City of Portsmouth, New Hampshire Legislative Sub Committee, 21 Oct 2022

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10.21.2022 Legislative Subcommittee

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uh Legislative subcommittee meeting today, friday october 21st here in conference room a.

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Jane, would you mind taking the role absolutely um mayor, mckeckern here, councilor cook here, councilor.

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Tabor here assistant mayor will be joining us momentarily so before we we jump into it. I want.

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To wish everybody that is running well wishes on november 8th I'd like to, I was hoping uh jackie.

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Would be here, but I want to thank her for her service we'll do that more more formally, it's.

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Really tough, when you overwind with representative pandalakis but we'll be recognizing jackie kelly.

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Pitts incredible service to portsmouth and representative peter sumpsich. Thank you so much.

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And we will keep you involved. uh I think you're on this energy come in me so, but excited and.

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Thank you for all the service. I know it was not an easy term and the term is not quite finished.

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Yet but it's appreciated carrying all the water of portsmouth, but also folks that want a reasonable.

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View of their government can't nobody's going to believe in government unless we.

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Work to make it better and you guys have really worked to make it better. So thank.

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You for the effort uh that you've thanked in and we'll continue to put in mayor and.

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Jane we have a representative ward as well: hey jerry! How are you representative, ward.

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No problemo all right and uh thank you, senator perkins quoka for being.

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Here as well and with that we'll uh we'll move on to the approval of minutes, we've.

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Got some housekeeping, I would wait a motion to approve the september 8th 2022 minutes. Oh sorry,.

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I I wasn't there, but I I just wanted to if I could add a comment to the minutes. Oh sure I mean.

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It doesn't change anything, but I know we had a discussion or there was a discussion regarding the.

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uh The zoning changes for single family zoning- oh there was multiple units and I just wanted to.

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Point out that- and this is based on my wife's experience from long beach, california, that.

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um A lot of that push initially came from california and has spread throughout the.

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Country and the the people who were advocating those changes to a single-family zoning.

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On the one side, where the developers and real estate agents who wanted.

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It on the other side, the affordable housing advocates who didn't want it.

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And this is happening in other states as well and here in new hampshire. I know representative.

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Ivy van who is actually a personal friend from peterborough um she, she was the one sponsoring.

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The bill in here in new hampshire and uh opinions are pretty divided on the pros and cons, mainly.

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Because it depends on which state you're, in what does the state contribute to helping.

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With affordable housing, you know, and here in new hampshire, as we know, the state doesn't do much.

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So it puts the burden on all the municipalities individually to deal with this, but mandates to.

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Them what they have to do so that is a tricky thing to to make work effectively anyway, just.

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Comment, thank you peter we will we will it's. Is it not in the minutes that we had a broad range.

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Of topics- yeah yeah, it's a dress. It's in there. We just, I just wanted a general flesh. It out a little.

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Bit because it's a nationwide discussion sure I think uh it's it is. Zoning is probably the the.

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Toughest uh thing to do um you know it's part time, it's hard that some of you know our neighbors.

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Look to portsmouth to do fix all the zoning in here and you know, there's large tracks, so they.

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Can all move here undeveloped, but we'll probably not finish this in the comments of the minutes.

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uh But if there's any other highlights of the minutes that folks have uh happy to take them.

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Otherwise, uh all in favor of approving the uh the minutes of september 8th to be a second oh.

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I think we did yeah thanks all in favor aye aye, any opposed so excuse. Do we get to vote.

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The state reps vote, or it's the city council, just us on the city council member for the things like.

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This now we're into the the discussion of legislative issues of interest uh with your.

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With our delegation, so uh I would open it up to um anyone. uh I would start with. uh uh I guess.

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The the representatives um with anything that you feel as though we should be paying attention to.

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um And then we're happy to to bring up uh some issues as as well.

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um I just have one comment about uh zoning and housing that was mentioned to me by a constituent.

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When I was out canvassing, um he lives in maple haven and he said that so I'm all in favor of.

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Increasing the affordable housing, but he said I guess the the complexes that have been built near.

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Maple haven have taken away some of the natural habitats so that they now have an increase in.

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Coyotes, I think he mentioned coyotes raccoons rats, mice and a rabid skunk coming into their.

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Neighborhood, so I would just you know, need to find a balance somehow between preserving open space.

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And building morehouse and building building anything but building more housing, it might come.

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In sure uh you know I say, zoning in itself is probably the we it's a pastime in fort smith to.

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Look at neighbors and what we do with our uh with our property and the zoning book, and the uh has.

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Grown over the years quite substantially, I asked bob how big this book of 45 pages was um when he.

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Got here- and he said oh four or five- so you know there's significantly enormous amount of pressure.

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You know we saw it with uh in the more farcical stories of the treehouse in portsmouth, where.

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People have a lot of opinions on on what to do with with other people's uh land. Is that it does.

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Affect uh their land and their their enjoyment of their private property, so you know: there's there's.

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Always a balance, I think what we um would love to see and I think the view that we take in at least.

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On the city council so far is that we've looked at [music] um tracts of land that are within.

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The city's control to develop uh below market rate housing- I I think to maybe peter's point.

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um You know collectively we need more housing across the entire country uh in portsmouth. We are.

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Not a market maker, uh we are in a boston market, we're in a even new york market, uh so to speak so.

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um When we build more housing, the market does not support that housing being affordable.

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um And so, while it's we have contributions to give, I think the focus of portsmouth needs to.

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Be on delivering below market rate housing because of the services that people that.

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Enjoy that below market rate housing provide to the community in general, so that's kind of.

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Been the focus you know, and I would like to you know, there's some. uh There is some opportunity.

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In some of the gateway districts that senator perkins polka championed here on the council.

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um You know, potentially out behind uh market basket, to create more uh more uh more housing.

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But you know when it comes the city of portsmouth, what are what our focus has been on is identifying.

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And then developing through the pha below market rate opportunities, you know like the ruth griffin.

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Place that if we named them ruth griffin place at the beginning of the project, it would have.

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Sailed through no problemo, but we waited till. It was almost done to reveal the name, but that's a.

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Good project 64 units right in the downtown and my happiest moment as mayor, has been when a a dpw.

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Worker that I grew up with played literally with said to me that he had gotten in to the apartments.

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And that he could stay in portsmouth and that was incredibly meaningful for a kid that grew up.

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Here, stat coach little league and he works for the city to be able to stay in the city of portsmouth.

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Is something that I think is what we want to be able to achieve, but certainly understand, there's.

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A lot of pressures councilor cook. um Thank you. I just wanted to to add that there are discussions.

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About preserving natural space and green space in the city that are occurring they're, just um not.

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Necessarily obvious right now um the governance committee has been working on an initiative to.

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Get a conservation commission, together with wreck entries and public greenery, to have a discussion.

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So that that's part of our master planning process is thinking about preservation of natural spaces.

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And great and green spaces in the city, um and so so I think those discussions are ongoing. I think.

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Though, that's part of kind of the long-term planning piece sure thanks president muse.

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One of the first experiences that I had as a state rep was going through a meeting of the rockingham.

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County planning association, where the topic was housing and one of the things that struck.

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Me during most of that conversation was how most of the most of it centered around building and.

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One of the things that that I you know I noticed in the minutes I wasn't able to attend the last.

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Session but I noticed that councilor tabor raised the issue of permitting multiple.

