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Good evening and welcome to tonight's 
city council meeting for August 17th,  

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2026. I'd first ask that we uh close the 
non-public session and seal the minutes of  

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that session. So moved. Second. All 
in favor? I. Any opposed? Uh Sally,  

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will you please take the role? Mayor Mcker here. 
Assistant Mayor Kelly here. Councelor Cook here.  

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Councelor Bllelock present. Councelor Badley 
here. Councelor Maro here. Councelor Flynn  

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here. Councelor Hopkins here. And absent 
tonight is councelor Taber. I I would ask  

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uh that the uh ports little league uh state 
champions lead us in the pledge of allegiance.

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You guys started. You guys started. 
You guys start to the flag of the  

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United States of America and to the republic 
for which it stands. One nation under God,  

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indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

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I didn't tell you about that before. I could have. 
Uh handled it well. Um, we have the acceptance of  

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minutes for the August 3rd, 2026 city council 
meeting here. And I move to accept and approve  

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the meeting minutes for August 3rd, 2026. Second. 
Any discussion? All in favor? I. Any opposed? Um,  

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and now on to uh two uh a proclamation and a 
recognition. First, uh we have the proclamation  

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of National Service Dog Month. um and Brendan 
Madden here uh to receive it. Whereas September  

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is National Dog Month created to raise awareness 
and show appreciation for the extraordinary work  

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carefully trained and certified service dog do 
every day for the people in their care to honor  

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the dedicated individuals who train and care 
for these remarkable animals and to celebrate  

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the profound bond between service dogs and the 
individuals they serve. And whereas service  

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dogs are specially trained to perform specific 
tasks for people with disabilities as defined by  

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the Americans with Disabilities Act, they can be 
trained to retrieve objects, assist with balance,  

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give seizure or diabetic alerts, or assist with 
those psychiatric disabilities. Many also serve  

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veterans living with post-traumatic stress and 
traumatic brain injury, helping them better manage  

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their disabilities and live fuller lives. And 
whereas these special dogs exemplify the healing  

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power of the human human animal bond, research 
shows canine companions can improve cardiovascular  

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health, lower cholesterol, and decrease blood 
pressure while offering support and a sense  

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of calm that helps balance the emotional 
and psychological stresses of daily life.  

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And whereas there are more than half a million 
service dogs in America working on behalf of  

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their companions and their communities, more 
than 12% of the entire US population and more  

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than 10% of our Portsouth residents cope with some 
type of disability on a daily basis. And whereas  

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the city of Portsouth recognized the profound 
impact that service dogs have on the lives of  

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adults and children with disabilities thanks to 
the unique ability to enhance the independence,  

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mobility, and overall quality of life. opening 
doors for those they serve. Now therefore, I,  

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[ __ ] McCaffran, mayor of the city of Portsouth, 
on behalf of the members of the city council and  

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citizens of Portsouth, do hereby proclaim 
September as National Service Dog Month  

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in Portsmouth and call upon our residents 
and businesses to recognize and respect the  

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important job service dogs do in helping us 
live up to our model of the city of the open  

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door. given with my hand in the seal of the city 
of Portsouth on this 17th day of August, 2026.

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[applause]

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I would ask um Brennan to say a few words. 
I'll just give you this first. I would like to  

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thank the mayor and counselors for making this 
proclamation. Having had my own service dog,  

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I know the profound impact that these 
dogs make in people's lives. Jaffy,  

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my first service dog, worked right up 
until the day he died. I hope that this  

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proclamation encourages others to learn more 
about service dogs. Thank you again. [applause]

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[applause]

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you. Thank you.

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Another

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round of a hand for Brendan here. [applause]

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Brandon is a uh is a true advocate uh to us um and 
um you know make sure that we remember this day  

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um every every month every year uh 
continues to advocate for service  

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dogs and to be recognized here in Portsman. 
Thank you again Brendan for your advocacy  

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and for for leading the charge on 
this. It's appreciated. [applause]

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So, we have uh a few folks uh in pinstripes here 
uh today. Um and they had a remarkable season.  

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I'm going to read a little bit and I'm going to 
say a few words and then um we're going to honor  

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our uh state champions here. Uh the Portsouth 
Little League put together a remarkable 2026  

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season that will remember it as one of the 
most successful in Portsouth baseball history.  

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The team first captured the New Hampshire District 
2 Championship, defeating North Manchester Hooksit  

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in a championship game. Building on that momentum, 
Portsouth advanced the state tournament and  

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claimed the New Hampshire state championship 
with a victory over Bedford in the final. The  

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title marked Portsouth's first Little League 
state championship since 2010. You guys gave it  

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your all in the New England regional tournament 
in Bristol, playing against some pretty tough  

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uh competition. Um overall uh with a record of 12 
and five scored 167 runs while allowing only 55  

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and posted an impressive team batting average of 
383. I you know I don't even know if Rich could  

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get something like that in Little League. But the 
um um you know it's uh it's it's a it's an honor  

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um uh to be able to to read these words. 
Um, it's also getting to watch you guys  

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uh play um this year. You had uh what you hope 
every kid has um when you're a parent. Um and  

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I'm speaking as like an old dad now. Um but 
life is not uh an easy thing. Um it's hard.  

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It takes a lot of hard work. um when you lost 
one of the toughest games against Bedford,  

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uh it would have been super easy to pack it in. 
In fact, that I think that's what Bedford was  

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counting on you guys doing. Um the fact that you 
didn't um is a testament to the grit that you guys  

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that you guys demonstrate on there and I know 
that it hurts, you know, not winning the whole  

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uh World Series. Uh but when you look back on this 
moment when you're a little bit older, um you're  

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going to realize that the not the not letting 
each other down, uh showing up for your teammates,  

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the next man up, um those are the lessons that are 
tougher to appreciate right now. Uh but this city  

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is incredibly proud of what you guys demonstrate 
and you are um you know, just a an example to all  

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of us of what hard work working for one another 
uh can lead to. So, um, with that, I just want  

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to read out, you know, each one of your names. 
Uh, Bennett Smith, Ryder Raises, and let's clap  

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as I do this in case I [applause] Sam Carter, 
Drew Christa, Tyler Hodgeges, Drayton Simmer,  

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Brady Maloney, Jack Leair, Brian Puland, Joey 
Kley, Gabe Ponier, Christopher Foster, manager  

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Charlie Raises, coaches Sam Cresta, and Brett 
Graham. You know, hell of a job. [applause] All

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[applause]

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[applause]

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[applause]

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right. So, we don't have keys to the city 
because the open door wouldn't make sense,  

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you know, but we do have doors. So,

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I cannot get me out of these.

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I would assume I have free time. I would 
assume I have a lot of free time. It's not like

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Well, uh, Mayor McKern and 
rest of the city council,  

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thank you very much for having us 
and recognizing the boys tonight. So,  

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uh, yeah, just unbelievable season. I've said it 
a few times before, but I'll repeat myself. Like,  

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started coaching little league six years 
ago. Never would have imagined finishing  

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uh, finishing out after my son Ryder was done 
this year the way we did. uh winning the state  

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championship and and competing down in Bristol 
was just an awesome experience. So u 16 years  

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since we've done this here in Portsouth and I told 
them they're part of Portsouth history now and  

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uh just something to be proud of and echoing what 
what you said mayor that uh you know 20 30 years  

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from now when they're grown-ups they're going 
to remember being state champions and playing  

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in Bristol and that's kind of what it's all about. 
So, thank you very much. You're here. [applause]

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[applause]

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[applause]

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Now, this is the awkward moment of the council 
meetings. We're like, do I have to stay for the  

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entire council meeting? You can stay for the 
entire council meeting or you guys can go home  

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uh right now. But if you don't leave right now, 
you're gonna be here for the rest of it. So,

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hi guys. Thank you. Good job, guys. Good part.

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[applause]

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[applause]

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So before we get uh to public comment, I'd wait 
a motion to suspend the rules uh on the resident  

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first um speaking order. So move second. Second. 
Any discussion? All in favor? I. Any opposed? Uh  

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so it turns out the first person that did sign up 
is a port resident, but Tyler Garzo. Uh and we're  

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just going to go down the list here. And again, 
it's typically 45 minutes. Uh we'll take as long  

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as we need. Uh we are going to keep a threeminut 
timer. If you go over the 3 minutes, we'll just,  

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you know, allow it to to continue. Uh but just uh 
3 minutes is usually a good amount of time to say  

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something. It allows us to move through it. But 
uh we'll play it by ear. Tyler, you're up first.

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Uh good evening, uh Mayor, Council. 
Uh Tyler Garzo, 62 McKinley. Uh,  

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I actually work for Scholes Marine Lab, which 
has docks next to the salt pile and runs a  

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shuttle to the park and ride. I'll continue 
to support the the WAP and the rate increase  

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uh along with other taxpayers. Uh, [snorts] but 
the 2025 parking study uh says some interesting  

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things about the downtown worker parking program. 
quote uh there will not be available capacity to  

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continue to support this program in the next 12 
to 24 months. Much of tonight's earlier discussion  

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focused on fitting more parkers downtown uh when 
the study points the other way. Up to 75% of  

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public parking is out of town discretionary trips. 
Uh so the real pressure is visitors, not workers.  

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This is the time to create alternatives 
in line with council goal number two,  

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a multimodal Portsmith. The study says 10 
to 15 minute service to a satellite lot  

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like the Pe's parking ride has significant and 
cited precedent in other cities. And there's a  

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two-year lead time before any sort of new garage. 
So this is the window now where we have to build  

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real alternatives. Follow the study. Uh the 
alternatives need to be ready now and the  

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rate increase being proposed should go directly 
to supporting those alternatives for workers  

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and residents alike. Thank you. Thanks Tyler. 
Uh next is Margot Doring on parking shuttle.

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Thank you, Margot Doring, 300 Jones Avenue. 
On behalf of the four puppies that I've raised  

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as guide dog puppy, um, service dogs, thank you 
very much for your support for that program. Um,  

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regarding parking, I have to say that I think 
I'm going to buy cervical collars for the entire  

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city council because of the whiplash you must 
experience. Portsouth wants a walkable city,  

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but they want lots of parking at the 
same time. And I can't imagine how  

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you have to juggle those competing uh 
demands. It seems to me that we have  

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uh a lot of short-term solutions to a 
very very long-term problem and those  

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short-term solutions are very difficult 
because the problem is a long-term one.  

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I really support your effort to do a exhaustive 
study, a entire ecosystem study of the parking  

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and the public transportation and other means 
of reducing the need for parking in Portsouth.

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When I've been to cities that have successfully 
implemented um walkability, the three things I  

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notice are lots of public transportation, lots of 
walking and biking options, and an effort to try  

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and make it possible for people to live without 
cars or with fewer cars. That includes things like  

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um ZIPCAR, other sorts of sharing systems. For the 
people who live in the south end of Portsouth and  

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need two cars, it must be impossible to try and 
figure out how to do that, particularly when you  

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don't really have another alternative. If you had 
a car share situation, you know, you might open up  

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all sorts of possibilities for people. So I think 
your goal of having a study that's going to look  

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at this holistically is really really important 
and I think it's important to do it as soon as  

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possible because it is going to take a long time 
to figure out and it's going to take even longer  

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to implement not just in terms of figuring out 
how to what to do but also to change people's  

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mindsets to change people's habits to make people 
willing to give up that second car or willing to  

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walk a little bit further. other or park in a 
parking garage. But I'm absolutely certain that  

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if you build another parking garage, if you build 
more parking, you're just going to have more cars  

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and you're just going to face the same problem a 
little further down the road and a little further  

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down the road. Let's take the resources that you 
would put into that. Let's put it into the study.  

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Let's put it into some long-term solutions. Let's 
put it into the public transportation system that  

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is just begging for the opportunity to increase 
the frequency of its rides and its routes so that  

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we can get more people on the system. One last 
thing I'll note. I actually went on to Google  

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Maps and if you want to walk around just about 
anywhere in Portsouth, it will take you less than  

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10 minutes from the parking garage at at Foundry 
Place, from the remote lot at um near the Masonic  

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Temple. It's just 10 minutes into downtown and 
we should really be encouraging people to get  

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out and walk. Thank you very much for your time. 
Thank you, Margot. Uh, next is Evie Summer Matter.

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[clears throat]

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Stop it. My name is Evie Summer Matter and I have 
the great honor and responsibility of managing  

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Series Bakery. I'm hoping to convince you all that 
the workforce parking program needs to be amended.  

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Long before RAP went into effect, the issue of 
free parking availability came up in conversation  

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amongst prospective staff and long-term staff 
alike. Of the 18 employees at Series, only  

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three are Portsouth residents. We commute from 
York, Ky, Elliot, South Burwick, Summerssworth,  

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Dover, Wells, Exit, New Market, Rochester, 
Seabbrook, and Greenland. Between gas and tolls,  

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it was never free to show up to work. The 
hope of a free parking spot was one of the  

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only things that made the costly commute worth 
it. I have had stellar potential hires choose  

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employment elsewhere with fewer barriers. I've 
had spectacular staff quit over the prohibitive  

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nature of inconvenient parking. RAP fits the bill 
perfectly to appease residents. Unfortunately,  

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this program undermines the efforts of small 
business owners who are fighting to retain  

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staff in a highly competitive labor market. After 
having face-to-face conversations with hundreds  

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of members of Portsouth workforce, it is clear 
to me that we must strive for protected free  

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workforce parking. The Portsouth workforce has 
demonstrated a willingness to walk far distances  

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for a free parking space. Currently, the majority 
of free parking is in residential neighborhoods.  

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My prediction is that workforce will be pushed 
further into the neighborhoods and then those  

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residents will suffer the same inconveniences 
that Southoun residents dealt with for years.  

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My hope is that you'll consider collaborating 
with business owners in an effort to reach  

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a mutually equitable solution for both 
workforce and residents. Now more than ever,  

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we must protect the workers who sacrifice 
so much to bring culture and community to  

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this city. It would be devastating to see 
them leave. Thank you, Evie. [applause]

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Justin Richardson.

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Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Um, members of the city 
council, Justin Richardson. I live at 586  

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Woodbury Avenue. Um, I wanted to talk briefly 
about parking just to give my perspective as a  

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resident who's been here for about 11 years on the 
sea coast for I guess 26 now. Um, I remember when  

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the parking rates were raised because we wanted to 
move people into the the new garage at the time,  

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the foundry. And and it it you know, I did some 
research on that. It drove me nuts because we  

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were taking essentially what were free parking 
spots that were already paid for and then raising  

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the rates on them in in order to force people 
to change their behavior to go somewhere else.  

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I think that was my recollection. Um I think 
all parking decisions have both good and bad  

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consequences. Um the one thing that I think is 
the problem is is that when we use the machinery  

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of government to punish people or to influence 
behavior, I think that's a mistake. Um what I  

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would like to see is is you know using parking 
fees. It's the wrong tool for the job. I think  

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the only and best policy for this city council 
is to take government out of that business,  

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make parking everywhere as easy and 
affordable, especially for the workers. Um,  

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I have a daughter who worked at Siri Bakery 
for a long time. I really understand how  

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that impacts them with the salaries that they 
have. Um, let people get to work, go downtown,  

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um, buy groceries, and even visit for less. We 
shouldn't be using the parking fees because that  

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takes people like me and I don't go downtown 
anymore. I I in the summertime especially, I  

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drive to Kery because it's just easier, you know, 
the having to spend $3 for a parking pass. I know  

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there's a resident program. I didn't get in it 
for about five years. Um I just think it's a it's,  

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you know, the only policy and the best policy is 
just make it easy and affordable for everyone.  

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let people figure it out from there. Thank you 
very much. Thanks, Justin. Um, Buzz Sher on Flock.

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I apologize for not expressing any opinions 
on parking. Um, I people have said plenty. Um,  

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at the very end of tonight's uh agenda is an item 
uh uh a sample motion brought up by uh councelor  

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uh Bagley. Um I don't know whether he's he's going 
to continue to pursue that, but I uh I wasn't sure  

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whether that was going to be public comment 
then on that or whether now is the time. So,  

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um two things uh three things actually. one uh 
I've I've been working for the last 10 years on  

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license plate readers in the legislature. Uh in 
2016 then uh Republican Representative Neil Kirk  

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uh who's a very strong privacy advocate 
uh passed uh got passed a bill uh that  

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put significant restrictions on uses of license 
plate readers, automated license plate readers.  

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Uh that bill had a sunset provision uh that uh it 
was it was to be repealed as of December 31st of  

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this year. Uh this past session I was the prime 
sponsor at the behest of Representative Kirk  

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00:29:32,800 --> 00:29:41,200
uh to uh repeal the sunset provision. 
And so that statute is now permanent.  

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It regulates automated license plate readers and 
it does a very effective job. It has a lot of  

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00:29:49,040 --> 00:29:56,080
uh restrictions to it uh in particularly 
uh related to how long uh the agency doing  

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00:29:56,080 --> 00:30:02,480
a license plate reading can maintain that 
information that doesn't result in an arrest.  

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uh we on uh House Criminal Justice, we'll be 
taking a look at that again this coming session  

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to see it given the advent of flock which is new 
in the last 5 years or so whether whether we need  

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to make any adjustments but the way I read it now 
is it pretty much covers it and regulates it well.  

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Um so uh I I uh would ask the council to uh to 
wait uh and see what we do in the legislature. Uh,  

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number two, uh, a minor point, and not to not to 
provoke the council in any regard, but I think,  

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uh, the the council telling the police department 
what to do with license plate readers, which is  

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within their purvey, is beyond the charter. Uh, 
it's the it's the c it's the police commission's  

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00:30:56,160 --> 00:31:01,280
responsibility to make policy for the police 
department. uh we're more than willing to,  

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00:31:01,280 --> 00:31:06,560
you know, talk with uh council members who 
want to talk to us about this. Uh we will have  

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a discussion about this at our next meeting, but 
I I I I would ask the uh council to postpone any  

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00:31:14,160 --> 00:31:22,240
discussion uh any resolution or conclusion 
about flock uh and how it would be done uh  

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00:31:22,240 --> 00:31:28,880
until the this the police commission meets and the 
legislature decides whether there's anything more  

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do we do that we want to do to really put strong 
limitations on flock. Thank you guys. [applause]

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00:31:39,440 --> 00:31:48,800
Um, next, uh, David. Um, and just, uh, just 
quickly on that, the, uh, uh, the motion before us  

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is to schedule first reading on whether or not we 
would prevent flock from being uh, adopted on city  

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buildings and public lands uh, here in the city of 
Portsouth. um that is uh will go to second reading  

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00:32:02,080 --> 00:32:06,800
of the public comment if it passes tonight. 
So there will be much more time to speak out  

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00:32:06,800 --> 00:32:13,581
um on you know whether uh folks do actually want 
the cameras uh in the city of Portsouth. [cough  

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00:32:13,581 --> 00:32:23,440
and clears throat] Um next up is sorry what that 
is what our motion is. It says that that we're  

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00:32:23,440 --> 00:32:28,480
going to prevent them on uh city land. That's the 
motion that's before the council. So you guys are  

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00:32:28,480 --> 00:32:34,240
probably in agreement on that. Um but we will have 
the conversation and everybody can come back for  

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00:32:34,240 --> 00:32:38,880
uh the public hearing which will be at the next 
uh council meeting if this gets good. This is  

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00:32:38,880 --> 00:32:42,800
just a schedule first meeting. Oh scheduled first 
reading. So two meetings. All right. Two meetings.  

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00:32:42,800 --> 00:32:52,880
I went against my rule of responding back and here 
we are. Um so David Hansen on workforce parking.

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00:32:52,880 --> 00:32:58,560
Uh my name is David Hansen. I live on Broad Street 
in Portsouth. Uh, I was just here to talk about  

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00:32:58,560 --> 00:33:04,080
the workforce parking at the foundry. I 
know there's like a 10-hour limit. Um,  

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I think it was mentioned earlier to increase it to 
12. I would uh ask to increase that to maybe 15 or  

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00:33:10,640 --> 00:33:16,400
16 because I know a lot of people that do work 
long hour shifts in the service industry, they  

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00:33:16,400 --> 00:33:21,920
show up at 8:00 a.m. and they're not getting to 
their car until like 11:00 p.m. midnight. Um, so  

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I would just like to ask to extend that time frame 
for those individuals. Thanks. Thank you, David.

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00:33:33,760 --> 00:33:37,280
Um,

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00:33:37,280 --> 00:33:43,280
um, Penny, I'm gonna get your last name wrong. Um,

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00:33:43,280 --> 00:33:49,200
oh, okay. Hey, Eddie, come on 
up. Penny Dreadful. All right.

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00:34:00,240 --> 00:34:04,560
So, my name is Penny Dreadful and 
I am the CEO of Pwix Merkantile,  

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00:34:04,560 --> 00:34:09,040
Fezywigs Food and Fountain and Dewix 
Ethereal and Forum here in Portsouth,  

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00:34:09,040 --> 00:34:14,560
New Hampshire. And there are a couple of things. 
First of all, I want to stand behind what everyone  

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00:34:14,560 --> 00:34:20,640
else has said who is a business owner or a 
manager. It is very hard to get workforce  

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00:34:20,640 --> 00:34:27,920
into this city when there is no parking for 
them. We provide a vital resource for this  

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00:34:27,920 --> 00:34:35,040
city. We entertain and we enthral and we bring 
people back to this city time and time again.  

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00:34:35,040 --> 00:34:40,640
And we're only able to do that if we have the 
right people in place to do so. And making it  

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00:34:40,640 --> 00:34:47,840
harder for people to find parking is going to make 
it harder for us to make that happen for Portmith.

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00:34:47,840 --> 00:34:52,720
the um guests that do come to see us. One of the 
other things that I'm hearing is that the parking  

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00:34:52,720 --> 00:34:59,280
is as expensive as it is in Boston. This is what 
I'm hearing from the visitors that are coming to  

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00:34:59,280 --> 00:35:04,080
see us. You can do that, but that's what the 
perception is of the guests who are visiting  

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00:35:04,080 --> 00:35:12,080
us. And the fees that they are getting if they 
overstay are very prohibitive as well. So that is  

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00:35:12,080 --> 00:35:17,600
for visitors as well as for people who are here. 
Um, with any of these plans that go into place,  

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there are two things that really stand 
out to me. Having been here since 2013,  

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we need to do something about how these sidewalks 
are cleared during the wintertime. You're talking  

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00:35:28,000 --> 00:35:34,880
about walking to parking garages. These city 
sidewalks are not walkable whenever we have  

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00:35:34,880 --> 00:35:40,400
a winter storm. So, I would ask that that be 
addressed so that you actually can have people  

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00:35:40,400 --> 00:35:47,200
having a safe way to walk to work because we don't 
have it. And then we just had all of the streets  

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00:35:47,200 --> 00:35:51,680
um not all of streets, we just had State 
Street repaved. I don't know if anybody has  

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00:35:51,680 --> 00:35:58,000
gone and looked at the parking spaces and the 
lines that they painted, but we lost spaces.  

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00:35:59,040 --> 00:36:04,800
You can absolutely see it right in front of 
Fezywigs. Uh where there was one spot there or  

272
00:36:04,800 --> 00:36:11,120
where there were two spots or three spots, there's 
now two. So, someone should probably go back,  

273
00:36:11,120 --> 00:36:15,440
take a look at that, and we need to get those 
repainted so you can get more parking spaces  

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00:36:15,440 --> 00:36:21,120
so you can make more revenue. And I yield 
the rest of my minutes. I know you can't,  

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00:36:21,120 --> 00:36:26,320
but but I do just want to stand behind everybody 
else who's been here and said it. It's hard to get  

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00:36:26,320 --> 00:36:32,320
workforce here. And I know that the residents need 
um places to park as well, but we're not going  

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00:36:32,320 --> 00:36:37,840
to build a city if you don't have businesses to 
bring other people in. We are what makes Portsmith  

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special and we are why people have chosen to come 
here and live here. Thank you, Penny. [applause]

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00:36:47,360 --> 00:36:53,440
Um Colin Schiller on Coast

280
00:37:06,800 --> 00:37:12,240
Hi, I'm Colin Schler. Um, Shanty Street, 
Portsmith. Um, all of this parking conversation,  

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00:37:12,240 --> 00:37:19,280
it's all supply and demand. um we have frankly a 
fixed supply and we have everinccreasing demand  

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00:37:19,280 --> 00:37:25,680
and demand that now really more than ever has 
a higher personal cost associated with it. Uh  

283
00:37:25,680 --> 00:37:31,680
and that's what we're seeing here at these 
conversations. Uh our current system clearly  

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00:37:31,680 --> 00:37:36,640
needs some improvements and we've heard a lot of 
good suggestions both from the people here as well  

285
00:37:36,640 --> 00:37:42,560
as the council and I think everyone's on the same 
page that improvements are needed. Um, but it is  

286
00:37:42,560 --> 00:37:49,920
important to remember what the intention of this 
program is and what the intention of I think what  

287
00:37:49,920 --> 00:37:57,280
everyone wants here, which is that parking is 
available for those who need it. Um, but since  

288
00:37:57,280 --> 00:38:02,640
our supply is fixed, the only thing that we can 
do practically for a long-term lasting solution is  

289
00:38:02,640 --> 00:38:10,480
to lower our demand. Um, and that can really only 
be done with alternative means of transportation.  

290
00:38:10,480 --> 00:38:14,560
um you know studies and the explorations are 
important and I'm glad that we've started  

291
00:38:14,560 --> 00:38:18,880
those but again we have a head start and we 
have something that we can take advantage  

292
00:38:18,880 --> 00:38:23,920
of in the meantime while we're waiting for 
those to get back to us. Um and we can do  

293
00:38:23,920 --> 00:38:31,280
it in parallel. We have the coast. We have a 
bus that currently does get a fine amount of  

294
00:38:31,280 --> 00:38:36,880
funding but it is operating at only a fraction 
of what it could do. It operates only on cash.  

295
00:38:36,880 --> 00:38:41,760
It doesn't operate past 8:00 p.m. It operates 
once an hour. All things that if you really  

296
00:38:41,760 --> 00:38:47,360
need an alternative, make it frankly useless. 
And it's not that far away from being extremely  

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00:38:47,360 --> 00:38:56,640
useful for a much larger number of people 
than it already is. Thanks. Thank you, Colin.

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00:38:56,640 --> 00:39:02,720
Uh Jared Parker on parking.

299
00:39:02,720 --> 00:39:07,040
[clears throat]

300
00:39:07,040 --> 00:39:13,360
Thank you, council members. Um, I'm asking you to 
look at the parking issue not as a revenue issue,  

301
00:39:13,360 --> 00:39:19,440
but as a workforce issue. Many people who work 
in downtown Portsouth earn, you know, $15 to  

302
00:39:19,440 --> 00:39:27,200
$20 an hour. Uh, when when parking costs $2 an 
hour, it can it is a significant portion of their  

303
00:39:27,200 --> 00:39:33,520
daily income to come to work. Uh not only is it a 
small inconvenience, it directly affects whether  

304
00:39:33,520 --> 00:39:40,720
the working in working is working in downtown is 
going to be financially stable. Um I go to work I  

305
00:39:40,720 --> 00:39:46,720
my many of my co-workers can't even go to places 
like Siri Bakery um because they can't afford it.  

