City of Portsmouth, New Hampshire Citywide Neighborhood Committee, 23 Mar 2023

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From YouTube: 3.21.2023 Citywide Neighborhood Committee

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3.21.2023 Citywide Neighborhood Committee

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Message I'm the co-chair together with elaine albertang of the citywide neighborhood committee,.

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And we welcome everyone here who was here in person and also those on zoom. I just want to go.

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Through the kind of a roll call of those who are here and those who are members of the committee on.

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Zoom so we have will and elaine our members and I think that's the only anyone else. No just the two.

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Just just two of us, the others, okay and on zoom, we have uh larry, cataldo and also kathy bergeron.

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I believe right catherine bodak, what kathleen bodochon, I'm here- okay and lori's online as well.

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Fox always already are all night okay, so uh we I just just and also I recognize.

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Councilor moreau and councilor tabor, who are also present here, thank you for being here.

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And so we have a an agenda that is focused more on other things. Besides the city-wide.

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Neighborhood committee, in the beginning, we want to talk about the portsmouth, 400 and.

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We have a presentation by valerie, roshan and trevor bartlett about that. It's going.

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To be maybe a 15-minute presentation and then there'll be questions and answers. Valerie has.

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To leave early for a meeting at the library so, but I think trevor will accommodate more.

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Questions and after that, we'll get back to some of the issues that the city-wide.

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Neighborhood committee is dealing with and we we hope to conclude about seven o'clock today.

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Everyone to unzoom to submute mute. Oh okay! Let me remind everyone on zoom. If you could mute.

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Your microphones, thank you until we until we ask you to speak or tell you indicate you want to say.

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Something thank you very much okay, so I would like to just turn this over now to valerie roshan who's.

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In who's the uh I don't know what you're you're you're the managing director of portsmouth 400 is.

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That your title managing director of posts with nh400, nh4, okay, yeah exactly so yeah. Thank you.

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Peter thank you for coming and thank you for giving us this presentation. Oh we're excited.

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We you know, I could. I could probably talk for a half an hour or an hour. So it's a good thing. I'm.

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Limited to 15 minutes, so you got away easy tonight, so I'm valerie, roshon and uh and I'm thrilled to.

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Be here with trevor, my my partner in crime and beth, obviously is a city. Councilor monroe is.

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um The chair or the team leader for our signature events and the parade is one.

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Of our signature events, so trevor's going to be talking with you about the parade.

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I'm going to try to whip through everything else. That's going on. We have over 100 events.

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um So I'm going to talk fast, but at 6 15. I hope to just stop the presentation hold it for trevor to.

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To complete with the parade, information and I'll just whip through here, so the first thing that I.

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Want to say is that this is this: this party, this 2023 year of celebration of the 400th anniversary.

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Is a program of the city, so I am contracted with the city to produce the all of these events.

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um All of the we have no employees in our portsmouth nh 400 inc 501c3. So every single penny.

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That comes in goes out to our programs, whether it's the legacy pro projects or the parade or.

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Whatever it is marketing, every single penny goes out. Not a single penny goes to any staff, so we're.

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Happy about that, and thank you to the city for that. So you know we have some synergies between.

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The city-wide neighborhood committee, our goals, our values- are right here: diversity, inclusion,.

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Respect and accessibility seek historical accuracy. Community pride through education and engagement.

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So sustainability and fun we actually have a minister of fun denise wheeler. If you know.

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Her she is more fun than a than a than a two. She has more energy than a two-year-old um and she is.

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Awesome and she's a minister of fun, but you know, if you look at our our goals, our our values and.

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Yours, yours are protection and preservation of the quality of the city's neighborhoods that you know.

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That's that's and we're talking about this plaque program seek historical accuracy, community pride.

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Is what you're trying to build in throughout the neighborhoods and um preservation of the quality.

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Of the city neighborhoods their sustainability, fun, you do the holiday lights program and competition.

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And you know, I'm not sure what else you do. That's that that's the final night out national night.

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Out exactly so, all of our values are shared by you and and we're happy to be here to be able to.

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Talk with you about that so celebrating, 400 years from the people of the dawn land to the english.

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Settlement to portsmouth today to portsmouth of the future, we want the children involved. We want.

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All the students involved we want portion of the future to be featured in in all the things that.

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We're already doing the fun has already begun, so we had the holiday parade with trevor with.

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His, what do you call those things? I just call it a horn loud loud horns like they use in in.

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Soccer games like yes, the vusela or something like that yeah they could hear it in kittery.

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It was all him trevor, the kickoff that we had on january 6th 1, 6 23 1623 was a huge.

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Success we had the set the house on fire gospel concert. First night, the 0.5 k race.

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At strawberry bank museum and we launched the history of 100 of portsmouth, new hampshire and.

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101 objects that book, which, if you haven't seen it you need to get one because they are.

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um Stephanie secord and kathleen saldetti did an amazing job of pulling that together. It's a it's.

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A fabulous book he needed as a keepsake, so the fun has already begun, but what's coming up next.

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April in may, for the very first time the shipyard is doing guided tours of the ship.

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Shipyard and museum- typically, that's a group project. You know when I was with. I was formerly.

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The chamber president chamber collaborative president, and we had all our staff and our.

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Tour folks go as a group to see the museum see the shipyard museum, so we could talk about it.

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It's open from april through october and trevor has been working very closely and ken's going to.

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Be our point man I understand. Thank you. Ken goldman is going to be our appointment for.

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For this to be able to get whoever wants any u.s citizen who wants to go on a tour of the shipyard.

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And the museum, I would highly recommended, recommend it. It's it's fascinating and you.

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Really need to see what what our military is doing over there. We really need to see.

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What's happening over there and the museum is fabulous, keeping history above water stephanie.

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Has been, this is a national conference that stephanie secord was able to get here for 2023.

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Just for these celebrations, because we're talking about sustainability, keeping history above water.

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um Earth day we've got some some. um This is support. Some sustainability committee plus the.

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Students for seacoast students for sustainability and eco club are all involved in doing some eco.