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Units in single-family dwellings- that's something that used to be pretty common in in portsmouth. I.

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Actually spent a pretty good chunk of my time, my childhood in various three decades south of here.

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And uh uh it just seems to be something that kind of evaporated over time. Some.

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Of the places went condo, some people decided to do other things with their.

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Property, maybe there was less incentive to do it, but in a in a city like ours, where.

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The amount of buildable space seems pretty limited at this point. The way that you accommodate more.

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People at every you know whether it's market rate or or whether it's affordable housing. The way.

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That you accommodate them is you you build up and you increase density, and I know in in our city in.

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Particular you know there were a lot of people who who do not like that. So I think one of the things.

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That we're we're just sort of always facing is we're facing this ongoing battle of. How do we use.

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Our remaining open spaces is, is housing the best way to use those spaces and the spaces we do have.

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um Does it really make sense to build single-family housing? um You know and accommodate.

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One family when we can build multi-family housing and accommodate many family or.

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Something like the ruth griffin project, you know where we can accommodate over a hundred people.

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You know, I think, that's being able to make those decisions easy more easily at the local level.

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uh I think is really going to help us move this forward and in a way that that that kind of feels.

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Better to everybody, I know that anything you do in the housing area isn't going to make somebody.

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Feel good it just it's turned into a an issue: that's pretty that could be pretty contentious.

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At the local level, but at the state level, one of the things that I noticed in the last session is.

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That um state changes to state zoning to laws or the the abilities that or the the regulations that.

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Actually empower municipalities um to have more control over these decisions. uh It can be, it can.

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Be tough, it's not necessarily one party against the other. It can be people who favor local control.

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You know, and and who are very militant about maximizing local control of these issues. Don't.

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Like the idea of the state stepping in at all, and then you have people who philosophically are.

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um Essentially, you know they believe that if you own property, you should be able to do whatever.

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You want with the property so a lot of our one of the things. I just think we need to be.

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You know kind of attuned to is the fact that there are different constituencies up there.

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um And in order to really move something forward like this, we need to make sure that we're.

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If not addressing all of those concerns at least acknowledging them in some way.

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From you yeah, I just want to remind people that- and this was part of the discussion in the.

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Legislature, too, is that uh municipalities right now can change their zoning anytime. They want.

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And uh representative van, like I said, a friend of mine, wanted to change the zoning in peterborough.

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Because of the property she owned personally, I think she's, even on the council in peterborough.

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uh But the council there refused to do it, so she wanted to have a statewide mandate to do it.

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So she could do it, but municipalities already have the power. Now the question is: should the.

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State be the one dictating that okay, so they say you have to do this. You know when, in fact, they.

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Contribute so little to the the uh the funding and finances of that, and also like I mentioned.

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With different states, um the the this kind of zoning change has a big impact on the value of.

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The properties so because we're so dependent on property taxes, uh when you make such a big.

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Change where people's property values will change as well. uh That's that's consequence.

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That not every other state has the same level of impact as we would here. So um that's why this.

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Gets so complicated and and in addition, when it comes to the affordable housing issue in general,.

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um I think, once you try to focus a little bit on the concept that, if people who need to let's say.

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Work here, but can't afford a house here if they can afford a house in the area if we could improve.

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Public transportation, to a degree where people can really get around quickly and live somewhere.

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And conveniently come to work and back. That has an impact on the affordability and where people can.

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Live and work, so it's not just the housing itself that has an impact on whether people can afford.

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To work in portsmouth and maybe live somewhere else where, where the housing is more affordable,.

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Sure you know, I think this is a uh there's a there's, a lot in it. You know portsmouth's.

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Changed it over the years, certainly in my time uh in portsmouth, I guess 40 years you've seen.

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A fair bit I wish my dad had bought and held on to more property.

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But uh you know, I think, that what I would love the uh the the delegation to think about um you.

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Know what are the changes that are coming to to portsmouth after uh covet into the state, and I.

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Think there's a huge opportunity from remote work. uh Representative muse mentioned that you know it.

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Was more common when he was growing up to have multi families and even multi-generational.

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Living situations, I think that you know as a kid in portsmouth growing up now, you don't have to.

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Move away to to get a job, that's going to pay off your highest in this in the country state.

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Education for the university of new hampshire, you can, you can actually live and work remotely and so.

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What is that going to mean it's probably going to mean more people carrying more high-paying.

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Jobs that are collecting a paycheck somewhere else, then then, where they they show up and uh and sit.

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At a desk, so you know it's a it's difficult when you get into the ideology of housing developers.

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You know versus you know, affordable rights. I think we can agree that we need more housing.

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On on some level, if we want the people that are living here, that choose to have children.

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For them to stay without living with them, like, I want my daughter to not live in my basement.

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You know, and along with her sister, that's a goal of mine. It used to be my goal now: yeah.

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We have plenty of room, I guess I'll. Maybe I'll change my mind later, but um you know and.

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And creating and understanding you know for the advocates that are that are proponing, uh proposing.

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um That you know we we build more. What are the effects of that uh to uh peter's point? You know.

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What are the effects in terms of the state funding of of some of that? What are the effects in terms.

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Of if a four level uh is allowed university at, I wouldn't think the price would go down. I think.

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Actually, the price would go up, and what does that mean? You know uh for the redevelopment of the area.

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um Because there's you know, there's a balance between we. We want to do more uh and we're.

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Afraid that when we see more housing built the 10, the trend is that attracts at a market rate.

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People with higher incomes to portsmouth to be able to move here, um you know long term. You know.

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It's going to lower the price or the lower the future price. That's a difficult! That's.

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A difficult conversation to uh to have with folks that that feel that. But I think we will.

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um You know I'm excited what we're doing on the local level, and you know my view of this.

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Is that we will try to be an example uh for the rest of the state when it comes to what.

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We're what we're proposing in terms of zoning changes here in portsmouth, which, as peter says,.

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We have all the uh the power to do already and it's it's going to be tough to to do that.

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Any other topics that you guys are following.

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I know there was one: what was the one that we wanted to? It was.

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Last time was um requiring the the statutory permission as far as zoning to require workforce.

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Housing for development- and I recall that was part of the discussion last last meeting.

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Thanks jane, so that would be right now. It is a um in terms of a variance uh we have.

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um You know you have options when you are granted a variance. You have the ability to.

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You know if you want to build up another floor, you can have green space or affordable housing. I.

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Hopefully, in portsmouth we will, uh we will make it a mandate of affordable housing, but uh I would say.

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Eight out of ten nine out of 10 people in portsmouth think well, why didn't you just make.

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That affordable, why didn't you make them? You know, put 20 percent of those those uh units affordable.

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Would love to be able to say? Oh, we can now, because our legislative delegation was able to get that.

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uh That rule change pass where we can actually require, uh maybe by a vote of the council, doesn't.

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Have to even be statewide but require and give us the ability to require affordable units as a part.

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Of any new development so from a local control perspective, this actually would give the city.

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Oh there we go okay.

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So this is a topic I think we've talked about for a few years and.

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um It actually was included in sb 400 last year.

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um There's an omnibus housing bill that contained you know a series of different policies. I know.

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You guys were tracking that with you very closely, we did get about. Two-Thirds of that would be 400.

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um Saved at the end of the legislative session on the hba 1661, um but this piece was not part.

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Of it, and so um you know, I read the minute from your last meeting and I and I spoke with.