306
00:39:46,720 --> 00:39:52,080
You they're already and now they are going to have 
to pay for parking. So we're we have a workforce  

307
00:39:52,080 --> 00:39:57,600
that can actually contribute back into the 
revenue stream of other these small businesses,  

308
00:39:57,600 --> 00:40:02,480
but they can't afford it. And now we're going to 
be adding an additional tax to the people who are  

309
00:40:02,480 --> 00:40:08,240
coming from very far away or even close by that uh 
they don't have parking. Addition to this, I also  

310
00:40:08,240 --> 00:40:14,400
work at Strawberry Bank Museum where we also have 
free parking for the members who come to visit our  

311
00:40:14,400 --> 00:40:20,960
uh historical landmark. Unfortunately, what we're 
finding at the museum is that we have members  

312
00:40:20,960 --> 00:40:28,880
uh or part people parking in our free lot because 
they know it's free. uh we take down you know our  

313
00:40:28,880 --> 00:40:34,640
manager our site managers are taking down how 
many people are actually using our lot but not  

314
00:40:34,640 --> 00:40:42,720
using it for the museum so we're losing money from 
the museum as well and one instance I saw someone  

315
00:40:42,720 --> 00:40:48,240
coming and parking our we have two handicap spots 
and they parked in our handicap spots they take  

316
00:40:48,240 --> 00:40:54,000
their chairs and they're going over to Prescuit 
Park or going somewhere else besides the museum  

317
00:40:54,000 --> 00:41:00,640
Um, [clears throat] I do understand that the city 
needs to manage parking and appreciate the that  

318
00:41:00,640 --> 00:41:09,040
of far. Oh, so I'm sorry. Um, thank you for the 
foundry. I know we we do have that is a program  

319
00:41:09,040 --> 00:41:13,920
uh that is available to those of us that work 
in downtown Portsouth. But quite frankly,  

320
00:41:13,920 --> 00:41:19,040
sometimes it is too far and as other members have 
spoken in the wintertime, it's it can be a little  

321
00:41:19,040 --> 00:41:24,000
bit dangerous, especially going on these sidewalks 
and not having a safe commute, walking commute  

322
00:41:24,000 --> 00:41:31,600
to go all the way from the foundry all the way to 
downtown Portsouth. Um, you know, I've unfort I've  

323
00:41:31,600 --> 00:41:36,160
been in the workforce here in Portsouth since the 
90s. I remember working at the Gap. All I had to  

324
00:41:36,160 --> 00:41:45,200
do was show my [laughter] show my my badge and um 
I was able to get free parking over at Hanover Lot  

325
00:41:45,200 --> 00:41:50,320
and that is that's gone. Some of the opportunities 
that I have seen within parking within Portsouth  

326
00:41:50,320 --> 00:41:56,240
for over 30 years have come and gone and this is 
just going in a negative trajectory for those of  

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00:41:56,240 --> 00:42:05,080
us who want to and uh contribute to Portsouth's 
income and um society. Thank you Jared. [applause]

328
00:42:08,400 --> 00:42:18,800
Uh Moira Wright on parking.

329
00:42:18,800 --> 00:42:25,520
Hi Moira Wright. Um I grew up in Burwick Maine, 
but I've been coming to Corsa since I was really  

330
00:42:25,520 --> 00:42:31,360
really young. Um I used to go to the library back 
when it was, you know, where where the like museum  

331
00:42:31,360 --> 00:42:35,440
is now, I guess. I don't know what it's called, 
but I remember going there. I took my senior  

332
00:42:35,440 --> 00:42:39,840
pictures in Prescott Park. I used to do ballet 
recital at the music hall. Like, I might not  

333
00:42:39,840 --> 00:42:45,680
be a resident, but I feel really connected to this 
city. And I've went to UNH. I started working here  

334
00:42:45,680 --> 00:42:52,400
probably my sophomore year, which was like 2014 
or something like that. I've worked all over town,  

335
00:42:52,400 --> 00:42:58,560
and I've seen the parking diminish and dwindle. 
You know, this town is really special. I I really  

336
00:42:58,560 --> 00:43:03,200
do love it here. I think we've got a lot of 
great people who work here who live here.  

337
00:43:03,200 --> 00:43:08,320
And if it's a revenue issue, it doesn't make 
sense to me to get revenue from charging people  

338
00:43:08,320 --> 00:43:14,160
from for something they don't want to pay for, 
right? Like why wouldn't we use that? You know,  

339
00:43:14,160 --> 00:43:18,800
I I feel like we should just create things in town 
that people want to pay for. And the employees  

340
00:43:18,800 --> 00:43:23,440
and the residents here have a lot of great ideas. 
If you take a little bit of pressure off of them  

341
00:43:23,440 --> 00:43:28,480
with parking, like think about how much mental 
energy people have spent trying to find parking,  

342
00:43:28,480 --> 00:43:34,720
arguing about parking. This, you know, and 
they could be using that to create events or  

343
00:43:34,720 --> 00:43:40,320
uh businesses that would be totally unique to 
Portsmith that would draw people in. People  

344
00:43:40,320 --> 00:43:45,280
would probably be willing to spend more money 
here and more money for parking if they can't  

345
00:43:45,280 --> 00:43:51,200
go anywhere else to get the same experience. I'll 
also say right now I work at Read More Books and  

346
00:43:51,200 --> 00:43:55,760
Bruise. We've got a lot of tourists coming in. 
We we have so many people who say, "Wow, I wish  

347
00:43:55,760 --> 00:44:00,880
we had something like this in our town. I wish 
we had something like this in our state." It's,  

348
00:44:00,880 --> 00:44:05,200
you know, I remember Book and Bar that was 
also great, but I don't know a lot of other  

349
00:44:05,200 --> 00:44:09,440
places that have similar. I mean, there's like 
Trident out in Boston, but like that's something  

350
00:44:09,440 --> 00:44:15,040
really special and really unique. And I just 
think that if we took pressure off of people,  

351
00:44:15,040 --> 00:44:21,120
it would be beneficial to everyone. As for the 
Foundry Garage, I've served at a lot of different  

352
00:44:21,120 --> 00:44:28,320
restaurants in town since I was like early 20s, 
19. And honestly, sometimes you leave at midnight  

353
00:44:28,320 --> 00:44:34,080
at 1:00 a.m. You're walking back with cash. You 
know, I've had I had one boyfriend get me a taser.  

354
00:44:34,080 --> 00:44:37,600
I had another boyfriend get me maze because 
they're worried about me walking back. I mean,  

355
00:44:37,600 --> 00:44:42,960
forget the ice. It's, you know, it's not always 
that safe outside if you're walking around with  

356
00:44:42,960 --> 00:44:48,560
a lot of cash. And I just think that, you know, 
Horseman is so special and so unique. If we're  

357
00:44:48,560 --> 00:44:53,760
able to put the money back into the people who 
live here and work here, we really will create  

358
00:44:53,760 --> 00:44:58,480
something that makes people want to come and 
spend their money, their time, their their  

359
00:44:58,480 --> 00:45:06,160
energy here. Um, yeah. But I guess that's all 
I have to say. Thank you. Thank you very much.

360
00:45:08,560 --> 00:45:14,080
So that is all I have for signups. Does anybody 
else want to speak? Certainly you can get you.  

361
00:45:14,080 --> 00:45:21,840
Yep. Yeah. Happy come on up here. [applause] 
I've said enough. I'm not as nervous. I just  

362
00:45:21,840 --> 00:45:27,760
wanted to more or less ask a question or bring 
up bring up for consideration the privately owned  

363
00:45:27,760 --> 00:45:34,720
parking lots that we have in town. Um, I'm I 
have no idea what that business structure is  

364
00:45:34,720 --> 00:45:40,880
as far as their relationship with you guys, but 
the banks that are located downtown that operate  

365
00:45:40,880 --> 00:45:45,920
as like a privately owned parking lot after 
business hours, those fees are exorbitant. I  

366
00:45:45,920 --> 00:45:51,120
guess I'm offering up for consideration. Is there 
any way or an arrangement that can be made with  

367
00:45:51,120 --> 00:45:58,240
those privately owned lots to open those up for 
workforce parking within certain business hours,  

368
00:45:58,240 --> 00:46:03,520
not at the rate that they're asking now, but if 
we are if these are businesses that are also a  

369
00:46:03,520 --> 00:46:10,320
part of our ecosystem, [clears throat] bringing in 
some sort of arrangement where that those spaces  

370
00:46:10,320 --> 00:46:16,240
and those lots would be opened up for workforce 
parking just to offer up some sort of solution  

371
00:46:16,240 --> 00:46:22,800
towards this very large um issue. And I feel like 
one thing I look at too is the federal building  

372
00:46:22,800 --> 00:46:31,280
downtown and that part who that who owns that. 
Um Lorenzo. Uh yeah, I feel like he's got enough  

373
00:46:31,280 --> 00:46:35,920
cash from the bank. Maybe he would be willing 
to offer that up [laughter] for free workforce  

374
00:46:35,920 --> 00:46:41,840
parking. I just want to say that out loud. Um, 
again, I'm not I'm not sure, but that's a great  

375
00:46:41,840 --> 00:46:55,600
opportunity I think that is available to ease 
this issue. Thank you. Thanks, Kelsey. [applause]

376
00:46:55,600 --> 00:46:59,920
Thank you, Kelsey. Other Okay. Yeah. I 
just wanted to present one other idea  

377
00:46:59,920 --> 00:47:03,520
since I know everyone's talking about free 
parking and obviously we are fighting for  

378
00:47:03,520 --> 00:47:09,120
free workforce parking but I think 
it has been proven that Park mobile  

379
00:47:09,120 --> 00:47:15,360
can allow for a discounted rate on Parrot 
Avenue. So I don't see why more streets,  

380
00:47:15,360 --> 00:47:25,760
more metered spaces can't be made available 
at a discounted rate for the workforce.

381
00:47:25,760 --> 00:47:32,240
Thank you Nissa. Any other ideas, comments?

382
00:47:32,240 --> 00:47:40,480
Nobody. Okay. Um, but I guess um we'll go on 
to other parts of the agenda. One of them is  

383
00:47:40,480 --> 00:47:48,000
um on parking uh later. I just want to I want 
to thank uh the folks that have come here uh  

384
00:47:48,000 --> 00:47:56,080
for a couple reasons. Um one, we I know it doesn't 
always seem like it, but this is why we're here.  

385
00:47:56,080 --> 00:48:04,560
um to listen and to try to incorporate as many 
ideas for as many people uh as we can. Um two,  

386
00:48:04,560 --> 00:48:09,440
uh this could have gone a lot of different 
ways. Um and it could have been a lot more  

387
00:48:09,440 --> 00:48:17,360
angry than what folks came up and asked us to do, 
but you asked to be considered and to think about  

388
00:48:17,360 --> 00:48:23,280
ways that we can improve the system that we have. 
understanding that there's a lot of parts to the  

389
00:48:23,280 --> 00:48:28,720
system and a lot of pressures on the system. 
I don't think anybody was under the illusion  

390
00:48:28,720 --> 00:48:35,600
that parking was a great situation in June. 
I mean, I think uh Kelsey, you talked about  

391
00:48:35,600 --> 00:48:43,200
uh the the tickets. Um and there was a there was 
a a focus on trying to create a better system. Um,  

392
00:48:43,200 --> 00:48:49,040
and I want to recognize something that councelor 
Blew said, and when he said it, I kind of, uh,  

393
00:48:49,040 --> 00:48:56,720
was taken aback, uh, but the mental health aspect 
of all of this, I think that there's opportunity  

394
00:48:56,720 --> 00:49:03,200
to engage in a way that feels like this is 
a program that is putting you at, you know,  

395
00:49:03,200 --> 00:49:08,960
a priority in here. Um there's a lot of competing 
priorities in the city, but to be able to think at  

396
00:49:08,960 --> 00:49:15,360
whatever program we end up with that the workforce 
looks at it and says this is an improvement over  

397
00:49:15,360 --> 00:49:20,640
what we have instead of this is a regression 
that one day is going to force me out of here  

398
00:49:20,640 --> 00:49:27,040
completely. And so I just thank you for for being 
here. This is certainly not the end of this and  

399
00:49:27,040 --> 00:49:31,760
and you know when we make changes we schedule 
changes so that people can come speak too for  

400
00:49:31,760 --> 00:49:38,480
against them. Um, so those changes aren't going 
to happen tonight, but we are going to take the  

401
00:49:38,480 --> 00:49:42,640
feedback that you have and there's been a lot of 
feedback. One of the things we're going to start  

402
00:49:42,640 --> 00:49:47,760
is just getting a feedback to the pilot just, you 
know, generally so we can start tracking it. But,  

403
00:49:47,760 --> 00:49:53,600
um, to be able to make changes so at the end of 
the day, you feel as though and by Portsouth that  

404
00:49:53,600 --> 00:49:58,480
we have a program that's putting us on a better 
trajectory than the trajectory that we're on and  

405
00:49:58,480 --> 00:50:03,120
have been on, I think, since the gap closed. 
And I don't know if that's the reason why. Um,  

406
00:50:03,120 --> 00:50:09,600
but that was, you know, uh, Portsmith in the 90s 
was a beautiful thing. Um, and you know, I think,  

407
00:50:09,600 --> 00:50:15,360
uh, trying to get to a point where it feels as 
though it's a benefit and not a burden is what  

408
00:50:15,360 --> 00:50:20,640
we're trying to accomplish. And I just want to 
thank everybody for being here this evening and  

409
00:50:20,640 --> 00:50:25,280
being constructive because we are a community. We 
are bigger than our borders. Uh, we know a lot of  

410
00:50:25,280 --> 00:50:30,480
folks that have moved um, out of Portsouth. Um, 
and the goal is to try to create something that  

411
00:50:30,480 --> 00:50:37,040
we feel all part of um and all proud of. And so I 
appreciate the effort that was brought to tonight.  

412
00:50:37,040 --> 00:50:42,320
Stick around for uh the rest of the meeting if 
you want, but I just want to thank you guys for  

413
00:50:42,320 --> 00:50:47,120
um and that was folks supporting the RAP and those 
that are supporting a better workforce uh parking  

414
00:50:47,120 --> 00:50:53,280
program um to to come to the table and making 
um the city better because of your input. So,  

415
00:50:53,280 --> 00:51:00,080
I know also it's not easy to do uh for two 
hours tonight that you were here. And so,  

416
00:51:00,080 --> 00:51:06,320
just thank you for spending your time uh with us 
to make Portson better. It is appreciated. So,  

417
00:51:06,320 --> 00:51:10,800
with that, um we're going to go on to the rest of 
the agenda. If you guys want to hang out, you can,  

418
00:51:10,800 --> 00:51:20,480
but there's probably some other things you want to 
do, too. So, understand that. Thanks for coming.

419
00:51:24,480 --> 00:51:32,000
You're going to miss the best part. They're 
missing all the good stuff. There's a lot. I  

420
00:51:32,000 --> 00:51:37,040
miss 80s barbecue. Maybe think of 80s barbecue. 
Remember the smoke would come out. AD would come  

421
00:51:37,040 --> 00:51:44,560
out and he'd be like, "All right, [laughter] 
now it's like Yeah. I mean, things that I miss,  

422
00:51:44,560 --> 00:51:49,680
you know, Club Spin. Yes. always trying to I 
used to hang out at Club Spin when I 30 years  

423
00:51:49,680 --> 00:51:56,320
ago. [laughter] I'm only I was going to say I'm 
only old enough for bananas, guys. That's right.  

424
00:51:56,320 --> 00:52:04,560
Yeah. Hang out there, too. Yeah. Okay. So, um we 
do have um public hearings and vote on ordinance  

425
00:52:04,560 --> 00:52:09,360
of resolutions. We have a first reading, couple 
of first readings here, uh to amend chapter 7  

426
00:52:09,360 --> 00:52:15,680
or chapter 10, zoning ordinances, article 2, 
administration and enforcement section 10.234.  

427
00:52:15,680 --> 00:52:21,680
234 Procedures for variances, special exemptions 
and appeals from decisions of the code official.  

428
00:52:21,680 --> 00:52:32,240
Section 10.246 expiration and abandonment of 
approvals and section 10.1017- or70 expiration  

429
00:52:32,240 --> 00:52:38,000
and extension. Move to pass first reading 
and schedule a public hearing and second  

430
00:52:38,000 --> 00:52:50,560
reading for September 14th, 2026. Second. Any 
further discussion or any discussion on this?

431
00:52:50,560 --> 00:52:57,120
Maro, a lot of the um administrative changes 
that we're making to this really have to do  

432
00:52:57,120 --> 00:53:03,520
with trying to line certain things up and it's 
really more of a cleanup than anything else. So,  

433
00:53:03,520 --> 00:53:10,240
we're not making any major changes. What I'm 
trying to get at Okay, we'll take your word  

434
00:53:10,240 --> 00:53:15,840
for it and we'll have a public hearing. Uh, 
council. All right. Um, all right. So, again,  

435
00:53:15,840 --> 00:53:22,080
first reading. This will pass. Uh, we'll schedule 
uh uh second reading at the next uh city council  

436
00:53:22,080 --> 00:53:31,280
meeting. All in favor? I. Any opposed? Next, uh we 
have first reading amendment amending chapter 7,  

437
00:53:31,280 --> 00:53:38,960
vehicles, traffic, and parking article 3 traffic 
ordinances section 7.330A. No parking in section  

438
00:53:38,960 --> 00:53:45,440
7.336A. one-way streets. Your honor, I move to 
pass first reading, schedule a public hearing, and  

439
00:53:45,440 --> 00:53:51,600
second reading of the September 14th, 2026 city 
council meeting regarding amendment to chapter 7  

440
00:53:51,600 --> 00:53:57,200
vehicles, traffic, and parking. Article 3, traffic 
ordinance section 7.330A, no parking, which will  

441
00:53:57,200 --> 00:54:03,440
move parking spaces from the west to east side 
of Flee Street as presented. Second. And thank  

442
00:54:03,440 --> 00:54:10,960
you. We got to talk we vote and then Yeah. So, um, 
I could speak to it briefly if Yeah, I have some  

443
00:54:10,960 --> 00:54:15,520
questions. So, councelor Hopkins Thunder, but 
essentially there's a lot of things happening  

444
00:54:15,520 --> 00:54:20,640
on Fleet Street and in order to make them happen, 
it makes a lot more sense to have the parking on  

445
00:54:20,640 --> 00:54:26,160
the opposite side of the street of where it is 
now. So, we're taking parking from the I don't  

446
00:54:26,160 --> 00:54:31,120
know if it's north or south. Where the parking is 
now will now be on the other side of the street.  

447
00:54:31,840 --> 00:54:37,040
And there's a bunch of reasons why that makes 
sense after all the reconfiguration of Fleet  

448
00:54:37,040 --> 00:54:44,480
Street is done. And I think we can get into that 
a little bit with the the oneway section. Okay.  

449
00:54:44,480 --> 00:54:51,680
Um are there any other questions? again. No, 
I'll I'll just say that um these fleet street  

450
00:54:51,680 --> 00:54:57,520
design changes um have been run through parking 
traffic and safety and the bike ped committee  

451
00:54:57,520 --> 00:55:05,680
and both are in favor of this because it's going 
to create a more um welcoming and amendable um  

452
00:55:05,680 --> 00:55:12,960
biking and walking uh ecosystem on there. So in 
order to do that to improve safety for bikers and  

453
00:55:12,960 --> 00:55:22,320
um we need to move parking to the other side 
and that's the reason and it has support.

454
00:55:22,320 --> 00:55:30,080
So in those I guess the the only question that I 
have and it's maybe being um sensitive on uh the  

455
00:55:30,080 --> 00:55:38,480
topic here on parking uh have we we used to um 
there used to be outdoor dining on that street  

456
00:55:38,480 --> 00:55:43,680
in Fleet Street and then we said that that's not 
allowed because of the space and construction and  

457
00:55:43,680 --> 00:55:49,120
so I'm just wondering if these restaurants would 
have I mean they won't be able to have outdoor  

458
00:55:49,120 --> 00:55:53,600
dining there if we move the cars to the other 
side or the park cars the other side of the  

459
00:55:53,600 --> 00:56:01,120
street. And I'm wondering, you know, if we had 
factored in for the times which they are actually  

460
00:56:01,120 --> 00:56:06,880
um if they were to use that outdoor dining um 
option to get walkability if that would have  

461
00:56:06,880 --> 00:56:13,920
incurred the same sort of danger and require it 
to move over to the other side of the street. I  

462
00:56:13,920 --> 00:56:20,800
Yes. So the primary reason for moving the parking 
to the other side of the street is that with the  

463
00:56:20,800 --> 00:56:27,360
one way design to have a contraflow bike lane. Um 
what we would be asking if parking remained where  

464
00:56:27,360 --> 00:56:34,400
it was was for people to park to go through the 
bike lane to park their car which is suboptimal  

465
00:56:34,400 --> 00:56:41,440
at best. Um I'm not sure if you know there is 
sidewalk widening in this project too and I'm  

466
00:56:41,440 --> 00:56:47,360
not sure where that stands with you know outdoor 
dining and sidewalks. I don't know what those  

467
00:56:47,360 --> 00:56:55,280
rules and such are, but the sidewalk is going to 
be significantly widened in this spot. Um, and but  

468
00:56:55,280 --> 00:57:01,440
yeah, I I don't think that has been in and all the 
times I've heard this explicitly brought up about  

469
00:57:01,440 --> 00:57:09,440
um outdoor dining in the street. So, that's a 
great question. Uh, councelor Beley. Yeah, thanks,  

470
00:57:09,440 --> 00:57:15,760
Mayor. Um, I see Eric Eie is here and he's quite 
knowledgeable on Fleet Street. Um I wasn't at  

471
00:57:15,760 --> 00:57:21,680
the meeting where we improved the contraflow bike 
by grain. Um so I made sure I don't think we Oh,  

472
00:57:21,680 --> 00:57:24,880
at the PTS meeting. No, the council meeting, 
didn't we talk about it? We talked about it  

473
00:57:24,880 --> 00:57:30,160
and we asked to this would be the meeting. So So 
then second reading I w and this will tie into  

474
00:57:30,160 --> 00:57:32,560
everything. I was going to wait for the second 
motion, but I think maybe now is the right time  

475
00:57:32,560 --> 00:57:38,880
to bring it up. I was generally opposed to the 
idea and the reason is it's a very short section  

476
00:57:38,880 --> 00:57:46,480
of town and it doesn't fundamentally serve a major 
bicycle purpose in my my opinion and having lived  

477
00:57:46,480 --> 00:57:52,400
through the middle street bike lanes my concern 
is for two blocks of bike lane we may create a  

478
00:57:52,400 --> 00:57:58,640
public backlash I don't know if we will but we 
might however when I watched the PTS meeting  

479
00:57:58,640 --> 00:58:07,440
um Erica who's great expertise in uh all things 
parking. She had a concern about the 18 foot  

480
00:58:07,440 --> 00:58:12,800
uh travel lane, which I think, and this is where 
I'm hoping Eric Eie will be helpful, um is kind  

481
00:58:12,800 --> 00:58:16,560
of a requirement of the fire department because 
they got to be able to get the ladder trucks to do  

482
00:58:16,560 --> 00:58:21,440
ladder truck things to the tall buildings there if 
there's ever a fire. Um that's the technical term,  

483
00:58:21,440 --> 00:58:29,280
ladder truck things. So my concern is I don't 
want to have an 18 foot wide one way road because  

484
00:58:29,280 --> 00:58:34,400
people will continuously try to turn down it the 
wrong way. I agree with Eric Oanic on that. Like  

485
00:58:34,400 --> 00:58:40,320
if we don't have something there that makes it 
hard for you to go the wrong way in the one way,  

486
00:58:40,320 --> 00:58:44,800
it's going to be a problem because of the with 
the lane. However, I think there's a lot more  

487
00:58:44,800 --> 00:58:50,400
public benefit to some kind of bumped out sidewalk 
that could potentially allow for outdoor dining  

488
00:58:50,400 --> 00:58:56,160
or something like that than a contraflow bike 
lane. What I'm unaware of is there a way to do  

489
00:58:56,160 --> 00:59:02,320
that and still meet fire department requirements. 
And and the the thought process I have would be  

490
00:59:02,320 --> 00:59:09,120
um the sidewalks on Chestnut Street. So Chestnut 
Street is I forget the technical term, but it  

491
00:59:09,120 --> 00:59:15,440
doesn't have curbs. It has kind of like shared 
street or a lunar. Yeah. It has a a colored gel  

492
00:59:15,440 --> 00:59:20,880
nation of where the sidewalk is. And the reason 
it works there is it's relatively low traffic.  

493
00:59:20,880 --> 00:59:28,480
I think Fleet Street's going to be relatively low 
traffic with the oneway configuration. Um so those  

494
00:59:28,480 --> 00:59:33,760
are my thoughts, but I do worry about the the 
fallout when the public sees the contraflow lane.  

495
00:59:33,760 --> 00:59:37,680
there's going to be a lot of push back and having 
lived through the middle street bike lanes,  

496
00:59:37,680 --> 00:59:47,280
I don't know if the the benefit is worth the the 
push back. Well, to Okay, councelor Hopkins. Well,  

497
00:59:47,280 --> 00:59:54,000
I would just ask um because I Eric, I believe 
we have that data on bike usage on fleek street.  

498
00:59:54,000 --> 00:59:59,200
So if that would help inform decisions um 
would you please share some of the data on  

499
00:59:59,200 --> 01:00:05,760
numbers and perhaps also you know because 
yes a change is going to be difficult  

500
01:00:05,760 --> 01:00:11,040
um to change habits on people driving the wrong 
way on on Fleet Street. So at PTS you know we've  

501
01:00:11,040 --> 01:00:16,000
discussed putting up you know a barrier a 
temporary barrier to really like show people  

502
01:00:16,000 --> 01:00:22,400
no you may not enter here. Um but I'll let I 
would ask Eric to speak more to those things.  

503
01:00:23,520 --> 01:00:26,880
We certainly can. Um, this is first 
reading though, so we can have it as  

504
01:00:26,880 --> 01:00:35,040
a presentation. But Eric, why don't you inform 
us if you can on this uh right now? Certainly.

505
01:00:35,040 --> 01:00:40,240
Yes. Um, prior to our PTS meeting, we put a 
a traffic camera out on Fleet Street, which  

506
01:00:40,240 --> 01:00:48,160
recorded all activity on the street. uh it was a 
two-week period in July and what we saw on average  

507
01:00:48,160 --> 01:00:55,280
was about uh two bicycles an hour going that way 
down uh Fleet Street from Hanover to Congress. The  

508
01:00:55,280 --> 01:01:00,880
most the highest usage we saw was nine bicycles 
in one hour and the highest usage in one day was  

509
01:01:00,880 --> 01:01:07,280
50 bicycles. So on average about 25 bikes a day 
going from handover to Congress in that direction  

510
01:01:07,280 --> 01:01:14,480
on Fleet Street. So is that just for context? 
How many cars were there? Uh peak hour on Fleet  

511
01:01:14,480 --> 01:01:20,640
Street, there's 100 cars in each direction. 200 
cars total on Fleet Street. Okay. Um and then for  

512
01:01:20,640 --> 01:01:30,320
other parts of the city, is that comparable, high, 
low for bikes? I I it's it's probably low. I mean,  

513
01:01:30,320 --> 01:01:35,840
compared, it's depends on what street you pick. 
I mean, it middle street gets it gets more usage  

514
01:01:35,840 --> 01:01:43,360
than that. Um, you know, we don't have bike counts 
on every street, but it it's it's low for vehicle  

515
01:01:43,360 --> 01:01:50,560
counts. I know that. Okay. Thank you, Eric. Other 
questions for Eric or comments? Councelor Cook.  

516
01:01:50,560 --> 01:01:56,400
Uh, thank you, your honor. Um, as someone who 
uses Fleet Street as my cross town um street  

517
01:01:56,400 --> 01:02:00,720
because when you live in the south end, there's 
not an easy way around downtown. You either go to  

518
01:02:00,720 --> 01:02:05,760
one end or the other, but Fleet Street provides 
that cross town back and forth. I think that's  

519
01:02:05,760 --> 01:02:11,840
going to be the biggest challenge for people is 
that suddenly they can't go back across town from  

520
01:02:11,840 --> 01:02:20,000
handover. Um you can't get to to the south end or 
to the library or to town hall coming across fleet  

521
01:02:20,000 --> 01:02:25,040
that right way. In fact, you have to go um to 
the end of the street and go around and you have  

522
01:02:25,040 --> 01:02:29,280
to loop around which sometimes takes a little bit 
longer. So I think that's going to be the biggest  

523
01:02:29,280 --> 01:02:35,520
adjustment. But I personally, as somebody who 
uses Fleet Street both ways a lot, thinks I think  

524
01:02:35,520 --> 01:02:42,080
it's worth it. And I think the change is worth it 
because we need the wider sidewalks in this space.  