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Some earth day events you have to go to portsmouth nh400.org, to see what those events are, but they're.

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Going to be great and they handle and hayden society out of boston is actually going to be.

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Performing be performing a concert at st john's in in april, so just so much going on. I'm going to.

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Say to the signature event, the portsmouth grand parade is happening in june. That's all I'm going.

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To say, because that's trevor's thing, um the other three events I want to just. I just want to tell.

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You about quickly in june, we have the seacoast pride event an interesting thing about the lgbtq.

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Community, when we ask people to talk about the history, what's happened before what's happened.

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In the last 50 years, because we've talked about all the history before there is no history for.

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The lgbtq community, because they didn't come out of the closet they weren't spoken about. There is.

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No history there, but in the last 50 years there's been a lot of movement to to recognize and honor.

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These folks and that's what they're talking about and so the pride parade will, will really speak to.

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The last 50 years we're doing a vintage baseball game. It's dover, rye, newcastles and portsmouth.

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400Th anniversaries. All at the same time, dover challenged us to a vintage baseball game which.

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We've accepted it's in june, it's at leary field and and the vintage baseball games apparently.

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Who knew there are nationwide organizations that play vintage baseball they play by the old rules.

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um You know they don't wear gloves, you can let the ball bounce and then grab.

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It because it's better than killing yourself with a fly ball right so special bats. I mean.

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It's it's going to be a hoot and that's in june and then juneteenth um jerry, ann.

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And the black new hampshire is planning a huge event, particularly on one day, music.

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Fest, which is reggae spiritual, gospel and jazz at strawberry bank museum, so they are planning.

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Four days of education, music and beth, there's somebody that's trying to get in. Oh thank you.

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Thank you. I took my glasses off and didn't see it. So thank you for that.

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Yell, if that happens again, people um july is a really busy month and I'm only hitting.

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The highlights here there are a heck of a lot more events that are happening, but.

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There's a masquerade ball fundraiser for little italy carnival happening in july.

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The ports of athenaeum is coming out with a series called then and now they've blown up.

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Historical pictures of the buildings not only downtown, but I think a little further out and.

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Asking whether you're a retail or a restaurant or a bank or a business whatever it is, do you want.

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These posters, in your in your window, to show this is what it used to look like. um You know.

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Like the alley, jewelers building looks exactly the same, so steve can put a picture up and say.

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Here it is here, it is so, but that'll be that'll, be really fun and they're supposed to do a map.

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Of where all of these are so, you can go and take a look at all of them and then, of course, we have.

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The tall ships coming in in july, they have more tall ships coming in we're building a huge. What.

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We're calling flotilla, 400 and that's an operation between the sale, portsmouth, the propeller club, the.

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um Oh there's a marine thing can't remember who it is, but they've put a thousand dollars out there.

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As a raffle prize for people who will join the flotilla, the boats that will join the flotilla to.

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Make this a massive thing and jason brewster from brewster's bait and tackle is bringing back the.

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Blessing of the fleet, what we asked him to do was to ask all denominations to be on fortree island.

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To bless the fleet as the hundreds of boats go by, which they're going to do, and even the tribal.

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Leaders from the wabanaki nation, the kawasaki band of the of the wabanaki nation, will be there to I'm.

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Not sure if they're honoring or acknowledging like the land acknowledgment acknowledgments that our.

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Native americans are doing I'm not sure exactly what they're doing but they're there to say. Hi.

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To the votes that are coming by so that's july august, two signature events that we have little.

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Italy carnival is first on august 6th and that is intended to honor the lost italian neighborhoods.

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And so we have the boston circus guild coming. We have boston, uh circus, peanut stump. Thank.

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You circus peanuts. We have music, we have oral histories, both playing and being recorded from.

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Those that either were there and and lost their homes or their generations that followed it's.

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Going to be an all-day event, it's going to be free to the public, but it's costing I'm going.

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To tell you it's costing tens of thousands of dolls to put this on. Therefore, the masquerade.

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Ball that we just talked about in july to raise funds for this so and we have raised most of.

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The funds, and by we I mean this incredibly incredibly hard-working team, that's from the.

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Little italy carnival team. That's doing that! The other big event that we have sort of our anniver.

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Well, not sort of it is our anniversary party and we'll have a cake for 700 people to approve it.

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um It's august 15th, it's 700, plus of our closest friend that will be in one long.

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White linen tablecloth table on congress street from market square to jumpin j's. It's going to be.

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Catered by foster's clambake, it's going to be a huge clambake and we will have. We will have very.

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Few speakers, but we will have some entertainment and the music hall is going to turn their stage.

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Around so that's our stage, we'll have a whole bunch of tvs that will be going up and down.

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Congress street, so you can see what's happening on the musical stage and we have a surprise event at.

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The end that will literally knock your socks off, which I'm not going to tell you about so.

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That's those are our signature, events that we're very, very excited about. In september, you have the.

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Air show returning, we have the lantern festival put on by the alliance for greater good. It's a.

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Celebration of 400 years of the kindness of the city of the open door and then, of course, we have.

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The bipok festival coming back in september, we're not sure where that I don't know if we know where.

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That's going to be yet I think it's outgrown it's going to be a pleasant street. It is going to be on.

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Pleasant street great thanks beth, it's they've outgrown the parking lot at vita cantina. So.

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um They have to move in and then in october we have the westerville. The westville is going to be.

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Talking about is really going to feature because of who settled in the west end the english and.

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Irish immigrants, so talking about the history of portsmouth and and what and and how the city has.

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Grown by the people who came here to live here, so uh there's gonna the portion of peace treaty of.

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Seven, the diplomats of portsmouth is happening throughout the summer. I put it here because it.

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Fit here, but just wanted to tell you about it and then, of course, you've got trevor and denise who.

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Are going to be doing the halloween parade which, since trevor's like the guy who does the halloween.

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Parade it's going to, he was he's still very involved, he says was he's full of baloney. He is.

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um And, of course, it's going to feature 2023 everything about 2023. in november. We have. We have.