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Ernie carini um and it was a bill. I was thinking about, bringing back on a standalone basis anyway,.

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um Was essentially enabling legislation which would allow portsmouth part of this ordinance.

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To require you know, workforce housing or income restricted units by covenant as part of any new.

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Development, so I I'd love to hear your feedback on that and then um another piece of legislation or I.

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Guess two other ones I just want to bring to your attention is um that the housing champions program.

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Also did not pass, which was a part of usb 400 last year, and that would provide an opportunity.

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For sort of a state incentive system, you know to reward communities and make good decisions.

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About housing, which has representative sounds, which pointed out, is not just zoning, but can.

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Also include public transportation, upgrades sewer and water infrastructure extensions to areas that.

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Make sense for density- and you know sidewalks and sort of road improvements to accommodate.

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You know multi-family development and then there's the last piece legislation we can talk about in.

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More detail about one that targets, corporate ownership and investment in single-family homes.

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Across the country, um which I know is a relatively new topic but representative adminton has a bill.

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That he's brought forward on that, but I um I wanted to make sure it was on your radar.

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Screen so uh happy to discuss all those with you guys, sorry to be joining you virtually. I have to.

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Pair of commence another experience, mental health licensure at 10, so I just couldn't couldn't be.

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There with you in person today well certainly appreciate uh you joining and, and that's.

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That's uh we can open up for discussion. I would say um all three of those sound like worthy.

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Legislation, um the when it comes to the um when it comes to the requirement, if that's standalone,.

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um I think that's great, because that's people's expectation of how it works right now and if.

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We can point out that you know they just think that we're like ah no, we don't want.

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Any affordable housing and it's difficult to explain that unless there's a variance.

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um You know and a variance usually means to go bigger. You know it doesn't mean to.

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There's no restriction on going smaller, so uh if it goes bigger and then we still, you know.

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In our side have not uh mandated affordable housing versus open space, so uh that would be.

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That would be great my uh my feedback on that would be if it's a you know to align with the.

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um You know to start to align with the um those that believe in local control to allow it to be.

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A vote of the the council or legislative body so that we can, you know it aligns more strongly.

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To local control, because we can't control that right now uh and we'd like to be able to.

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um So that would be, you know a way to make that potentially stronger is to align with.

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The you know those messengers of local control and say hey. This isn't going to happen anywhere.

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Or town or you know, city doesn't want it to. um I think that the housing champions fund is that's.

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Fantastic, I doubt we'll get that backdated to you know the sewer extension workout to ride, but.

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um It would be a real uh benefit for us to be able to. You know, explain to people why we are.

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Doing the things that we're doing while we're investing in like a 90 million dollar sewer.

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Treatment plant that is big enough to take a lot of uh wastewater from uh from ryan and newcastle.

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um And why that why that's important um and then yeah, the corporate ownership came up around.

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Airbnbs- and I think that would be another way to kind of to skin, that cat from a standpoint of.

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You know uh just making sure that people weren't investing in single families just.

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To uh I don't know if this is the intent, but I could see where it could be used to keep.

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That from happening uh and our fears, around uh airbnb single-family homes being gobbled up for.

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That so all good uh things- and I think we would- I don't want to speak for the whole legislative.

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Subcommittee, but I think we would uh vote to support those in uh to bring those forward.

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Council tabor, I wanted to go back uh to your point peter about transportation.

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um You know on two levels: first, the city as it exists now, there's a whole lot of people.

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Who are an income brackets that they depend on coast? I was talking to the folks folks.

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That gather, for example, and it's critical to them that they have a co-stop near them.

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um I was talking to craig welch and he was saying if there's a another.

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Affordable housing project they can do it needs to be near coast. In fact, most of the people.

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In ruth griffin place, don't have a car, it's really interesting who who's there. We've got.

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Restaurant employees, six school department, employees, one seacoast, media group, employee.

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You're, a media person, you know the vow of poverty that goes with with media jobs, but so.

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You know if if a person can not have the cost of a car.

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They have that disposable income to afford a house so another way to get to more people.

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Affording housing is to free them of the burden financially of a car, so anytime we can get coast.

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Funding- and I know it's a really hard fight to get any gas tax money to go to public transportation.

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That's a really tough uphill one, but uh you know if federal money can be used any chance. We have.

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um Because coast is is important to a lot of people, but essentially it runs once an hour.

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It's not pulse transportation. The way we think of a city, bus system, portsmouth at.

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One time did have buses that ran frequently to the navy yard, went through all the neighborhoods.

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um You know, if you think of portsmouth wanting to be a city where you wouldn't need a car.

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And how you would get to that that could make a big difference in affordability of housing.

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So I think that's worth as you guys are seeing opportunities in any way to fund coast.

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And other micro transit or any experiments like that, that's good! Thank you! Councilor tabor! I was.

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Going to add to that, it would be important to make sure that bike path, expansion would.

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Be included in anything like any legislation that that could also be an area that we could.

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Fund because portsmouth is in a unique position that we're small enough that if we have really.

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Good access points for for bicycles in and out of the city that it's it's not hard for somebody to.

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Commute on a bicycle year round, so I think that if we create that opportunity and and essentially you.

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Know we already have a policy to do that, but it takes time it's a lot of money um to invest and.

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I think it's more difficult actually for residents who live out on the route one corridor to get in.

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Via bicycle at least, safely feel like they're they're transiting safely, so I would just ask.

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That that's also included as an opportunity. um If we're talking about transportation.

I

um I just want to add to your comments, because um the other thing we always wrestle with is parking now.

D

As you mentioned, most of the users of coast right now are more people who are economically really.

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Dependent on it, but let's look at residents at portsmouth that are not dependent economically.

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On it, who just want to get into town and out without driving, who don't want to have to go and.

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Take a car to drive two miles to go to downtown portsmouth. They have to do it now, because coast.

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Does not provide a service that would be practical for people to do that, but if we use some of the.

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Federal funding and there's a lot of federal funding coming for transportation, infrastructure.

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And things right now, if we could use some of that funding to expand or subsidize whatever.

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We want to call it the coast system to provide the services for resident support smith. I think we can.

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Get a lot of buy-in from a lot of people if they see that this is practical for them too. It's not.

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Just for somebody who is without a car and is a low-income person, in fact this is why, in european.

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Countries they build the public transportation for the middle class, not for the people who don't.

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Have money they both have a middle class, and that's why it looks nice. That's why they keep.

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It up because the support is there, but here in portsmouth, where we like to have a walkable city.

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And we we're always thinking about. Where do we build the next parking garage? Well, how about you.

D

Know allowing residents not to have to use their car to get into town? That would make a big impact.

A

Totally agree, you know if sometimes the conversation turns from uh we're going to.

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Live uh in a car free world and that's a hard, that's just a hard thing to accept and we have.

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The most driverless most driver's license of anywhere else in the country on a per capita.

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Basis, we are the most licensed state in in america. There's a lot of reasons. You need a car and we're.

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Not going to have shuttle service up to the white mountains and things of that nature, but if we can.

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Get people to have you know less cars. You know one car where the family had two cars, that's huge and.

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It aligns to the housing issue. Most people would say that they don't it's not the. I don't know most.

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People I can't speak for most people, but a lot of people were talking about all of the new housing.

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They don't talk about the housing, you know they dislike the view of it. They're like where all the.

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Car is going to go, you know parking on the street and talking about neighborhood parking programs.

