cnc does.

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Is are the neighborhood forums which um kathleen and larry were there and attended? It was actually.

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Very well attended and, um as gloria said, it was a very lively and engaging attendance and it.

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Really was I I enjoyed it myself and I think that there's another one coming up kathleen is that.

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Right, I don't know when the next one is: okay, okay, so we'll we'll have to take a look at that and.

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And plan that I know that lori has said that there are probably just two forums here. You know.

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Like you were saying: well, if we can't put too much we're gonna play, so that's why we have two.

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Four two and then three, you know the first tier two and the next year would be three forms. So.

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So, look we'll look at those dates and I'll speak with larry and I will speak with laurie.

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And find out when the next one will be. I think we've had as many as four a year.

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It's just it all. You know. I think that uh covert changed a lot of those things, but I think we had.

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Right, I think we certainly have more than two but I'll look back, maybe in the records and see what.

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I can find okay, okay, great! Thank you! um Well, the national night out event: um everybody loves that.

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Well, I saw that you recently signed up while I did as well for my neighborhood.

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um That one, I know is gonna, be you know people get excited for that. The neighborhoods who.

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Hold it the associations that do it are pretty well established. um I know that um only.

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Eight neighborhoods so far right larry have registered. So I'm going to try to reach out to.

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Some of the other neighborhoods that that I know are that were active last year and maybe just.

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Nudge them into registering early on so nobody's registering last minute. You know that really.

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That really well, you know that holds up a lot of work at the end, I want to get things organized.

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Now, as we go into into the event and not get all like watched up before the event happens,.

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Dude right right kathleen, I thought you guys were registered as well.

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We're all set to go we're even having music. This year, you're gonna have live music. Yes, irish, music.

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Fantastic uh yeah, um so um I'm I'm I'm stepping in uh for yasmin to help.

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Facilitate things this year, uh which was really cool because I was able to fill up the survey.

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And um and- and I apologize if, if it went out to others- and I just didn't see it um as an.

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Aside, I've been so incredibly busy at work if something's not shoved in front of my face. I'm.

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I'm I have uh there's a likelihood that I'm I'm not gonna, see it uh and so um the the survey I.

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Thought was fantastic and one of the great things was paired with one of larry's last emails about.

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um The um the limitations of the city to be able to bring people and vehicles, and so it.

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Was it was great that um that that was on the survey and put it right out there.

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So so we can take steps to to do some. You know future consolidation and keep things.

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Keep things manageable, yeah, yeah, so, okay? How do you feel about that kathleen about consolidating.

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Well, in what way, sorry consulting like centralizing the n-o event.

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Oh, I know I I like the neighborhoods, I mean I just like it yeah, I I don't. I don't like having.

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It somewhere else. Well, I think the friends of the south end really like what they do on pierce.

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Island, so I I think they would not be in favor of that yeah. I'm hearing 50 50, like four centralized.

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And then in the neighborhoods- and it just depends really on the location of the neighborhood.

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Understandably, for pierce island for for your neighborhood um captain larry.

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It doesn't mean we don't like other people. We just really like what we do on our own.

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I totally I totally agree, I mean our neighborhood is so tight and we love it and the the you know.

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We have it right at this. um On woodlawn and yasmin is on one side and then the other is.

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Peter and he he's a dj, he brings his gear out and plays me. I mean it's so much fun, um but I.

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Guess I guess I'm I'm trying to be respectful too, like in a perfect world. I would absolutely.

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Just say no way, we've got our neighborhood. This is our event. We want to, you know, be be our.

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Community and come together and celebrate that, but uh on the other hand I understand that the.

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um The city has limited resources, and so I guess that that's really where.

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Where the decision needs needs to be made, and and and I think um part of it was knowing that there.

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Are some adjacent neighborhoods that have had leadership on the neighborhood uh night out.

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Kind of wane and that we could potentially allow them to come to us and not us, go to them, uh and I.

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Think that's actually one of one of the criteria that I think our neighborhood would be willing.

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um Because I I agree with kathleen, I think you know a good part of our neighborhood would not.

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Partake in the event if they had to go somewhere outside of our immediate neighborhood, that's true.

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For us for sure- and we don't require a lot of city services, we we certainly invite everybody to.