525
01:02:42,080 --> 01:02:49,920
And so I look at it as we're we're gaining a huge 
benefit um on fleet by having that expansion of  

526
01:02:49,920 --> 01:02:55,520
sidewalks. Um, we're not just gaining larger 
sidewalks, we're graing gaining some greenery,  

527
01:02:55,520 --> 01:03:02,960
some potentially some trees, I'm hoping, uh, in 
this space. Um, but I think that the bike lane is  

528
01:03:02,960 --> 01:03:10,000
also important for bike traffic. And the cars have 
other routes that are really easy to access around  

529
01:03:10,000 --> 01:03:16,320
town, even though it can be frustrating to have to 
go around. Um, we don't have a good access point  

530
01:03:16,320 --> 01:03:28,480
for bicycles where they're not in the flow of 
traffic. So this provides that access to Congress.

531
01:03:28,480 --> 01:03:35,280
Thank you, Councelor Cook. Um I guess the and I 
the idea of not doing something because of push  

532
01:03:35,280 --> 01:03:43,280
back. Um is a is a fair one. Uh I think it's more 
if I just refine that a little bit. It's somewhat  

533
01:03:43,280 --> 01:03:48,080
difficult sometimes when we do things and this is 
going to be a huge change. Like the Fleet Street  

534
01:03:48,080 --> 01:03:55,520
change is going to be monumental uh for folks and 
when we do it, it's going to be um it's going to  

535
01:03:55,520 --> 01:04:00,880
be immense. Um and it's and we'll we'll we'll go 
through and we'll find through the public hearing  

536
01:04:00,880 --> 01:04:05,200
process. Um and it's likely based on what we've 
seen, especially the changes on Congress Street,  

537
01:04:05,200 --> 01:04:09,760
it will make more sense long term. don't think 
it's going to be up there, you know, in changes  

538
01:04:09,760 --> 01:04:14,080
of like market square, but you know, it will make 
more sense, you know, long term and it's been  

539
01:04:14,080 --> 01:04:19,520
fully vetted and a lot of input over the years 
has put into that. The only thing on the bike lane  

540
01:04:19,520 --> 01:04:27,600
and I would just ask folks to to think about this 
and for for us, you know, for uh people that are,  

541
01:04:27,600 --> 01:04:34,640
you know, part of Saber to come and speak to um or 
others uh is what is it connecting it to? because  

542
01:04:34,640 --> 01:04:44,160
the big takeaway that I found in the middle street 
bike lane uh part of my life um was that there  

543
01:04:44,160 --> 01:04:51,200
wasn't enough people outside of people that wanted 
to speak for kind of bicycling in general to come  

544
01:04:51,200 --> 01:04:56,880
and speak and say this is something that I use 
on a daily basis and if you take it away it will  

545
01:04:56,880 --> 01:05:02,720
impact me x. It was more or less we have to invest 
in bike infrastructure and I always think the best  

546
01:05:02,720 --> 01:05:10,320
way to do that is to connect two neighborhoods 
or two parts of town completely fully before  

547
01:05:10,320 --> 01:05:15,920
um you know so that people will actually miss 
if it's taken away and not just bike enthusiasts  

548
01:05:15,920 --> 01:05:20,400
which I certainly love and respect their efforts 
to push Portsouth in a direction that will make  

549
01:05:20,400 --> 01:05:25,760
biking easier but we need more than those people 
to show up. we need the people that are going to  

550
01:05:25,760 --> 01:05:32,800
be negatively impacted if we don't actually move 
the bike lane. So, you know, I'll support this in  

551
01:05:32,800 --> 01:05:39,200
terms of, you know, the first reading. I really 
think the counterflow um you know conversation is  

552
01:05:39,200 --> 01:05:45,360
going to be one that will have more push back and 
it runs the risk of being tied up into a you know  

553
01:05:45,360 --> 01:05:52,240
a person that will watch none of these meetings 
will say that we closed off the street so that  

554
01:05:52,240 --> 01:06:00,160
we can do a reverse bike lane on the other side of 
the street. And that's not the the actual answer,  

555
01:06:00,160 --> 01:06:07,120
but that's what this change will end up having um 
in people's minds because they can't, you know,  

556
01:06:07,120 --> 01:06:12,480
it's difficult to, you know, be as intentive 
as as as we're forced to be and they'll just  

557
01:06:12,480 --> 01:06:17,840
kind of look at it. Um so that's one. And I guess 
the other point, you know, we've changed parking  

558
01:06:17,840 --> 01:06:21,760
on the other side. Like we've never made parking 
decisions or traffic decisions based on outdoor  

559
01:06:21,760 --> 01:06:26,720
dining. We're not going to start now, but we have 
had in the past uh moved uh parking to the other  

560
01:06:26,720 --> 01:06:33,280
side of the street if um I think on Masimo's which 
uh or series um where it made sense we just took  

561
01:06:33,280 --> 01:06:37,120
away parking from one side and moved it to the 
other. So, it's something that we could bring back  

562
01:06:37,120 --> 01:06:43,440
here if there was a desire. Uh but I do just have 
some concerns on the counterflow only because it  

563
01:06:43,440 --> 01:06:50,640
um it's it doesn't necessarily connect two points 
as well as as maybe it could. Uh I'll go councelor  

564
01:06:50,640 --> 01:06:57,200
Hopkins and then councelor Um I I would say 
that you know the counterfloor bike lane has  

565
01:06:57,200 --> 01:07:02,880
been identified as a connector through downtown 
somewhat um how councelor Cook was talking. So it  

566
01:07:02,880 --> 01:07:08,800
is because it is a quieter street. It's a smaller 
street. Um so to the bike community what I've  

567
01:07:08,800 --> 01:07:14,240
heard through the bike and pedestrian committee 
is that the this is a connector from one side  

568
01:07:14,240 --> 01:07:20,400
of town to the other. The other thing I'll say 
too is, you know, if if we make it one way and  

569
01:07:20,400 --> 01:07:28,560
we're worried about um the wide street inviting 
folks to come down the wrong way, um a bike lane  

570
01:07:28,560 --> 01:07:35,120
with not just a single, you know, regular like 
two stripes, but you can make like a one to two  

571
01:07:35,120 --> 01:07:42,000
foot like stripe with cross across really to um 
it's it's a certain pavement treatment that you  

572
01:07:42,000 --> 01:07:48,320
can do that really like delineates this is a bike 
lane and this is the travel lane. Um those are  

573
01:07:48,320 --> 01:07:54,800
ways where you can not restrict pavement space 
so that fire trucks can still operate but still  

574
01:07:54,800 --> 01:08:05,200
create visual you know awareness of this is one 
way and the bikes go here. Um parking again I just  

575
01:08:05,200 --> 01:08:11,680
having parking on the other side of a bike lane 
makes no sense to me. Um, and the other thing too  

576
01:08:11,680 --> 01:08:18,560
that I would push back on the um, hypothetical 
of we're always going to hear negative opinions.  

577
01:08:18,560 --> 01:08:25,120
I'm not saying that we won't, but if part of 
our commitment to the climate action plan,  

578
01:08:25,120 --> 01:08:29,520
our commitment to multimmodal, our commitment to 
decrease parking means that we are going to make  

579
01:08:29,520 --> 01:08:35,920
changes to improve bike infrastructure. I think 
they need to be visible as part of this plan.  

580
01:08:35,920 --> 01:08:42,880
um on Congress Street, bikes will have their own 
separate um traffic light. So again, it there's a  

581
01:08:42,880 --> 01:08:47,520
difference between and I just thought this this 
weekend I went to a memorial service where, you  

582
01:08:47,520 --> 01:08:52,960
know, we were in a church that had kids toys out 
in the back. And that to me says we expect kids  

583
01:08:52,960 --> 01:08:58,240
to come here and be in this space. When there's 
bike lanes that are s, you know, clearly marked,  

584
01:08:58,240 --> 01:09:03,840
they have their own traffic signal, we're saying 
we expect bikers to be in this downtown. And you  

585
01:09:03,840 --> 01:09:09,120
know, if we want a walkable downtown core, this 
is downtown core. So if we want something that  

586
01:09:09,120 --> 01:09:15,840
is better for bikers and walkers, we are going 
to have to shift parking and restrict cars or  

587
01:09:15,840 --> 01:09:22,560
restrict traffic flow cars to just one way um 
in order to actually take the action. You know,  

588
01:09:22,560 --> 01:09:30,800
I I just don't think that um the backlash is worth 
it on this. I wasn't here for Middle Street and  

589
01:09:30,800 --> 01:09:37,440
I think I'm I'm happy about that. But um this is 
something again that's well supported by the bike  

590
01:09:37,440 --> 01:09:42,960
and pedestrian committee who is made up of more 
than just you know gung-ho cyclists. Like my I am  

591
01:09:42,960 --> 01:09:48,480
not a gung-ho cyclist but I would want this to 
take my kid downtown to honestly to get to the  

592
01:09:48,480 --> 01:09:55,120
library. This is how personally I would come. I 
would rather do this than, you know, coming down  

593
01:09:55,120 --> 01:10:02,640
further or going through that worst intersection 
in Portsouth where it's all crosswalks. So, I am  

594
01:10:02,640 --> 01:10:07,440
thoroughly in support of this these initiatives. 
Just for the record, the worst intersection is the  

595
01:10:07,440 --> 01:10:12,880
Bartlett Bridge, uh, K Street. It's just I want 
that to be, you know, doing the best we got there.  

596
01:10:12,880 --> 01:10:19,200
Second worst. Uh, councelor Bagley. Thank you, 
J. And and you know when I talk about push back,  

597
01:10:19,200 --> 01:10:24,320
it's not I think people be mad at me. I think I do 
a pretty good job of that already without having  

598
01:10:24,320 --> 01:10:29,760
to worry about that. It's when we get push back 
on middle street bike lanes, it really retards the  

599
01:10:29,760 --> 01:10:34,720
chance to have future discussions about bike lanes 
elsewhere in the city. It's it's not we shouldn't  

600
01:10:34,720 --> 01:10:39,040
do something because of push back. It's we should 
be very thoughtful that this is the community  

601
01:10:39,040 --> 01:10:43,920
feels like they got value for the changes. So 
they're supportive of more and future changes.  

602
01:10:43,920 --> 01:10:48,240
And you know, thinking about this more, um, and 
I can't remember. I know we did the QR codes. We  

603
01:10:48,240 --> 01:10:52,000
got a lot of public comment two or three years 
ago and everything got delayed because we had  

604
01:10:52,000 --> 01:10:57,120
to do sewer pipes downstream before we could do 
this. I feel like the contra bike lane was thrown  

605
01:10:57,120 --> 01:11:01,680
in kind of in the last six months or something. 
It wasn't originally or do I have that wrong? I  

606
01:11:01,680 --> 01:11:05,600
don't remember. What we could do is add that to 
the presentation at second reading. It wasn't a  

607
01:11:05,600 --> 01:11:13,040
part of the um original proposal. It came in as a 
part of the recent conversations as a a request of  

608
01:11:13,040 --> 01:11:21,920
I believe the bike ped um working committee. And 
you know during my time on on PTS I was always  

609
01:11:21,920 --> 01:11:26,080
hesitant about a committee like that that was 
focused on one core group in the city because it  

610
01:11:26,080 --> 01:11:32,160
can sometimes drive things that have support in 
the room but not necessarily as a bad base. But  

611
01:11:32,160 --> 01:11:36,160
what stuck out to me is, and I don't know if we 
have counts on pedestrians, but we have a 100 cars  

612
01:11:36,160 --> 01:11:43,520
each way, two bikes each way per hour on average. 
We probably have a at least 100 pedestrians. And  

613
01:11:43,520 --> 01:11:49,280
we have an opportunity to make, especially if the 
the what happens to Lad Street uh actually goes  

614
01:11:49,280 --> 01:11:55,120
through, that could be a very very pedestrian 
heavy area. And to me, to be giving up sidewalk  

615
01:11:55,120 --> 01:12:00,800
space for for two bikes an hour, um, if there's 
a way we can incorporate the the really wide  

616
01:12:00,800 --> 01:12:06,320
sidewalks and the fire trucks, to me, that would 
be the highest and best use of that street. And  

617
01:12:06,320 --> 01:12:11,280
I know we're not making decisions tonight, but I 
thought it was good to get that idea out there to  

618
01:12:11,280 --> 01:12:17,840
see if it has any support. Thank councelor Bagley. 
And I, you know, I think everybody's saying or  

619
01:12:17,840 --> 01:12:23,120
reasonably the same thing. I think uh, councelor 
Flynn or councelor Hopkins makes some points.  

620
01:12:23,120 --> 01:12:28,240
uh that are certainly useful in terms of this 
is a through fair and being able to have bikes  

621
01:12:28,240 --> 01:12:33,600
on there. I think the question you know that that 
that I have and we will see on the public comment  

622
01:12:33,600 --> 01:12:39,280
at the public hearing that's why we get it um is 
to see how much uh feeling is this is a connector  

623
01:12:39,280 --> 01:12:48,160
there because the point that we and not to no scar 
tissue councelor Hopkins you are uh you know on  

624
01:12:48,160 --> 01:12:53,680
the the middle street bike lane but we ended up 
just fighting about bike lanes that you know were  

625
01:12:53,680 --> 01:12:58,800
on the other side of traffic you know that were 
like very hard to to to get to And then you know  

626
01:12:58,800 --> 01:13:03,920
we tried to make you know some modifications and 
they just made nobody happy and kind of pushed us  

627
01:13:03,920 --> 01:13:10,160
and [ __ ] that program for a while because it 
was you know such a you know the ballards just  

628
01:13:10,160 --> 01:13:16,640
became such a blowback uh issue. [snorts] So 
um we'll have the the well first we have this  

629
01:13:16,640 --> 01:13:24,160
motion here and then um we have to uh wait what is 
hold on we have first reading and then another one  

630
01:13:24,160 --> 01:13:29,120
um on this is it's not an amendment. Oh, it's two 
different ones that have the same thing. Okay.  

631
01:13:29,120 --> 01:13:34,000
That we have to do. Okay. So, the motion on the 
floor is to move the uh the parking to the other  

632
01:13:34,000 --> 01:13:41,200
side of the street as presented. And I I think I 
made the motion councelor Maro seconded it. Yep.  

633
01:13:41,200 --> 01:13:45,680
And this is for first reading to get to second 
reading to hear from the public. All in favor?  

634
01:13:45,680 --> 01:13:52,800
I. Any opposed? Second is uh second portion of 
that. Your honor, I move to pass first reading  

635
01:13:52,800 --> 01:13:57,440
and schedule a public hearing and second reading 
of the September 14th, 2026 city council meeting  

636
01:13:57,440 --> 01:14:02,000
regarding an amendment to chapter 7 vehicles 
traffic and parking article 3 traffic ordinance  

637
01:14:02,000 --> 01:14:08,400
section 7.336A oneway streets changing flea street 
to oneway from Congress Street to handover street  

638
01:14:08,400 --> 01:14:14,560
as presented. Second. And I kind of said all my 
thoughts on that on the previous one. Yep. Again,  

639
01:14:14,560 --> 01:14:18,800
this is to put it to second read or second 
reading in the public comment. All in favor?  

640
01:14:18,800 --> 01:14:24,320
I. Any opposed? All right. Public hearing 
and second reading of the annual omnib  

641
01:14:24,320 --> 01:14:30,080
omnibus ordinance amending chapter 7 vehicles 
traffic and parking article 3 traffic ordinance  

642
01:14:30,080 --> 01:14:40,960
section 7.326A limited parking 15 minutes section 
7.33A no parking in article 6 loading zone section  

643
01:14:40,960 --> 01:14:46,400
7.601 limited hours loading zone. Your honor, we 
have uh city engineer for parking, transportation,  

644
01:14:46,400 --> 01:14:52,480
and planning, Eric Eie, who has a couple of slides 
to walk through. Thank you. Uh yes. Um Mr. Mayor,  

645
01:14:52,480 --> 01:14:57,520
city councilors, this is the annual omnibus which 
covers the changes made by parking traffic safety  

646
01:14:57,520 --> 01:15:03,040
committee over the past year that affects uh 
ordinances in chapter 7. We have three of them  

647
01:15:03,040 --> 01:15:11,280
tonight. Uh the first one is on uh 15minute 
parking spaces and that is on Daniel Street.  

648
01:15:11,280 --> 01:15:18,400
And these are the two spaces in front of Moe's uh 
sub shop. And what happened was those two spaces  

649
01:15:18,400 --> 01:15:23,120
were put into place and the three existing spaces 
on the other side of Daniel Street were returned  

650
01:15:23,120 --> 01:15:30,640
to uh regular zone A parking spaces. And this 
change was actually implemented back in 22 to 23,  

651
01:15:30,640 --> 01:15:35,680
but didn't make it into the omnibus until then. 
And so we're just we brought it back to the PTS  

652
01:15:35,680 --> 01:15:39,920
this year for reapproval so that we can get it 
onto the omnibus now. But these spaces have been  

653
01:15:39,920 --> 01:15:48,400
in place for uh at least three years now. So it's 
been well tried and and successful. Uh the second  

654
01:15:48,400 --> 01:15:54,240
slide shows the uh parking space on Middle 
Street that was removed at the intersection  

655
01:15:54,240 --> 01:15:59,840
of C Street. This was to open up sight lines at 
the intersection of Cass and Middle for vehicles  

656
01:15:59,840 --> 01:16:06,000
pulling out of Cast Street. The original request 
from some residents was to remove, you know, two,  

657
01:16:06,000 --> 01:16:12,080
three spaces on at this location. PTS approved 
the removal of one space that was approved back  

658
01:16:12,080 --> 01:16:17,440
in October of 24, but it it didn't get in 
place until 25. And part of the condition  

659
01:16:17,440 --> 01:16:22,400
was to monitor it to see how it went. And that 
brought us past the omnibus for last year. So,  

660
01:16:22,400 --> 01:16:27,120
it was reapproved again for another one-year 
trial. And that's why it's on the omnibus now,  

661
01:16:27,120 --> 01:16:33,680
but it's been one space has been removed now 
for uh over a year, and it's been going well.  

662
01:16:34,400 --> 01:16:43,440
And the last item is loading zones. And this one 
is on Brewster Street. This one was approved in  

663
01:16:43,440 --> 01:16:49,120
May of 2025. However, at the time, the Islington 
Street project was still under construction. So,  

664
01:16:49,120 --> 01:16:54,080
we weren't able to stripe it or put the 
uh loading zone sign in place until after  

665
01:16:54,080 --> 01:16:59,440
the omnibus deadline had passed for last 
year. So, we brought it back to PTS again.  

666
01:16:59,440 --> 01:17:05,760
They reapproved [snorts] it in October and it's 
back now for approval. This was requested by the  

667
01:17:05,760 --> 01:17:11,920
restaurants there at the corner. It allows a 
parking space next to um closest to Islington  

668
01:17:11,920 --> 01:17:16,400
and then a loading zone after that. And what it 
did was change the hours of the loading zone so  

669
01:17:16,400 --> 01:17:22,080
it would be more available to their uh customers 
of the restaurants during hours. And so it's been  

670
01:17:22,080 --> 01:17:27,120
working out well for them. It's been uh the sign 
has been in place and it's going to be restriped  

671
01:17:27,120 --> 01:17:37,440
again. So these these actions have all been 
in place now for upwards of a year at least.

672
01:17:37,440 --> 01:17:42,320
Your honor, I move to pass second reading of 
annual omnibus ordinance amending chapter 7  

673
01:17:42,320 --> 01:17:50,400
vehicles traffic and parking article 3 traffic 
ordinance section 7.326A limited parking 15  

674
01:17:50,400 --> 01:18:01,600
minutes. Section 7.330A, no parking, and 
article 6, loading zones. Section 7.601,  

675
01:18:01,600 --> 01:18:06,560
limited hours loading zone, and schedule 
the third reading at September 14th, 2026,  

676
01:18:06,560 --> 01:18:13,120
city council meeting. I second that, 
but we need a public hearing. Yeah,  

677
01:18:13,120 --> 01:18:20,240
we'll have a public hearing. Yeah. Uh but we can 
have questions uh of Eric before the uh the public  

678
01:18:20,240 --> 01:18:26,720
hearing as well since I don't see maybe um but go 
ahead councelor Cook. Uh thank you your honor. Um  

679
01:18:26,720 --> 01:18:32,640
has there been any anyone come in and ask for 
additional um spaces now to be removed um at  

680
01:18:32,640 --> 01:18:37,360
that intersection of Cass and Middle. I know 
that the visibility is not ideal there. No,  

681
01:18:37,360 --> 01:18:43,440
but uh yes, there was someone at PTS last uh 
month meeting. They they've concerns about  

682
01:18:43,440 --> 01:18:47,920
the intersection of Cass and Chevrolet at 
Louisville as well as Middle Cass. You know,  

683
01:18:47,920 --> 01:18:52,720
it's unless you take a lot away a lot of parking 
spaces there, you're not going to have full sight  

684
01:18:52,720 --> 01:18:57,360
lines that you you should have. But we tried 
they the committee tried to reach a compromise  

685
01:18:57,360 --> 01:19:02,400
to remove one's parking space to improve it. And 
we did monitor it with cameras afterwards and saw  

686
01:19:02,400 --> 01:19:07,280
that it was working better where vehicles didn't 
have to pull way out into, you know, traffic to  

687
01:19:07,280 --> 01:19:13,360
see what was coming. They were able to stay back 
a little bit further. Thank you. Um, and I just  

688
01:19:13,360 --> 01:19:19,200
wanted to note this Brewster Street um, loading 
zone is important and it's one of the areas that  

689
01:19:19,200 --> 01:19:26,640
I think has become a little more challenging with 
the wrap um, with people trying to park there.

690
01:19:26,640 --> 01:19:30,400
Councelor Begley, thanks. 
And just just a note on Cass,  

691
01:19:30,400 --> 01:19:33,680
we would have it would have been nice if we 
could have gotten one more space removed,  

692
01:19:33,680 --> 01:19:39,760
but like anything else, we compromised. Uh, but 
what's really nice is when they repaved middle,  

693
01:19:39,760 --> 01:19:43,760
there's now like a bumpout that prevents you 
from parking. And that that parking space  

694
01:19:43,760 --> 01:19:48,320
that's no longer there was the one that caused 
I think the the dangerous intersection by far.  

695
01:19:48,320 --> 01:19:54,080
And now that you physically can't park there, I 
think we're going to have pretty good compliance.

696
01:19:54,080 --> 01:19:59,920
Thank you, Councelor Bagley. Um, Eric, just had a 
quick question on this just on the one that's the  

697
01:19:59,920 --> 01:20:04,800
15 minute. I know we've already done that. Um, 
but we made I mean that it's it's been there.  

698
01:20:04,800 --> 01:20:12,240
Um but there was some there was a space or two 
that was leading up to the crosswalk there. Uh  

699
01:20:12,240 --> 01:20:19,760
that was deleted. Um did we already pass that? 
Does this have to was that's separate from this.  

700
01:20:19,760 --> 01:20:24,800
I'm not sure where exactly what if you have that. 
Sorry. Yeah. Daniel coming into Market Square. Um  

701
01:20:24,800 --> 01:20:31,200
there used to be a parking spot just above like 
well um there there's a parking spot ahead of  

702
01:20:31,200 --> 01:20:37,840
the the crosswalk and then it's removed as a no 
parking zone. I'm just curious on if that was  

703
01:20:37,840 --> 01:20:41,760
is this on you Daniel heading into market. It's 
on the left side of the road. Yeah. Yeah. There  

704
01:20:41,760 --> 01:20:46,560
there had been 15inute spaces there. There was a 
alleyway as well where there was no parking and  

705
01:20:46,560 --> 01:20:51,280
a temporary crosswalk during construction. No, 
I'm actually talking about just right in front  

706
01:20:51,280 --> 01:20:58,720
of Npalitano. Um, right. You know, um, right 
there. So, nope. Um, sorry. Right there. Yeah,  

707
01:20:58,720 --> 01:21:04,800
that one. Again, I thought this was all in the 
same time horizon. I'm just wondering why that's  

708
01:21:04,800 --> 01:21:11,440
uh where we uh where we deleted that one because 
it does seem, you know, it's like 25 ft from the  

709
01:21:11,440 --> 01:21:17,360
crosswalk and I'm just wondering um is that 
something that I don't I don't recall that  

710
01:21:17,360 --> 01:21:21,920
coming to the vote and I thought this was on 
the same one to put that in the omnibus. So,  

711
01:21:21,920 --> 01:21:27,200
I'm just curious if that's something you can speak 
to. Yeah, I I don't recall that unless it was one  

712
01:21:27,200 --> 01:21:31,440
that was removed because it was too close to 
the crosswalk. If you park, you know, you're  

713
01:21:31,440 --> 01:21:35,040
not supposed to park right up to the edge of a 
crosswalk. You have to give it at least 20 feet,  

714
01:21:35,040 --> 01:21:41,040
30 feet at a stop sign. That may have been why it 
was removed. I I don't recall it coming to PTS for  

715
01:21:41,040 --> 01:21:50,720
approval of that. Yeah. Okay. Um, are you I guess 
we can look into that and and report back, but I I  

716
01:21:50,720 --> 01:21:57,920
don't recall removing that parking space as a as 
a measure. Well, we did remove it. Um, you know,  

717
01:21:57,920 --> 01:22:02,320
I do remember because you can still like on Google 
Maps, you can still see where the line was before.  

718
01:22:02,320 --> 01:22:07,760
Yeah. Um, I know we did shift things around 
that alleyway between the brick market where you  

719
01:22:07,760 --> 01:22:12,560
can see the gap there in front of those colored 
spaces. That is now a parking space. So, we did  

720
01:22:12,560 --> 01:22:17,840
shift things around in order to get more parking 
in that area. That that gap doesn't exist anymore.  

721
01:22:17,840 --> 01:22:26,080
There is parking space there. So, okay. U maybe 
just a just a a flag. Um this doesn't affect that,  

722
01:22:26,080 --> 01:22:32,960
but would love to know if we can put that parking 
space uh back in there. Um and what the is it it  

723
01:22:32,960 --> 01:22:38,880
seems like there's room to the to the crosswalk. 
Uh maybe not the or just the actual crosswalk,  

724
01:22:38,880 --> 01:22:43,280
not the white line that's before the crosswalk, 
but the actual crosswalk. Councelor Bagley,  

725
01:22:43,280 --> 01:22:47,200
do you remember that one? No. But I remember 
walking downtown like a week ago and be like,  

726
01:22:47,200 --> 01:22:52,160
"Oh, it looks like we lost a space." But it could 
be that when we gained more spaces further down,  

727
01:22:52,160 --> 01:22:57,520
we just didn't we had like an orphan chunk of land 
and what used to be big enough isn't anymore for  

728
01:22:57,520 --> 01:23:02,160
a space in that particular location. But I thought 
it might be a good time. Um, we've gotten a number  

729
01:23:02,160 --> 01:23:07,120
of emails and a number of uh I think we even 
got like a letter from a downtown worker who  

730
01:23:07,120 --> 01:23:14,160
lives elsewhere that is convinced that we can gain 
back like 250 parking spaces downtown by not um  

731
01:23:14,160 --> 01:23:19,920
listening to setbacks. And if you walk downtown on 
State Street or Court Street or Pleasant, you'll  

732
01:23:19,920 --> 01:23:24,960
see that the parking spaces often time go very 
close to the intersection or the stop sign because  

733
01:23:24,960 --> 01:23:31,440
we've looked so the the 20 foot rule and the 15 
rolls foot rules are kind of general guidelines  

734
01:23:31,440 --> 01:23:40,560
for the city. Um but in parking intensive areas 
where the speeds are quite slow, um we can kind of  

735
01:23:40,560 --> 01:23:47,360
adjust accordingly or we haven't taken away those 
parking spots proactively. But the the letter  

736
01:23:47,360 --> 01:23:51,120
isn't really factually correct in the sense that 
a lot of those intersections we go right up to  

737
01:23:51,120 --> 01:23:56,880
the or very close to the intersection with parking 
in a way that we wouldn't if it was like a a more  

738
01:23:56,880 --> 01:24:01,920
rural non-down street. And I didn't know if you 
could speak to that, Eric, or about how we look at  

739
01:24:01,920 --> 01:24:06,480
some intersections in the city very individually, 
but then we have a general rule for everywhere  

740
01:24:06,480 --> 01:24:11,040
else. Yeah. Well, there is state law and city 
ordinance that when you're at an intersection  

741
01:24:11,040 --> 01:24:16,400
with a stop sign, you must be 30 feet back from 
the stop line at that intersection to provide room  

742
01:24:16,400 --> 01:24:21,520
for turning movements. And when there's not an 
stop sign, you must be 20 feet from the crosswalk  

743
01:24:21,520 --> 01:24:26,480
at an intersection. And that 20 feet, you know, if 
there's no crosswalk, then it's measured from the  

744
01:24:26,480 --> 01:24:31,200
curb line of the existing the side street. So when 
you have a radius involved, sometimes it can look  

745
01:24:31,200 --> 01:24:35,440
like you're closer to that side street than you 
really are. But it's always a minimum of 20 feet  

746
01:24:35,440 --> 01:24:41,520
that we must stay back from an intersection. And 
and I think that that letter that we received was  

747
01:24:41,520 --> 01:24:46,800
asking us to allow parking within that 20 foot 
area because 20 feet is the length of a a car,  

748
01:24:46,800 --> 01:24:52,080
you know, on average. Is there anything that 
prevents us from like what is the what's the  

749
01:24:52,080 --> 01:25:00,640
governing authority on uh making a change and put 
cars before 20 ft? It's well the primary reason is  

750
01:25:00,640 --> 01:25:04,160
for safety because when you park so close to 
an intersection then you can't see it blocks  

751
01:25:04,160 --> 01:25:09,600
your sightelines coming out of the side street 
and so that's why the reason for the state law  

752
01:25:09,600 --> 01:25:15,760
and the city ordinance prohibiting parking within 
20 feet. So it's a state law. State law. Yep. 20  

753
01:25:15,760 --> 01:25:22,880
and and 30 at a stop sign and as well as the city 
ordinance for 20. Okay. I guess just the um the  

754
01:25:22,880 --> 01:25:28,960
areas of which it's rather congested and folks go, 
you know, somewhat slower. It'd be nice to know  

755
01:25:28,960 --> 01:25:32,960
um you know where those are or if that law has 
changed because I'm looking at the space that I  

756
01:25:32,960 --> 01:25:38,960
was mentioning earlier and it was there was no it 
wasn't moved back at all. It was simply the line.  