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All the like: it's because the cars, if we can you know, create more opportunities for convenience,.

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um You know, maybe not just the idea that we're going to bust people in and out of you know the.

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Surrounding areas but, like you know, have routes here in portsmouth we'd. Look for that. We are just.

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Conferring the city manager this uh this december will be reintroducing a holiday shuttle. That's.

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Going to go, you know around uh the town, so you know if it's possible, to get money to extend.

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That operating at a time um you know that would be. uh That would be useful and I think you know.

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This there's a I could definitely use. Sometimes when I'm walking back from downtown. It's only a.

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20 minute walk, but if, uh if I'm walking back from downtown, my daughter is now requiring me.

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To carry her, you know my in my older age, that's a you know. If I saw a bus that I could jump on.

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You know I would probably probably take that, but there's that's the you know, that's where.

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If we can frame it in a way that it's not replacing uh cars but replacing dependence.

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On having two cars to go everywhere, is it working uh working family? That would be a really helpful.

A

To allow us to to grow and build more housing and not you know, push people into a place where.

A

They they feel like there's just too many uh there's too much uh there's just too many cars.

A

Anything else anything that you guys are focusing on anything.

A

That we should be worried about uh that. Oh yeah, very worried about yes,.

H

um Just one more before I have to jump off is um make you guys aware that representative.

H

Edgar from hampton is bringing back the bill to require on an ongoing basis, as a state makes that.

H

Seven and a half percent contribution to the municipal retirement obligation. um I know we.

H

Passed that one time release, but you know just that legislation will be coming back to make.

H

Sure it's on an ongoing basis, that's excellent! At the the mayor's roundtable, we were told that had.

A

A zero percent chance of passing from nhma so really happy to hear that they were completely.

A

Wrong on the one year uh time um so yeah, I would definitely love to be able to support that again.

G

So there there have been um so there's an early legislative filing period and um about 200.

G

Primordial bills: they're not quite bills yet, but ideas for bills have been filed with legislative.

G

Services um I took a quick scan of them. uh There are some that that affect municipalities.

G

um One that is coming back um is is the bill to expand funding for uh retirement of employees. I.

G

Think in the last session we'd we passed a one-time increase of, I think something from.

G

Five percent that was cut down from a much higher level, so the sponsors of that are basically coming.

G

Back and looking to pass that legislation again, there was actually a lot of support for that in.

G

On in both sides of the house, um and then it kind of got diced up in conference committee at the end.

G

um But that's an area where we seem to make some progress. Last year we even actually got.

G

Some money back for municipalities on a one-time basis, so um maybe one of the.

G

Things that you just be on your radar is just when the, when those hearings come up.

G

um And uh because that that the amount of money that they're talking about could make a real.

G

Difference the state went from a 30 percent uh contribution. I believe at one point to a zero.

G

Contribution and this five percent- that's coming on a one-time basis in the next year, is one time.

G

So if you know, if, if the the goal is to get permanent relief in this area and to.

G

Take some of the burden off of local property taxes. This would be a pretty good way to do it.

A

And our forever bill, um you know the the bill uh in the vein of local control to allow a a.

A

Fee applied to hotels that it was studied last year. Is there any? hmm Is there any.

A

What did they study good question? Okay? Well, uh it was certainly support that again. I think it.

A

Was the the senator uh from the western part of the state? It was her bill, but um would love to.

A

um Love to know what the uh any any uh I think they were, what what they they were. Looking at.

A

um I forget the the details, but certainly would love to see that at least to be.

A

Able to push that forward again we had talked about. uh We could find that yeah.

H

I'm just gonna say I'll check with um it was senator steve, francis francis okay,.

I

um um Yes, I'm I'm concerned about uh education of funding of uh account um these the two billion.

E

Dollars the tuition accounts the voucher program, essentially at the state level and.

F

um I'm eager to hear more about any legislation. That's coming forward to curtail that in any way.

F

I we're one of the unique municipalities that has to be thinking about school budgets, impacting our.

F

Overall, municipal budget, so um I think it's it's important that we monitor that carefully. Have we.

G

Actually seen a like a dollar impact on portsmouth when it comes to parents electing vouchers yet or.

G

So far, it's very small small yeah. I don't know what the numbers are, but I do know that it's.

B

It's small, um if I make uh consulate cook there are several education bills already filed of.

B

The 245 lsrs and a few of them do reference the education, freedom accounts and also uh funding.

B

In general, education funding and, as I'm sure you're all aware, there are two pending lawsuits.

B

On education funding, the convale matter, which has been up to the supreme court and back, uh is.

B

I think schedule for trial this spring spring of 23, but there's an a new education funding case ran.

B

Versus the state in an injunction has been filed to prevent the state from even setting the swept.

B

Rate there's responsive pleading from the ages office are going to be filed. I'm sure there'll.

B

Be emotional hearing on that, so it's definitely brewing in the court system, as we all know, even.

B

No matter what side gets, what order a lot of these education cases just get appealed, so it takes a.

B

While but I'm sure the legislate, the legislature is aware of these and the balancing and these.

B

Bills are going to come fast and furious because there are already quite a few in the 245 lsrs.

A

Are there any that are focusing on legalization of adult use cannabis as part of the lsrs.

A

An mha has taken a position for the first time that it supports uh the.

A

Legalization efforts provided that the municipalities received the money.

A

I think that's you know relatively large departure from for the nhma has been before. So if there's.

A

um If there is would love to to hear about about that, I didn't see one yet in the quick.

B

Survey but I could have missed, missed it, [music] um I would expect it would come forward. Yeah, okay,.

B

After the second filing time period expires, I just wanted to comment about the vouchers that.

D

um I I think, if I'm not mistaken what I've heard about it is number one that most of.

D

The uh people who are making use of those voucher monies already have children in private schools.

D

Correct so very few are really leaving public schools to go to a private school. Most of the.

D

Recipients are already in private schools to begin with, and also that the funding that was.

D

Initially projected for that program is already like a factor of a hundred. I wish I could do that.

D

Wrong then expect something, and so it's out of control really and it's it's the funding.

D

Is then questionable if they can continue doing that when it's so out of whack.

A

Yeah, that has been our understanding. I guess reminders saying so far that these are folks.

A

That are applying for something that you know already exists. There was a certain amount of.

A

People during covert that increased enrollment and uh it folks like a place like st patrick, but not.

A

Really enough to to change the fabric of portsmouth school system.

G

To get to your your cannabis question, there are, um there are three lsrs that have been filed.

G

um Regarding regarding cannabis uh penalties, um one bill has been filed uh that says it.

G

Would legalize cannabis for retail sale? um The devil with these bills is always in the details.

G

um Randy cushing tried to basically put through a bill that would allow.

G

A system sort of similar to maine with private operators, you know being able to you, know being.

G

Able to you know, get licensed to sell it and also trying to set up some type of revenue or taxation.

G

Model and things like that, that's tends to be where the legislature gets lost in the weeds.

G

Is trying to figure out how do we make revenue from it in the in the last session? The answer.

G

To that was well, let's, just let's just give the state liquor commission control over it.

G

And a lot of people had issues with that as well and even in portsmouth I mean I've had.

G

Several people reach out to me saying we don't want it in liquor stores. You know we we would.

G

Much prefer to set up a system some similar to maine and vermont. You know where is essentially.

G

Local entrepreneurs, you know, have the ability to uh you know just to set this up. So the the.