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Come but we don't have that many little children and things so we don't need the fire trucks and.

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You know if the children were at ours with, like maybe a couple of motorcycles and that's all we.

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Ever say we'd like to have so we don't even have we're not really a drain on the city services for.

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Like that, like to comment on kathleen and will's uh will um uh leonard benson, uh I think that's her.

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Name um uh how's the other side of frank jones farm yeah. He hasn't been able to muster up much.

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Support- and I think that would be a good idea if, if someone contacted her and just said, why.

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Don't we join forces she's been very bitter about doing that in the past she told me, but uh now you.

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Know that you know that you're running uh that end of the show, I think that would that might be.

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A good idea just to see if there's any interest, if there's no interest, no big deal, oh right right and.

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And I was talking about yasmin about you, know flyering, and you know the the waste of putting.

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A flyer in everyone's mailbox and seeing them, you know, you know, littering the streets, and so we were.

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We were thinking about treating it kind of as a yard sale where we'd pin them up.

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At stop signs and intersections, so people would see them, but we, you know we were. We would print a.

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Fraction of what we would do to stuff mailboxes, okay kathleen- um I went- uh I went over to.

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Pine tree island or fortree island rather and I was a huge crowd there and I could sorry see.

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All the police, fire and the ambulance, just you know, walking up toward the event to eat the food.

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Exactly they love our food. He told me that too last year, I'm afraid to speak to the everybody.

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In the police department to say well, listen guys that no one wants to see any events on.

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For my neighborhood, I know that ocean road is now like this maple haven.

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Stone gate stonegate is going to be joining our our neighborhood party. I'm gonna hopefully get.

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Cedar ridge and um and maple haven as well, uh we were dead asked if we could have it at the.

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At the park, but um in the end we're gonna have it at the fire station again, um that's that was the.

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um That was a consensus, so I'm excited about that um then I just mentioned on on my side, show here.

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The holiday life event that come that occurs in december and you know I just did the upcoming.

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Speaker tba, uh I listed the calendar link, so people can go visit that.

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Now I've communicated some with with stephanie who helped me to update the information on the.

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Cnc city page, so that's good there. I I've asked her to if she could link the facebook.

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The cnc facebook link to the csc page, but she said something about. There were some issues.

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um With the city with that, so I'm not really sure if that's gonna happen, but.

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But I did start finally engaging uh facebook uh in may. After we had some technical difficulties.

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Larry- and I we finally figured out by may- and I don't post all the time, but I do post some stuff.

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And I do use the hashtag um cnc, portsmouth and h that I mentioned to you guys in our other meeting.

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um I don't know if you guys use facebook, I I don't use it that much either. I use it some, but.

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You know what I also try to do is share it on the stories, for maybe some of the people that.

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That will see it in their stories. I hear that.

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People look at that more often than they do their their feeds. I'm not really sure.

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um Next door, next door is another good source. Yes, so I'm just going to stay next door. I didn't put.

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It on here, because I only post on my personal next door- page for example, I'll just share a.

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I'll just share like an event that you know that I mentioned on the scene on the facebook page.

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But I'll mention the cnc I'll I'll put down guarantee portsmouth I'll, put our link in there.

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And, for example, I put my nno event on there and I've gotten better responses on there.

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I have some other neighbors that um have like liked the post and I've reached out to them and.

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Shared my potluck list that kind of stuff, but I've only had one person like. I think it was the um I.

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Forget what it was like one of the posts about dpw or I think the permit the permit page. So I try to.

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Get a little bit creative to attract someone to to actually want to click on on the on the image that.

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They see so I'm working on building that better and if you guys have ideas for me, that would be.

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Great, if you guys want to make videos that I can post on the on the page, that would be awesome.

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You know larry will kathleen um okay on that subject. I I usually post twice uh once about.

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Two weeks before the event, and once about two or three days before the event on next door,.

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On official portsmouth, portsmouth, usa, the real unofficial, portsmouth and unfortunate.

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Who have very large group followings um and, of course, stephanie and stephanie.

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Usually says something uh the day before and her newsletter and sometimes a little more, we.

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Used to get some press coverage on some of the meetings, but um the portsmouth herald is not.

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Is is a little bit different now than it was uh two or three years ago and hasn't been very much.