757
01:25:38,960 --> 01:25:45,040
It used to go up and then diagonal and now it just 
kind of just start the diagonal of the no parking  

758
01:25:45,040 --> 01:25:50,160
starts faster. So, I'd be interested to know if 
that was something that we had had previously that  

759
01:25:50,160 --> 01:25:54,160
didn't comply with state law because I imagine 
there's some parts of her town that don't comply  

760
01:25:54,160 --> 01:25:59,920
with state law because they're older than the 
state law, you know, that well, they're before  

761
01:25:59,920 --> 01:26:04,400
the cars uh with errors and the streets were 
built. So it would be good to know about any of  

762
01:26:04,400 --> 01:26:09,600
those areas where we could ask for dispensation 
from the state to and is that a process that we  

763
01:26:09,600 --> 01:26:14,400
can you know because I know we have speed limits 
that are lower than 25 miles an hour and we have  

764
01:26:14,400 --> 01:26:22,320
to ask to do that. So if there's you know any way 
that we could um uh put a report together to see  

765
01:26:22,320 --> 01:26:26,160
if we could add parking request a waiver of the 
state there. Is that a process that we could go  

766
01:26:26,160 --> 01:26:30,960
through for additional parking? Uh I I don't think 
you really have to ask permission from the state.  

767
01:26:30,960 --> 01:26:36,400
It's more of a uh you know it's a safety feature 
is why parking is prohibited from an intersection.  

768
01:26:36,400 --> 01:26:43,200
It's if you you could you we allow parking right 
up to the edges of driveways because we don't  

769
01:26:43,200 --> 01:26:46,560
not a lot of traffic comes out of a driveway and 
they'll have to just deal with that occasionally.  

770
01:26:46,560 --> 01:26:51,040
But when you're dealing with a public street you 
want to make sure you have safe sight lines for  

771
01:26:51,040 --> 01:26:55,600
coming out of a street. Certainly and I and that's 
the reason why we're making that change on Cass  

772
01:26:55,600 --> 01:26:59,840
because there wasn't the sightelines that are 
there and we're removing parking and that makes  

773
01:26:59,840 --> 01:27:04,240
all the sense in the world. I'm just asking in 
terms of looking at the downtown given the speed  

774
01:27:04,240 --> 01:27:11,280
of which cars are traveling in the downtown if you 
know the same uh if the same alignment for Cast  

775
01:27:11,280 --> 01:27:16,320
Street and the decisions we're making there would 
have a different view when there's the cars are  

776
01:27:16,320 --> 01:27:22,160
inherently going somewhat slower because of the 
traffic uh that exists there. But um we'll take  

777
01:27:22,160 --> 01:27:28,960
that up in a separate motion or separate uh report 
back request. Oh, councelor Cook. Um thank you,  

778
01:27:28,960 --> 01:27:34,160
your honor. Um I just wanted to point out that 
this intersection on that side in particular,  

779
01:27:34,160 --> 01:27:40,000
a car that's parked there would not be blocking 
any sight line because there is not a road that  

780
01:27:40,000 --> 01:27:46,880
is approaching Daniel right there because of 
Market Square because there's a large bump out  

781
01:27:46,880 --> 01:27:55,040
there for the Market Square seating area. So you 
were at least 20 feet off um Pleasant Street there  

782
01:27:55,040 --> 01:28:01,920
on that side. So I don't I don't know I if we 
moved it because we're close to an intersection,  

783
01:28:01,920 --> 01:28:06,320
it it doesn't impact sight lines on that side 
and the intersection isn't on that side. It's  

784
01:28:06,320 --> 01:28:11,920
on the other side of the street where we do have 
a bumpout that prevents additional parking. So  

785
01:28:11,920 --> 01:28:20,000
um I think it's it's a reasonable um idea to 
look at that again and if it's feasible to add  

786
01:28:20,000 --> 01:28:25,360
that parking spot back. Yeah, because that that 20 
foot rule applies to side streets, intersections,  

787
01:28:25,360 --> 01:28:29,600
as well as crosswalks. And I think the reason 
is it's it's a crosswalk distance is why it's  

788
01:28:29,600 --> 01:28:34,000
there because when you have a cross a vehicle 
parked right up to the edge of a crosswalk and a  

789
01:28:34,000 --> 01:28:37,840
pedestrian walks out in front of that parked car, 
you're not seeing him until he's all of a sudden  

790
01:28:37,840 --> 01:28:45,360
in traffic. So, councelor Bagley, your honor, I 
might have inadvertently opened a can of worms.  

791
01:28:45,360 --> 01:28:50,640
Uh, much like the 20 m per hour speed limit that 
we have places that may not 100% be in compliance.  

792
01:28:50,640 --> 01:28:56,000
I think we may have some parking spaces downtown 
that are not 100% in compliant in compliance. So,  

793
01:28:56,000 --> 01:29:05,440
I wouldn't want to do anything to uh trigger an 
audit. I mean, it's well, I think Eric mentioned  

794
01:29:05,440 --> 01:29:10,800
that we don't have to. It's not a Is that 
something that is the I was guess unclear. Is  

795
01:29:10,800 --> 01:29:15,680
the state going to make us change any of these 
things? No, but it's a city ordinance that you  

796
01:29:15,680 --> 01:29:21,360
can't have the parking close to an intersection. 
So, you'd be going against a city ordinance if you  

797
01:29:21,360 --> 01:29:29,680
allowed parking within 20 ft of an intersection. 
Okay. Um, understandably for and but that is a  

798
01:29:29,680 --> 01:29:35,760
that's [clears throat] regardless of traffic uh 
speeds. Yes. Okay. I mean, is it possible to take  

799
01:29:35,760 --> 01:29:42,160
a look at that from a standpoint of Is there do 
we do traffic speeds have any impact on the on  

800
01:29:42,160 --> 01:29:47,920
the safety of the intersection and the requirement 
of 20 feet? Oh yes. I mean the the 20 ft is really  

801
01:29:47,920 --> 01:29:53,920
insufficient for most speeds because the actual 
sight line is is so so short. If you have a car  

802
01:29:53,920 --> 01:30:00,320
parked right up to the edge your sight lines are 
extremely limited and you know a vehicle going  

803
01:30:00,320 --> 01:30:05,520
more than a couple miles an hour you wouldn't 
be able to see them or stop to them. Okay. Uh,  

804
01:30:05,520 --> 01:30:11,600
Council Moro, just to follow up with that, let's 
keep in mind you need that 20 feet to also be able  

805
01:30:11,600 --> 01:30:16,960
to parallel park into a parking spot. So, you're 
going to be pulling into a crosswalk if you're  

806
01:30:16,960 --> 01:30:21,840
right on top of the crosswalk in order to get 
into the parking spot. Before I get anybody kind  

807
01:30:21,840 --> 01:30:27,680
of reaching out to me like you know Devil Mayare 
attitude when it comes to parking I this was just  

808
01:30:27,680 --> 01:30:33,120
a this was a parking spot that used to exist and 
then when we made the other changes that we're now  

809
01:30:33,120 --> 01:30:38,080
approving right now it went away and it's not 
on the list of things that we are uh accepting  

810
01:30:38,080 --> 01:30:42,560
as a part of the omnibus. And so I'm just trying 
to get to the bottom of where that parking spot  

811
01:30:42,560 --> 01:30:48,400
change happened and maybe it happened in another 
omnibus bill that we passed. Um, but if it didn't,  

812
01:30:48,400 --> 01:30:52,960
I just would like to know what the reasonings 
before it because it used it lived there for,  

813
01:30:52,960 --> 01:30:58,560
you know, um, well, for as long as, you know, 
I can recall and now it's not there. And so,  

814
01:30:58,560 --> 01:31:01,920
I thought it was a part of this one. It's not 
and I just want to figure out where it is. We'll  

815
01:31:01,920 --> 01:31:06,960
provide a report back. All right. You need to 
open and close a public hearing. All right. Uh,  

816
01:31:06,960 --> 01:31:12,000
opening the public hearing if anybody still wants 
to talk about uh, parking [clears throat] as it is  

817
01:31:12,000 --> 01:31:21,040
currently and not changing any of that right now. 
Um seeing no one rise, no one on Zoom, closing the  

818
01:31:21,040 --> 01:31:32,560
public hearing. Um now we will have a uh any other 
additional uh council questions. Seeing none,  

819
01:31:32,560 --> 01:31:39,520
uh all in favor? I. Any opposed? Your honor, I'd 
like to suspend the rules and pass third and final  

820
01:31:39,520 --> 01:31:50,720
reading. Second. Any discussion? All in favor? I. 
Any opposed? I forget. Do we have to do Did you  

821
01:31:50,720 --> 01:31:55,760
say to? Yeah. Now we got to do the motion. Your 
honor, I move to pass third and final reading of  

822
01:31:55,760 --> 01:32:00,560
the annual omnibus ordinance amending chapter 
7 vehicles traffic parking article 3 traffic  

823
01:32:00,560 --> 01:32:11,760
ordinance section 7.36 326A limited parking 15 
minutes. Section 7.330A no parking and article 6  

824
01:32:11,760 --> 01:32:19,520
loading zones. Section 7.601 limited hours loading 
zones with schedule 3. And pass third and final  

825
01:32:19,520 --> 01:32:31,040
reading. Second. Any further discussion? All in 
favor? I. Any opposed? All right. Next. Third and  

826
01:32:31,040 --> 01:32:37,040
final reading of ordinance amendment chapter 
12 building code section 1201 through 1209  

827
01:32:37,040 --> 01:32:42,880
by deleting and replacing the entire chapter. 
I move to pass third and final reading of the  

828
01:32:42,880 --> 01:32:52,880
amendment to chapter 12 building code section 
121 through 1209 is presented. Second second  

829
01:32:52,880 --> 01:32:58,320
uh biggest question looking at Jane did they 
accept they accepted our changes. All right happy  

830
01:32:58,320 --> 01:33:08,480
days. Happy days. All right. All in favor I. Any 
opposed? Thank you Sean. You can turn us off now.  

831
01:33:08,480 --> 01:33:14,800
All right. Uh public hearing continued from August 
3rd, 2026 needing to set parking fees for on  

832
01:33:14,800 --> 01:33:20,160
street and lot parking for FY27, $3 per hour for 
the first three hours and $6 per hour thereafter  

833
01:33:20,160 --> 01:33:30,240
pursuant to chapter 1 administrative code article 
16 adoption of fees section 1.1601 procedure.

834
01:33:30,240 --> 01:33:35,440
Your honor, I move to set parking fees for on 
street and lot parking for fiscal year 2027.  

835
01:33:35,440 --> 01:33:40,240
$3 per hour for the first three hours and 
six per hour thereafter pursuant to chapter  

836
01:33:40,240 --> 01:33:49,600
1 administrative code article 16 adoption 
of fees section 1.1601 procedure uh we have  

837
01:33:49,600 --> 01:33:58,720
the public hearing uh second for discussion 
second for discussion um uh public hearing  

838
01:33:58,720 --> 01:34:06,880
uh we will I guess we could always continue it 
if we uh but we'll close the public hearing Um,  

839
01:34:06,880 --> 01:34:12,480
seeing no one rise and no one on Zoom. Um, any 
discussion on this after uh this evening. We have  

840
01:34:12,480 --> 01:34:17,440
some Oh, you do? Oh, sorry. I didn't see you, 
Sue. All right. Uh, opening the public hearing.  

841
01:34:17,440 --> 01:34:24,560
You snuck back. You snuck back in. You didn't 
see you come back. Yeah. Um, I'm Susan Stary,  

842
01:34:24,560 --> 01:34:31,840
Broad Street Portsmith. Does it I've read articles 
of the newspaper and everything. Does this change  

843
01:34:31,840 --> 01:34:41,840
the resident rate? No. So technically or right now 
it's going to be a$125 for as long as I live here.  

844
01:34:41,840 --> 01:34:51,680
No. [laughter] Um so it changes nothing in that in 
that area. And was there a study done on on this  

845
01:34:51,680 --> 01:35:00,000
um raising it to three and then the six or I mean 
where did the figure come from? I'm just curious  

846
01:35:00,000 --> 01:35:05,440
if that's possible. Uh the fee committee could 
speak to that or councelor Beagley. Um member  

847
01:35:05,440 --> 01:35:12,800
of both um we raised the garage fees uh to $3 an 
hour and we raised the garage uh monthly passes.  

848
01:35:12,800 --> 01:35:18,480
Uh best parking practices is your on street you 
want the most turnover. Right. So it should never  

849
01:35:18,480 --> 01:35:23,920
be priced lower than the garages, which it is 
currently because of the Oh, okay. So So we're  

850
01:35:23,920 --> 01:35:30,640
raising it so that it maintains its uh status 
as the the highest uh valued park in the city.  

851
01:35:30,640 --> 01:35:38,080
Oh okay. So it in the future like if we raise 
parking in the garages the rate on streets will  

852
01:35:38,080 --> 01:35:42,160
come up too probably presumably it would be up 
to the council at the time but that would be the  

853
01:35:42,160 --> 01:35:48,640
best committee now committee gets to do both of 
them committ or council right which is approved  

854
01:35:48,640 --> 01:35:54,480
by council. So but yeah best practices is your on 
street should always be your highest cost parking.  

855
01:35:54,480 --> 01:35:58,800
So in theory, if in the future another 
council wanted to raise fees or prices,  

856
01:35:58,800 --> 01:36:04,240
the the street parking would always be the 
highest number. Gotcha. And my one last question,  

857
01:36:04,240 --> 01:36:10,080
how would this affect or does it affect 
with all the discussion going on about  

858
01:36:10,080 --> 01:36:18,720
um workforce or yeah, parking downtown for service 
people, the wrap would remain the same. Um,  

859
01:36:18,720 --> 01:36:24,400
but if a a service worker who is not a resident 
parked in a parking spot in Market Square,  

860
01:36:24,400 --> 01:36:28,800
they would have a higher price because everybody 
that is not a resident now has a higher price in  

861
01:36:28,800 --> 01:36:34,240
Market Square, for instance. Okay. Thank 
you. Thank you, Sue. Apologies for closing  

862
01:36:34,240 --> 01:36:42,400
the public hearing early. Um, now we'll close it. 
Uh, councelor Bagley. All right. So, your honor,  

863
01:36:42,400 --> 01:36:47,600
um I I still have yet to have anybody give 
me any feedback on this change whatsoever  

864
01:36:47,600 --> 01:36:54,160
other than what we could do with the money, but 
not the actual change in pricing. Um I do think  

865
01:36:54,160 --> 01:37:00,480
this is an opportunity. I was looking at the signs 
today. They have the pricing on the sign. There's  

866
01:37:00,480 --> 01:37:05,200
been some talk that maybe the workforce parking 
should be included in some of the signs or that  

867
01:37:05,200 --> 01:37:10,080
maybe there's different verbiage we could use on 
the sign. I'm guessing we'll probably just put a  

868
01:37:10,080 --> 01:37:18,240
sticker over the $2 to say $3 um in the short 
term, but this could be a good opportunity to  

869
01:37:18,240 --> 01:37:21,840
get signs that are a little clearer. And I don't 
know what that means exactly, but if we're going  

870
01:37:21,840 --> 01:37:29,200
to be changing a bunch of signs, let's not 
do it twice if we don't have to. Understood.

871
01:37:29,200 --> 01:37:33,920
Councelor Bo, thank you, honor. Uh I'm going to 
vote against this at this time. Um I just think  

872
01:37:33,920 --> 01:37:41,040
this is not the right time to be adding on. 
Um, you know, I just feel like we've really  

873
01:37:41,040 --> 01:37:46,640
I don't know, we have just kind of, you know, 
put a twister over portions of parking and uh  

874
01:37:46,640 --> 01:37:50,080
really affected everyone's mental health 
and everything like that. And I I yeah,  

875
01:37:50,080 --> 01:37:54,160
I'm not I'm not worried about dollars and cents 
right now. I'm worried about taking care of our  

876
01:37:54,160 --> 01:37:58,640
people of our community. Um, so I'll be 
voting against this at this time. Thanks,  

877
01:37:58,640 --> 01:38:05,600
Council Boa. Councelor Cook. Um, thank you, your 
honor. Um, so I want to know how how quickly and  

878
01:38:05,600 --> 01:38:11,920
what we would need to do to change the workforce 
designation so that more people qualify for the  

879
01:38:11,920 --> 01:38:17,040
workforce parking program. And the reason I'm 
asking that is that we received several emails  

880
01:38:17,040 --> 01:38:22,320
from people who are saying they're spending 
$20 a day parking and and that tells me that  

881
01:38:22,320 --> 01:38:27,600
they're not using the workforce program. And so 
um, I want to make sure that our workforce isn't  

882
01:38:27,600 --> 01:38:32,800
negatively impacted by this increase in rates. 
And I think the best way to do that is to make  

883
01:38:32,800 --> 01:38:38,160
sure that more people can actually enroll in 
the workforce parking program. And so I just  

884
01:38:38,160 --> 01:38:43,040
want to know how quickly can we affectuate 
that change because it's not really written  

885
01:38:43,040 --> 01:38:49,600
down anywhere in ordinance or anything how that 
is administered. I think it would be I think  

886
01:38:49,600 --> 01:38:56,800
your I think it would be fair to provide all that 
information in a report back at the next meeting.

887
01:38:56,800 --> 01:39:04,880
Okay. Um other questions or comments? Council, um, 
could that report back just include like the if  

888
01:39:04,880 --> 01:39:09,760
the founding garage is filling up and like when it 
is filling up? Um, because I have heard that, you  

889
01:39:09,760 --> 01:39:22,320
know, our the supply we've provided for downtown 
worker uh, parking is sometimes not available.

890
01:39:22,320 --> 01:39:30,000
Fair point. I think one of the points that was 
made um in the uh or one of the requests was to  

891
01:39:30,000 --> 01:39:38,720
be able to have more areas included in the uh the 
downtown worker parker program. Um you know that's  

892
01:39:38,720 --> 01:39:46,400
if they're full uh then you know obviously uh 
$3 is a is a lot more uh to pay there. The issue  

893
01:39:46,400 --> 01:39:50,960
that we're facing at the moment is the garages 
are uh we changed the garage before we changed  

894
01:39:50,960 --> 01:39:56,000
the downtown worker parker. So the garages are 
now more expensive than the street parking the  

895
01:39:56,000 --> 01:40:00,160
inverse of where we want to be. Um I understand 
the current situation. I just don't want to  

896
01:40:00,160 --> 01:40:07,600
add anything else to, you know, our one of our 
marginal our most sensitive um community members,  

897
01:40:07,600 --> 01:40:12,240
you know, um these people are just trying to 
make ends meet, you know, and we're just here's  

898
01:40:12,240 --> 01:40:17,440
another, you know, it just Yeah. Not right now. 
If anything, I'd go back and let's go back and  

899
01:40:17,440 --> 01:40:21,040
change the garage and lower that, you know what I 
mean? Let's go in that direction. Let's not keep  

900
01:40:21,040 --> 01:40:25,680
climbing up this mountain that, you know what 
I mean? People are urging us not to climb up.  

901
01:40:25,680 --> 01:40:30,400
Um, I just feel like we should maybe pause 
and listen maybe and try to, you know,  

902
01:40:30,400 --> 01:40:45,920
instead of just stamping forward, but that's just 
me. Council, any other questions or comments,

903
01:40:45,920 --> 01:40:53,520
councelor Cook. Uh, thank you, your honor. Um, so 
what I think is critical is I I do understand the  

904
01:40:53,520 --> 01:40:58,240
issue with the garage being priced um higher 
than on street parking and that absolutely  

905
01:40:58,240 --> 01:41:04,400
should not be the case. Um, it goes against 
our parking principles. It goes against all  

906
01:41:04,400 --> 01:41:10,720
of our planning and the way that we administer 
parking programs within the city. However,  

907
01:41:10,720 --> 01:41:17,600
um we have to be able to move quickly on fixes 
for the workforce if they're having challenges  

908
01:41:17,600 --> 01:41:24,800
with regard to parking. And that means our next 
meeting isn't until middle of September. So,  

909
01:41:24,800 --> 01:41:30,480
if we make this change, that's a month of an 
additional dollar an hour parking and then an  

910
01:41:30,480 --> 01:41:35,600
escalation to $6 an hour, which is an additional 
dollar more than they were paying for on street  

911
01:41:35,600 --> 01:41:41,600
parking if they have to park in the downtown 
zone. So, if we're waiting for a report back  

912
01:41:41,600 --> 01:41:48,080
in September, that means there's no action on 
that until at least probably October. And so,  

913
01:41:48,080 --> 01:41:53,440
I'm concerned about that kind of timing. We could 
schedule another meeting. Your honor, I have a I  

914
01:41:53,440 --> 01:41:58,320
have a potential modification. Perhaps a counselor 
could bring forth a request to modify the existing  

915
01:41:58,320 --> 01:42:06,240
policy for the war worker program to specify the 
expansion for of the workforce program to include  

916
01:42:06,240 --> 01:42:17,040
different folks um salaried versus otherwise. 
So that if that helps your line of thinking

917
01:42:17,040 --> 01:42:23,920
uh system mayor, thank you. Um, I think to to 
express my opinion, piggybacking off my fellow  

918
01:42:23,920 --> 01:42:32,320
two counselors, the concern is that we know that 
whether whether it is um positive or negative,  

919
01:42:32,320 --> 01:42:38,480
we know that downtown workers are parking on the 
street. And so I think part of the issue is that  

920
01:42:38,480 --> 01:42:43,440
um as councelor Blakes that foundry does fill up. 
It we we've seen it several times over the summer  

921
01:42:43,440 --> 01:42:49,440
that it's it's full between the the downtown 
Parker program, between regular between renters,  

922
01:42:49,440 --> 01:42:54,080
between passholders, which is great. I mean, 
a couple years ago, I think nobody without  

923
01:42:54,080 --> 01:43:00,560
boundary would ever fill up. Um, but you know, 
I I sympathize with the fact that we're making  

924
01:43:00,560 --> 01:43:08,800
this change and we know um that there are people 
who and downtown employees and workers that park  

925
01:43:08,800 --> 01:43:16,640
on the street. So, while we won't have a solution 
as councelor Cook said or we and and or we won't  

926
01:43:16,640 --> 01:43:27,520
really have any um update about the RAT program 
until October. That is where um I struggle to vote  

927
01:43:27,520 --> 01:43:36,640
yes for this understanding the logic of you know 
that we want them all to be the same rate. Um but  

928
01:43:36,640 --> 01:43:47,200
it feels like it came backwards. Um, and now it 
feels like we are we're having to do this because  

929
01:43:47,200 --> 01:43:54,320
we have to do it. Um, but yeah, I think again 
the acknowledgement that not everyone uses the  

930
01:43:54,320 --> 01:44:01,760
the the work um first program. There's not always 
enough room for people in the work program. Um,  

931
01:44:01,760 --> 01:44:08,000
and some people come in at five o'clock at night 
to a shift and they are running late and they park  

932
01:44:08,000 --> 01:44:12,640
on the street. And I understand that the goal 
is turnover and turnover and turnover. That is  

933
01:44:12,640 --> 01:44:20,720
the whole point of paid parking, but that's 
not always the reality of the paid parking.

934
01:44:20,720 --> 01:44:26,560
Agreed. Um, and I think so just uh really one 
quick point on the the mechanisms of this. So,  

935
01:44:26,560 --> 01:44:34,400
a 4-hour stay is cheaper uh on uh the 
street than a garage. Um a fiveh hour stay  

936
01:44:34,400 --> 01:44:40,720
um would be more expensive on the street than the 
garage. Yeah. Right. Because it goes to $5. So,  

937
01:44:40,720 --> 01:44:46,160
I mean, at the end of the day, like it's kind 
of on the margin at the moment here. Um but  

938
01:44:46,160 --> 01:44:54,800
um councelor uh Hopkins and then councelor 
Begler. So I while I do hear the workforce's  

939
01:44:54,800 --> 01:45:02,160
concerns and you know it it's I do agree with the 
sentiment that this is a lot all at once. If we  

940
01:45:02,160 --> 01:45:09,600
don't change this then we're going to run out of 
street inventory. If if it does take that time,  

941
01:45:09,600 --> 01:45:14,320
you know, so then we're going to have tourists 
parking where we don't want them to park. So the  

942
01:45:14,320 --> 01:45:21,680
parking behavior patterns would would shift in 
an unfavorable way. And you know that arguably  

943
01:45:21,680 --> 01:45:28,160
could cause workforce folks to just not find a 
spot and have to circle should the parking on  

944
01:45:28,160 --> 01:45:35,280
street continue to be cheaper than in the 
garage. I think we Sorry. Um councelor uh  

945
01:45:35,280 --> 01:45:40,800
Bagley and then go back to assistant mayor. Um 
I I I think I'm going to vote in support tonight  

946
01:45:40,800 --> 01:45:45,760
for for a couple reasons. The first is we're in 
the middle of a data collection exercise. Yes,  

947
01:45:45,760 --> 01:45:49,520
this did come at the tail end of all the other 
changes, but procedurally it had to. There was  

948
01:45:49,520 --> 01:45:53,840
no choice. We're in the middle of the summer 
season. This is when we want to collect the  

949
01:45:53,840 --> 01:45:58,960
data on what this pricing change happens. Two 
other things are going to happen. One, with the  

950
01:45:58,960 --> 01:46:02,400
increase in pricing, I think we're going to see a 
lot more residents sign up than we had previously,  

951
01:46:02,400 --> 01:46:05,840
which I think is a great thing. So, all residents 
should be in this program. And we're going to see  

952
01:46:05,840 --> 01:46:10,960
more workers sign up and we're going to get to 
see what the pressures are and are do those spare  

953
01:46:10,960 --> 01:46:15,920
spots on Parrot Avenue go away? Do we need to do 
something with the Parrot Avenue lot? Um, and then  

954
01:46:15,920 --> 01:46:20,720
I'll push back a little bit and this will make 
me incredibly unpopular, but you know, we've got  

955
01:46:20,720 --> 01:46:26,320
storefronts downtown that are renting for $9,000, 
$10,000, $11,000 a month, and all that money goes  

956
01:46:26,320 --> 01:46:33,520
to the landlord. Why is it that the Portsmith 
taxpayer who never goes downtown has to supply  

957
01:46:33,520 --> 01:46:40,560
parking for that landlord? You know, why is it 
the system that the city is beholdened to provide  

958
01:46:40,560 --> 01:46:44,880
parking for employees that work at a t-shirt 
company? Shouldn't that come from the t-shirt  

959
01:46:44,880 --> 01:46:50,640
company and the landlord of the t-shirt company? I 
mean, we're talking about 30 cents an hour, which  

960
01:46:50,640 --> 01:46:58,880
I a 50 cent an hour bump in pay would support the 
parking cost. Now, there's a lot of arguments to  

961
01:46:58,880 --> 01:47:04,560
be made, but there's a lot of economic vitality in 
this town that's not downtown. We have the trade  

962
01:47:04,560 --> 01:47:09,120
port. We have all the the companies out on Route 
One. We have all the companies out towards MA  

963
01:47:09,120 --> 01:47:16,480
Market Basket. We've got a lot of commercial and 
office businesses in this town that provide their  

964
01:47:16,480 --> 01:47:20,640
own parking lots and they pay for those parking 
lots. They pay property taxes on those parking  

965
01:47:20,640 --> 01:47:26,640
lots. They pay to have them plowed. They pay to 
have them lit. Downtown, if you own a building,  

966
01:47:26,640 --> 01:47:31,520
in a lot of cases, you don't pay any of the 
parking overhead. And I think it's unreasonable  

967
01:47:31,520 --> 01:47:37,600
to expect that Portsmith residents bear 100% 
of that burden. And if a landlord can only get  

968
01:47:37,600 --> 01:47:44,160
$8,000 a month for his downtown storefront instead 
of $10,000 a month, I think that's actually a good  

969
01:47:44,160 --> 01:47:51,520
thing. And we're going to see a return of downtown 
resident focused businesses. And it's painful, but  

970
01:47:51,520 --> 01:47:56,640
it has to be said if we want to go down this road 
of just tourism and we keep our residents from  

971
01:47:56,640 --> 01:48:01,680
the downtown, I don't think that's a good path. 
We've gotten a number of emails from residents.  