G

Strange thing I think, there's general agreement in in the legislature, mostly at this point around.

G

um uh Legalization of cannabis, but there are just a lot of issues around how it should be.

G

How it should be sold and and what mechanism the state should have to get revenue from it, because.

G

We we do have a fairly large contingency. That says anything that looks like a tax is not going to fly.

G

um So how do you do that? You know: how do you make it not look like a sales tax? How do you.

G

Make it not look like the value-added tax? um How do you make it not look like an income tax and.

G

Still generate revenue from it because the whole like one of the whole ideas of legalizing this.

G

Is potentially it's it's a very large source of new revenue in a state where we don't get a lot.

G

Of new revenue sources, um so you know those are some of the things uh some of the things that we.

G

Struggle with and and I think, the more people who just weigh in and just say, we need to get.

G

Something done um you know and come up there and testify. That really is what makes a difference.

I

Thank you uh to compat that I would. I would wonder if any legislators have suggested a line in it.

L

With the prepared food and beverage tax, because we do have a prepared food and beverage fee that.

L

You you pay at 8.5 percent in in a restaurant, a restaurant collects it and then sends that.

L

Up to the state, so we do you have that model for consumable goods and if you, if you align.

L

Cannabis in the sense of a consumable, good versus a retail good. I think that makes legislative sense.

L

So I don't know if anyone has, I don't think anyone else.

L

Yeah ask the restaurant kid, but you know the other thing is, and this is just a recent report.

D

I heard from npr I think it was that california is having big problems because what's happening, is it.

D

Was anticipated that legalizing cannabis would actually dry up the black market, although the.

D

And actually it's done the opposite because what's happening is.

D

There's not enough regulators to enforce criminal fines of people who are selling or growing when.

D

They shouldn't be they're not allowed to it's now merged into this big market and law enforcement.

D

Saying that if we don't have rules, we don't have enough people to enforce this. We have many towns.

D

That are complaining about additional criminal activity going on and there is no resources to.

D

Deal with it and so right now it's kind of become something: that's not at all what they expected.

D

And now we're not a big state like california, but we're also a cheapskate state. So when it comes to.

D

Enforcement of things, it's almost like you know, sign an affidavit or you're done we're not going.

D

To enforce it, so uh when that does come down, the state has to have the right rules in place. That.

D

They won't enforce the rules, whatever they are and not just kind of assume the well. I think that's a.

A

Good reason to have you know to the system mayor's point if it, if it aligns to the roman meals now.

A

The roman meals started, you know, office 50 stayed with the municipality and 50 went to the state and.

A

I know how that ended off, but if we could just start that way with uh uh cannabis, adult use.

A

Cannabis, um you know from a more of a cafe type system and you know maybe require that you've got.

A

To have a cup of coffee in there as well [music] doritos, you have to have some sort of prepared.

A

Food to go along uh with uh with that and just take a cannabis cafe, model there castle cook. I was.

F

Gonna add it might also be helpful to to make sure that there's an allowance for local permitting.

F

So maybe we could charge a higher permitting char. You know permit charge for operating that type of.

F

Business yeah. I think it's also um not an elected official at this point, but um candidate tom.

L

Sherman has publicly now stated that he would make it adult use recreationally legal yeah, so that is.

M

Legal, you said yes, illegal legal.

G

Those bills by the way typically do come to criminal justice and public safety, which is.

G

My committee excellent, so one of the things I can certainly do is kind of keep you reprised.

G

Of what's been filed and what the status of it is make you aware of things like public hearings.

G

That we can go to the other thing is, I will I will check around. I know I know that there.

G

Are some legislators who are working on cannabis legislation and, if you'd like to, I, can see if I.

G

Can arrange you know a meeting there at this point? There is potential to influence legislation in a.

G

Way that you know you know, for instance, if there, if there's a a way to collect a better way to do.

G

A revenue model, that's something that we haven't tried before, that people might be willing to do.

G

One of one of the things that makes us so tough is that a lot of times in in the sessions I've.

G

Been in the legislature, the two sessions we've code sponsors introduce two big omnibus bills,.

G

That would try to basically do everything handle sales handles taxation handle how it can be grown.

G

How it would be regulated, you know, and it's almost like you really do- need to do something like that.

G

But but the problem is, is it you know every one of those decisions is a fork in the road and and.

G

It gives somebody a reason to stick their hand up and say I object right and you get enough.

G

People doing that and the bills don't go through so another tact that some legislators have taken.

G

Is they're they've tried to do things like just present straight legalization bills? We're not.

G

Going to talk about how we're going to raise revenue, how it's going to be sold, we just don't.

G

Want to throw people in prison anymore for sales and sale and possession of of cannabis right so.

G

Those those things tend to get tend to get less support. They tend to be more incremental, but in.

G

The end they may be more doable and so, depending on the composition of the legislature and how many.

G

Supporters, wind up, you know getting you know, you know this type of legislation, wind up coming back.

G

um You know one one thing I would say is pay attention to the smaller bills too, because um you.

G

Know kind of like on other issues. Sometimes it can be impossible for many many years to make progress.

G

When you're trying to do everything but the kitchen sink, but if you can actually kind of knock.

G

Off one or two things at a time in a legislative session, you know I I on so many issues whether.

G

It's pfas or whether it's cannabis that just seems to be the way new hampshire likes to work at the.

G

State level, it's very very difficult to get a big bill through so um so what I'll try to do is to.

G

Make you aware of opportunities to testify and weigh in on some of these smaller bills as well.

A

Well, if you'd want to you know, and now I'm stuck on the idea of the assistant mayor uh had you know.

A

We have the health inspectors already uh that inspect. You know, restaurants. If there was a way.

A

To have a sneaky bill in there that allowed uh to expand the scope of uh health inspectors to look.

A

At other things- and I do think you know requiring uh some sort of uh food or beverage alongside that.

A

You know might uh might make it as we do with alcohol. um You know, I do think the only I mean.

A

Require uh food to be served with. Yes, it's it's a it's, a it's percentage based so there's and I.

L

Believe in the state of new hampshire, we have 22 versions or 20 plus versions of an alcohol license.

L

um The most that you see is obviously uh on on premise um and it's in its food based and you.

L

Do as a as a restaurant have to submit um your revenue breakdowns to the state every year on, the.

L

Renewal of your of your liquor license and then there are again some you know you would consider.

L

Cabaret which is more like a cigar bar where there's no food and and then you have different.

L

Levels as in a cafe like my own, that serves you, know, alcohol as a as a secondary and then, if you.

L

Go to say larger music venues that have more alcohol than food, so it is. I do believe that.

L

We have a model. I I just think that, potentially, as a legislation, legislative body we've been.

L

Looking at cannabis in a different way, we've been, uh you know, we've been looking at it as a.

L

Retail item and we really need to look at it as a consumer-based item, because we have those policies.

L

The the in place already of how we could how we could manage it and again grab revenue. We know.

L

Again, 8.5 of every is, is our tax and the majority of that, as you know, exactly, doesn't doesn't come.

A

In it's already a text yeah, it's already food and beverage fee. It's already we have so you change it.

L

To a consumable so like this is like that is a phenomenon final idea, I mean actually the issue.

M

Those issues the taxing and the beverage prepare food goes through the commerce committee and.

M

um That has, as its chair john hunt who's been in for probably 35 years and is the reason why we.