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About meeting announcements uh uh like they used to be, but we get a press uh story out of.

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Before national night, out and after national night out yeah um on online yeah.

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But I'll, let you finish your uh your presentation, then I'll make some other comments.

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Yes, so um connect with us. I put a connect with us page. Maybe what I can do is share this on.

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Ask stephanie to share it on the fancy page and also put it on facebook and next door. Yeah it'll.

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Just give them a little bit of a flavor of of the cnc, and they can always. You know, reach out to me.

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And speak with me or any one of you really all of our phone numbers are listed on the on the pages.

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um I put in that we're going to have a newsletter come out next in july, mid month next month,.

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So I will be larry and I will be following up with you guys to.

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Confirm the bio that larry wrote up, so you guys you may have already, I'm not sure, but if you want.

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To send a picture that I can use in the newsletter, if you guys don't mind.

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You know a picture of yourself if you can send those to me. That would be great.

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um So that's coming in july, um I'm working on content. um I can share that with you guys.

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um In a couple of weeks or so, and if you guys have any ideas, please throw it my way and.

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I'll work on that as well see what else here. I've included that you know that, in order to help raise.

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Awareness um residents of portsmouth should also attend these meetings, um and I think it would.

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Be nice to have like an in-person meeting, I think maybe people might come to that, even though I know.

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Kovit is you know still around, I see more people attending events, quite frankly,.

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So maybe we can consider that I know it's not going to be for the july meeting, but maybe.

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In august, I don't know how you guys feel about that. I also feel like. I would really like to have.

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Some face-to-face meetings it doesn't have to be on zoom. You know televised.

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Or or um announced to the public just meetings between us, so we can all get to know each other.

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A little bit um that would be nice, um but anyway, going back to to um awareness with the.

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Residents of portsmouth, um I'm encouraging them to attend the meetings with resume or in person.

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Encouraging them to watch the youtube videos of the cnc. I know that there are a couple on there.

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Including the last um the forum meeting on june8, that's one there, which I think is great.

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And also encouraging them to to tell other neighbors about the cnc.

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And what I'll do as well as um ask larry to send this little pdf? This presentation.

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As well uh via email to to our 500 subscribers that we already have so we can do that and.

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And also you know, ask them they. Please share this with with other neighbors, because obviously we.

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Don't have all of the you know all of the emails that for the residents of portsmouth um I listed.

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Our phone numbers only, I didn't list any any emails. um I can list emails because that's okay,.

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Yes, okay, I didn't think so I didn't think so. That was just for argues. Okay, that's good. Okay phone.

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Numbers on there, nobody really called oh, but they were safe there and that's it guys um very short.

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Presentation um it's too bad. None of the residents attended, but maybe with um more interaction. More.

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Awareness building weekend, um we can get more attendance. I think that um I think that.

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If we can have like face-to-face meetings with some residents, I think that might attract more.

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Members, I I think the national night out meeting on july 13 will be better attended. That was when.

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I actually first attended the cnc meeting and uh you know find out about. I don't know.

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Do you guys have any comments? Yeah? I think it's a very good. I have several uh uh ideas. uh Number one.

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The the newsletter the newsletter is relevant if it talks about.

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Significant new development in a certain ward or certain area, then that could be a an item. Some of.

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The things that we do um other than the events are less interesting because there aren't any serious.

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Issues so the the two series, two or three series issues that we have: uh the railway fumes, um the.

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Sound board the sound barriers and maybe a few one or two others uh that have come up but most of its.

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Speeding and and uh um traffic and parking related uh uh incident, so I I I think uh will is right.

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We've got to be careful not to be too um ambitious, or even you know, because uh we're volunteers and.

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Our time is limited, and so the idea of having you know uh a lot of three or four forums.

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As opposed to two, that's something that we need to debate, you know um there's a lot of subjects.

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Sitting out there, the forums are of interest, I'd love to uh go down to the firehouse and.

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And uh and then deal with that and maybe um uh will in your area in three um but.

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And we should do that, but how many events should we have in a year where we have like four meetings.

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Yeah and two other events, and then we got we're doing the lights thing and.

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And then national night out, uh you know after a while, we've become event, managers yeah, I'm not and.

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Some of the events are really super, in other words, the communications.