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The people of the dom land story, fest at story bank at strawberry bank museum, trying very hard to.

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um Really bring in all of our native american indigenous folks into everything that we're doing.

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um But something really special: the music hall, uh the portsmouth symphony orchestra, orchestra,.

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I'm trying to speak fast. Oh, I have 30 seconds left to commission a very special piece for.

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2023 for the 400th anniversary which pso did uh and they will be performing with portsmouth pro.

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Musica, on november 5th, at the music hall, this piece for the very first time, which is amazing.

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um In december, strawberry bank is planning to do the candlelight stroll, of course, but.

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They're going to focus on 400 years of winter celebrations and jim splain and his group are.

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Doing they're gonna they're gonna have a ceremony to bury the 21-23 time. Capsule we've asked him.

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To make sure he knows where to find it peter so because he hasn't found the last one. That's okay,.

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So we have some legacy projects the meeting that trevor and I need to scoot.

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To is the very first community engagement meeting with the community for the endeavor.

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Sculpture, that's going to be in uh gateway park. That's the legacy project that our legacy team.

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Has worked like crazy on they've raised a lot of money for it, and that starts tonight with artist.

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Cj shens in in a community engagement project over at the library. If you finish up here and you have.

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Time scoot over there, I have to introduce her at 6 30. So that's why I'm scooting! You know that the.

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History of portsmouth in in 101 objects. That's the book we already talked about and then dennis.

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Robinson is doing something again for the students. This is for students of all ages, but really.

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Focused for like the fifth grade through freshman sophomore year of high school, it's a it's a we're.

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Calling it a comic book, it's not a comic book. It's an illustrated educational booklet that denise.

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Wheeler again, our minister of fun worked really closely with sanderson um to tell the story. It's.

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About two kids who use their phones and they hit something- god knows what and they go back in time.

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And they meet all of the people, george washington and martin luther king and all the people who you.

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Know the the people that you know in history who have contributed to the history of portsmouth.

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Over the last 400 years, and now I'm turning it over to trevor. If, unless you have any questions,.

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If you have questions, I have three minutes to answer them and I'm happy to do that.

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Yes, I don't really have a question. I just want to thank you and your whole committee.

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For what you're doing it's absolutely incredible? Thank you. I appreciate that we do have just this.

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Cracker jack committee, um trevor being one of them, we have our executive team. We also.

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Have a management team that approves all of these applications because for two reasons we want to.

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Make sure that a we're not duplicating efforts and b, something like the blessing of the fleet, sail.

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Portsmouth propeller club, they were all working in silos and we were able to bring them together for.

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This flotilla 400., so that sort of thing where we can bring people together. We also wanted to.

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Make sure that these events and programs actually had something to do with the history of portsmouth.

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Whether it was 400 years ago in the last 50 years, where we're concentrating so we have, we have about.

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100 volunteers, who are working on this, so I thank you for that and it's just going to be. I mean I'm.

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Exhausted thinking about all of the events that I have to go to because I'm so excited about them, so.

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um Thank you. Well, um the comic book is actually they call it. The graphic novel.

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That's what the artists are calling it really? Yes, okay, that's changed a couple of times.

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So that's great, though the graphic novel. Thank you for that update. I will fix this.

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um Thank you, okay! Thank you. So much for your time, all right! Thank you. I'm going to scoot sorry! So.

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Much for running, thank you so much for having us I'll come back anytime and talk with you longer.

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I might want, and if anybody has any questions that you can't think of right.

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Now you can just email me and then we're gonna get to valerie, okay, okay,.

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Now most most of the residents have expressed interest in the in the grand.

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Parade and here's trevor he'll he'll talk to us about about it. Chicken on.

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Our zoom guests here to see, if there's anyone who had a question.

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Does anyone on zoom have a question I see and if you.

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Can just unmute yourself if you have a question.

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Okay: okay, what's that there we go, I can minimize that so, okay, cool! Sorry, I think there we go nice.

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All right, the pnh-400 grand parade. um You might ask yourself why this guy why'd they give it to me.

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um And I'll tell you I grew up in portsmouth, I was the film series manager at the music hall.

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For many many years and as such, I became the producer of events, small and large, including.

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I produced the telluride by the sea for seven years and in those efforts and the skill set, I.

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Built there I got just kind of suckered into working for the halloween parade.

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um And and just bite bite bite, it just became my project and I was pretty much the steward.

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Of that project for about 13 years, so I've done parades and when the executive team.

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Decided that you know really in the visioning sessions that we opened up this whole thing.

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Within like 2017., the one thing that was on every single white board was parade must have.

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A parade- and I was on the executive team so bit by bit by bite, it became my project.

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um And we're getting there real fast. We have experienced a number of delays.

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Along the way, things that just could not be done differently, because the the timing was.

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Very strange with coronavirus and inability to have meetings for two years, I would have been.

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Planning the stuff that we're doing this week, I wanted to have done last year, so you may be asking.

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Me questions I can't answer yet this. uh This whole meeting is a little bit of cart before the horse.

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Because our meeting with the city to get our final approval on our route, map and plan is tomorrow.

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Morning so hopefully, by this time tomorrow, I will have something to tell you guys, but right now, what.

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I can tell you is that our plans are to follow the holiday parade route very closely. Actually.

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Pretty much exactly because that is a thing that the city is familiar with. They know exactly how to.

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Set it up, they know how to work with that. Many of our participants are going to be returning.

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From the holiday parade, we are also trying to zip in elements of the halloween parade. My committee.

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Formed by myself, brynn sullivan, who works for the city and manages the holiday parade in.

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Monte bohannon, who also now works for the city and manages the halloween parade now that I'm kind of.

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Off that committee I gave it to monty, really is what happened. The and oh and russ grazier.

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From pmac, who is wrangling, bands from out of town- and he is also in the you know- holding.

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Up our theme, which is fairly broad, is just the history lights, our way, which is on our logo. We.

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Just want to honor, if you're, if your float, honors the past present or future of portsmouth you're in.