972
01:48:01,680 --> 01:48:08,320
We had re residents reach out. Some come tonight. 
I go downtown more now because I can find parking.  

973
01:48:08,320 --> 01:48:15,360
Don't we want a downtown that the people that live 
here want to visit? Isn't that like a good thing?

974
01:48:16,720 --> 01:48:24,240
Um, councelor or uh assistant mayor and then Hey 
counselor um I councelor Frankly I would say that  

975
01:48:24,240 --> 01:48:30,720
nobody's arguing against that that this council 
has very vocally tried to bring residents back  

976
01:48:30,720 --> 01:48:39,120
downtown. I would argue that that same argument of 
a property owner could be argued against the south  

977
01:48:39,120 --> 01:48:44,400
end to say you bought your house with one parking 
spot. That's your why should your neighbors over  

978
01:48:44,400 --> 01:48:52,320
in Elwin Park be responsible to make sure that 
you have more parking. Like um I also think we  

979
01:48:52,320 --> 01:48:57,760
have to make sure that we're categorizing downtown 
property owners and businesses very differently.  

980
01:48:57,760 --> 01:49:02,400
We heard tonight that there are, you know, 
employees of much larger companies like  

981
01:49:02,400 --> 01:49:09,920
Novaccure using that using the downtown partners 
program, which I'm okay with, but you know, you  

982
01:49:09,920 --> 01:49:17,360
are we are in this discussion comparing a small 
business who the majority of the small businesses  

983
01:49:17,360 --> 01:49:25,040
downtown don't own their property. They they're 
they're renters. And so by saying, you know,  

984
01:49:25,040 --> 01:49:30,080
it's not our responsibility, it's the landlord's 
responsibility. Well, we've seen what happens. The  

985
01:49:30,080 --> 01:49:37,040
landlords are using private companies to monetize 
those lots more. When it used to be you would show  

986
01:49:37,040 --> 01:49:42,320
up at for your 5:00 shift, you know, you'd be five 
minutes late because you'd be parking at a bank.  

987
01:49:42,320 --> 01:49:48,240
Now that bank, that bigger corporate company is 
monetizing in a way that the little people even  

988
01:49:48,240 --> 01:49:55,040
if they own the property cannot monetize the same 
way. So I think we have to be careful about when  

989
01:49:55,040 --> 01:50:00,560
we're when we're doing the generalizations of well 
a downtown landlord as a former tenant we were  

990
01:50:00,560 --> 01:50:05,840
lucky enough to be able to buy a small space but 
we were one of those businesses paying $8,500 to  

991
01:50:05,840 --> 01:50:12,560
$9,000 a month um for a commercial lease with 
no help or no parking or no anything. So,  

992
01:50:12,560 --> 01:50:18,080
and my landlord was banking all that money. 
So, the question is if we're going to say the  

993
01:50:18,080 --> 01:50:23,600
onus falls on somebody, how do you then it's 
a trickle down? You're then putting the onus  

994
01:50:23,600 --> 01:50:30,000
on the small business that is locally owned. 
We are seeing a higher concentration of larger  

995
01:50:30,000 --> 01:50:36,000
corporate companies coming in, retailers 
coming in because they can foot that bill.  

996
01:50:36,000 --> 01:50:43,360
So when we talk about wanting to bring 
more local downtown um centric businesses,  

997
01:50:43,360 --> 01:50:48,960
those are the little ones that are owned by the 
mom and pops that live here, the Gus and Rubies,  

998
01:50:48,960 --> 01:50:55,120
you know what I mean? The series, the the the 
Cali Bees that don't the majority of time don't  

999
01:50:55,120 --> 01:51:03,200
own their buildings. And so if we want more of 
those and less of no offense to them, but less of  

1000
01:51:03,200 --> 01:51:11,920
fat faces or the cheap overload or these larger 
corporations, then we have to do something. Um,  

1001
01:51:11,920 --> 01:51:17,520
so I I just think we have to make sure that we're 
very careful when we talk about like a landlord's  

1002
01:51:17,520 --> 01:51:22,880
getting well what a landlord is getting and 
what profit that small business is making  

1003
01:51:22,880 --> 01:51:29,200
are [clears throat] big deltas. Thanks, assist 
mayor. Councelor Bla. Thank you. Um we actually  

1004
01:51:29,200 --> 01:51:35,440
the history reports we used to actually make uh 
businesses pay for the spaces in front of their  

1005
01:51:35,440 --> 01:51:40,560
business. So the businesses used to not move ever. 
Um I remember talking to the owners of the you  

1006
01:51:40,560 --> 01:51:47,040
know rusty Russell Tammer. Um you know and then he 
would it one of the best things we did was remove  

1007
01:51:47,040 --> 01:51:54,080
that fee so then it allowed small businesses to 
open up without this extra cost. Um and downtown  

1008
01:51:54,080 --> 01:51:58,320
has been built by these small businesses by 
these restaurants. I mean, back in the 70s,  

1009
01:51:58,320 --> 01:52:03,040
it wasn't a place you wanted to go. You wouldn't 
let your kids go down there. Um, we used to have  

1010
01:52:03,040 --> 01:52:08,480
to walk our waitresses back to their cars because 
girls were getting murdered in the 80s. Like,  

1011
01:52:08,480 --> 01:52:13,360
I don't know if you've understand how they've 
contributed to our community. Um, I mean, it  

1012
01:52:13,360 --> 01:52:21,680
takes a village. It takes all of us, but they're 
part of it. Council Council Cook. Um, thank you,  

1013
01:52:21,680 --> 01:52:28,000
your honor. So, so what I'm really struggling 
with is this. Oh, sorry. Go ahead. Several of  

1014
01:52:28,000 --> 01:52:33,440
the individuals who were here tonight have told 
me that they are not part of the workforce parking  

1015
01:52:33,440 --> 01:52:38,320
program. And the reason they're not part of the 
workforce parking program is they work full-time,  

1016
01:52:38,320 --> 01:52:42,000
they're salaried, or they're a business 
owner and they don't take a paycheck. So,  

1017
01:52:42,000 --> 01:52:48,400
they have no proof to show besides their lease 
and um guess they could open their books to to  

1018
01:52:48,400 --> 01:52:56,960
the city to show that they work downtown. And um 
as a result they either now if they don't get a  

1019
01:52:56,960 --> 01:53:02,800
spot on on parrot they are and they don't get a 
spot in the parrot lot or the Masonic lot which  

1020
01:53:02,800 --> 01:53:07,360
Masonic lot actually fills in the morning. The 
parrot lot is almost always full by the way they  

1021
01:53:07,360 --> 01:53:11,840
have to park at Pierce Island where they don't 
feel safe because they're leaving at midnight  

1022
01:53:11,840 --> 01:53:19,360
um from their business after they close up shop. 
And I can while Portsmouth seems relatively safe  

1023
01:53:19,360 --> 01:53:27,760
um and I feel like it's very safe um at night 
walking around in dark areas. As a woman I can  

1024
01:53:27,760 --> 01:53:35,040
understand how anyone might feel unsafe walking 
to Pierce Island. Um, so their only choice they  

1025
01:53:35,040 --> 01:53:41,200
feel many times is to park on the street and to 
pay the full rate or to park off site until it's  

1026
01:53:41,200 --> 01:53:46,480
a little bit later and they can sneak out and grab 
the car and move it and then they park it on the  

1027
01:53:46,480 --> 01:53:52,880
street so they're only paying for, you know, four 
hours of parking on street. So my concern is that  

1028
01:53:52,880 --> 01:53:58,240
we're disenfranchising the people who are running 
our small businesses downtown because they're not  

1029
01:53:58,240 --> 01:54:02,640
part of our workforce parking program and we 
haven't allowed them to join. And so I want  

1030
01:54:02,640 --> 01:54:10,480
to make sure that we're we're including them all 
before we change a rate downtown in our parking.  

1031
01:54:11,040 --> 01:54:17,600
In terms of sequencing, uh, if the council were 
to uh, to find consensus and support this item  

1032
01:54:17,600 --> 01:54:23,200
tonight, which is in keeping with the parking 
principles, as [snorts] a matter of sequencing, we  

1033
01:54:23,200 --> 01:54:29,760
now need to order and install the signage. We need 
to get messaging out. So, in reality, this parking  

1034
01:54:29,760 --> 01:54:36,400
increase would not take effect until October 1st. 
So, what I'm suggesting um for your consideration  

1035
01:54:36,400 --> 01:54:42,880
is you could define as a council eligibility for 
the downtown worker parking program on September  

1036
01:54:42,880 --> 01:54:49,360
14th. You could if if you saw in keeping with the 
vote tonight, take this vote tonight knowing that  

1037
01:54:49,360 --> 01:54:55,920
this would not take effect until October 1st. 
So, just for your consideration. Thank you,  

1038
01:54:55,920 --> 01:55:02,400
city manager. Uh councelor Hopkins. Um, one thing 
I'd like to because I'd like to mention here  

1039
01:55:02,400 --> 01:55:12,560
whenever um, folks have asked for exceptions or, 
you know, certain programs or can I, you know, buy  

1040
01:55:12,560 --> 01:55:17,360
something at a at a resident rate even though I'm 
a non-resident. The answer that I've gotten from  

1041
01:55:17,360 --> 01:55:23,680
our parking staff is it would have to be equitable 
across all companies. like we cannot just pick and  

1042
01:55:23,680 --> 01:55:30,720
choose which businesses we give benefit to and 
which we don't. So whenever we look at I think  

1043
01:55:30,720 --> 01:55:37,920
changes are warranted but keeping in mind it's I 
and you know the city attorney can correct me if  

1044
01:55:37,920 --> 01:55:43,760
I'm wrong but from the the the sense that I get 
from the folks in our parking department are that  

1045
01:55:43,760 --> 01:55:50,640
it's just well it's not equitable and it might not 
be legal to provide certain exceptions for certain  

1046
01:55:50,640 --> 01:55:56,000
people and not others. So when we're looking at 
this, we really do have to look at all businesses,  

1047
01:55:56,000 --> 01:56:02,000
the Sheran and Saras Bakery would get the 
same benefit or not because then that just  

1048
01:56:02,000 --> 01:56:07,920
opens up a whole other can of worms. So 
while there is definitely a big, you know,  

1049
01:56:07,920 --> 01:56:17,120
delta in in pay and um profits and whatnot and 
revenue, um I from what I have heard, it's that  

1050
01:56:17,120 --> 01:56:28,880
we just we can't delineate. It's either all or 
none of our businesses for programs like this.

1051
01:56:28,880 --> 01:56:32,960
Is that accurate?

1052
01:56:32,960 --> 01:56:38,320
I think that you've made a good argument as 
to why you might have certain classifications  

1053
01:56:38,320 --> 01:56:44,560
that would help defend your classifications. 
But, you know, I'm giving you a off the top  

1054
01:56:44,560 --> 01:56:49,760
of my head. [laughter] Okay. in terms of like 
income eligibility or things like that. I also,  

1055
01:56:49,760 --> 01:56:58,160
you know, I think running a um there's limits of 
what like our our you know process allows us uh  

1056
01:56:58,160 --> 01:57:05,040
to do in some levels. Um but you know uh that's 
useful information and it seems like I guess I  

1057
01:57:05,040 --> 01:57:16,320
was surprised to find that um uh members of the 
uh or councelor Hopkins was it your husband that  

1058
01:57:16,320 --> 01:57:22,560
qualifies for Novvicure? He does. So and Novakare 
pays for you know he he gets reimbursed for  

1059
01:57:22,560 --> 01:57:30,960
parking at Foundry. Okay. So, but the the through 
the worker rate or through uh no rate. When he  

1060
01:57:30,960 --> 01:57:36,080
feels like showing up to show his payub, he'll get 
the worker rate and when he doesn't No just pays  

1061
01:57:36,080 --> 01:57:41,280
the full rate. Okay. So, that's why I don't know. 
I would love to see that where that's written down  

1062
01:57:41,280 --> 01:57:47,840
in the sal because he is full-time salaried. 
Yeah. He gets the stickers at Foundry. It's not  

1063
01:57:47,840 --> 01:57:53,280
written down anyway. Okay. Councelor Beley, I I'll 
just make one more point where, you know, we're  

1064
01:57:53,280 --> 01:57:59,520
concerned about the the raise in parking. Um, in 
2024, we did the state mandated reevaluation. And  

1065
01:57:59,520 --> 01:58:06,000
by and large, uh, for instance, I own roughly 
a median household value home and it went from  

1066
01:58:06,000 --> 01:58:12,320
uh roughly 7,500 a year in taxes to 9,500 a year 
in taxes that year. It was a $2,6 increase in  

1067
01:58:12,320 --> 01:58:18,000
taxes. I looked up a lot of downtown businesses. 
Um, a lot of them actually saw a reduction in  

1068
01:58:18,000 --> 01:58:22,320
taxes that year because their valuation didn't 
rise nearly as fast. It went up, but it didn't  

1069
01:58:22,320 --> 01:58:28,880
rise as fast as residential. And in fact, the 
hotels collectively paid over $300,000 less in  

1070
01:58:28,880 --> 01:58:34,000
taxes that year because of the readjustment and 
the revaluation. So, the residents really got hit  

1071
01:58:34,000 --> 01:58:38,000
hard with the revaluation because the cost of 
residential relative to commercial changed so  

1072
01:58:38,000 --> 01:58:43,200
much. Now, albeit it went up a lot less on places 
like Peas than in our downtown commercial sector.  

1073
01:58:43,200 --> 01:58:50,000
And some places saw uh some of the downtown places 
saw evaluations rise as much as residential. But,  

1074
01:58:50,000 --> 01:58:56,480
you know, as a question of fairness, my job as a 
counselor, I have to think of residents first. And  

1075
01:58:56,480 --> 01:59:00,880
we're in a budget scenario because of downshifting 
everything else, inflationary pressures where  

1076
01:59:00,880 --> 01:59:06,080
we're reducing our headcounts in the schools. You 
know, I I've got to think of all of the competing  

1077
01:59:06,080 --> 01:59:10,480
things that happen as a city. And I think this is 
the right move. And yes, it's painful. And yes,  

1078
01:59:10,480 --> 01:59:14,400
it's going to cost people more money. But the 
people that live here that never go downtown,  

1079
01:59:14,400 --> 01:59:20,960
they are paying substantially more in taxes than 
they did prior to the re revaluation. And a lot of  

1080
01:59:20,960 --> 01:59:25,440
the commercial properties are either paying less 
in taxes or almost the same in taxes as they did  

1081
01:59:25,440 --> 01:59:31,600
prior to the re revaluation. So I I think there's 
a lot at play here and and I'll be supporting this  

1082
01:59:31,600 --> 01:59:39,920
because of that. Councelor Begley, any other 
uh discussion? Mayor, I'm sorry. Thank you,  

1083
01:59:39,920 --> 01:59:46,960
Counc. Um, you know, I agree that we heard from 
a lot of residents that are in support of this,  

1084
01:59:46,960 --> 01:59:51,680
particularly those residents that are in those 
neighborhoods, but I feel like coupled with  

1085
01:59:51,680 --> 01:59:59,520
some of those comments were like, and we are 
sympathetic and empathetic to what the workers  

1086
01:59:59,520 --> 02:00:04,160
in town, the people that I mean, I think it's fair 
to say that is why people go down, right? you got  

1087
02:00:04,160 --> 02:00:10,080
to have these places open and vibrant and you need 
workers and it's just this is you know it's just  

1088
02:00:10,080 --> 02:00:19,040
been another piling on of costs uh for people. So 
it's it is hard for me to think about saying yes  

1089
02:00:19,040 --> 02:00:25,440
to this even though I know that this is a part of 
the parking behaviors and that we need to do this  

1090
02:00:25,440 --> 02:00:32,240
to make it competitive but it's a tough um pill to 
swallow. You know, I heard from a lot of residents  

1091
02:00:32,240 --> 02:00:38,000
who were like, "Support the workers. This is like, 
[clears throat] you know, this is why we're going  

1092
02:00:38,000 --> 02:00:42,720
into town. This is a really, really tough thing." 
I know that there's a I mean, intellectually I  

1093
02:00:42,720 --> 02:00:48,320
understand it, but another part of me is like, 
uh, it doesn't feel like a good time to do it,  

1094
02:00:48,320 --> 02:00:52,640
you know, which is I think why you brought 
it up to begin with, council. You know, put  

1095
02:00:52,640 --> 02:01:00,560
the brakes on the last meeting. Um, I don't have a 
resolution, but Thank Council fun. Councelor Cook.  

1096
02:01:00,560 --> 02:01:10,400
Um your honor, I have a legal question. If we move 
to continue the continue um consideration until  

1097
02:01:10,400 --> 02:01:20,720
the September 14th meeting, um would that be too 
late to implement the changes um by October 1st?  

1098
02:01:20,720 --> 02:01:26,720
What are the changes again? the signage and the 
computers signage and messaging to folks and that  

1099
02:01:26,720 --> 02:01:33,520
grace period we typically give them where we don't 
enforce the increase in the fee. It's not really  

1100
02:01:33,520 --> 02:01:40,000
if that your question was about notice and public 
hearing. Yeah, we don't need to worry about that,  

1101
02:01:40,000 --> 02:01:47,920
but it's more the implementation issues about 
that hiring the purchase of signs installation.  

1102
02:01:47,920 --> 02:01:58,000
Assistant mayor, I feel like while I'm not in 
support of this, the the delay of it then somewhat  

1103
02:01:58,000 --> 02:02:04,400
feels I this is probably going to be the wrong 
word, but punitive towards residents as we're  

1104
02:02:04,400 --> 02:02:10,240
coming out of high tourist season that we are, 
you know, it's almost like the longer we wait,  

1105
02:02:10,240 --> 02:02:16,640
the worse it is because now it's say November when 
it's one of the lowest tourist months and we want  

1106
02:02:16,640 --> 02:02:21,680
residents to come back, you know, say like, "Hey, 
it's time to reclaim. We've we've kicked them out.  

1107
02:02:21,680 --> 02:02:31,840
Those 16 weeks are gone." And now we're like, "And 
you know, the res." Well, if I could Okay, if you  

1108
02:02:31,840 --> 02:02:35,680
haven't remembered to sign up, which we know that 
there are a lot of res residents who still don't  

1109
02:02:35,680 --> 02:02:43,280
do it, you know, it can be seen as it can be seen 
as a little punitive, but that's my only concern  

1110
02:02:43,280 --> 02:02:50,320
with pushing it or like now we're kicking it into 
the holiday season when we're asking people again.  

1111
02:02:50,320 --> 02:02:55,440
So, I I don't feel like there's any good time 
except there's never the now. Never a good time.  

1112
02:02:55,440 --> 02:03:02,960
Uh, councelor Cook, thank you, your honor. Um my 
my concern is I just want to make sure that we  

1113
02:03:02,960 --> 02:03:10,000
don't that we don't somehow fail to change income 
eligibility or something in September that we vote  

1114
02:03:10,000 --> 02:03:13,520
if we make vote to make this change. I don't 
want to be in a position that we turn around  

1115
02:03:13,520 --> 02:03:20,240
and we don't make some of the individuals who are 
ch are struggling with this eligible then for the  

1116
02:03:20,240 --> 02:03:26,800
program. So, um, without that kind of information 
tonight, I guess I feel kind of challenged,  

1117
02:03:26,800 --> 02:03:34,960
um, as to to make this decision without 
knowing what their eligibility will be. So,  

1118
02:03:34,960 --> 02:03:41,120
councelor Beagley, parliamentary question. If this 
was to fail tonight, how does it get brought back?  

1119
02:03:41,120 --> 02:03:45,440
Because we can't bring back something if it fails 
unless and I know there's like a certain Robert's  

1120
02:03:45,440 --> 02:03:49,040
rules of order of how you would it would be 
somebody that would have to have voted against it.  

1121
02:03:49,600 --> 02:03:55,920
would have to bring it back in the future. I 
believe it's somebody who voted for it would  

1122
02:03:55,920 --> 02:04:04,160
have to then move to reconsider and you do that at 
the time of the vote. You have to be somebody on  

1123
02:04:04,160 --> 02:04:08,960
the winning side of the vote. Not necessarily for 
against it, but the winning portion of the vote.  

1124
02:04:08,960 --> 02:04:12,960
Is that correct? Right. That's what I believe. If 
it didn't pass, it would be have to be somebody  

1125
02:04:12,960 --> 02:04:20,880
that voted no tonight. Sorry. To bring it back. 
Right. And The rule specifically is that you make  

1126
02:04:20,880 --> 02:04:27,520
that motion at the time the same night as the vote 
that you're going to move to reconsider it. Not at  

1127
02:04:27,520 --> 02:04:33,360
a subsequent meeting. Not at a subsequent 
meeting. So if we vote this down tonight,  

1128
02:04:33,360 --> 02:04:38,880
does that mean it doesn't buy us anymore? I'm 
confused about orderations. If it doesn't pass,  

1129
02:04:38,880 --> 02:04:47,120
can we not ever bring it back at $3? If it doesn't 
pass and you want to reconsider it at the next  

1130
02:04:47,120 --> 02:04:55,760
meeting, you would make the motion to reconsider 
it after it doesn't pass. Okay. Might be to reopen  

1131
02:04:55,760 --> 02:05:03,920
the public hearing and to continue this matter to 
table it. Yeah. So, okay, I'll um pass the gabble  

1132
02:05:03,920 --> 02:05:11,680
to so assistant mayor keeps me um on point. 
Um, I think that I don't I think it was Margot  

1133
02:05:11,680 --> 02:05:19,440
uh that was offering uh um some cervical collars 
uh when it comes to [laughter] uh to this and all  

1134
02:05:19,440 --> 02:05:24,720
of the things I think are are accurate. I think 
that everybody um that would come in would speak  

1135
02:05:24,720 --> 02:05:31,120
about wanting walkability. Um want to move us 
into a direction of less cars. Um at the same time  

1136
02:05:31,120 --> 02:05:37,760
there are some realities that exist for those uh 
workers that are commuting in um that don't have  

1137
02:05:37,760 --> 02:05:46,160
necessarily one the luxury to come to meetings uh 
and pay attention what city council does. I mean  

1138
02:05:46,160 --> 02:05:51,040
that it takes a lot of time. Um and it takes 
a lot of Yeah. It just simply takes time and  

1139
02:05:51,040 --> 02:05:57,360
so they could be working uh during this time and 
many I think when we were having a conversation  

1140
02:05:57,360 --> 02:06:04,160
um about this or it was being the conversation was 
happening was the feeling of parking right now is  

1141
02:06:04,160 --> 02:06:09,040
$2 an hour and it's going to $3 an hour. Um 
and more of our free parking is being taken  

1142
02:06:09,040 --> 02:06:14,160
away. And while that is accurate, it doesn't 
reflect that there is an extension and expansion  

1143
02:06:14,160 --> 02:06:22,480
of the downtown worker parker program that I 
I believe right now needs some tweaks um and  

1144
02:06:22,480 --> 02:06:27,600
needs some improvements. Ger Cook and others have 
spoken about the you know to include more people  

1145
02:06:27,600 --> 02:06:32,640
uh as a part of that. That's one I think 
the idea of making passes easier to get and  

1146
02:06:32,640 --> 02:06:39,600
potentially expanding what those passes uh would 
get you uh would be a second one. Um, you know,  

1147
02:06:39,600 --> 02:06:44,480
even things that are further a field of, you 
know, are we talking about using the app? Are  

1148
02:06:44,480 --> 02:06:50,720
we talking about using, you know, some sort of 
just uh, you know, you you buy a permit and,  

1149
02:06:50,720 --> 02:06:54,320
you know, that gets you into the system where you 
can just park at the resident rates, you know,  

1150
02:06:54,320 --> 02:07:01,120
regardless. But all of those things I feel as 
though need more time uh to discuss as a part  

1151
02:07:01,120 --> 02:07:07,120
of this program because simply the fact that 
we're going to change this is what will happen  

1152
02:07:07,120 --> 02:07:14,320
if we vote for this this evening according to me. 
Um the uh the res or the folks that came will uh  

1153
02:07:14,320 --> 02:07:20,640
feel as though uh we listened to them and then 
we simply changed uh the parking rate. Anyways,  

1154
02:07:20,640 --> 02:07:26,720
now I feel we have to change the parking rate. 
Like that is something that I've been, you know,  

1155
02:07:26,720 --> 02:07:32,640
like there is a a lot of people that come to to 
park here and you know, well, if you park in a  

1156
02:07:32,640 --> 02:07:38,400
private lot, we have no control over what rates 
they set. We've tried to be able to get them to  

1157
02:07:38,400 --> 02:07:43,360
uh at least sign the fact that it's not a city 
lot, but they're you're paying 10 bucks an hour  

1158
02:07:43,360 --> 02:07:50,240
to park in one of those rates um or park in one of 
those uh spots, you know, and we would be charging  

1159
02:07:50,240 --> 02:07:55,920
$3 and we can use that difference to fund more 
things like a transit loop or things like that.  