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uh Between the residents and the city, officials and that's those are the forums.

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um National night out is a block parties and things like that.

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I think that's a terrific one. I have to wait and see on the how many really are interested in the.

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Holiday lights program again, all of these events- all of them have been going on many.

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Many many years and in the case of the forums and the national night out since 2004 or before that.

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And I look into this and I look back and I say you know we're like 20 years of doing the same thing.

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And I ask each one of you to think about is this is what is this? What we really want to do.

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And is this how we want to shape the uh committee going forward.

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To be event, managers, and not that we're on success and we're very successful at that.

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They are events, and um you know you have to put a lot of time and effort into all of us.

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Just the national night out is a is a huge undertaking. From my my personal point of view,.

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There are a tremendous amount of details that go into them, trying to get everyone organized.

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Talking with the police department and I'll talk a little bit more about national land out, but.

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uh The one thing one suggestion I do have as we go forward, especially on national night out and.

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And if we are participating in any light festivities.

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Is each one of us should have a uh name tag, that's large enough, so that they can say that.

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You know my name's larry cataldo or larry cataldo city-wide neighborhood committee in large in large.

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Letters, and especially for a national night out, if you guys, think that that's worthwhile.

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To to so that everyone recognizes you as a as a member of this committee, uh we'll get it.

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Done and I'll send it to you yeah. I actually plan on having tags for my neighborhood so.

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um Yeah, so a tag for uh mentioning the cnc I'll, definitely wear mine. Sure I think that's a great.

A

Yep, okay, so we'll we'll do that and um I haven't had a chance to speak to peter yet peter's on.

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Vacation now laurie is over on the music call tonight. Both of us have excused uh after but.

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I really wanted the whole team here and sometimes it's very difficult to to do that.

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Since we all have different schedules, you know, but I will I'll arrange um to have a name tags.

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Speaking in defense of the forums, the forums, I think, are probably one of the most valuable.

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Things that we do, because I think that people feel comfortable not having to stand there and.

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Look up to the to the member, you know they just sit around the table and talk about. What's really.

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Important to them and in their neighborhood, you know they're not having to wait for a lot of other.

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People- it's all just about them um and they're talking with the people who can make a difference.

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And that to me is very important, so kathleen is there anything more that we can do to make uh to.

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uh To make them more effective, I mean the ward 5 was was, I would say, a special case because.

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uh Friends of the south end uh there. There are many in numbers and there's a lot of people who.

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Want to want to speak, including mr duffy, mr duffy, contacted me and said he wanted to show up and ask.

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Some questions you know, which would have been real fireworks. You know yeah right well, yeah, if we, if.

C

We play it if we work it right, yeah as moderators, and we talk about timing and things like that. Then.

C

I think uh you know, because we can always go back to things later on once people have made mention.

C

Of what it is that concerns them. So if we talk about that about the facilitating of that event,.

C

um That might be helpful, but I think that the forms themselves are really important in the city.

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So it just gives people individual, it just has to talk about their street and their.

A

Hypothetically, then, we could have less meetings and more forums. Hypothetically hypothetically yeah.

A

I mean I I wouldn't be in dispose of that I mean the uh I I think. That's probably I mean.

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Sometimes you'll bomb out like uh november last year, only a few people will show up, and maybe it.

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Doesn't matter I mean the city officials don't care, they yeah they're, happy to to be there and.

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Then, if there's a large crowd good, if there's not a large crowd, they they go home early. You know.

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But I'd like to um it's only a couple of hours, you know so it's for you know. Maybe it's five.

C

Times a year, maybe it's maybe it's fewer, but it's really only a couple of hours. Even the other day.

C

When we talked about a lot of things, it was only a couple of hours, so that's right. One hour and 44.

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Minutes to be precise, it was at first when larry was going to be like, and I was like. Oh that's not.

B

A lot of time, but but I thought it was actually great like before the for the hour and a half.

B

That it did take place, um I haven't attended other. I think my husband said he had actually.

B

Attended a forum before, but um that was my first one in person and the last one I attended was.

B

Was the one that was that it was on zoom only. I think, and I sent it that one. I.

B

Thought that was great, but I didn't see what the attendance was like. um I don't like that.

C

I think we're just coming out of cove, but I think people are just yeah. That's what I was going to.