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So pretty much you're in um and we are reflecting that with russ's element of the parade, which is.

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Going to be a combination of the portsmouth high school alumni band in their current band, so it.

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Will be the kids marching with all of their all of um all of the adults that have been in that band?.

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In the past they will be bringing them back in for a big reunion and those those who can't walk.

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We're going to give them a ride: okay, I'll and our root. I think I haven't mentioned the root.

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Yet is going to be again it's the holiday parade, so starting on islington down at the far end and.

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Then coming up islington into the square, we'll have an emcee there with uh vip seating or a.

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Platform that the city will provide, and then we hook over on a pleasant street and dump.

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Everybody out on junkins, where that will land them about two blocks away from the.

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River fest and the chowder fest, which will also be going on uh that's that same hour,.

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Do you have any questions.

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This is a daytime parade, which is something portsmouth doesn't see. Very often, we have asked.

G

Because the timing of it, we needed to have it be early enough that the kids were still in school. So.

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We could get the band, um but it needed to be late enough, that it wasn't going to be scorchingly cold.

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So june 3rd became our date. We realized very early on that. That was four days away from.

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The memorial day parade that would be two parades in one week, so we've we've talked to josh denton.

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Who's, the head of their their organization, the veterans in town that um we're just going to.

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Accommodate them right up at the front of our efforts, so they don't have to march twice, but.

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They will be honored in our parade and we will make a space for them. Put them right up front.

G

uh Was that your question yeah so registration? um How do we do that? Would it be by neighborhood.

B

Or by by individual by group, you can do almost anything you imagine, we will be taking we'll.

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Be taking groups we have, we will probably have a number of sponsors that will have floats in.

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The parade we're building one ourselves, uh the the pnh 400 float- will be a thing. It's actually.

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Being organized by denise wheeler, our minister of fun and we'll feature a horticulturist john.

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40's plant life, it's going to feature mainly indigenous plant life and again trying to mesh.

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The honor of the of you know the the the beauty of the nature of this place, with sustainability.

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And keeping that growing so it will be, it will be a living sculpture on wheels. That sounds awesome.

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And the registration process starts now, if you would like to uh when we get the approval from.

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From the city manager, we will like lightning fast, be releasing uh we'll be doing a press release.

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The website will go up all the website's up, but there the registration form will go, live and all.

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You have to do is fill it out. Tell us what you want to do, and uh bryn sullivan will get back.

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In touch with you and say and tell you where to go where to stand in the parade when we start so.

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I have this here if you could fill out your name, email and just check off which list you want to be.

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Put on do you want to just get notified when the when the application form goes up? Do you want to.

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Be notified when we have volunteer opportunities, or do you just want to be put on our mailing list.

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Or all three just check the boxes, and I will I will leave these and come back and get them okay,.

B

Okay, if you have any questions about the parade or any other questions, uh wendy whatever I.

B

Have a question in terms of the size of the parade? Can you just tell us like holiday.

H

Versus halloween versus this one like are there a certain number of vehicles that are on average.

H

Like how big might this one get to be the uh we we kind of have a cap, because our route is only.

G

A mile and a half, so we don't want to have you know, vehicles ending the parade before they've.

G

Left you know before the end has started, uh but we have about. Usually 80 units would be the general.

G

Size for the holiday parade, halloween parade, you couldn't possibly tell because nobody knows it's.

G

An absolute mystery: they don't count heads there's no registration process, we never know who's going.

G

To come, or if it you know, if it rains, we get half as many so um couldn't tell you, but we usually get.

G

About 80 for the holiday parade since we're using that exact same route, we think we're going to cap.

G

It probably at 100 we anticipate we'll, probably get more interest in this one, because it's a.

G

Saturday and it's in the daytime yeah so so I think there's going to be a fairly large crowd and.

G

Probably it's going to be a little bit bigger than we're used to. I know a number of the bands that.

G

That um russ is looking at. Some of them are very small, like five-member, five and drum corps. Some.

G

Of them are very large, 50 60 members of the band that come in on like three or four buses. There are.

G

The the air force national guard has uh has committed 250 airmen.

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To march and they're going to bring some vehicles, those would each count as one unit.

H

Oh jackie, okay, there you go so used to my ipad.

F

Trevor mentioned alumni: now: how are they going to be notified? Alumni russ is in touch with all of.

G

Them I I know that um one of the maple haven residents has already been notified. She's an.

B

Alumni, yes, fantastic yeah, so he's doing he's doing that he's yeah he's he hit the pavement early.

B

That's right, that's right! Okay! Does anyone have any other questions about the parade? Well,.

I

Sounds good scheduling, um some sort of cadence of meetings for people that are.

I

Going to be in the experience afterwards, brynn is usually able to pull off the holiday parade.

G

With one safety meeting, we anticipate it'll probably be exactly that: okay.

B

And as you mentioned it, people can just walk the parade, ride, bikes, skateboard dance and it, unlike.

G

The halloween parade motorized vehicles are perfectly legal horses- dogs, fine, bring them.

G

There are very strict regulations on how floats are constructed and those.

G

Will be included on the application form that you'll fill out when you, when you get notified.

G

Got it so you don't take um [music] you kind of go into goodwill that you give them the regulations.

I

And they show up and they have a broken regulate and and we we have, uh we will have a.

G

Army volunteers double checking to make sure that everybody is up to code.

G

Okay, and also we part of the application process, is, you know, supplying a drawing.

G

Of whatever it is you're planning to do like we want again, unlike the halloween.

G

Parade we want to know what you're going to do halloween parade. We actively don't want to know.

F

It's better off! It's better that way. [Laughter].

J

Their own band, absolutely yeah, absolutely and I've seen I've actually seen that happen with.

G

The halloween parade a couple of times the ancient order of hornography was.

G

Was a nine piece? Horn horns band, it was brass, you know brass band and they they formed for.

G

Three months they practiced every weekend. They marched in the parade and never played again.

K

That's cool and uh yeah people in the parade give out candy can give it out, can't throw it.

G

Out can't throw it out, so you walk them. You can walk up and hand it to people, but you.