M

Don't have a requirement for driving um automobile license in new hampshire he's a very much I mean.

M

He's very proud of that he's very much a and also jason. Osborne is yes, um a ranking member. I mean so.

M

We've we've that issue and I'm so grateful you mentioned. I forgot it. They've come in they've.

M

Really- um and I I think it may be a way, but we'll have to talk about that afterwards, I mean because.

M

You've got groups a lot of stakeholders there that really do care, like grocery stores and convenience.

M

Stores they pay that tax on things so they're going to want it to be fairly applied, and it.

M

May be that that is a way to do it and a separate bill. I know that john hunt had introduced a bill.

M

To have the alcohol commission handle marijuana and pro years ago. But I mean because there are.

M

People that are doing things so that once again, so I I we can talk about that later, I mean, after.

M

I because, but I but I think that is a really great idea and then you know and we've had bills come.

M

Together, I'm not on commerce anymore, but yeah. It's a great, that's a good idea. It just seems.

L

Like it to some degree, obviously not a plug and play model, but we again we have the model there.

L

That, if we, if we shift what the consumable is to me, we already have all of these issues that you.

L

Know, people on the other side or the opposition, or even people in support of, are concerned about.

I

Councilor cook, I was going to add. Sometimes we get pushback on issues like this, particularly.

F

From law enforcement because of the need to then police and enforce, I think it's.

F

Important to remember that in communities like portsmouth we're going to be dealing with this.

F

Anyway, because our proximity kittery, so whether or not we sell or have of that availability in.

F

Portsmouth it is, it is readily available or will be just you know, across the bridge, so.

F

um Us and all those communities that sit near the border. Basically at this point for new hampshire.

F

Have to deal with this directly, whether or not it's legal here, I think we also to the point too.

L

um You know as a state we have to, we rely, as we all know completely on. um I just lost the word.

L

um Fees, yes, fees and property tax and regressive, aggressive tax system and and in the long term,.

L

We know that our property taxes are not going to go down, and what does that look like, as we.

L

Have a majority aging population that are going to be more and more over the next 10 to 20 years on.

L

A fixed income and as we talk about housing- and we talk about well, we know we also have a lack.

L

Of affordable, elderly housing, we look at what's going on in stratford county right now, with with.

L

The expansion of that and the lack of funding to be able to do that. You know I think, there's.

L

There's so many there's only so many ways that we can we can introduce more progressive revenue.

L

Streams- and I think that well, I think that you know cannabis can be considered to some.

L

People a controversial item, I think we we know now nationwide and you know regionally and statewide.

L

It's it's being more understood that it is not in the same level as other controlled substances.

L

um To many people there are many studies comparing it to to pharmaceutical easily.

L

You know over-the-counter medications and or prescription-based medications. So I think that.

L

You know part of this is obviously a pr campaign, but I think a huge part of it needs to be. We need.

L

To look at revenue sources in our state and how we can how we can grow them long term, because we.

L

Are and- and I do think to some of the you know 30 plus year, you know members of the delegation.

L

And legislation there has to be conversation of you know: what does your property tax look.

L

Like in 30 years, and what does your income base look like in 30 years, we constantly talk about.

L

Bringing in you know, new people, but we know again based on the demographics that within.

L

30 years, the majority of our state 50, I think 55 plus, will be 55 of our of our demographic.

L

And so again it's it's to me. There needs to be conversation of yes, we don't want more taxes, but.

L

We need to have a realistic conversation, whether that's in commerce and in the fees, committees or.

L

In different committees of how do we move ourselves out of just a regressive taxation.

D

Well, one thing we shouldn't forget is that the marijuana right now.

D

From a federal level is handled very differently than any other.

D

Product and often it's a it's a cash thing right where you have to pay in.

D

Cash, that's why, when we were in long beach recently, they had armed guards at the door.

L

Yeah so because there's no federal allowance for.

D

Straightforward banking, oven: now you have to have this kind of cash exchange, which then lures people.

D

Into perhaps thinking they can do something to to make some cash. This part of covet was.

A

Getting my scratchers with uh you know yeah so anyway, so so that's another issue and that that.

D

It's categorized as a a class of drugs that is way out of whack to what other drugs are yeah.

J

um There's a question for you guys um that I just I'm naive about the governor.

J

Was in town yesterday saying he thinks there'll be a 350 million dollar surplus.

J

In this day, budget the highest there's ever been is 70 million. um He was a speaker at rotary. I.

J

Don't know that's going to happen or not, but how does the legislature have a say? Does the ledgers.

J

Ledger have a say in in that surplus and what would you guys be able to do on behalf of the city.

M

Well, I mean so I'm not an expert, but that's so the first year of the legislature. We do the budget and.

M

The so the budget committees will be looking and making proposals to take from that surplus. I mean.

M

I I um you know it's. I think that is a very thank you. I didn't know about that surplus and we have.

M

um In the seacoast I mean we have kate murray in newcastle who's on the budget committee.

M

We can all figure out a way to lobby for that and ask kate how best to, but they.

M

um You know, generally, all the uh the departments will come in for the with their budgets and then.

M

The committee will look at it, but at that time public and municipal people we're allowed to.

M

Testify so that, thank you so much for that. I just want to I mean the atmosphere is, and you.

M

Guys know this when you're talking about um there are so few people that are looking for streams of.

M

Resources in the legislature, I mean that's not what they're looking for I mean we're talking.

M

Like people are actually looking they're looking to eliminate, I mean I'm talking even about you.

M

Know the marriage license fee or the dog. You know the registration for dog fees. They want to reduce.

M

Those I mean for the municipality, so we're I mean, I love our conversation and I think it's.

M

The right way to go, but um it's just not the reality of being in concord, it hasn't been and.

M

um You know we'll see what we face this next time, but the surplus um I mean did you see um so but.

M

Thank you for that. It is going to be the budget committee it's going to be next year, so the first.

M

The first we do do a lot of um you know: policy bills, but most of the most of the legislatures.

M

Focused on the budget that first first year of our session uh first year, yeah. So um let's figure that.

M

Out I mean that's great, I I'm just well. I wonder how much of that is just federal money that they.

D

Got how much is it you can't budget that that's not an annual revenue they're going to get and.

D

So but you can delegate it to things right, yeah for one time, one time: expenditure yeah! Well, let's.

D

Yeah, you can do that and you can. We definitely should I'm just saying you know he's he's playing.

D

That up as if the state had earned that when they got a huge windfall of federal money and.

D

They they managed to keep some of the back, uh for you know political purposes yeah, but the issue is.

G

Is there there is money, there is going to be money there. There will be. um I know that the.

G

Governor's preference and I think the preference of actually a lot of people in the legislature.

G

Too, is to use that money for one-time expenses, and so there's been a lot of that. You know there.

G

Was money that kind of came for? You know a lot of money that kind of came through for covid, so.

G

One of the questions sort of back at you would be if money was available from the state surplus for.

G

One-Time expenses, how would the city of portland yeah, and that would that would that might be the.

G

Way to approach it because then you you can go, you know you can go to the finance committee and you.

G

Can ask for specific things? Oh, we can think of a lot of capital projects. Yeah little projects.

K

Yeah prescott park or police station, or I would say it would be nice to get the three million.

F

Dollars we got this year to reduce our education um challenges, education, funding challenges so.

F

um Which I think we we think we're going to lose for next year, the state gave us an extra 3 million.