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Say is that I think that I I really thought the the last forum was awesome and I think that people.

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If they know about it at a time, I think that they will. It will be better intended.

B

um I do I have. I have a couple of thoughts on that.

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First, um the number of a number of people who registered for the city council meetings.

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In the last three or four meetings that the city that they've had have been declining so last night.

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There were five uh five people who were on the web waiting for questions.

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And so um kevin who's, probably listening in uh said that he probably thinks that the interest.

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Now is declining um the way I view it is, if it's inconvenient, for everybody to attend in live, we'll.

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Help we should go 100 zoom like we're doing now. Otherwise we go live and I think that the august.

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uh Meeting I'm planning, I think it's the 13th or 14th, something like that.

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uh Will be a non-zoom, I I don't we'll just have to play it august is a rough time, and if you.

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Know I'm and if, if if, if we don't have enough committee, people to show up I'll just cancel a.

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Meeting and that's the end of that, you know it's a simple business decision on that on that block.

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um So um but that's declining, and so your point is well taken. Elaine.

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um We probably won't be using zoom a lot unless there's unless we get into wintertime or we or.

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We just want an impromptu meeting among ourselves like we're having to tonight.

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Unfortunately, you know I would like more people, that's okay, larry. Are you meaning that there.

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That the attendance that zoom in is declining or in general, no, no, that's right. Just on the zoom.

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So a lot of people want to go in like they did on wad5 and argue with their city officials.

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I think that's if we can, if, if we hold a forum, we need to get the neighborhood association such as.

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In ward 1 atlantic heights at spinnaker point and some of the other associations and will in your.

A

Area, you probably have there's a mailing list sitting around someplace for your neighborhood.

A

And eleanor bronson has a mailing list for hers and that's how you promote getting uh people to.

A

To come, use that mailing, you know and and so I think, that's important and I haven't used.

A

That technique before, but it worked for fosse, so it should should work for the others like.

A

Laying some of your uh neighborhood reps in your area probably do have small mailing lists.

A

And that's how you communicate through them we'll go through the usual route, but it's more effective.

A

If it goes through a neighborhood association, it really does yep. Then the issues are.

A

Can be addressed uniquely so I'm interested in that, so we might we might. We will try that out.

A

On the next forum, um um which word is up next larry, I'm not sure um it's uh it's not. It could.

A

Be one I don't know whether if we have did it order, I was wondering if it was an order or not.

A

And originally there's a goal set out to do um all five awards in two years and I'm I'm less inclined.

A

To go that route and fix it as a matter of policy, we just do the ones as they come up. Sometimes it's.

A

Availability of city officials, and sometimes it's our own availability, because it's um it's still.

A

A lot of work but less work than the national night out or the lights program, which is a lot.

A

Of moving parts yeah, so um you know when I was um doing research on the on the cnc. I.

B

Read that in 2000 um they thought about doing away with it, but it wasn't in 2000.

B

But I think that um you know I did that a lot has been done over the years I was reading about.

B

Other events, but, like you said you know it's like do you want to be like an event manager.

B

But there was some really interesting things that took place um and um but the forms.

B

Also took place: where did they start? I think it was years ago right. Yes, no, no yeah.

A

A long time and the light program has been up and then down, in other words, uh 2009 10 11 12.

A

The holiday lights program, then after that was suspended and then mayor beckstead asked me to run.

A

It two years ago, yeah two years ago and I wasn't terribly thrilled because I sympathize with- will.

A

You know some people are working and it's a lot of work. You know you're, adding one.

A

More thing to the um to the uh to the event and and I'm not sure that we get.

A

Full credit for the light program um that we did, that we do a national night out so.

A

um With that, I'd like to just move on to another point on national night out, and that is banners.

A

um Yeah, where are the banners? Yes? Well, I did finally reach uh uh sergeant hood um and.

A

They have enough money to buy uh some banners which we can customize, which will get customized.

A

uh For like 15 or 16 neighborhoods, they will not have a date on them and they will be very simple.

A

They may simply show a the the police shield, maybe national night out uh symbol. I mean none of the.

A

City-Wide neighborhood committee symbol uh and then just say national night out portsmouth new.

A

Hampshire neighborhood block party- something for that effect all are welcome something to that.