1160
02:07:55,920 --> 02:08:02,320
So, it's right now a couple of things I think need 
to happen in order for us to pass, which I think,  

1161
02:08:02,320 --> 02:08:07,280
you know, I agree with councelor Blew and you 
know, I I I don't want to put words in his mouth,  

1162
02:08:07,280 --> 02:08:12,720
but not right now. Meaning not before we have 
a better clarified plan of what is going to  

1163
02:08:12,720 --> 02:08:17,040
occur with the workers, which I, you know, 
would love for the landlords to take care of,  

1164
02:08:17,040 --> 02:08:24,000
but um it's not it's something that's 
currently um there right now. Um two,  

1165
02:08:24,000 --> 02:08:30,000
uh what we're going to use some of that um extra 
money that we will create as a part of, you know,  

1166
02:08:30,000 --> 02:08:33,600
doing this. Right now, it's going into the 
parking fund, you know, to creating a third  

1167
02:08:33,600 --> 02:08:39,040
garage. I would like to, you know, uh, have a 
better plan in terms of are we gonna fund a,  

1168
02:08:39,040 --> 02:08:43,120
uh, fund a shuttle loop or some of the other 
things that have come up, you know, uh,  

1169
02:08:43,120 --> 02:08:49,200
currently. But I just think that, you know, and 
it's literally the idea of thinking about parking  

1170
02:08:49,200 --> 02:08:57,360
for another two and a half weeks. Um, is not 
something that I want to do, but unfortunately,  

1171
02:08:57,360 --> 02:09:02,240
parking is something that everybody thinks about 
every single day. And we need to figure out I  

1172
02:09:02,240 --> 02:09:08,800
believe that we need to figure out a better uh 
worker parker program that would seem as though  

1173
02:09:08,800 --> 02:09:14,480
is an actual benefit even if it's not the you know 
even if it's not perfect. Heard some ideas that we  

1174
02:09:14,480 --> 02:09:20,160
could implement uh this evening and then come back 
as a way to fund some of those changes an increase  

1175
02:09:20,160 --> 02:09:27,360
of the parking uh rates for tourists and you know 
uh non-residents. um you know lost in this is  

1176
02:09:27,360 --> 02:09:32,080
the volunteers and I think there's been some work 
made on the volunteer uh you know lots that could  

1177
02:09:32,080 --> 02:09:39,680
be opened up to to that but I think that even 
though this is something that makes economic sense  

1178
02:09:39,680 --> 02:09:44,960
uh can certainly fund some of the things that we 
need to take down the problem put more people in  

1179
02:09:44,960 --> 02:09:50,960
the garages this is something that I will um 
eventually support but want to be able to have  

1180
02:09:50,960 --> 02:09:58,640
a better uh a better action action plan for the 
workers that are going to not have followed any  

1181
02:09:58,640 --> 02:10:06,320
of this, not signed up for any of E's petitions 
and, you know, will be surprised when they're late  

1182
02:10:06,320 --> 02:10:12,800
for work uh and have to park on the street and 
look at, okay, well, uh the first uh the first  

1183
02:10:12,800 --> 02:10:18,080
hour of my uh first hour of my day is going to 
to parking. So, I think we just need a little  

1184
02:10:18,080 --> 02:10:22,560
bit more time to figure out, you know, how do 
we extend the parking program to more people and  

1185
02:10:22,560 --> 02:10:33,360
then raise the rates in order to justify expending 
the additional money that we will spend on that.

1186
02:10:33,360 --> 02:10:41,440
So, I think you have a motion second. We have a 
motion and a second to pass as presented. Um, I  

1187
02:10:41,440 --> 02:10:51,840
would uh I would support if um uh council moral I 
would like to float the idea of what if we amended  

1188
02:10:51,840 --> 02:10:57,120
the motion that it wouldn't take effect to a 
specific date. So that would give us time to look  

1189
02:10:57,120 --> 02:11:03,840
at, but we'd still have we'd be able to change 
some of the policies around the employee program,  

1190
02:11:03,840 --> 02:11:09,760
possibly even expand it, but at the same time, at 
least we would have this piece. I think we have  

1191
02:11:09,760 --> 02:11:14,400
one shot at this to be honest, and I don't know if 
it's passing the and I understand all the reason  

1192
02:11:14,400 --> 02:11:19,280
to do it. And I certainly understand the fact that 
this is going to be very painful going forward and  

1193
02:11:19,280 --> 02:11:24,160
having this conversation at a third or fourth 
council meeting after having this conversation  

1194
02:11:24,160 --> 02:11:30,400
for seven different uh council meetings before 
that. Uh my concern is that we don't control  

1195
02:11:30,400 --> 02:11:35,440
the conversation in Portsouth. Uh meaning that we 
can't talk to every individual and we can't have  

1196
02:11:35,440 --> 02:11:40,880
a conversation with hey we have a plan for this. 
What is going to come out of this I fear is going  

1197
02:11:40,880 --> 02:11:46,720
to be we had a work session council went forward 
with raising rates to $3 and what's going to be  

1198
02:11:46,720 --> 02:11:52,560
lost in that nuance is the efforts that we've 
made for the Parker programming just having one  

1199
02:11:52,560 --> 02:11:58,800
in general what we're trying to do to expand that 
and I think that if we do change the if we change  

1200
02:11:58,800 --> 02:12:04,080
the rates before we have a plan that at least is 
in the ether of hey this is like how we're going  

1201
02:12:04,080 --> 02:12:09,120
to use that money to expand access to what you 
have and ultimely ultimately some of the plans  

1202
02:12:09,120 --> 02:12:13,200
of how do we get more cars off the road, make it 
an easier way to get into Portsouth. You know,  

1203
02:12:13,200 --> 02:12:16,400
take, you know, the million dollars that we give 
to Coast and say we're going to generate another  

1204
02:12:16,400 --> 02:12:21,680
million from this. What can we do to reduce our 
dependence on, you know, cars commuting? If we  

1205
02:12:21,680 --> 02:12:26,640
have a credible story for that, it's a win. If 
we do this and then come and try to scribble  

1206
02:12:26,640 --> 02:12:32,560
out what we're going to figure out, I just don't 
see that is going to be the I just don't think  

1207
02:12:32,560 --> 02:12:37,680
that we're going to have the ability to control 
the conversation because we don't control any  

1208
02:12:37,680 --> 02:12:42,160
conversation that happens in Portsouth. I mean, 
this is the only room we control. Um, and even  

1209
02:12:42,160 --> 02:12:48,320
then, it's limited. Um, and so I would say that if 
we could come up with a more concrete plan of how  

1210
02:12:48,320 --> 02:12:53,200
we're going to expand the worker parker program 
and delay the increase in the on street rates,  

1211
02:12:53,200 --> 02:12:59,200
even though it doesn't affect residents right now 
and there's place for the workers to find parking,  

1212
02:12:59,200 --> 02:13:04,800
it's not going to be $3. I think we're going to 
lose out on an opportunity. Even though I know and  

1213
02:13:04,800 --> 02:13:12,160
like I I can't express how much I would like to, 
you know, have this kind of recede into, you know,  

1214
02:13:12,160 --> 02:13:18,720
uh just expect it. But we have a chance to do not 
business as normal and figure out a pathway to  

1215
02:13:18,720 --> 02:13:23,600
engage more citizens and more, you know, other 
folks uh that aren't citizens of Portsouth,  

1216
02:13:23,600 --> 02:13:30,480
but are part of our community. Councelor Bagley. 
Um I I tend to agree and I greatly respect your  

1217
02:13:30,480 --> 02:13:37,520
opinion may there but I tend to agree um with 
council Maro or passing it tonight and delaying  

1218
02:13:37,520 --> 02:13:41,680
it in a sense so there's a chance to make 
those modifications. We had a lot of people  

1219
02:13:41,680 --> 02:13:46,880
show up today. We have a lot of visibility. 
We don't pass it tonight and I think a lot  

1220
02:13:46,880 --> 02:13:50,160
of people are going to think okay we won that 
battle and three months from now we're going to  

1221
02:13:50,160 --> 02:13:55,600
raise prices a dollar in the middle of you 
know going into the winter season. And I I  

1222
02:13:55,600 --> 02:14:04,080
think we either pass it tonight or we put this 
on the shelf for a couple years. A couple years.

1223
02:14:04,080 --> 02:14:09,440
Okay. So, um is there not a motion? 
Okay. Councelor Cook. Um thank you,  

1224
02:14:09,440 --> 02:14:14,080
your honor. Um this is a legal [clears throat] 
question. Um because this is raising revenue,  

1225
02:14:14,080 --> 02:14:19,840
what is the vote required? Is it just a majority 
or do we need a twothirds? I think it's for your  

1226
02:14:19,840 --> 02:14:27,360
fees. So, it would just be a majority. Okay. Thank 
you, councelor Bo. Thank you, honor. Um, so just  

1227
02:14:27,360 --> 02:14:33,600
to reiterate my perception of the situation right 
now, I feel like we've kind of kicked them on the  

1228
02:14:33,600 --> 02:14:36,480
ground, right? We've kicked the employees, the 
downtown workers on the ground. They're lying  

1229
02:14:36,480 --> 02:14:40,880
on the ground right now. We don't want to kick 
them again. All right. But if we could come up  

1230
02:14:40,880 --> 02:14:46,320
with a plan and say, "Hey, we're including you in 
this plan. We have a solution. Once we find that,  

1231
02:14:46,320 --> 02:14:51,280
then we can go back and take care of business 
and and make sure all the numbers work out and  

1232
02:14:51,280 --> 02:14:55,200
everything like that. But until you get there, 
you've kicked them down. You can't just be like,  

1233
02:14:55,200 --> 02:14:59,920
"Hey, sorry. This is, you know, 
we already just kick them." Um,  

1234
02:14:59,920 --> 02:15:07,600
that's that's going to be the perception. I 
promise you. So, let's just be sensitive. Like,  

1235
02:15:07,600 --> 02:15:12,000
they all came here. We had,900 signatures. U 
there's people that couldn't speak tonight because  

1236
02:15:12,000 --> 02:15:17,280
we spoke for 45 minutes of the work session. 
So, there's some people that were residents and  

1237
02:15:17,280 --> 02:15:21,760
business owners and they couldn't stay. They had 
to leave. Um, so there's no reason to rush this,  

1238
02:15:21,760 --> 02:15:30,640
but we got to do it right, guys. Thank the mayor. 
I have a parliamentary inquiry. [laughter] Um,  

1239
02:15:30,640 --> 02:15:38,320
and it's not it's directly but undirectly related 
to this. Um, for not a motion to be made tonight,  

1240
02:15:38,320 --> 02:15:48,880
but if we wanted to say at our next meeting, 
amend our pilot program to remove parrot a  

1241
02:15:50,160 --> 02:15:58,240
Is that something that could be done separating 
it apart from this? Correct. Yeah. This passes,  

1242
02:15:58,240 --> 02:16:04,240
this goes through. Is it possible for a 
counselor to make a motion for Well, I  

1243
02:16:04,240 --> 02:16:12,960
think your wrap program is a policy that you have 
currently. So, you have to be moving to amend your  

1244
02:16:12,960 --> 02:16:21,120
policy. I thought it was an ordinance. It's It's 
a policy. I think I'm looking for confirmation,  

1245
02:16:21,120 --> 02:16:27,360
but I think it was a pilot policy. Policy that 
kept following the packet as it went on. Yes.  

1246
02:16:27,360 --> 02:16:36,800
Right. Yeah. So to change it is not it would 
not be it would not be three readings all Okay.  

1247
02:16:36,800 --> 02:16:46,720
Right. Okay. So is that allows me to consider I'm 
looking for firm confirmation from Jane making  

1248
02:16:46,720 --> 02:16:54,241
moves? She said confirmation of the parrot listed 
in the ordinance. Great. I thought I knew some  

1249
02:16:54,240 --> 02:17:02,880
part of it was some part of it. So parrot lot 
versus a wrap. Yes, you are. Everyone's right.  

1250
02:17:02,880 --> 02:17:15,040
I'm a lawyer. Um the um the policy is um one that 
the council adopted and that is the rap program.  

1251
02:17:15,040 --> 02:17:24,960
However, you also adopted an ordinance on the 
wrap zone which includes and lists paradav. So  

1252
02:17:24,960 --> 02:17:31,439
that is in fact an ordinance. So it's in 
the it's paradaves baked in the ordinance  

1253
02:17:31,439 --> 02:17:37,919
and it's also I believe part of the uh part 
of the policy part of the policy as well.  

1254
02:17:38,479 --> 02:17:43,040
Just just a timeline question and I know this is 
throwing a wrench in people and I do apologize  

1255
02:17:43,040 --> 02:17:51,439
but I just want to put out the scenario. If this 
passed tonight and then it's September 17th 14th  

1256
02:17:51,439 --> 02:17:59,599
that meeting um a change to the RAP a potential 
change to the RAP pilot pro pilot program  

1257
02:17:59,600 --> 02:18:05,760
um was brought first for first reading then a 
second reading um it could fall within the same  

1258
02:18:05,760 --> 02:18:12,880
timeline of the implementation of the change of 
fees. It could if I could just address that. Um so  

1259
02:18:12,880 --> 02:18:23,200
if September 14th it was first reading to remove 
parrot then the first meeting in October would be  

1260
02:18:23,200 --> 02:18:30,080
public hearing second and if you suspended your 
rules to pass third and final it would be the  

1261
02:18:30,080 --> 02:18:37,280
first week in October that you could conceivably 
remove parrot through the ordinance and all you'd  

1262
02:18:37,280 --> 02:18:43,200
have to do is remove it from your policy once. 
you don't have to do the second and third. So  

1263
02:18:43,200 --> 02:18:49,760
conceivably it could time with early October and 
that's helpful. And I bring this up for for two  

1264
02:18:49,760 --> 02:18:55,760
two sides of the coin. Obviously we heard a lot 
from the workers of that space. We have had you  

1265
02:18:55,760 --> 02:19:02,320
know no movement of what we are really going to do 
for volunteers for library overflow. We're hearing  

1266
02:19:02,319 --> 02:19:09,920
from those other neighborhoods forward that 
they're seeing more overflow now. So in hindsight  

1267
02:19:09,920 --> 02:19:15,520
with obviously with and I part apologies Carl 
Ben and everyone that loves the data that even  

1268
02:19:15,520 --> 02:19:20,640
without the data we're we're already starting 
to see minor ripples and repercussions that  

1269
02:19:20,640 --> 02:19:27,360
are only going to potentially grow. So, I just 
want to put it out there timelinewise. If we're  

1270
02:19:27,359 --> 02:19:33,200
thinking that this if this passed tonight and 
we're thinking that it's Octoberish timeline  

1271
02:19:33,200 --> 02:19:41,439
um for um this to really be implemented, I 
just would wonder if that's the base that  

1272
02:19:41,439 --> 02:19:50,080
I'm wondering that in that same timeline, could 
we possibly amend the RAP program to remove what  

1273
02:19:50,080 --> 02:19:56,720
seems to be one of the artillery zones that have 
really triggered people, which is that paradise.

1274
02:19:58,800 --> 02:20:03,520
That's all. Sorry guys. I just wanted to make 
sure I was Could we change it faster if we just  

1275
02:20:03,520 --> 02:20:12,000
change the fee on it? Like Yeah. This is just 
like on the parro a lot or the parrot a not  

1276
02:20:12,000 --> 02:20:16,399
the lot. Not the lot. Is if we just change the 
parrot a could we just remove the fee from that  

1277
02:20:16,399 --> 02:20:24,879
without three readings because fee is now moved. 
Right. I'd have to review the what we say in the  

1278
02:20:24,880 --> 02:20:31,280
ordinance. The paradav I believe is specifically 
called out for the worker parking program and the  

1279
02:20:31,280 --> 02:20:39,040
rates in the ordinance. Look at it again, but 
that's my recollection. You could pull it from  

1280
02:20:39,040 --> 02:20:46,479
from everything, you know, and you could again 
the timing of whatever ordinance you want to  

1281
02:20:46,479 --> 02:20:55,359
change could be done with um in early October 
if you did whatever you want. first reading in  

1282
02:20:55,359 --> 02:21:03,120
September 14th and then uh public hearing second 
early October meeting and then suspend rules third  

1283
02:21:03,120 --> 02:21:10,080
and final. But that would require consensus. Yes. 
And so that's what's tough with something like  

1284
02:21:10,080 --> 02:21:16,000
this with so many different elements. Yeah. 
That are just being brought to the council's  

1285
02:21:16,000 --> 02:21:22,080
attention. You know, how do we want to adjust 
and move forward? How do we amend these pilot  

1286
02:21:22,080 --> 02:21:28,319
this pilot over the next year? And do we do we 
amend it or do we just run the I just wanted  

1287
02:21:28,319 --> 02:21:34,799
to get clarification of timeline that if it's 
something that came up that we wanted to amend it  

1288
02:21:34,800 --> 02:21:42,080
um it could be potentially done within a period 
of time where these fees would be enacted. The  

1289
02:21:42,080 --> 02:21:48,160
the other issue is you know this is obviously 
a new process with fees being adopted by the by  

1290
02:21:48,160 --> 02:21:58,240
the council. Um I am trying to recall the what was 
in the actual budget for the for the wrap rate as  

1291
02:21:58,240 --> 02:22:06,479
well. I believe that came forward in in the budget 
approval if I'm not mistaken as as well. So again,  

1292
02:22:06,479 --> 02:22:17,759
you have a hearing, you can change your fees. 
Um but we wrapped an ordinance um prior to that  

1293
02:22:17,760 --> 02:22:23,600
change. You know what I mean? We we created 
that ordinance before uh it was determined  

1294
02:22:23,600 --> 02:22:32,640
that that you you guys would just pass parking 
fees as fees at one hearing as a post ordinance.

1295
02:22:34,160 --> 02:22:39,200
Sorry, I just Well, we certainly had enough, you 
know, like we've extended the meetings on that  

1296
02:22:39,200 --> 02:22:43,679
and the that quick change, but uh councelor Cook 
and then council mor. Thank you, your honor. Thank  

1297
02:22:43,680 --> 02:22:49,760
you, Jane. Um I think it's important to remember 
that the reason that there's availability for the  

1298
02:22:49,760 --> 02:22:56,800
workforce parking program right now on Parrot A is 
that that is now metered. Whereas before, Paradav  

1299
02:22:56,800 --> 02:23:04,640
was always full almost 247, lots of long-term 
parkers. So we would be removing the availability  

1300
02:23:04,640 --> 02:23:10,880
of the workforce parking program there. So they 
might actually lose parking spots, not gain it by  

1301
02:23:10,880 --> 02:23:18,080
taking parrot away and making it available for 
everyone again because really there was a lot  

1302
02:23:18,080 --> 02:23:24,640
of long-term parking. Is there a timeline limit 
on par? What was that question? 72 hours have  

1303
02:23:24,640 --> 02:23:33,600
is also 72. Everywhere in the city is 72 hours 
everywhere. Um and So the parro aav lot um and  

1304
02:23:33,600 --> 02:23:40,720
parro a simply just have that 72-hour requirement 
everywhere um in the entire even in front of your  

1305
02:23:40,720 --> 02:23:46,320
house but we don't enforce it there. Councelor 
Bagley um council moral I mean we've received  

1306
02:23:46,319 --> 02:23:50,639
several emails from residents specifically about 
paradav and how they're coming downtown more to  

1307
02:23:50,640 --> 02:23:55,840
shop or coming downtown more to volunteer because 
they can find parking on paradav. I'd be against  

1308
02:23:55,840 --> 02:24:00,800
removing paradav because that seems to be the 
part that's working the best in the whole system.  

1309
02:24:02,160 --> 02:24:06,080
I mean, if we want people to be able to come 
downtown that live here in town and we've  

1310
02:24:06,080 --> 02:24:11,120
given them a opportunity to get downtown and 
have a decent chance of finding parking with  

1311
02:24:11,120 --> 02:24:17,599
a relatively easy walk into town, to me that 
looks like a win. I'm not saying it's not. I'm  

1312
02:24:17,600 --> 02:24:26,161
just council. I'm pretty sure I remember from 
fee study committee that we actually set the 30  

1313
02:24:26,160 --> 02:24:32,960
cent per hour plus transaction fee and the other 
fees. So we didn't actually put the fees in the  

1314
02:24:32,960 --> 02:24:38,319
ordinance. We actually put it up to the fee study 
committee. That's I remember because I remember  

1315
02:24:38,319 --> 02:24:44,880
at fees committee we actually set that. That makes 
sense. Yeah. I just because we were talking before  

1316
02:24:44,880 --> 02:24:50,560
that the fee was in the ordinance. I don't I think 
we pulled all these out and put it to the peakly  

1317
02:24:50,560 --> 02:24:55,040
for for precisely that reason to give flexibility. 
Correct. So that the council could make those  

1318
02:24:55,040 --> 02:25:01,760
changes with just one hearing in the middle of 
the program if we wanted to. Just wanted to remind  

1319
02:25:01,760 --> 02:25:07,840
everyone of that. Yeah. Because [clears throat] 
weren't we thinking about changing the wrap area  

1320
02:25:07,840 --> 02:25:14,000
program um as a part of the ordinance previously 
because it had been different than it was in the  

1321
02:25:14,000 --> 02:25:18,479
garages? Correct. because it had originally they 
were matching the garage and we wanted to match  

1322
02:25:18,479 --> 02:25:25,120
the on street parking. So we set the wrap period 
the wrap rate to equal whatever the on street  

1323
02:25:25,120 --> 02:25:32,559
downtown rate was without escalation. Okay. I 
mean, so conceivably we could amend this to say  

1324
02:25:32,560 --> 02:25:40,720
um you know, the uh the rate goes to uh 
zero dollars uh per hour uh provided you  

1325
02:25:40,720 --> 02:25:47,760
are a downtown employee on the Paradav and people 
Paradise Street. Parad Street. Yes. Oh my god. Do  

1326
02:25:47,760 --> 02:25:54,160
not say that. [laughter] We're gonna change the 
Yeah. So, but I'm just saying we could do that.  

1327
02:25:54,160 --> 02:26:02,880
Um still require workers to sign up. Uh uh to 
get the uh the pass and the parking. Um and  

1328
02:26:02,880 --> 02:26:07,760
conceivably the enforcement of that would be paid 
for by the increased parking rates that we would  

1329
02:26:07,760 --> 02:26:14,640
have otherwise supported, but we would need to 
renotice. That would be a substantial substantial  

1330
02:26:14,640 --> 02:26:19,680
change and would need to have this at the next 
meeting if that was the case. Right. Again,  

1331
02:26:19,680 --> 02:26:25,520
it's it's this is not an ordinance. It's a fee 
change and it's kind of a new process. But given  

1332
02:26:25,520 --> 02:26:34,081
that that would be a substantial change, I would 
suggest another public hearing. And let me just  

1333
02:26:34,080 --> 02:26:39,200
note if we do that, um, we are going to be 
pushing a lot of the workforce onto Parrot,  

1334
02:26:39,200 --> 02:26:46,080
who would normally be parking in Foundry. So, 
um, we're going to have to potentially expand  

1335
02:26:46,080 --> 02:26:52,000
that space to maybe even the Parrot lot. And I'm 
saying that because I know that our middle school  

1336
02:26:52,000 --> 02:26:59,840
workers will be coming back to work in this month 
and suddenly we're going to occupy a lot of Parrot  

1337
02:26:59,840 --> 02:27:10,400
Avenue with them parking in that zone. So, I'm 
sorry, Cook. I guess I would I would um we talk  

1338
02:27:10,399 --> 02:27:18,719
about this con continuously about the about the 
school teach school employees. I would have to be  

1339
02:27:18,720 --> 02:27:24,880
under the assumption or I am under the assumption 
that at some point someone from city hall as we've  

1340
02:27:24,880 --> 02:27:29,520
developed this project has talked to the school 
about and if they were they are not charged  

1341
02:27:29,520 --> 02:27:34,640
they're not charged they're not charged or white 
that is that is what I understood but I just want  

1342
02:27:34,640 --> 02:27:41,040
to make sure the library too substitute teachers 
charged no teachers are not charged substitute  

1343
02:27:41,040 --> 02:27:47,519
teachers I believe are charged or they're not 
charged are like little league volunteers and  

1344
02:27:47,520 --> 02:27:55,121
or umpires or I would like the makuda. I don't 
know if they are yet, Rich, but or council.  

1345
02:27:55,120 --> 02:27:59,359
Okay. I I just wanted to clarify that because I 
feel like that has been a big conversation of of  

1346
02:27:59,359 --> 02:28:03,359
where are they going to park. I would I would 
assume that the staff has has addressed that,  

1347
02:28:03,359 --> 02:28:10,000
handled that, and we So, I mean, the cause it's 
always kind of been a cluster down there, and  

1348
02:28:10,000 --> 02:28:18,640
it will always making it worse be a cluster. Um, 
and there's always been for people to park. So, I  

1349
02:28:18,640 --> 02:28:28,080
think we should just call this vote and then we'll 
go to the next story issue. [laughter] Um, so if  

1350
02:28:28,080 --> 02:28:35,040
the vote fails, uh, and there's no amendment to 
the vote on the table or consider at the moment,  

1351
02:28:35,040 --> 02:28:46,240
um, what would the uh what occurs uh after? If the 
vote fails and no one makes a motion to reconsider  

1352
02:28:46,240 --> 02:28:52,319
the vote and reconsider at a future meeting or 
reconsider just again right now you'd have to  

1353
02:28:52,319 --> 02:29:02,240
make a motion to consider at the next reconsider 
at the next meeting. Um and at it's rule 16 for  

1354
02:29:02,240 --> 02:29:11,280
your rules and um you can only have one motion 
to reconsider any vote during your term. still  

1355
02:29:11,280 --> 02:29:20,800
like during our two years. Mhm. Yeah. Per issue. 
Not just not like a per issue. It's like per It's  

1356
02:29:20,800 --> 02:29:29,040
not It's not a mulligan. It's not like something 
motion for that vote. Motion to reconsider any  

1357
02:29:29,040 --> 02:29:38,319
particular vote. I definitely heard that wrong. I 
did. All right. You have one challenge. Um yes. I  

1358
02:29:38,319 --> 02:29:47,599
would much prefer that uh we have I prefer it that 
way. Yeah. Um a way uh to tie this to something  

1359
02:29:47,600 --> 02:29:54,320
that seemed more of a benefit. Uh I understand 
the point of trying to uh trying to rightsize  

1360
02:29:54,319 --> 02:30:01,040
the rates. Uh but I just don't think that the 
our ability to get information out is as fast as  

1361
02:30:01,040 --> 02:30:06,960
uh this will feel. Um and I think that there's an 
opportunity to engage more people. So, um I would  

1362
02:30:06,960 --> 02:30:12,720
like to see this uh at the next council meeting 
when we have a plan for the uh the worker parker  

1363
02:30:12,720 --> 02:30:17,680
program that seems a little bit more thought out. 
Um but at the moment it doesn't seem like we have  

1364
02:30:17,680 --> 02:30:31,040
that. So, we'll do a roll call vote uh on this 
and we'll see what happens if it ends in a tie.

1365
02:30:33,359 --> 02:30:38,240
Roll call. Roll call. Okay. Don't know if I should  

1366
02:30:38,240 --> 02:30:44,880
start or not. [laughter] Assistant Mayor 
Kelly. No. [clears throat] Councelor Cook,  

1367
02:30:44,880 --> 02:30:54,240
no. Councelor Bllelock, no. Councelor Baggley, 
yes. Uh, Councelor Moro, yes. Councelor Flynn,  

1368
02:30:54,240 --> 02:31:03,599
no. Councelor Hopkins, sucks being last. 
No, the mayor's last. the mayor's last.

1369
02:31:03,600 --> 02:31:12,960
I'm voting yes, Mayor McCern. Oh, where are we at 
now? Um, we're at four. Three yeses. Three yeses,  

1370
02:31:12,960 --> 02:31:20,399
four nos. Correct. What happens if it fails 
anyway? You have to pass it by a majority.  

1371
02:31:20,399 --> 02:31:27,839
Okay. Uh, no. So, it fails uh because it's tied 
anyways. Okay. Um, your honor, I would It's not  

1372
02:31:27,840 --> 02:31:34,880
tied though. It was to three. Correct. Five to 
three. No. No. Five nos, three yeses. Oh, okay.  

1373
02:31:34,880 --> 02:31:41,920
So, all right, your honor, I would make the motion 
motion to reconsider this at the next city council  

1374
02:31:41,920 --> 02:31:50,720
meeting on October 14th. September. September 
14th. September. Wow. Is there a second? Second.

1375
02:31:52,399 --> 02:31:58,879
And if I can speak on it, y I think that hopefully 
we can have a little bit more of the information  

1376
02:31:58,880 --> 02:32:09,760
back and some ideas from staff of um potential 
workforce um downtown worker um ideas and and and  

1377
02:32:09,760 --> 02:32:15,520
besides ideas just some of the requests for data 
that we asked for at the work session by then.  