K

Yeah I mean, if there's something that you know along with. uh Maybe the champions fund.

A

Of the champion housing champions fund, doesn't, you know, doesn't come to fruition if there's.

A

Something that goes along with infrastructure that can provide housing to other. You know.

A

uh Or allow other uh surrounding municipalities to to to build and projects that we already.

A

Have to do that would be. You know, uh certainly uh one thing, but uh we will be.

A

Going through the cip process uh relatively shortly, if there's things that we, you know.

A

If there are, I don't know the context of what these one-time fees or uh would be. You know like.

A

In terms of like what does the state invest in you know, I've got some got some sound walls by new.

A

Franklin that wouldn't mind them. You know kicking up uh rather than uh over uh going past them, but.

I

um There's uh mcintyre, if the state wants to if the governor wants to to to to to uh you know he.

L

Out there was a name on the building. There's a lot of uh yeah there's a lot of money, yeah.

G

One thing might be the sound barriers for for pan away manner, which I know um I know peter you.

G

And I had a conversation right: they're funded but they're funded, they're, completely yeah yeah, okay,.

K

But nintendo transportation plan. I think the engineering studies are going out now and then.

B

The expenditure of those is, I think, 23 24. If I remember so, that's fine, but there were additional.

J

Sound walls that did the dead identified, yeah new franklin, elementary school new franklin, yeah.

C

Mr mayor, can I just update the legislative delegation. The city was successful in.

C

Becoming one of six communities in new hampshire to be awarded a 250.

C

000 grant for housing purposes and specifically, we get to hire a housing navigator. Who will.

C

Help us, with all things related to housing and regulatory updates, and so that is a big deal.

C

And we have three months to hire that person and that will be a two-year commitment and.

C

We're really excited to get going with that. So great, thank you for pursuing it.

J

I mean another area, that of one time expense or we're going to have sea level rise, impacts on.

J

Pumping stations for the sewer system yeah, I would say that would be one of our our. If you look.

A

At the the states that are affected by climate change, the most affected is florida right. There.

A

Behind it is, uh is, is main and it's a product of coastline, the least affected state, at least in.

A

Terms of projections is vermont, and the second least affected state is new hampshire and the.

A

Only difference between vermont and new hampshire when it comes to climate change is us. um You know.

A

Right there, so, if there's, uh if there's especially around wastewater mitigation, all of that would be.

A

Things that would be very important and will be very costly long-term. uh That you know, is most.

A

Noted in the the the work that we're going to be undertaking at at prescott park where the civil.

A

Overrides will have uh an effect and it's going to be an expensive thing to fix, and you know there's.

A

A lot of pictures of prescott park when, when you know we're talking about tourism for the state.

A

So not only is it important for portsmouth and our you know tourism, but it draws a lot of people into.

A

The state state featured it in their in their tourism map. That's currently running throughout.

L

New hampshire and throughout the country, so I think it's important the gundalin prescott park.

L

They know it's a fixture. I also, I also would add it's it's important, not that we just think about.

F

Supporting municipalities and the way that they fund that. But we also need to think about what.

F

Kind of future programs are going to be available for property owners who own property next to.

F

Coastlines and how? What what is availability, where there be for grants for mitigation efforts.

F

So for our residents, that's really important. We've got a lot of we're cooked.

F

Hey I'm on the hill, I'm good, but me and maple haven. I'm good I'll, see you guys in.

L

20 years I'll be living in your basement, yeah yeah just finished a lot. So oh wait a minute.

D

They had all the benefit of those beautiful houses right on the water. All these years.

D

And now they got to pay the piper and they want us to bail them out. Is that right? I don't. I.

F

Think that we have a lot of residents who who've been around for a very long time, yeah that own.

F

Properties on the water they can't afford to to to do mitigation in the way that we, you know and and.

F

They will find themselves eventually in a position where they can't sell their homes because of sale.

F

So so I think it's important that the state starts thinking about relief efforts for um for people.

J

And there may need to be a high risk insurance pool of some kind right right.

K

Yeah right any other questions or comments. I really appreciate you guys coming in.

A

uh Jerry jerry had to jump a couple minutes ago, jump a couple minutes ago and senator jumped.

A

um Any other questions or comments just to reach out to us. um uh I think the more the.

G

More we're talking, the I think, the better we can represent the city. um There are some times.

G

When, to be honest with you, we're sitting there voting on legislation and where they're, where.

G

They're trying to channel you guys going, I would you know what would declan think about this.

G

You know what would kate think of this, and it's it's uh it's just always better. If we know what.

G

You guys are are thinking about this legislation when it comes through the other thing I wanted.

G

To add kind of along the lines of sea level rise is um the new redistricting has actually my new.

G

District, which is district 37, now consists of of newcastle ward, 5 and portsmouth, which is a.

G

Pretty good chunk of our waterfront ward, one in portsmouth, which is another pretty good chunk.

G

Of our waterfront in newington, which is another pretty good chunk of new hampshire waterfront, so.

G

um You know for for me personally, that's going to be be much more of a focus than it's been.

G

Legislatively in the past, just simply because I represent a lot more people who are going to.

G

Be affected: it's almost half the new hampshire seacoast, if you look at it by by mileage, so we.

G

Have one district where we, where we have a lot of people with a lot at stake? So I just want to make.

G

Sure that I'm on top of those issues, so anything that you can do to help me understand, what's.

G

Happening from a city perspective and stuff that may not be bubbling up to concord would be great.

G

And I can kind of bring that up there and share it with people as well. I did I would ask that.

L

If there's ever any times that you, you question what what you know, the uh this committee would.

L

Think please reach out to us. I know councilor team and I saw ourselves see um we saw each other. The.

L

Other day and said, we need to get to concord more, and so you know, I think that the four of us uh I.

L

Speak broadly for us have no problem going to con concord and testify it on behalf of the residents.

L

Of this of this community- and so please know that you know, as we are ready to advocate for for these.

L

Things and go out and pitch as much as we need to in support of of the legislation we think will be.

L

Best driver for our community, so I'm sorry, I noticed a counselor cook, always waits for you.

M

To call on her and I'm sorry, most people have a bigger family because I just keep jumping in.

M

You're so polite, I just want to say I I think being here is critical for us for me and it.

M

Makes me want to be more involved in what this counsel and what you're doing. I think that's.

M

A critical link as well- and I um so we really appreciate the time- and I don't know when our.

M

Next meeting is, but I know I've been kind of, but it's really helpful well, we'll uh we'll pull the.

A

Crowd and have another one um you know we've it doesn't have to like one, um I would say jane is.

A

An enormous resource for us, you know me personally, as as just a friend but as the council but she's.

A

Also a resource for everyone in this room. She follows this uh this stuff and you know she's.

A

A great quarterback in terms of uh you know what um what a pulse is on this. You know I would love.

A

It like I want. I want portsmouth's delegation to be effective um in terms of being able to advocate.

A

For change uh in concord, I think you know there's a people think of con. You know think of portsmouth.

A

In concord, in a couple ways, I joke that everybody up there thinks that we, uh we we get gold bricks.

A

From fort knox, paint them red and put it in our sidewalks, you know like that. We're you.

A

Know overflowing with with cash, and this far from the truth, there are wealthy people. Here we have a.

A

Great lacrosse team now that used to just be the likes of bedford, that have a good lacrosse teams.