A

Effect very simple and then who sponsors it and so we're thinking of that and and I have to do.

A

uh Sergeant hood has to do this before july 1st, because there's some sort of there's a budget.

A

That's when the budget ends and they have to move on to that. Okay, so um you know listening to.

A

All of you today I was taught I was I I challenged. I want to challenge everything.

A

That we do and ask the question: how effective is it kathleen? You made some great points.

A

And if we can duplicate ward 5 in the other wards, then that in itself worthwhile um I was critical.

A

Only because people would present their arguments to this panel and the panel would then talk back.

A

And- and there are no real solutions, hunting is a is a solution in itself, a serious uh sort of.

A

Solution and people then feel satisfied that they they can, if they, if necessary, if they can argue.

A

As the as miss russo did yeah to the officials, much to all of our chagrin.

A

Nevertheless, she challenged them and frankly I don't mind that maybe she made herself.

A

Well, people wanted her to stop, but nevertheless she challenged them and um and mayor the mayor.

A

Dangling how to respond to her, you know, although that was good. That's.

A

That's the type of things that we need to that. We need our residents to do more often.

A

Race issues: well, we also you know: we've gone ahead for the scent we found out about the cemetery.

C

Committee, I didn't even know that existed and so we're going ahead to talking about.

C

Repairing the wall around the cemetery and we've talked about maintenance of the um meeting house.

C

And some other things have come up as a result of that meeting. So it's it's been.

C

Beneficial for all of us anyway, so so we have to duplicate that somehow we have to bottle it up.

A

And make it happen again like that, and then we don't need committee meetings per se. The committee.

A

Will be satisfying one of our primary goals and that is to have the the people having a voice.

A

Before the the city officials directly, and I think the the politicians like that, I mean uh all.

A

The elected officials, especially okay, they think that's really cool okay, so I think we can conclude.

A

That um I had some uh comments uh about the future directions: um national night out on committee.

A

Assignments, um um there's three of you uh uh uh odds are in fact running um uh neighborhood the.

A

Block parties- and I can't do much more than that- I'm gonna ask peter to go around to ward four.

A

And maybe one one to see how they're doing and then I will be in, I will have a police escort.

A

uh To as many um block parties that we can that I can attend, we have eight now, I'm going.

A

To send out an alert, saying uh time to sign up remind them that there's a meeting on the 13th.

A

Some of you do not have to attend, but it would be nice if you, if you did.

A

Just to kathleen, especially you it's you and will, if you've never done this before.

A

um Just to listen in and see what uh what the questions and answers are, if there are any and.

A

It's on zoom, so you don't have to sweat it yeah. Absolutely I'm signed up already so, okay good.

A

As far as the next piece of business is election of offices, I am going to suspend.

A

That, because we don't only have uh four of us here, I I can legitimately hold elections, but.

A

I would rather that we do it as a panel uh kathleen. Would you be so kind enough to be a as.

A

A not temporary I hate to use that term. um He was a a transistor. Let's see a transition secretary.

A

Would you be transitioned vice chair lori has nominated elaine for vice chair and, and uh so I.

A

Think that's wonderful, um but uh let's let's wait until we we get the others my position. Anybody.

A

Anybody who wants it can happen, but I will I will do that at least until the end of the year.

A

I'm hoping to convince um one other committee person to to work with me on that.

A

um So um is there anything else that you guys would like to discuss.

B

um No, I guess that's it. Anybody wants to have coffee with me. Let me know.

B

Chat, I want to get to know you guys a little bit. You know just just so that we feel a little.

B

You know just feel like a group. That's interesting, elaine, let's, let's plan.

A

Let's all plan something in august um mid-part after after we recover from national night out.

A

And um and then just get together outside and then we'll hold elections there yeah.

D

Yeah, I really like the idea of meeting at dwyer's had that one that one night and didn't work, but.

D

uh Yeah, I think it's a great idea uh and you know we can um yeah it's it's. It's a great idea to come.

A

Let's do it, then: let's, let's have some fun and let's do it, there's not too much telefun going on.

A

These days, so let's do that? Okay, we are. If there's no other objection, uh we are finished. Okay, great.

A

Kevin if you're here, thank you very much you can shut down. um The meeting is over great. Thank you.