1378
02:32:15,520 --> 02:32:22,081
So there can be um things like when we talk about 
foundry we you know we ask for data on the usage  

1379
02:32:22,080 --> 02:32:27,680
of that the how full that is getting all of those 
things. So if we can have some of that data back  

1380
02:32:27,680 --> 02:32:39,201
by that meeting I think that will help at least 
myself be able to support um this adoption.

1381
02:32:39,200 --> 02:32:44,319
Councelor Cook. Uh thank you honor. Yes. 
Um, I echo what the assistant mayor says  

1382
02:32:44,319 --> 02:32:51,040
and also I would love to see what um, 
parameters the staff thinks we should set  

1383
02:32:51,040 --> 02:32:56,479
um, as far as qualification for the program 
and how people can prove that they qualify  

1384
02:32:56,479 --> 02:33:00,240
for the program, especially someone who is 
a business owner and doesn't necessarily  

1385
02:33:00,240 --> 02:33:07,599
take a paycheck like a an is kind of 
essentially an independent contractor.

1386
02:33:07,600 --> 02:33:12,161
Uh, councelor Begman. Yeah, thanks. I won't be 
supporting the motion tonight. I think we had a  

1387
02:33:12,160 --> 02:33:16,720
lot of people show up. We had a lot of attention. 
That's the time to make unpopular decisions. Um  

1388
02:33:16,720 --> 02:33:23,520
I will not support any motion to increase street 
parking for the rest of this council term. Okay.  

1389
02:33:23,520 --> 02:33:35,440
Uh all in favor? I. Any opposed? Opposed. 
Can I second? Opposed. Okay. Thank you.

1390
02:33:35,439 --> 02:33:40,719
It's not often I agree with Andrew. Well, 
that's good. [laughter] We can bring you  

1391
02:33:40,720 --> 02:34:03,840
two together then. Who knows what's possible. 
All right. Uh we'll take a five minute recess.

1392
02:42:50,160 --> 02:42:54,960
Good evening and welcome back um on to the city 
manager's items which require action. Thank you  

1393
02:42:54,960 --> 02:43:01,200
your honor. First up is a request to hold a 
work session solely for the topic of rolling  

1394
02:43:01,200 --> 02:43:07,679
stock and historically it's really almost served 
as a footnote in and around the CIP process and  

1395
02:43:07,680 --> 02:43:11,360
um we're going to have the kickoff 
for the CIP coming up this evening.  

1396
02:43:11,359 --> 02:43:15,759
Um, but what we'd like to do because we've 
gotten some qu questions in the past about  

1397
02:43:15,760 --> 02:43:20,640
how rolling stock is comprised and and can you 
explain more about the replacement schedule,  

1398
02:43:20,640 --> 02:43:24,640
we thought it would be helpful to give it its own 
work session. So, we would propose to do that in  

1399
02:43:24,640 --> 02:43:30,241
and around the uh the formation of the CIP. So, 
we would propose to hold that right before the  

1400
02:43:30,240 --> 02:43:36,080
council meeting on October 26 of this year. You 
I move to schedule rolling stock work session at  

1401
02:43:36,080 --> 02:43:45,200
6 p.m. on October 26, 2026. Second. Any further 
discussion? Yes, I have a question. Sorry. Um,  

1402
02:43:45,200 --> 02:43:51,040
when would be a good time to bring up something 
like bofuels since the electrification of the  

1403
02:43:51,040 --> 02:43:57,439
city fleet has been, you know, put to the side? 
What else? What other options could we explore  

1404
02:43:57,439 --> 02:44:05,120
and when would be the best time to explore them 
as far as sustainable transportation options?  

1405
02:44:05,120 --> 02:44:11,200
I think it'd be great to to know now that we 
can provide that as part of I would request the  

1406
02:44:11,200 --> 02:44:17,040
work session. I would request that for this work 
session. Then what what the you know the landscape  

1407
02:44:17,040 --> 02:44:24,640
is with um biodeiesel and alternative 
fuels um since electrification has been  

1408
02:44:24,640 --> 02:44:33,120
um pushed to the side for now. Happy to 
do that. Thank you. All in favor? I I.  

1409
02:44:33,120 --> 02:44:42,479
Any opposed? All right. Item B would be a request 
to rescend city council policy uh number 2018-02,  

1410
02:44:42,479 --> 02:44:47,120
the license fee for the incumbrance of city 
property. As you will recall at the last meeting,  

1411
02:44:47,120 --> 02:44:53,519
we now have that incorporated into chapter 6. 
So, the policy is essentially rendered no longer  

1412
02:44:53,520 --> 02:45:00,081
applicable. So, we're looking to resend that 
policy tonight. and move to resend city council  

1413
02:45:00,080 --> 02:45:13,680
policy number 2018-02 license fee for encumbrance 
of city property. Second. Any further discussion?

1414
02:45:13,680 --> 02:45:22,000
All in favor? I. Any opposed? Thank you. 
Item C is a request to hold first reading of  

1415
02:45:22,000 --> 02:45:28,720
uh amendment to chapter 1 administrative 
code article 3 boards section 1.302D at  

1416
02:45:28,720 --> 02:45:34,720
the September 14th city council meeting. And this 
is relative to appointments, tenure, and removal.  

1417
02:45:34,720 --> 02:45:40,241
And in the same way that we have recently 
updated procurement notification, we would  

1418
02:45:40,240 --> 02:45:46,719
look to make that same modification here to remove 
the requirement of a newspaper publication and to  

1419
02:45:46,720 --> 02:45:52,560
rework notice provisions to be more flexible such 
as um on the city website and through the city's  

1420
02:45:52,560 --> 02:45:59,201
um means and methods of channeling information. 
So, um, for your review and consideration in  

1421
02:45:59,200 --> 02:46:05,439
advance of the filing for first reading, um, we 
would have Suzanne Woodland, Regulatory Council,  

1422
02:46:05,439 --> 02:46:12,879
come to present on that matter. Your honor, I 
move to schedule first reading, uh, amendments to  

1423
02:46:12,880 --> 02:46:20,800
chapter 1, administrative code, article 3, boards 
section 1302D, appointments, tenure, and removal  

1424
02:46:20,800 --> 02:46:28,400
at the September 14th, 2026 meeting. Second, 
councelor Cook. Thank you, your honor. Um, I just  

1425
02:46:28,399 --> 02:46:38,879
wanted to thank the city manager for bringing this 
change forward. This is probably long overdue.

1426
02:46:38,880 --> 02:46:46,560
Any further discussion? All in favor? I. Any 
oppose? Thank you. Item D is a request to  

1427
02:46:46,560 --> 02:46:50,880
establish polling hours for both the New 
Hampshire state primary and the general  

1428
02:46:50,880 --> 02:46:57,600
election. And in accordance with RSA 659 col4, 
the council does determine those polling hours.  

1429
02:46:57,600 --> 02:47:01,360
And based on past midterm election years, 
we would request that the polling hours  

1430
02:47:01,359 --> 02:47:05,599
for the primary election on September 8th 
and the general election on November 3rd  

1431
02:47:05,600 --> 02:47:11,600
of this year be established from 8:00 a.m. 
to 700 p.m. I move to set the polling hours  

1432
02:47:11,600 --> 02:47:15,600
for the New Hampshire state primary election 
on September 8th, 2026 and the New Hampshire  

1433
02:47:15,600 --> 02:47:26,320
general election on November 3rd, 2026 from 
8:00 a.m. to 7 p.m. Second. Any discussion?

1434
02:47:26,960 --> 02:47:31,920
Council. Um, no. I think this these hours 
give everyone an opportunity to vote. Um,  

1435
02:47:31,920 --> 02:47:36,960
but I also feel like we don't, you know, that 
is a long day for anyone working the polls  

1436
02:47:36,960 --> 02:47:44,880
um working the um election insights, 
but um you know it's it's reasonable.

1437
02:47:44,880 --> 02:47:50,720
All in favor? Any opposed? Item E is 
a request to approve the custodial  

1438
02:47:50,720 --> 02:47:56,000
supervisor tenative agreement in your packet. 
It is a three-year agreement which uh grants  

1439
02:47:56,000 --> 02:48:02,720
us increased flexibility on health and dental 
insurance plan and carrier considerations and  

1440
02:48:02,720 --> 02:48:06,720
uh includes an annual one-year percent 
increase in the contribution of health  

1441
02:48:06,720 --> 02:48:12,000
insurance on the part of employees and a cola 
increase in wages based on the 10-year rolling  

1442
02:48:12,000 --> 02:48:18,080
average of the CPI at 3.03 retro to July 
1st of this year. Your honor, I move to  

1443
02:48:18,080 --> 02:48:25,439
approve the proposed custodial supervisors 
tenative agreement as presented. Second.

1444
02:48:25,439 --> 02:48:32,080
Any further discussion? All in favor? I. Any 
opposed? Thank you. Next up is approval of  

1445
02:48:32,080 --> 02:48:37,760
the tenative agreement with ASME 1386A. And 
I'm pleased to see uh one of the union reps,  

1446
02:48:37,760 --> 02:48:43,440
Andrew Holdsworth on Zoom. Thanks for 
joining us, Andrew. Um very similar to  

1447
02:48:43,439 --> 02:48:47,919
provisions in the custodial supervisors 
along with some others specific to the uh  

1448
02:48:47,920 --> 02:48:53,680
the ASME 1386A folks. And just as a point of 
reference, all members fall under DPW across  

1449
02:48:53,680 --> 02:48:59,760
all divisions. That's the group that makes up 
this union. [clears throat] Move to approve  

1450
02:48:59,760 --> 02:49:08,880
the proposed ASME 1386A tentative 
agreement as presented. Second.

1451
02:49:08,880 --> 02:49:18,640
Further discussion? All in favor? I. Any oppose? 
Thank you. Item G is my last item and is a request  

1452
02:49:18,640 --> 02:49:24,640
um relative to a donation of a memorial bench at 
Boheno Gateway Park in honor of Sue Warner Thor.  

1453
02:49:24,640 --> 02:49:29,120
Typically, a donation in and of itself would come 
under grants and donations. This one is a little  

1454
02:49:29,120 --> 02:49:36,240
different in that um uh we are receiving a check 
uh that would should cover most of the event uh  

1455
02:49:36,240 --> 02:49:41,760
most of the costs but in the event that donations 
do not cover fully all the costs related to this  

1456
02:49:41,760 --> 02:49:47,840
bench there are funds available in the public art 
trust and therefore the the second part of this  

1457
02:49:47,840 --> 02:49:52,640
um it's a two-part motion would be to allow 
the city uh for the release of funds from  

1458
02:49:52,640 --> 02:49:58,161
the public art trust and in and in this way we 
have satisfied the requirements of the put forth  

1459
02:49:58,160 --> 02:50:02,880
by the trustees of trust funds in how we direct 
the funds. So there are two specific motions  

1460
02:50:02,880 --> 02:50:07,359
here tonight. But I would I would like to add 
that Sue Thor was able to see the completion  

1461
02:50:07,359 --> 02:50:12,319
of the wonderful work of the endeavor as part 
of the 400th and noted that there would the  

1462
02:50:12,319 --> 02:50:16,639
absence of benches with back support. So 
that's what Bob's trying to do tonight.  

1463
02:50:17,439 --> 02:50:23,120
Your honor, I move to request the city council 
accept a $10,000 donation to the city from Bo  

1464
02:50:23,120 --> 02:50:29,040
Bob Bob Thorson to be used towards the towards the 
bench and vote to accept any additional financial  

1465
02:50:29,040 --> 02:50:36,000
contri contributions towards the bench from Bob 
Thorson [clears throat] the Thorson family or  

1466
02:50:36,000 --> 02:50:44,399
other private donors. Second. Councelor Blewock. 
Thank you. Um I'm very happy we can um help honor  

1467
02:50:44,399 --> 02:50:49,759
the Thor family. Um they've been such generous 
members of our community. Um just selfless,  

1468
02:50:49,760 --> 02:50:58,800
just outstanding. Um but yeah, my heart goes out 
to the Thor family. Thank you, Councelor Block.  

1469
02:50:58,800 --> 02:51:07,120
Agreed. All in favor? I. Any opposed? Your honor, 
I move to authorize and direct the trustees of  

1470
02:51:07,120 --> 02:51:13,680
the trust funds to disperse such sums from the 
city of Portsmith public art trust as directed  

1471
02:51:13,680 --> 02:51:19,520
and certified by the city manager that such funds 
are needed to complete the design, fabrication,  

1472
02:51:19,520 --> 02:51:25,600
and installation of a sculpture memorial bench 
to be installed in Bohenko Park not otherwise  

1473
02:51:25,600 --> 02:51:32,640
paid by private donations. Such sums may include 
without limitation payments due or obligations  

1474
02:51:32,640 --> 02:51:41,360
satisfied under a contract with CJ sorry CJ Chen 
and any incidentals that might fall outside of  

1475
02:51:41,359 --> 02:51:46,799
said contract fund shall come from the capital 
improvement program contributions to the public  

1476
02:51:46,800 --> 02:51:54,960
art trust. No further approvals of the city 
council is required. Second was a long one.  

1477
02:51:54,960 --> 02:52:06,080
Any further discussion? All in favor? I. Any 
opposed? Thank you. [clears throat and cough]

1478
02:52:06,080 --> 02:52:08,240
Oh, we're through your All right. Now we have the  

1479
02:52:08,240 --> 02:52:15,279
consent agenda. I move to adopt the 
consent agenda as presented. Second.

1480
02:52:15,279 --> 02:52:18,960
Any further discussion?

1481
02:52:18,960 --> 02:52:22,399
All in favor? I. Any opposed?

1482
02:52:23,840 --> 02:52:36,319
Next we have the uh CIP kickoff 
presentation. City manager finance administr

1483
02:52:36,319 --> 02:52:46,719
good evening folks. Uh as the city manager 
pulls up my uh 75 slides I'll I warn you  

1484
02:52:46,720 --> 02:52:51,520
I warn you that uh that this could run 
long and I apologize for that. Actually,  

1485
02:52:51,520 --> 02:52:57,520
you've seen all of this before. It's an important 
part of our CIP. We talked a month ago about the  

1486
02:52:57,520 --> 02:53:05,680
CIP U citizen portal being open uh early in July. 
It remains open. Uh we'll reference the dates in  

1487
02:53:05,680 --> 02:53:12,720
a moment. Our committees uh have opportunity to 
kick in suggestions and our citizens as well.  

1488
02:53:12,720 --> 02:53:21,120
uh our CIP capital improvement plan in earnest 
for fiscal years 28 through 33 kicks off now  

1489
02:53:21,120 --> 02:53:26,240
uh which is really a signal as much as anything 
to staff as the departments begin to work on  

1490
02:53:26,240 --> 02:53:33,200
bringing together their their submissions tonight. 
Uh we just have a few slides to remind you and the  

1491
02:53:33,200 --> 02:53:41,439
public about the the capital improvement plan. 
Uh first slide up is uh a definition. Uh next  

1492
02:53:41,439 --> 02:53:46,639
slide. Thank you. First slide up is a a definition 
about the CIP and what it is and why we have it.  

1493
02:53:46,640 --> 02:53:54,161
It is for us a long-term multi-year financial and 
infrastructure planning tool and it helps serve  

1494
02:53:54,160 --> 02:53:59,760
uh serve the purpose of helping us maintain 
saferu uh infrastructure in the city,  

1495
02:53:59,760 --> 02:54:05,840
help us coordinate financial strategies for the 
capital projects that uh that we undertake and  

1496
02:54:05,840 --> 02:54:11,360
uh assist in the achievement of citywide goals. 
the CIP process and the document that we create  

1497
02:54:11,359 --> 02:54:16,639
at the end communicate to our residents about 
capital needs uh that contribute information to  

1498
02:54:16,640 --> 02:54:21,040
the development of the annual budget each year 
and promote maintenance of safe maintenance of  

1499
02:54:21,040 --> 02:54:28,160
and safe access to our city infrastructure. Next 
up uh is just a quick definition. What is it that  

1500
02:54:28,160 --> 02:54:34,160
qualifies as a CIP project? There are a handful 
of categories of six a half dozen actually.  

1501
02:54:34,160 --> 02:54:40,639
First the construction or expansion of uh public 
infrastructure in general major rehabilitation of  

1502
02:54:40,640 --> 02:54:47,600
of of a public infrastructure planning or design 
related to a capital project. So the early effort  

1503
02:54:47,600 --> 02:54:54,080
uh uh any significant non-vehicular equipment 
purchase [clears throat] large vehicle purchases  

1504
02:54:54,080 --> 02:55:02,319
generally with a 10 or more year lifespan 
and the acquisition of land when appropriate.

1505
02:55:02,319 --> 02:55:07,759
Uh over the over the last couple of years we 
worked really to refine the rubric with which  

1506
02:55:07,760 --> 02:55:12,240
uh proposed projects are evaluated and 
our priorities considered. The capital  

1507
02:55:12,240 --> 02:55:17,439
improvement plus pro process considers three 
core strategies. The first of those does the  

1508
02:55:17,439 --> 02:55:22,479
project fulfill a core function of the 
city that may be regulatory expectation,  

1509
02:55:22,479 --> 02:55:27,679
public health and safety needs or addressing 
something substandard in conditions throughout  

1510
02:55:27,680 --> 02:55:32,400
city infrastructure. The second category is 
does [clears throat] the project achieve a  

1511
02:55:32,399 --> 02:55:38,559
financial benefit to the city? That may be uh 
matching funds being available or efficiencies  

1512
02:55:38,560 --> 02:55:44,400
uh being achievable through synergies with other 
projects or maybe reductions to operating costs  

1513
02:55:44,399 --> 02:55:50,719
that we seek as a part of our budgeting process. 
The third is does this project address a community  

1514
02:55:50,720 --> 02:55:56,640
plan or some service improvement? Maybe will 
satisfy the objectives identified in our planning  

1515
02:55:56,640 --> 02:56:02,720
study that we've worked on. It'll improve or add 
capacity to some existing city service. Maybe it  

1516
02:56:02,720 --> 02:56:09,600
drives further economic development or it responds 
to a request of our residents. So what are they?  

1517
02:56:09,600 --> 02:56:18,161
How are they judged? How then do we fund them? 
First up is uh well, let me say we we we lean  

1518
02:56:18,160 --> 02:56:27,439
on two major funding streams. Uh in in addition to 
and beyond state and federal and private funding,  

1519
02:56:27,439 --> 02:56:33,759
we have our local capital outlay and we have 
borrowing through municipal bonding. The first of  

1520
02:56:33,760 --> 02:56:40,400
those capital outlay is our pay as you go funding 
option. Capital outlay represents dollars that we  

1521
02:56:40,399 --> 02:56:46,240
appropriate every year as a part of the general 
fund annual budget. And the target for our capital  

1522
02:56:46,240 --> 02:56:53,040
outlay is to invest at a level of up to 2% of the 
priory year budget. That's one of our financial  

1523
02:56:53,040 --> 02:56:59,359
policies. You'll read about that in the financial 
policy section of the annual uh budget document.  

1524
02:56:59,359 --> 02:57:05,759
and and this I changed the language just to just 
because I thought it was important as you look at  

1525
02:57:05,760 --> 02:57:12,320
the graph uh our goal is that we move this in the 
direction of 2% and as we are able and can afford  

1526
02:57:12,319 --> 02:57:18,799
to we're using these general appropriations to 
invest in capital infrastructure. You can see  

1527
02:57:18,800 --> 02:57:25,920
uh from the graph that we we got close in 
FY18 to 2% certainly through the pandemic  

1528
02:57:25,920 --> 02:57:32,399
uh we backed off on some of that cash infusion 
of capital projects. This last cycle after the  

1529
02:57:32,399 --> 02:57:38,799
amendments that we made to the budget which were 
in the area of capital outlay our FY27 capital  

1530
02:57:38,800 --> 02:57:46,800
outlay is 96% of the prior year's appropriation. 
The second then of those funding alternatives or  

1531
02:57:46,800 --> 02:57:55,279
funding streams is municipal borrowing and uh and 
we do this with multi-year repayment plans through  

1532
02:57:55,279 --> 02:58:02,719
municipal bonding. Annual payment of principal 
and interest we refer to as debt service. And our  

1533
02:58:02,720 --> 02:58:10,640
policy is that the target for net debt service is 
to remain below 10% of each year's annual budget.  

1534
02:58:10,640 --> 02:58:21,440
This last year, uh, FY27 stands at 7.64%. And the 
chart shows you the 10% bar, but it also gives you  

1535
02:58:21,439 --> 02:58:27,359
a sense of what the outy years of our most recent 
six-year CIP looked like. I think it's important  

1536
02:58:27,359 --> 02:58:35,519
for us to call out that every year in uh the last 
I think the analysis that we did was 15 years.  

1537
02:58:35,520 --> 02:58:42,000
Every year we come in in the seven and a half 
eight% range. Generally the outy years often  

1538
02:58:42,000 --> 02:58:48,319
look larger. Not because not because they will be 
when we get there, but because as we go through  

1539
02:58:48,319 --> 02:58:54,080
the management exercise of deferring things that 
can be deferred and trying to limit the scope  

1540
02:58:54,080 --> 02:59:00,640
of our net debt service year-over-year, we push 
projects into the outy years so as not to leave  

1541
02:59:00,640 --> 02:59:06,000
them behind or forget them, but to defer them. 
Uh if we look at the next slide which considers  

1542
02:59:06,000 --> 02:59:13,520
a 10-year run and looks just beyond the out the 
the six-year outlook again only based on what we  

1543
02:59:13,520 --> 02:59:20,480
have and what we know. This includes our net debt 
service. This includes all of our ongoing projects  

1544
02:59:20,479 --> 02:59:25,519
or past projects for which we are continuing 
to make principal and interest payments against  

1545
02:59:25,520 --> 02:59:32,960
municipal borrowing. uh you you should not walk 
away concerned that if you look in year five,  

1546
02:59:32,960 --> 02:59:39,920
six, seven, eight, those numbers are up near 10% 
or over 10%. Because our exercise has been that  

1547
02:59:39,920 --> 02:59:45,200
by the time that becomes the year that we're 
making decisions on that will have fallen back  

1548
02:59:45,200 --> 02:59:51,120
into the 7 and a half to 8 and a half% range. Uh 
it's important to note that these are all based  

1549
02:59:51,120 --> 02:59:57,279
on last year's CP CIP. They do not include any 
projections of anything new we've been discussing.  

1550
02:59:57,279 --> 03:00:03,679
All of the project information behind this graph 
is based on June 30 of 26, the end of fiscal 26.  

1551
03:00:03,680 --> 03:00:11,360
No new projects added and uh um no new projects 
added and and we look forward this year to trying  

1552
03:00:11,359 --> 03:00:16,880
to put a little more substance into the 10-year 
cycle. The CIP will continue to be a six-year,  

1553
03:00:16,880 --> 03:00:21,680
but the departments are working to make sure that 
we at least identify projects that reasonably are  

1554
03:00:21,680 --> 03:00:26,800
in the 10-year horizon. Nathan, I think before 
you leave this slide, it's important to note  

1555
03:00:26,800 --> 03:00:33,040
that this includes the initial debt amount for 
the municipal complex project of 42.2. The 42.2  

1556
03:00:33,040 --> 03:00:39,519
initially envisioned. Absolutely. Thank you for 
that. uh and I I won't read to you but there's  

1557
03:00:39,520 --> 03:00:46,320
a number of additional comments here about our 
CIP CIP uh process. Uh these are excellent for  

1558
03:00:46,319 --> 03:00:50,960
posterity and for those who will download this 
as a resource later. I it's important I think I  

1559
03:00:50,960 --> 03:00:57,439
want to emphasize uh as we often do that capital 
project approval has really three steps. This CIP  

1560
03:00:57,439 --> 03:01:02,960
plan is the first step. We consider through 
the development of this with the council and  

1561
03:01:02,960 --> 03:01:10,000
the planning board's participation and that of 
our public uh a plan for six years of capital  

1562
03:01:10,000 --> 03:01:15,600
uh capital investment. Uh the plan is recommended 
ultimately by the planning board and then adopted  

1563
03:01:15,600 --> 03:01:21,680
by the city council. Your timeline has included 
that happening in December in most recent years.  

1564
03:01:21,680 --> 03:01:28,640
The second step the is that the first year 
of the of the approved CIP as it's finalized  

1565
03:01:28,640 --> 03:01:33,840
it's in December becomes a part of the proposed 
budget that you'll see in the spring. Doesn't  

1566
03:01:33,840 --> 03:01:39,680
mean that it all stays in that proposed 
budget but the first year of the adopted  

1567
03:01:39,680 --> 03:01:46,960
uh CIP plan becomes uh a foundational block in the 
budget that we present in the spring. And finally,  

1568
03:01:46,960 --> 03:01:52,399
any long-term borrowing that is in the approved 
CIP that works its way through the second step  

1569
03:01:52,399 --> 03:01:58,080
of the budget comes back to the council as 
we did a month ago for the consideration of  

1570
03:01:58,080 --> 03:02:03,439
uh bonding authorization. So the council and 
the public all see any of these projects at  

1571
03:02:03,439 --> 03:02:10,000
least three times for very formal discussion. The 
timeline is here so that you can refer back to it.  

1572
03:02:10,000 --> 03:02:16,240
I would call out all of the all of the uh little 
human figurines represent uh opportunities for  

1573
03:02:16,240 --> 03:02:21,760
public input. [clears throat and cough] We are 
tonight here the kickoff of the council uh the  

1574
03:02:21,760 --> 03:02:28,960
kickoff of the of the CIP. I mentioned the citizen 
submissions of uh citizen portal submissions of  

1575
03:02:28,960 --> 03:02:34,160
citizens requests. Those due on Friday the 18th 
of September. Your departments will make their  

1576
03:02:34,160 --> 03:02:41,279
final submissions on the 20 by the 25th and then 
we will have a citizen request subcommittee of  

1577
03:02:41,279 --> 03:02:46,479
the council that will review those projects that 
have been requested by citizens. That is scheduled  

1578
03:02:46,479 --> 03:02:53,359
now for 8th of October 6:00 I believe will be in 
conference room A. And then we start in earnest  

1579
03:02:53,359 --> 03:02:58,479
with the council and the planning board with a 
joint work session November 12th. You'll have  

1580
03:02:58,479 --> 03:03:04,639
a public hearing at your November 16th um council 
meeting. Uh the planning board will be invited to  

1581
03:03:04,640 --> 03:03:09,440
attend to hear the public's input. The planning 
board will consider it in November and you'll be  

1582
03:03:09,439 --> 03:03:18,399
hopefully uh adopting the CIP in December. Uh 
only to make sure that the public has access.  

1583
03:03:18,399 --> 03:03:24,319
Citizens requests are uh available for submission 
through the portal which is at the link at the  

1584
03:03:24,319 --> 03:03:31,920
bottom of this screen. Uh all of the submissions 
that come in will be reviewed by uh staff to put  

1585
03:03:31,920 --> 03:03:39,840
some substance to them and help us to delineate 
those that are potentially already CIP projects,  

1586
03:03:39,840 --> 03:03:48,640
those that are uh not eligible by definition to 
be part of the CIP and those that are uh and and  

1587
03:03:48,640 --> 03:03:54,400
may become CIP projects. And then we also have 
to address that in some cases the requests that  

1588
03:03:54,399 --> 03:03:58,719
are made are better served alternatively and 
we work with the residents to make sure they  

1589
03:03:58,720 --> 03:04:03,280
understand what those are so that we can pursue 
them in that direction. Uh the meeting I mentioned  

1590
03:04:03,279 --> 03:04:10,080
again October 8th uh I commend that to you. Our 
CIP process that kicks off now with the staff any  

1591
03:04:10,080 --> 03:04:17,439
questions certainly would be happy to try to 
address those. Councelor Buck. Thank you. Um,  

1592
03:04:17,439 --> 03:04:25,919
will the CIP subcommittee get to see these 
um, resident requests before the meeting?