G

Just can't whip it at them. Yeah. We don't want that yeah, no, throwing cans of soup. Please, okay,.

B

And I did send in the in the email that I sent out to everybody. I did include the holiday parade.

B

Rules just so you guys could get your eyes on it and get an idea of what the grand parade.

B

Will look like they're going to look very, very similar, very similar, like, like you, said, correct.

I

I

News will it be televised in any capacity, it's a pretty big event we're working on it. uh We we.

G

Have talked to two or three teams of filmmakers to try and get coverage it. uh It kind of comes down.

G

To budget and timing so we're really hoping to catch it for posterity, we're doing everything we.

G

Can to record almost everything that's going on this year, okay and, of course, with phones.

B

These days, you can just ask people to send in their footage yes and we uh and we're working.

G

With the library to create an archive for all this stuff- okay, great, it's awesome! It's very.

B

Exciting, thank you so much right on and I'll be waiting to hear from you tomorrow. I love you city,.

B

Approval yeah I'll hold my breath. Thank you so much. Thank you guys. Thank you all for coming out.

B

Foreign online have any questions.

C

Here larry, do you have any questions.

L

Well, I just want to clarify the date of uh and the time of that parade. I just I didn't hear that part.

L

Of it, the the date is saturday june 3rd 23rd uh gathering at 10 o'clock stepping off at 11.. Thank.

L

You you're welcome larry someone else. Oh oh, it's! Sarah hi zara! You just missed the presentations.

B

But do you have a question or were you still connecting oh she's still connecting.

C

Does anybody else have any questions any of the zoom participants.

C

Does anybody else have any questions or.

B

I got it yes, hi and trevor. The sign up will be online too correct. Yes, yes, it will be.

M

Yeah the website is portsmouth nh400. Yes, in case you haven't been there yet yes, I'll reshare with.

B

Everyone again over email and on social media. Thank you, beth. Thank you. We'll see you guys later.

B

Bye, okay, peter yes, so um we we have a couple issues that we wanted to mention to everyone.

A

About our citywide neighborhood committee, um thank you. I think in connection with the the.

A

Parade we had been talking, a couple of people have been talking about the opportunity for the.

A

Neighborhoods, perhaps to participate in whatever way they feel might be interesting. uh Some of the.

A

Idea was were, for example, to have a uh a part of the parade with neighborhoods, for example,.

A

And with every neighborhood wanting to participate as part of that, and that could include something.

A

Like identifying yourself with an ethnic flag of the origin of of your family or or maybe the.

A

Neighborhood itself, in some way, so those are things we're thinking about. There's nothing.

A

Etched in stone, but I thought that's something we just threw out there as an opportunity for.

A

The neighborhoods as such, to be represented, yes, and also you can for each neighborhood, for example,.

B

Stonegate, you guys could create a sash for the stonegate neighbors. If you want to do that or.

B

We can all march to get we can all march together and just create a city-wide neighborhood community.

B

Community committee rather sat and walked together. You know if the kids want to have to ride their.

B

Bicycles, they can do that if they want to have a form, a little dance group. They can do that if.

B

They want to play instruments, uh they can do that as well. There are many ideas that we can. We can.

B

Do for the parade yeah, you guys are looking for some kind of some kind of yes. Yes, yes, something.

N

That unifies the neighborhood, yes exactly yeah they can unify the associations. Yes, sir, is there.

J

Going to be a beauty contest of any kind like mr and or miss 400, or you know I've I haven't heard.

B

Anything like that, but that's something that I can. I can ask valerie and trevor and I can ask.

B

The neighborhood, the neighbors, if they want to do something like that, what do you guys think.

B

Is that something that's no I'll throw that question at valerie I haven't heard anything.

B

I don't know if anybody else, I think I think that goes beyond the range of duties for this committee.

A

But but if the uh the uh the umbrella organization wants to throw that out there, that would be their.

A

Responsibility, sir, I know I'm pretty sure that that support smith to the event on miss new.

B

Hampshire, I don't know, I don't know if either one is going to be. Yes, it's going to is already.

B

Is already spoken for for the other cities, but I'll find out it's a great question. Well, there.

A

Is a miss portsmouth already? Yes, I know that's what I'm saying yeah, so we could ask yeah sure.

A

Yeah, okay, we'll put that in here hey! Mr portsmouth, though, do you want to volunteer, as mr portsmouth.

E

B

Anyone else have any ideas or comments about I'll relate to the parade now right.

A

I mean we're you're, welcome to pass any ideas to us at some point and we can try to pass it.

A

On to the organizers and and uh what's the best way to do that to provide are in cruise.

B

I mean to us or to the portsmouth 400, new, hampshire or the website. Yes, what I would do to.

B

Guarantee that it gets to them quickly is go ahead and email. The cnc email, cnc, portsmouth gmail.com.

B

And you may have received an email from us already and then put in the portsmouth 400.

B

Email as well and that's online and then that way I'll get to see it we'll get to.

B

See it and I'll just I'll just pull forward to them and say: oh, did you see that email from dan.

B

And that way we can get things moving along they're, pretty as.

B

Busy, as you can see, but they're they're, also pretty receptive in in my experience.

I

I would imagine, or I'm thinking that some neighborhoods who will go the route of.

I

Creating their own float of sorts yeah, I think I'm sure a variety of different.

I

Aesthetics and it'll be a lot of fun. I think yes, absolutely. Does anyone online have any.

B

Questions. Sarah, do you have any comments about the parade? I know you joined us late.

B

Hey larry, just uh elaine, just uh give me an idea of what um you peter are thinking about. Concerning.

L

The parade itself, as far as how you would like to organize it or what your vision of it as.

L

The city where I enable it participates: okay, we're thinking of getting the the different.

B

Neighborhood associations involved and working together have the associations work together.

B

Within their neighborhoods and come up with a theme, if they want to do a theme and organize.

B

That together and share it with us, so that we can share with all the other neighborhoods, including.

B

Maple haven I'm hoping pan away um and even fussy. If you know, if they want to join us, we can all.