A

So we're changing, but we're also, I would say, to almost a person we are. We believe in a lot of.

A

Things of local control and we would actually benefit you know from more local control. So if.

A

There's ways that we could align that with some of the other uh folks that maybe believe it from the.

A

Other side of the aisle uh you know we are happy uh to to go out and you know have local control.

A

When it comes to room and meals, revenue or local control, when it comes to a hotel fee or any of.

A

These other things like we, we want to be effective. We don't want to have you guys up there that are.

A

Not based in something that's going to, I guess we just don't want you guys to carry the the the the.

A

The banner for us, we want you to be effective as effective as you can, because it's really important.

A

For the state, I believe, if you guys, are effective and we will do anything that we can to get you.

A

Know folks, up whether it's uh you know busting folks up or you know me shaving and putting on.

A

A suit you know, there's there's no there's no limit to uh what we're willing uh to do and we.

A

Really appreciate all the work that you guys do um and sometimes we're matching suits. That's right.

B

And and I have to say- and some of you have have been there a couple times- the mayor.

B

Did testify on some some bills and um you know, as you all are in these committees. I.

B

Think when local people show up the committees really listen and they you know, and the elected.

B

Official coming to testify any member of the public there's a great degree of deference.

B

And respect for you know not just the public, but the elected officials who live in these.

B

Communities and have opinions about how this legislation should go so uh certainly.

B

um You know I I'll love to be a point of contact. I can reach people relatively quickly.

B

um And also, if issues come up- and I know they do last minute very frequently in the legislature.

B

um You know any any way that that, as a staff, I can helply liaison with with other folks or give.

B

Information be happy to happy to do that. Yeah. I guess. If we could to be, I mean if we can.

A

If there are bills that that you have as they're going through um that, you need our help with if we.

A

Can have a priority list of of bills? I think that would be important for us. I mean there's a lot of.

A

Bills and you guys are doing a lot of work. um But if there's a priority list for us to remain.

A

Focused on and you know, uh bring, you know, bring awareness to you know from a council level.

A

To folks that don't don't pay attention at all of conquered, despite that concord always pays.

A

Attention to them, whether or not you know it's a good or a bad thing. um You know we're happy to.

A

We're happy to do that, and I do think that it would be helpful to have some prioritizations.

A

I heard you know the senators bills or those things seem effective. I would love to love to.

A

Have you know, 10 bills that we would really, you know, think, are effective use of our time.

A

To to push for uh as a body- and those are other things that we can you know we can take to the.

A

Mayor's roundtable as well that's been a resource. That's been pretty effective so far, so that yeah.

B

You're well good, just one thing: um I can resend the legislative subcommittee's legislative.

B

Policies and principles that will be helpful to you, folks to know what the council has identified.

B

As priorities, some of these you know bills, most of them fall in with principles that we've already.

B

Adopted we can always adopt new principles, so you know it's a it's a living document, so it's.

B

Ongoing it evolves over years, so um you know yeah, let's get the feedback. I don't know if, like right.

A

Love your feedback on the principles of the city and and tell us, you know where they are in terms.

A

Of you know, the effectiveness of any of these principles are, and some of them are simple, like.

A

You know and we want to maintain local control because that's what cities are going to want to.

A

Maintain but I would love to hear the feedback on on the legislative principles if we haven't.

A

I think I saw a draft of that, I'm not sure I've seen where it is now it might be on the website.

C

Right it's on the website, but then you don't have to send it. You don't have to channel us.

A

And we don't agree with all of them. You know like individually, you know it's not our job to share.

A

Our personal feelings, as much as it is to you, know, govern but um they're. uh I think there would be.

A

A good uh starting point for for portsmouth one of the things also too, that could be a challenge.

G

Sometime for legislators, with legislation is being on. A particular committee is almost like declaring.

G

A major in college, exactly so so, for instance, municipal government is, is definitely an interest.

G

But probably not my legislative strike zone, but what we're all in a position to do? No matter what.

G

Committee we sit on is we can get stuff to people in municipal government sure so, for instance, if.

G

Portsmouth has this sort of declaration of principles. I think it's important for people.

G

You know who are on municipal government to know how one of our largest and most important cities.

G

um You know feels about these issues independently of legislation, so I mean.

G

Those are those are things that we can like easily do. Okay, just on a very different note,.

D

Just so you were you're informed about this. You remember we had a false alert at seabrook. Oh yeah,.

D

um And it's also the fact that this, the city council, portsmouth city council, a while back.

D

Helped to fund independent monitoring substations in new hampshire, so when that false alert happened.

D

And, as you might recall, it's like there was a lot of confusion going on for one thing: the.

D

State was not did not really be we're not able to communicate with the seabrook station for about.

D

Half an hour or 40 minutes and people were told, via automatic loudspeaker, to clear the beaches.

D

Turn on their radios and nobody knew exactly what that meant, and there was a lot of confusion and.

D

In addition, we we have those evacuation booklets that they handed out. If you took the time as I.

D

Did uh when this happened to look into it, what you should not do people were doing exactly what they.

D

Shouldn't do do not call the police department or the fire departments they're overwhelmed, don't.

D

Don't go to the beaches, you know go away from the site, not to it. You know, and- and so I called up so.

D

So there was a lot of things that just didn't work. The way the plans said they would, when people just.

D

Don't work that way. One thing that didn't happen, but could is that kids families were told not to.

D

Pick up their kids at school and most people saying: are you kidding I'm going to go to the.

D

School and pick up my kids, but if there was no school then so it was a summer vacation. So I.

D

I the day after that happened, I wrote a letter to a department of homeland security and safety.

D

Commissioner quinn uh outlining what I saw as big deficiencies in what happened and pointing.

D

Out that the c2 c10 network, that you contributed to already has six monitors in place that are, data.

D

Is available to the public immediately? So if you just want to know or is there a radiation leak or.

D

An emission or something people can pick up the phone, including the state. You can pick up the.

D

Phone and ask well, they were in the dark all that time and because they were never really connected.

D

With that, but anyone from the public could have done it and the states could also sign up to do.

D

It so, commissioner, quinn called me back and and what shocked me the most with the conversation.

D

He agreed with all the things I mentioned as being weaknesses and there's a report in the.

D

Meantime, but what really shocked me is, they said they had never planned for a false alert.

D

That's, in other words, they only plan for the big one, not for mistakes which which, as.

D

A scientist knowing all the mistakes I've made and experimenting and doing things, that's what.

D

Happens most frequently false alerts, not the big one. It's like you're planning for the big.

D

Earthquake but you don't plan for small effects or or false. You know. That's just that's really.

D

Shocking and if I don't know how you guys got notices, but some people got telephone notices.

D

But I have two landlines and my wife has a smartphone. We didn't get any alerts at all.

D

And people with smartphones who lived in the area but are down in florida, they get an alert so that.

D

Didn't work too well, because certainly people who have landlines live there in the zone. They should.

D

Have gotten an alert and they didn't and they didn't get the all-clear alert either. So there's.

D

A lot of things that happen that should not have happened. I appreciate all the work you've done.

A

On that uh peter and we'll continue to continue to do, and you know before I call for a motion to.

A

Adjourn, I just want to thank you again for the work that you've done on behalf of portsmouth.

A

um It's very much glad to do it. Thank you peter, thank you and all of you. Thank you.

L

All uh a way to motion to adjourn some moved all in favor, aye aye. All right. Thanks guys.