1593
03:04:25,920 --> 03:04:29,040
I just know in the past I've been on that 
committee and I kind of get blindsided. Did  

1594
03:04:29,040 --> 03:04:32,399
you get blindsided with it? Yeah. You just, you 
know what I mean? And then I have to make all my  

1595
03:04:32,399 --> 03:04:36,479
analysis and I think it's I think it's quite 
reasonable you want to see those in advance.  

1596
03:04:36,479 --> 03:04:46,479
Yes. All right. Thank you. Thank you. I appreciate 
it. Uh, Councelor Hopkins. Um, thank you. Nathan,  

1597
03:04:46,479 --> 03:04:52,479
could you go into a little bit more? Because 
to me, as someone new to engaging with city  

1598
03:04:52,479 --> 03:04:58,319
government, submitting a request for CIP sounds 
kind of scary. Can you talk a little bit about  

1599
03:04:58,319 --> 03:05:02,319
what that would look like? Can I just write down 
anything? Does it have to be in a certain format?  

1600
03:05:02,319 --> 03:05:09,120
Do I have to site have citations? Like what what 
what are we asking the public for in the simplest  

1601
03:05:09,120 --> 03:05:15,920
terms? Uh so the the best answer I can give you 
is that the portal is pretty intuitive and that  

1602
03:05:15,920 --> 03:05:21,200
when you kick to that link and log in, it'll 
ask you for contact information. It'll ask you  

1603
03:05:21,200 --> 03:05:27,679
uh to describe the location or facility. It'll 
ask you and prompt you for some elements and  

1604
03:05:27,680 --> 03:05:32,320
then it provides you a fairly open narrative 
and all of the suggestions or the comments  

1605
03:05:32,319 --> 03:05:37,679
that you made have been among the you know the 
submissions that we've received. Some of them  

1606
03:05:37,680 --> 03:05:44,160
are very straightforward. They're very succinct. 
I when I need a sidewalk on XYZ Street and some  

1607
03:05:44,160 --> 03:05:50,319
of them are some of them are much longer in terms 
of the detail that is provided references and the  

1608
03:05:50,319 --> 03:05:56,799
like. Uh no expectation really. This is uh your 
community and uh and your process as residents  

1609
03:05:56,800 --> 03:06:02,400
as well as council. And so for residents uh once 
you've identified yourself and to the best of your  

1610
03:06:02,399 --> 03:06:09,279
ability the location or nature of your need and 
then describe it narratively uh that moves forward  

1611
03:06:09,279 --> 03:06:15,040
in the process. Staff will do their best without 
without changing the scope or trying to amend the  

1612
03:06:15,040 --> 03:06:22,640
request. Staff will work to try to wrap that with 
uh explanation about um facility expectations,  

1613
03:06:22,640 --> 03:06:27,600
needs, legal requirements, and the like 
uh and flesh that out in our process. So,  

1614
03:06:27,600 --> 03:06:33,680
we're really looking for for residents to provide 
us with the pain points that they think need to be  

1615
03:06:33,680 --> 03:06:42,560
addressed. Uh, and we'll do as much of the leg 
work as we can. Thank you, uh, Councelor Cook.  

1616
03:06:42,560 --> 03:06:46,161
And thank you, your honor, and thank you for the 
presentation tonight. I just wanted to encourage  

1617
03:06:46,160 --> 03:06:52,800
our residents to submit requests for the CIP 
if you see something that needs to happen in  

1618
03:06:52,800 --> 03:06:59,760
the community. Um this year we're completing uh 
the Little Harbor School playground project and  

1619
03:06:59,760 --> 03:07:06,320
that was brought to our attention from parents 
um in the Little Harbor School um letting us know  

1620
03:07:06,319 --> 03:07:11,439
that that project absolutely needed to be done and 
needed to be done sooner rather than later. And so  

1621
03:07:11,439 --> 03:07:17,040
um it's because of residents who bring issues 
forward to us that we see the things that need  

1622
03:07:17,040 --> 03:07:21,439
to be improved. And I'm I'm very excited to 
um for our new playground at Little Harbor,  

1623
03:07:21,439 --> 03:07:27,120
which is the first of three playgrounds at all 
of our elementary schools. Absolutely. And that  

1624
03:07:27,120 --> 03:07:31,519
all started with a conversation that parents 
brought to to the process. I guess I would  

1625
03:07:31,520 --> 03:07:37,201
offer one clarification. If it's if it's broken 
and it's dangerous and you identify something,  

1626
03:07:37,200 --> 03:07:42,479
we have click and fix and you should let us 
know. This is this is not for acute care.  

1627
03:07:42,479 --> 03:07:48,399
This is these capital requests are for things 
that you would prefer to see uh that would  

1628
03:07:48,399 --> 03:07:54,240
make your life in the city and the lives of your 
your neighbors better. Uh if you see something  

1629
03:07:54,240 --> 03:08:02,399
that is of critical mass or of acute nature, 
obviously we have a mechanism for that as well.

1630
03:08:02,399 --> 03:08:09,040
Thank you very much, Nathan. Looking forward 
to this process once again. All right, next up,  

1631
03:08:09,040 --> 03:08:16,240
email correspondence. Your honor, I move to accept 
and place on file. Second. All in favor? I. Any  

1632
03:08:16,240 --> 03:08:22,479
opposed? Um, an appointment to be considered is 
the appointment of uh Jack Hollesman, John Jack  

1633
03:08:22,479 --> 03:08:26,160
Hollesman, uh to the zoning board of adjustment. 
This took a little bit longer because we had to  

1634
03:08:26,160 --> 03:08:34,720
notice the uh the vacancy and he will be uh being 
appointed uh if he is successful uh to the full  

1635
03:08:34,720 --> 03:08:42,160
um member uh vacancy that was created. uh and 
with the departure of Paul Manel serving out  

1636
03:08:42,160 --> 03:08:48,639
the rest of his term and we'll have a 
vote again um in January. [snorts] They  

1637
03:08:48,640 --> 03:08:54,241
their terms end I think the end of November. 
End of November. So very quickly thereafter  

1638
03:08:54,240 --> 03:08:59,279
um and then um so that's just appointment 
to be considered. A appointment to be voted  

1639
03:08:59,279 --> 03:09:04,080
would be the appointment of Wendy Ellip to the 
sustainability committee. I move to appoint  

1640
03:09:04,080 --> 03:09:10,960
Wendy Ellip to the sustainability committee. 
Second. Any further discussion? Thank you,  

1641
03:09:10,960 --> 03:09:18,720
Wendy, for stepping up to serve again. Uh, all 
in favor? I. Any opposed? Councelor Cook. Uh,  

1642
03:09:18,720 --> 03:09:26,320
thank you, your honor. Um, I am just reporting out 
on the legislative subcommittee meeting um that we  

1643
03:09:26,319 --> 03:09:33,759
had this last week. Um we will be attending 
the New Hampshire Municipal Association's  

1644
03:09:33,760 --> 03:09:42,720
um annual discussion to uh adopt their proposed 
legislative policies and the committee met and  

1645
03:09:42,720 --> 03:09:48,880
registered our views on the policies to be 
discussed at that meeting. Um you'll note in  

1646
03:09:48,880 --> 03:09:55,040
the packet that there is a memo that outlines the 
policies with which we had questions in which we  

1647
03:09:55,040 --> 03:10:00,560
decided to register our opposition. Um, so I think 
it's important to note that we don't always agree  

1648
03:10:00,560 --> 03:10:08,640
with all of the policies, but when we do attend, 
we register our opposition or um choose to not  

1649
03:10:08,640 --> 03:10:16,320
express an opinion on on items that we think are 
nebulous or um confusing and don't would not make  

1650
03:10:16,319 --> 03:10:21,679
sense to for the city of Portsouth to support. 
So you will see that in your packet. I'm happy  

1651
03:10:21,680 --> 03:10:26,560
to answer any questions as I'm sure the other 
committee members are as well. So I would move  

1652
03:10:26,560 --> 03:10:32,161
to approve New Hampshire Municipal Association's 
2027 to 2028 proposed legislative policies and  

1653
03:10:32,160 --> 03:10:39,760
principles as recommended by the legislative 
subcommittee. Second. Thank you, Councelor  

1654
03:10:39,760 --> 03:10:53,760
Cook. Any further discussion? All in favor? I. Any 
opposed? Uh, councelor Bagley. Thanks, honor. Um,

1655
03:10:53,760 --> 03:10:58,480
my motion. Uh, I move to direct the city attorney 
to review the attached proposed ordinance language  

1656
03:10:58,479 --> 03:11:03,359
regarding automated license plate reader 
systems and return a final draft ordinance  

1657
03:11:03,359 --> 03:11:09,120
to the city council for first reading. I got a 
second. I'll speak to it. A second. Um, yeah,  

1658
03:11:09,120 --> 03:11:16,240
as as Commissioner Sher uh mentioned earlier 
tonight, um they're commonly known as uh Flock  

1659
03:11:16,240 --> 03:11:21,359
cameras. That's really just a brand name. Um 
believe the cameras that we use currently are  

1660
03:11:21,359 --> 03:11:26,559
not Flock brand. They're a different brand. Um, 
but what's happened with the acceleration of uh  

1661
03:11:26,560 --> 03:11:35,201
license plate reader cameras and the combination 
of AI and and video is uh we've seen it in states  

1662
03:11:35,200 --> 03:11:40,559
outside of New Hampshire that it becomes a a 
surveillance tool that can be abused. Uh right  

1663
03:11:40,560 --> 03:11:47,121
now we have RSAs in place u thanks to Commissioner 
Sher as in his state rep role uh preventing the  

1664
03:11:47,120 --> 03:11:52,080
sunsetting of the existing law. Um however, it's 
not to say that that law is not overturned at  

1665
03:11:52,080 --> 03:11:58,000
some point in the future. So, I think uh it'd be 
worthwhile to investigate if we can pass municipal  

1666
03:11:58,000 --> 03:12:04,000
um ordinance that takes advantage of that law just 
in case it is sunset in the future. It adds a an  

1667
03:12:04,000 --> 03:12:09,200
extra point of friction and an extra chance for 
the public to come and express their opinion. Um  

1668
03:12:09,200 --> 03:12:16,800
I think generally the public sentiment is is we 
don't like being tracked. Thank councelor Bagley.  

1669
03:12:16,800 --> 03:12:24,080
Council moro. Um, I'm just wondering if we could 
also um amend the motion to also send back for a  

1670
03:12:24,080 --> 03:12:32,080
um feedback after it's drafted from the police 
commission. I would accept that. Oh, what I guess  

1671
03:12:32,080 --> 03:12:38,080
uh as I read it and I know that was an email I 
want to make sure that I have it right. I guess I  

1672
03:12:38,080 --> 03:12:47,680
was surprised to hear uh the police commission uh 
members concern around erecting fixed cameras on  

1673
03:12:47,680 --> 03:12:53,280
uh city land. Why there would be any jurisdiction 
for the police to do anything like that without  

1674
03:12:53,279 --> 03:12:58,240
the express written permission of the city of 
Portsouth. I understand they could use these in  

1675
03:12:58,240 --> 03:13:03,200
their cars or mobile units, but a way I understood 
that the uh the draft ordinance was written was  

1676
03:13:03,200 --> 03:13:12,800
that it would be uh preventing any kind of fixed 
camera on uh city land or buildings and I don't  

1677
03:13:12,800 --> 03:13:21,040
believe that that would run to the uh the ability 
or run a foul of the separation of powers within  

1678
03:13:21,040 --> 03:13:27,760
our charter. Um thanks. I I agree with your 
opinion. I am not a 100% sure that uh based  

1679
03:13:27,760 --> 03:13:33,440
on emails I receive that the commission or one of 
the commissioners at least agrees and thinks that  

1680
03:13:33,439 --> 03:13:38,879
the maybe the council's overstepping its bounds by 
having this discussion which to me means all the  

1681
03:13:38,880 --> 03:13:44,640
more reason to have the discussion in public. 
Certainly. Yeah. I guess I'm happy to I guess  

1682
03:13:44,640 --> 03:13:52,400
it would be a a question for the city attorney 
on and we'll get maybe it's easier to have her  

1683
03:13:52,399 --> 03:13:57,359
draft something that comes back to us. you know, 
for discussion around this. I can do that. And I  

1684
03:13:57,359 --> 03:14:04,479
can also share that um the chief of police and 
the commission, at least commissioner Shure,  

1685
03:14:04,479 --> 03:14:10,080
have significant concerns about the proposal 
and we'll probably want to address those with  

1686
03:14:10,080 --> 03:14:16,960
with the council at the appropriate time. Okay. 
Uh Councelor Cook, thank you, your honor. Um,  

1687
03:14:16,960 --> 03:14:23,359
I'm happy to discuss the delineation between whose 
roles um, this falls under, whose role this falls  

1688
03:14:23,359 --> 03:14:28,000
under, but I would note that these cameras have 
not just been used for law enforcement purpose  

1689
03:14:28,000 --> 03:14:35,200
purposes, they've also been used for insurance 
enforcement purposes um, and general tracking  

1690
03:14:35,200 --> 03:14:41,920
beyond law enforcement. So, um, this is not just 
a law enforcement function that we are discussing.  

1691
03:14:42,640 --> 03:14:49,520
Can I just clarify that that that might be 
true in around the rest of the country. Um  

1692
03:14:49,520 --> 03:14:57,840
but in New Hampshire um the use of these types 
of reader license plate reader systems is only  

1693
03:14:57,840 --> 03:15:05,279
authorized to law enforcement and under very 
strict controls. The statutes very um detailed  

1694
03:15:05,279 --> 03:15:11,599
in terms of how they can be used. They have to 
be registered. They have to be policies that  

1695
03:15:11,600 --> 03:15:18,880
etc. And the information can only be held for a 
certain period of time, like three minutes. So,  

1696
03:15:18,880 --> 03:15:24,160
um, other states, however, do not regulate 
them. So, what you're hearing from  

1697
03:15:24,160 --> 03:15:31,599
other states around the country and how 
they've been abused, um, these types of,  

1698
03:15:31,600 --> 03:15:38,800
uh, equipment cannot be used outside of 
law enforcement legally in New Hampshire.

1699
03:15:46,000 --> 03:15:54,880
So, um, and sorry to jump in on Council Maro's, 
uh, jumped all over. Did [laughter] you guys were  

1700
03:15:54,880 --> 03:16:03,600
agreeing so well? Um, um, I guess in terms of the, 
uh, this would come back at first reading. I don't  

1701
03:16:03,600 --> 03:16:11,360
uh I mean again I think that the um the effort to 
have the conversations in public on this would not  

1702
03:16:11,359 --> 03:16:17,920
be prohibited um in terms of first reading or 
second reading on this to be able to speak to  

1703
03:16:17,920 --> 03:16:27,600
um at after first reading and once we see what 
is um what's before us um I mean I think maybe  

1704
03:16:27,600 --> 03:16:34,161
a way to thread the needle would be to uh send 
them a draft of what is going to come back for  

1705
03:16:34,160 --> 03:16:38,639
first reading so that they're prepared to 
speak, you know, um, ahead of, you know,  

1706
03:16:38,640 --> 03:16:43,600
public comment before we have first reading and 
then, um, certainly they'd have the opportunity  

1707
03:16:43,600 --> 03:16:50,640
to speak at at second reading. Um, but, you know, 
I I think it's pretty clear in terms of the city  

1708
03:16:50,640 --> 03:16:56,000
buildings and what we would do and the feelings 
of many in Portsouth and New Hampshire that want  

1709
03:16:56,000 --> 03:17:01,200
to make sure that, you know, while the police have 
every ability to enforce, you know, in their cars,  

1710
03:17:01,200 --> 03:17:07,920
I think there was draft for temporary um you 
know uh temporary uh locations to be used or  

1711
03:17:07,920 --> 03:17:16,399
in the event of a an emergency. Um but I think 
the permanent affiction of these cameras to  

1712
03:17:16,399 --> 03:17:20,399
uh to buildings or public lands in the city of 
Portsouth is something that a lot of people would  

1713
03:17:20,399 --> 03:17:27,679
have or at least want their uh voices um heard 
on through the council vote. Councelor Bwood.  

1714
03:17:27,680 --> 03:17:30,480
Yeah. I would just say, your honor, and I'm not 
going to bore everybody reading it tonight, but  

1715
03:17:30,479 --> 03:17:36,479
I did put in the packet. It's about a page long. 
It's fairly technical and [clears throat] uses,  

1716
03:17:36,479 --> 03:17:42,080
you know, the technical terms, but it does have a 
lot of carveouts um for different types of uses,  

1717
03:17:42,080 --> 03:17:47,200
but all with a caveat of oversight. Um, as I 
never get tired of saying, but I wish I didn't  

1718
03:17:47,200 --> 03:17:51,599
have to. We're Dylan's rule state. We can only 
do things when we have enabling legislation.  

1719
03:17:51,600 --> 03:17:58,640
This legislation was due to sunset this year, but 
Commissioner Sher as a state ref uh eliminated the  

1720
03:17:58,640 --> 03:18:05,920
sunset uh provision. But that's not to say 
next year it gets overturned. As we know,  

1721
03:18:05,920 --> 03:18:10,640
the state house makes uh new laws and regulations 
every year. And if we have something in the books  

1722
03:18:10,640 --> 03:18:14,161
now, when we have the ability to put something 
on the books now, I think it serves us well  

1723
03:18:14,160 --> 03:18:19,120
in the future. And that's the reason for my 
bringing it forward because of that sunset p  

1724
03:18:19,120 --> 03:18:26,800
uh provision. I'm worried that it will be forced 
out in the next couple years. So, I'll just add  

1725
03:18:26,800 --> 03:18:32,560
to the conversation for, you know, I've been 
looking at where this could go in our in our  

1726
03:18:32,560 --> 03:18:38,960
ordinances and looking at the law. I mean, there 
are and looking at the charter issues. There are  

1727
03:18:38,960 --> 03:18:46,319
potential charter issues here. there are potential 
issues that the state has preempted this field  

1728
03:18:46,319 --> 03:18:54,559
um in terms of trying to regulate it um in any 
way. But on on the other hand, I've also looked  

1729
03:18:54,560 --> 03:19:03,440
at the council's authority and your main authority 
is your control over city property and the use of  

1730
03:19:03,439 --> 03:19:11,519
city property. So, um I'm still trying to balance 
all those concerns. They haven't come to a a final  

1731
03:19:11,520 --> 03:19:17,680
legal opinion on all of that, but there are a 
lot of issues at play and um and certainly I  

1732
03:19:17,680 --> 03:19:28,160
think that the police commission would welcome the 
opportunity to have an opportunity to contribute.

1733
03:19:28,160 --> 03:19:39,040
Sister Mayor, um and I don't know if this would 
have to be uh um sorry within an added motion,  

1734
03:19:39,040 --> 03:19:46,479
but I would certainly like to see a memo back 
from the city legal department outlining kind of  

1735
03:19:46,479 --> 03:19:57,040
all of the things that um the city attorney just 
mentioned ideally prior to or in conjunction with  

1736
03:19:57,040 --> 03:20:02,800
um a proposed ordinance language. Um because I 
think an ordinance can read one way but without  

1737
03:20:02,800 --> 03:20:10,400
the backstory of why it's written a certain way. 
Um, I think it can, you know, I think it's good  

1738
03:20:10,399 --> 03:20:15,439
for the public to be able to see the memo and the 
council to be able to see the memo. Uh, and all  

1739
03:20:15,439 --> 03:20:22,160
of the different uh touch points that have to go 
into considering if we can even write an ordinance  

1740
03:20:22,160 --> 03:20:29,760
or if that needs to come again from a charter 
department or not. I So, I don't I don't know if  

1741
03:20:29,760 --> 03:20:36,960
I can just request that or if that has to be added 
as an amendment to the motion. Well, would it So,  

1742
03:20:36,960 --> 03:20:42,960
I guess um maybe city attorney, would you be 
writing this like this? Would you be writing an  

1743
03:20:42,960 --> 03:20:50,480
ordinance that conflicted with their charter? So, 
there are questions about, you know, who controls,  

1744
03:20:50,479 --> 03:20:56,000
you know, the operations of the police department 
and their, you know, investigative abilities  

1745
03:20:56,000 --> 03:21:00,560
abilities and the equipment that they 
use to conduct their investigations. So,  

1746
03:21:00,560 --> 03:21:07,201
as long as they're in compliance with state law, 
um to have the city council chime in at those are  

1747
03:21:07,200 --> 03:21:13,200
the concerns that the commissioners 
raised um in the first instance. So,  

1748
03:21:13,200 --> 03:21:22,239
um I'm happy to do a report back um prior to any 
final draft or a draft for first reading um if  

1749
03:21:22,239 --> 03:21:28,239
that's what the council would prefer. I guess the 
question is would you be able to create a chart  

1750
03:21:28,239 --> 03:21:37,599
uh an ordinance that um um could we just change 
the rule slightly to say or um a draft summary of  

1751
03:21:37,600 --> 03:21:45,201
the uh ordinance as presented or uh a report back 
saying why it can't be completed? I guess that's  

1752
03:21:45,200 --> 03:21:48,960
what I was trying to get to. Is that like is that 
possible like because we're not going to be able  

1753
03:21:48,960 --> 03:21:55,920
to pass an ordinance that you deem [clears throat] 
as illegal. So if in the process of finding this  

1754
03:21:55,920 --> 03:22:01,840
um you find that it is illegal. Yeah. So either 
or is that possible to do, would that satisfy the  

1755
03:22:01,840 --> 03:22:08,160
maker of the motion? I I think yeah, if the city 
attorney comes back and says that the council has  

1756
03:22:08,160 --> 03:22:15,599
no authority on block cameras, then that's the 
city attorney's opinion. Okay. Um so do you amend  

1757
03:22:15,600 --> 03:22:23,840
your motion? I I think the motion is suitable for 
my request. Okay. So then I guess I would make an  

1758
03:22:23,840 --> 03:22:29,279
I would make an amendment to your motion to Well, 
I guess like the request is like I guess like I  

1759
03:22:29,279 --> 03:22:35,519
don't so I don't know how uh councelor Bagley can 
request something that's illegal. So if it comes  

1760
03:22:35,520 --> 03:22:41,680
back and the report back is stated this is you 
know um like we can't make this then that's the  

1761
03:22:41,680 --> 03:22:47,201
end of that and we have a conversation uh on the 
what would need to change you know and if there's  

1762
03:22:47,200 --> 03:22:55,679
a willingness to look at the charter uh to prevent 
um the uh the installation of uh uh surveillance  

1763
03:22:55,680 --> 03:23:02,240
cameras on city buildings and property um you 
know further down the field but like so like if we  

1764
03:23:02,239 --> 03:23:06,719
can't come back we'll come back a different, you 
know, conversation. But I feel like the motion as  

1765
03:23:06,720 --> 03:23:12,480
it's presented allows the city attorney to make an 
opinion u make that opinion known. And sometimes  

1766
03:23:12,479 --> 03:23:21,279
it come back and says we can't do this because 
x, y, and z. Okay. All right. Thank you. Uh I'll  

1767
03:23:21,279 --> 03:23:30,719
make a motion to go past 10:30. Second. All in 
favor? I. Any opposed? Okay, that's only three. Um  

1768
03:23:30,720 --> 03:23:37,760
uh all in, uh the motion on the table as presented 
by councelor Bagley. All in favor? I. Any opposed?  

1769
03:23:37,760 --> 03:23:46,000
All right. Now we're on to uh councelor Hopkins. 
Your honor, I move to approve and accept the  

1770
03:23:46,000 --> 03:23:51,439
action sheet and minutes of the August 6, 2026 
parking, traffic, and safety committee meeting.  

1771
03:23:51,439 --> 03:23:58,000
So moved. No. Second. Second. [laughter] I 
love your enthusias. I said not past 10:30.  

1772
03:23:59,200 --> 03:24:05,760
All right. Any discussion on this? All in favor? 
We have something about minutes. Hold on. Oh,  

1773
03:24:05,760 --> 03:24:12,720
wait. [laughter] Minutes related to parking 
and traffic safety. But um I would ask if Jane  

1774
03:24:12,720 --> 03:24:19,000
could come and explain what she's Oh, okay. 
what she's trying to tell us. Yes. [laughter]

1775
03:24:21,520 --> 03:24:26,960
Just to clarify the um city council, it was almost 
like a report back for parking, traffic and safety  

1776
03:24:26,960 --> 03:24:34,560
on those two elements and on those two specific 
motions. So the actions is the action is PTS  

1777
03:24:34,560 --> 03:24:42,240
uh recommends the two motions as you may remember 
from the last bike lane issue. um when we accept  

1778
03:24:42,239 --> 03:24:48,479
the minutes of uh the PTS and their actions, it's 
being endorsed by the council. But I just want  

1779
03:24:48,479 --> 03:24:56,239
to clarify that because it just says recommend 
um the motion that that these can move forward  

1780
03:24:56,239 --> 03:25:04,719
without binding the council um on those specific 
motions on Fleet Street. just just just to remind  

1781
03:25:04,720 --> 03:25:10,400
you all that that because it was really basically 
a report back from you mayor to say, "Hey, did did  

1782
03:25:10,399 --> 03:25:17,040
PTS actually address, you know, the the parking 
the lane and and the parking on one side of the  

1783
03:25:17,040 --> 03:25:25,519
street?" And they went back and they did, but it 
isn't binding the council by accepting the action.  

1784
03:25:25,520 --> 03:25:36,161
That is great. Thank you, J. All in favor? I. 
Any opposed? All right. City manager'sformational  

1785
03:25:36,160 --> 03:25:41,439
items. I have a quick one, your honor, and it's a 
a report uh back request that you made at a recent  

1786
03:25:41,439 --> 03:25:47,359
meeting. staff has discussed ways to balance 
the priorities of those private land owners,  

1787
03:25:47,359 --> 03:25:51,679
particularly working in the downtown, needing 
to perform work with those who seek to move  

1788
03:25:51,680 --> 03:25:59,280
safely through the city, such as um workers and 
tourists and shoppers to limit the obstacles and  

1789
03:25:59,279 --> 03:26:03,200
opportunities which can negatively impact the 
livelihood of our small business community who  

1790
03:26:03,200 --> 03:26:09,359
depend on that foot traffic to move about safely. 
So, what is under discussion is a a different set  

1791
03:26:09,359 --> 03:26:15,200
of rules. I'll say during peak season versus non- 
peak season as a means to hopefully incentivize  

1792
03:26:15,200 --> 03:26:20,399
non- peak activities wherever possible and um 
we appreciate the needs of business owners and  

1793
03:26:20,399 --> 03:26:24,799
yet recognize the need to limit the negative 
impacts during the peak season. So if we were  

1794
03:26:24,800 --> 03:26:28,960
to define the peak season it would roughly 
be June 15th or right after mark right around  

1795
03:26:28,960 --> 03:26:34,640
market square day through Columbus Day weekend. 
And um in the same vein that we talk about this,  

1796
03:26:34,640 --> 03:26:40,880
the city was mindful to take up many of the very 
disruptive improvements on Congress Street in a  

1797
03:26:40,880 --> 03:26:48,400
non- peak manner. And um so we the same way we 
are trying to do this, we want to be we want  

1798
03:26:48,399 --> 03:26:53,120
private developers, private land owners, private 
property owners to do the same. So more to come,  

1799
03:26:53,120 --> 03:26:57,920
but that's u that's the report back for now. 
Thank you. Thank you so much. You Thank you,  

1800
03:26:57,920 --> 03:27:02,080
city manager. I know it doesn't always feel like 
we're not doing it during the peak, but you guys  

1801
03:27:02,080 --> 03:27:06,880
buttoned it up and I ran down market square day, 
you know, um and you guys are going to have to or  

1802
03:27:06,880 --> 03:27:12,640
we are going to have to pull it back up, you 
know, uh to finish it before, uh next year,  

1803
03:27:12,640 --> 03:27:18,560
but it is something that hopefully will will give 
some relief to some business owners. Anything  

1804
03:27:18,560 --> 03:27:27,360
under miscellaneous and wait a motion to adjurnn. 
Second. All in favor? I. Good night, Portsmith.