B

March together as a city-wide, neighborhood, neighborhood committee associations, I know.

B

That some some neighborhoods don't want to call it an association. They want to call it a group.

B

Which is fine, but you know we're in the beginning stages of that larry and um I've just communicated.

B

With them to, I asked them to attend the meeting. First of all, to hear about the presentation from.

B

Valerie and from trevor and we're working our way towards, hopefully getting some ideas down together.

A

Larry, I think we're very early on in this. We haven't really had a discussion with our.

A

Within our committee about any of this, these are just ideas yeah, I know, but this is you know we.

A

Haven't come up with any conclusions about what we'd like to do yet there are lots of ideas out.

A

There and and the other thing is, I don't think this group is necessarily responsible for the.

A

Parade itself well we're just throwing out ideas of how neighborhoods could participate.

M

Yeah so and that's up to the neighborhoods to decide what they want to do so absolutely we're.

A

Still in the beginning of phase of identifying ideas, yes right in in the spirit of the whole.

C

Year, it's you want to use your microphone in the spirit of the whole year. It's really how can cnc.

C

um Connect back to the portsmouth, 400 right um and and yeah without creating a whole whole bunch of.

C

Separate programming yeah- and this is one way- is doing the grand parade with everybody yeah.

B

Do you guys have you guys have questions we'll have to um write something to the neighborhood.

F

And see you know: okay, yes, fred yeah, we'll just send a send something else on our page and.

F

See whatever you know and get an idea and see what people want to do? Yeah again, you can always ask.

B

Me for guidance with questions with for the 400, we'll always be able to do that, for you guys, fred.

I

I was you know it's early on right, but I'm I'm just thinking what would look pretty.

I

Cool, if I was in, if I was in the audience, is to see like the cnc potentially leading the.

I

Neighborhoods but I love the individuality of the neighborhoods right like that they each get.

I

Each expressed themselves, if they're not a blend of all the, because that's just all portsmouth to.

I

Me it's like it. Let the individual if they want to express themselves individually in afloat or.

I

Whatever that looks like to be able to know what sash is, I think that's pretty pretty interesting.

I

Because I don't think you know, like you, didn't live in portsmouth, you wouldn't know that there.

I

Were 18 to 20, distinct, different or 20, more than 20 different neighborhoods, but there are- and this.

I

Would be pretty interesting to um to see that to kind of go by yeah, so in a way that they would.

K

Have a banner and that's awesome, absolutely line up behind it, yeah individuality. They could just.

I

Blend in it can be as simple as that, really it can be. As simple as that, I love the idea of kids.

N

Being able to be involved- oh it's one of those. Yes, that's all they want to do when they go to.

N

The halloween parade once they're old enough yeah yeah. They love parades like this night.

N

I'm like I text my wife, I was like swelling. It's gonna ride his bike on june 3rd yeah.

N

Like if we can do a float or something by the safety guidelines like have the kids on there.

F

Doing something I think you would want to have some kind of a vehicle that they could keep up.

A

With on a float, for example, yeah exactly yeah, so if eric, if we're planning on doing it, I mean.

M

We're planning on doing it. We basically just do that application. Yes, it's online.

H

We can submit it online or do we email it? You can submit it online. Okay and did you can you.

H

Just confirm the email addresses you said: it's cncportsmouth gmail. Yes, that's if you.

B

Have any questions that you want to ask and then the other one is the other one hello at.

H

Portsmouth, yes, yes, and, as you travel was just here, he's the lead for the grand parade you.

B

Can also reach out to him for those who are on zoom, if you could just want to raise your.

A

Hand or something so we can see that you're interested in saying something would help us.

J

I think that asking the neighborhoods to participate in the parade is a very good idea.

L

I mean we have like 25 and that's quite a quite a crowd. Yeah and not every neighborhood, as you.

L

Say will participate but it's certainly it certainly does represent portsmouth. If we can.

L

Get a many, a 16 or 18 to at least have a few representatives. My my own vision would be to.

L

Some of them would carry a sign that says you know this is the um haloa name or something like that.

M

I mean maybe that's at least that's a way of identifying that you're not from downtown. Yes,.

F

We love downtown.

L

Residents as far as the just think of downtown, as where everyone lives and boy would they be.

L

Surprised, yes, and that's part of the reason why we're trying to get the other the neighborhoods.

B

Especially in the outlying areas of portsmouth to participate in the parade, so what is the awareness.

N

Plan for that I'm just I there's 25 of them. I mean I'm thrilled that there's like people in.

N

The room that aren't sitting at the table yeah our neighborhood, we're happy to represent and be here.

N

um I want as many people as possible right. Yes, absolutely um is there a plan or someone running.

N

Points on somehow communicating that or yes, I've been I've been doing my best to communicate with.

B

Everyone, uh yes, it's um you know, I mean I'm really pleased with the turnout here and online and I'm.

B

Going to continue to get the message out and I'm going to ask you guys to also spread the message.

B

Out to your neighbors email, everybody share the um share. The email that I sent to you share on.

B

Social media just get the word out because really the portsmouth 400 is about the 400th celebration.

B

Is about all of us, you know it's about all of us and just think about it. They're not going to.

B

Have another celebration for another 50 years: you know this is our celebration and then to get our.

B

Kids involved the young kids, the teens involved they're going to be thinking about it 50 years.

B

From now wow I was a part of the event 50 years ago, so it's pretty cool, it's pretty cool and I I.

A

Just want to add that you know we're not trying to organize the neighborhoods ourselves we're.

A

Trying to get the word out that this is a great opportunity. Yes, self-organization is the best.

A

Way of going because it's uh it's sustained by the people who are actually going to do it, we're.

A

Not going to be doing it for anyone right well in ride, they already have banners going up up.

F

And down like washington, road like we have them downtown yeah, oh yeah! I didn't see them yesterday.

B

Yes, we do. Oh okay, we 've. I was at the original planning session of portsmouth.

K

400, I think, sometime last year, when they came up with all the pillars.

