In a party-line vote during which the Portsmouth Town Council took no public comment — or discussion from council members — resident Cynthia Perrotti was appointed to fill the vacancy on the School Committee. There is no polite way to say this: the process was rushed. Before Council President Peter McIntyre had even finished announcing the agenda item, Tailgunner Gleason cut in.

"First, I want to take politics right out of this appointment," she said, then made a motion to appoint Perrotti. The item was moved without discussion — without even allowing Gleason to finish reading a statement explaining her position — and the vote was 4-2, with Democrats Dennis Canario and Jim Seveney voting no (and Huck Little absent.)

There were 25 people in attendance and one, former Councilor Len Katzman got up to the podium to protest the process.

"I said we're not taking any input," said McIntyre. "I see the same people that sent me e-mails and phone calls." But he did allow members of the Council to explain their votes.

"The past practice has been to have discussion and recognition," said Jim Seveney, who thanked other applicants Terri Cortvriend, William Douglas, Allen Shers, and Mike Wrobleski. "That there was no discussion is curious," he said, complaining that the Council had been "Herded into a quick vote."

"I beg to differ that we rushed into this decision," retorted Gleason. (Uh, Tailgunner, watch the tape.)

Former Council President Dennis Canario was clearly upset. "For as long as i've been on this council, we've always had discussion before taking a vote. This is the first I've ever seen as long as I've been involved in town government. I'm shocked and disappointed."

"I'll finish my paragraph," said Gleason. (Uh, explain again how the decision wasn't rushed?) "For the benefit of the audience. Like myself she's unaffiliated with a political party," said Gleason. "We get too wrapped up in the political process."

Councilor Keith Hamilton said he had "voted due to her background" and because she is a "parent at Elmhurst."

Fellow first-term Councilor Jeff Plumb noted "Keith and I are new to the council" and said he "wanted a new face on the school committee" with a "fresh perspective, not some of the old guard."

McIntyre echoed that sentiment. "I voted for a new set of eyes, new face, new ideas." Seeming to recognize the dissatisfaction with the process from his fellow councilors and the citizens in the room, he added, "If I made a mistake here tonight I apologize but that's the way I would have voted anyway."

After the vote, Perrotti said, "I'm thrilled to serve the town of Portsmouth." She noted that while one of her résumé items may be a career in the Air Force, "Most important, I'm a mom of a kindergartener, and hope to have a long association with the Portsmouth schools."

I'm truly sorry that Ms. Perrotti ends up at the end of this story rather than the top. She brings truly outstanding qualifications and our schools will be better for her contributions. I'm sure that I speak for all of Portsmouth in wishing her all the best.

That said, tonight's process was a travesty. Hamilton and Plumb can at least be be excused for responding when a vote was called; they're new. But it strains credulity to believe that President McIntyre, with his long history on the Council, simply "made a mistake." I sat through two years of Council meetings when the Democrats held four seats, and they gave everyone a chance to be heard, even on issues where one could reasonably infer a party-line vote might be expected.

There is nothing wrong with making a motion and pushing it forward because you know you have the votes. That's the political process. But to freeze out not only public comment, but also discussion among the Council, well, I find that antithetical to the idea of democracy.

We elected seven members of the Council, not four, and I think we have a right to hear from all of them before a vote on an important issue.

The best line of the Animal House clip above, edited out in the YouTube version, is the response of Delta Tau Chi to the machinations of Dean Wormer's star chamber. "Bullshit," coughs Belushi.

Bullshit.

In other news, Rep. Jay Edwards delivered an update on the Escape Bridge. The good news, he said, was that the deteriorating condition had forced RIDOT to advance their schedule. "they were going to put on back burner until 2012," said Edwards. Now, he said, the plan is to complete design work this summer, go out to bid in the Fall, and start work next Spring. "That's pretty darned fast for a bridge," he said. Edwards also gave the Council an advance heads-up on the two approaches being considered: to close the entire span (which would be quicker and possibly cheaper) or to work around traffic.