M

And um one of the ideas in the community in a neighborhood pillar was if people were to have.

K

Block parties- and I was very excited about that- and uh the little italy project is now really.

K

Become the signature event for that committee, um but I still think it would be a really great idea.

K

Maybe you can say these are some suggestions. You can involve your neighborhood imports with 400.

K

Make sure they're aware of the website block party? I know you guys do national night out.

B

Yes- and I will talk about that in a minute- yes, no anything that would maybe neighborhood challenge.

K

Neighborhoods or softball game, something like that. Yes, no, I agree and that's that's.

B

The one thing that I've been trying to do initially is to get people to actually.

B

Look at the website and see all the different things that are happening, and some of these these.

B

Events are already they've already been occurring throughout the years, but but now it's like it's.

B

The 400th celebration so everybody's we're all tagging on to that 400 and making it like really.

B

Truly like a celebration throughout the year, but yes, I see what you're saying and I will continue.

B

To do that, and I will continue to encourage people to look at that and and as for the.

B

National night out, neighborhood party, we recently came to an agreement with the city that we're.

B

Going to keep these 16 individual parties, there was conversation. There was a proposal to have.

B

Five central locations, but now it's going to elaine. Can I just interrupt you just briefly so.

A

um We we were planning on having this meeting till what seven o'clock around. So, yes, we have like 10.

A

Minutes or so so we want to cut. I want to try to suggest that we're going to stop the conversation.

A

About the parade now and then we're going to start talking about the national night out.

A

Because she wanted to update us on what's going on, okay, so go ahead! Peter! Yes, as I was saying.

B

Peter and councilor tabriel and I and um sergeant hardware in a meeting to discuss the proposal and.

B

As I just said, we have decided to keep it at the 16 neighborhoods neighborhood parties and part.

B

Of the reason is because most neighborhoods want to keep the tradition of the neighborhood parties.

B

And, as you know, we understand where the city was coming from about the management of visiting all.

B

The different neighborhoods all at one time, that's 16, neighborhoods, the three departments. It was just.

B

Kind of overwhelming, but we're going to work with them and we're going to create a schedule so that.

B

um So that there's they're going to be able to visit all the neighborhoods, but they may.

B

Not be able to visit to visit every single one, meaning not you won't get all the police, maybe.

B

You'll get just the police, a dpw and maybe you'll just get fire and dpw. So you know so I.

B

Know that most people actually they're very um they're very grateful for the presence of all.

B

The first responders and I've relayed that message: we relay that message to them and.

B

um So, yes, we're going to stick with it and we think it's going to be great. I I spoke with.

B

Valerie about adding the neighborhood parties put on the calendar of the portsmouth 400 and.

B

It's and so that it's going to be recognized as one of the events. That's part of the portsmouth.

B

400, so we're going to put that into the calendar. I just wanted to make the announcement tonight.

M

Before we get that up there, you guys excited about it pardon. What's today, it's august 1st.

B

It's the first tuesday of every of every august every year, and um you know it's: it's actually a.

B

The national night out is actually a police initiative that started about 40 years ago.

B

In philadelphia- and I know that portsmouth has been celebrating it for about 20 years- I believe.

B

20 years according to to jim's plane- and it's we're very fortunate- because it's not.

B

Just the police that's going on and visiting the neighborhoods, we also have our fire emt. We have.

B

um The dpw and then we have city councilors as well, and it's now it's just a matter of managing.

B

Managing the schedule so that so that everybody feels happy that night and we know we can do it.

B

Right yeah, obviously, the the law enforcement people, the police officers, even though it was.

A

An initiative or initial initially for this event, if it was just them visiting the sites.

A

They could visit maybe six or seven sites- that's about it. So the only way we can get.

A

uh Emergency people to visit most of the sites, at least some sites with some some.

A

Equipment, and so forth, is if, if we create some kind of a schedule and they're all in.

A

Agreement that they're going to participate so and they are so yes, if you have good food.

A

That's not fair. Yes, that's right, that's right! So so that's pretty much what what we agreed to yes and um um so.

A

Elaine, I think the other thing we wanted to bring up is- and this is just a bit of informational.

A

Information really that um the city approached us with a letter that they wanted. The city-wide.

A

Neighborhood committee to endorse, regarding some a grant for the recycling facility, our our waste.

A

Facility and um uh when elaine and I were asked to support that our feeling was that we don't.

A

Have any expertise in waste management, and while we we support the the overall goal of why the.

A

Grant was put in and what the city wants to do. We certainly can support that, so we basically reduced.

A

That letter to essentially the the core ideas behind this grant, and that would that we would.

A

Support without getting into the details, which we felt we were not competent to judge so just want.

A

To let you know that we did do that. We endorsed that grant, but we endorsed it in a very narrow.

A

Generic way that we felt made a lot of sense yeah, because because the thing is we we're trying to.

A

Make sure that we are not getting involved in things that really have we have no competency or.

A

Authority over and uh so so uh we're gonna try to keep doing that, and also the same is true with the.

A

Neighborhoods uh events, um I think we agreed that uh neighbors who want to organize a neighborhood.

A

Party and don't necessarily want to go to some other location. Why should they not do that.

A

And when they do that, that makes that event much more sustainable long term. So, and so we advocated.

C

To that point, exactly and exactly which is great. Yes, my neighborhood's fully in.

C

Support of that, because I because I think people will not necessarily just say okay, unless I get.

A

On a police officer and the swat team to come to my neighborhood, I'm not going to.

A

Do a neighborhood committee, a neighborhood party, nobody wants to swat team in there. Yes go ahead.

E

um I'm at spinnaker, and we were going to do it anyway, even when it was yeah.

E

Front at the pool, but what I wanted to know is: is there a website for the committee.

E

um And is there a map to show where all these neighborhoods are yeah? Yes, we're hearing about.

E

Some and it's like okay yeah something years, I'm not sure there is a um city-wide neighborhood.

B

Committee, a website, that's through the city of portsmouth, page and I'll I'll, send that to.

B

You it's it's in all the emails that I sent to everyone, but I'll resend it to you, and there is.

B

A map in there that shows the the neighborhoods it may need to be updated and I'll work with the city.

B

On that, but take a look at that, and- and also if, like I said, if it's if it's kind of outdated I'll.

B

Make sure that it's up, it's updated for you yeah, but you can find it on there yeah. Even me when I.

B

First heard about the nno I was, I didn't, I didn't know about all these different neighborhoods and.

B

Now I've learned a lot over the last couple of years. It's a great thing to have portsmouth is.

B

um You know, portsmouth is a city that that really values its you know its neighbors and, and so we.

B

Try to we try to maintain that for everybody yeah, so in the way of other informational things.

A

uh Will is there something you'd like to add that we didn't cover so far? That needs to be.

C

um Just just to kind of reiterate that we we've been brainstorming some ideas for how to connect.

C

The neighborhood night out with the 400 and uh and those those ideas once the committee.

C

Talks about them, formalizes them will will um present them at future meetings and put in and.

C

Distribute them in the newsletters and and via email. The other thing I wanted to mention is.

A

uh You know that our our city-wide neighbor would come in addition to the night out. One.

A

Of the main things that we focus on doing is uh forums at the different wards, so the next ward.

A

Forum is going to be for ward four, and it's going to be at the dondero school on april.

A

6Th at 6, 30 and lori who's on on on zoom here lori. Do you want to say something about that.

A

A

You're driving and you're muted, so she's in the car. Yes, yes, we can hear you.

O

O

The town manager in the school is being represented and everybody gets to address.

O

What's going on in their department because it relates to the board and you can ask questions.

O

And it's very interactive and any questions you have that wasn't really to answer me.

O

It's a lot of fun. If you haven't been there, it's a great source of information, so laurie.

A

Your voice was breaking up a little bit, I'm just going to recap a little bit. uh Lori mentioned.

A

All the people she had already invited were on the panel there, mainly uh people from the.

A

Various departments in town, uh police, fire uh city city, council and these ward forums are a.

A

Great opportunity for you, uh if you're from that ward or from another ward, just from that one to.

A

Directly ask yeah, but you can attend any of our forums anytime. It's mainly we're rotating to.

A

The different wards, and when we are we're at that particular ward form, we try to focus on the issues.

A

In that ward, but uh we hope to have many people on that panel, who you can ask direct questions of.

A

And get some answers for right then, and there or later so it's a great opportunity to come out and.

A

Bring up issues that are concerned to you yeah, and we also recently added the school board to.

B

The yes nancy clayburgh from the school board yeah, he will be president at the dondero or forum. Yes,.

B

Sir, maybe this is good for trevor, but uh have we coordinated with the city parking uh to get a five.

J

Dollar all-day rate, for maybe residents or not residents, and how about like a bus out to market.

J

Basket as we have done in the past, and maybe the church parking lot, that is halfway to market.

J

You know if there's some coordination yeah is it afraid you mean. I don't think this is.

A

Really our responsibility at this point: this would be the organizers responsible, but it's.

A

A good good suggestion, I'll relay the question we can pass that on to that no problem governor.

J

Senators congressman: are they yeah yeah, I'm sure that's a given that they will. They won't miss the.

A

Opportunity, no, no anyone running for president, for example! Oh that's right! Yes, oh really, that message.

B

That question too, yes, absolutely absolutely the uh the letter. All of that stuff, like the.

H

Endorsed grant? Oh the grant. Yes, that would that's always that's going to be put on the website. I'm.

H

Guessing any any documents- yes yeah official, yes, we would. We would put that on the website. Yeah.

A

Yeah and the word, and incidentally just just to let you know uh we, they they had a strong, uh the.

A

Very short deadline to submit this grant, so they approached the two of us to sign it. uh Normally, we.

A

Would try to bring this to the whole committee first and discuss it, but the deadlines were so.

A

Tight that and that's why we said well we'll sign off on the general vision yeah, but we're.

A

Not going to sign off on the details, but that will be on our website. Yes- and I was just curious- yes,.

A

Because I'm curious about it in general, yes, but also: um what is that a war award forums? Okay and.

H

You're doing those per voting award, we have five wards. Have we already missed some yeah? We have.

N

Three now so, because we're all from three we had three um yeah laura, usually tries to organize. I.

A

Think two every year, maybe three but two and over it. She did this. We did award over over.

A

A two-year period we tried to cover all five wards, one years yeah. It was if it was recorded.

B

Yes, you're welcome great um jackie, I think is hi jackie all right. Do you have a question for us.

P

Well, I I was listening and I was hearing a couple of suggestions and some ideas ran through my head.

P

uh Maybe also with the my one of the things I was thinking about when you're talking about the.

P

Parade was if the if each committee neighborhood committee was going to do something distinctive.

P

Maybe they could have a section called the stroller parade. This is the future, of course,.

P

And the other thing I was thinking with the neighborhood night out, I.

P

It's been going on for over 30 years way over and because I was one of the first organizers.

P

Back when I lived in ledgewood manor a million years ago, but uh it would be nice to have a.

P

Portsmouth night out, sometime yeah piggyback on something else uh that was one of the.

P

Functions in the 350th that was a lot of fun was a get-together on the south mill playground. Now.

P

This, maybe that's not the right place now, but that would be kind of a fun thing to do, and I.

P

Don't know if anybody has that as a suggestion, but just throwing it out. That's all you're.

P

Doing a wonderful job 400 is going to be very special. Thank you thanks, jackie, thank you, jackie.

A

Yeah. Thank you very much. Oh yeah. Absolutely yeah yeah thanks a lot yes, and this is recorded so.

B

We will have it up on youtube I'll I'll. Let you guys know yeah follow us on our facebook.

B

Page cnc portsmouth, okay, citywide neighborhood, community portsmouth, I'll email. All of you again.

B

Thank you so much libraries, oh yes, please! I'm I'm probably gonna head over. There too motion.

C

Motion to adjourn yes, uh elaine elaine do you have elaine? Can we have a motion to adjourn.