Town Council

Portsmouth swears in new Council, School Committee

Larry and Joe
PCC President Larry Fitzmorris talks with newly elected Town Council President Joe Robicheau.

Portsmouth Town Hall was standing room only tonight as the incoming Town Council and School Committee were sworn in, and the PCC bloc moved quickly to consolidate their electoral mandate, choosing Joe Robicheau as President and Judi Staven as the VP.

Town Clerk Kathy Viera Beaudoin — presiding until the new Council leadership was selected — called for nominations, and Staven quickly nominated Robicheau.

Mike Buddemeyer proposed top vote getter and fellow Democrat Jim Seveney, who declined, and in turn nominated Republican Keith Hamilton.

"It's a long Council tradition to name the highest vote getter among party that gets the majority, out of respect for the will of the voters," said Seveney. "In this case, the choice very clear, Keith Hamilton was highest vote getter, and the Republicans have the highest number, and that was the will of the people. If someone believes there is a more qualified choice, they should explain their rationale."

But without discussion, by a 4-3 vote, Robicheau, Staven, Liz Pedro, and Paul Kesson selected Robicheau. The same vote upheld Staven for the VP seat.

There was the usual pomp and ceremony of a swearing in, with the departing Council members each saying a few words. Dennis Canario thanked the voters of Portsmouth for the "privilege" of serving three terms, and said that he was proud of the work the Council had done, particularly the wind turbine, preserving open space, and adding to the fund balance, "all while supporting a high-performing education system under the direction of Superintendent Susan Lusi."

Jeff Plumb said the he had "a great time serving" and thanked everyone for their support. "I have no regrets," he said. "Certainly no regrets making the decision not to run again," he added with a laugh that the room joined.

And Tailgunner Gleason said it was an "honor and a pleasure" and said that she plans to "continue to advocate for the citizen's best interests." (Hmm...what could that possibly mean?) And as a grand parting gesture, she called PCC President Larry Fitzmorris up to the podium to "recognize his many years of committment" with a citation from the Town of Portsmouth.

Yes, you read that right. Un-freaking-believable. Ah, Tailgunner. I'm going to miss her.

Huck Little had a classy farewell. "It was 44 years ago when I first ran for the Town Council," he said, "And I've spent over half my life serving the Town of Portsmouth. I've served with four town clerks and two town administrators, six police chiefs, seven fire chiefs, and six public works directors. I have work hard, and they have worked hard to keep Portsmouth the number one community in this state."

Outgoing Council President Peter McIntyre said that Huck was a hard act to follow, and that it had been a pleasure to serve.

State Representative Jay Edwards (D-70) was on hand to present citations from the House to the departing Council members.

The whole thing was over by about 7:30.

Well, at least no one can be unclear about who's running this Council. I can't wait to see what happens with the School Committee.

Tags: 
Localblogging, 02871, Town Council

Portsmouth Council approves school deficit reduction plan

By a 5-1 vote (with Dennis Canario absent, and Tailgunner Gleason the lone "no") the Portsmouth Town Council tonight approved the school committee's deficit reduction plan, including the use of one-time revenues to increase the bottom line by $380K and preserve student programs for this year.

The key question, which both Keith Hamilton and Council President Peter McIntyre asked the town solicitor, Andre D'Andrea, to weigh in on was the legality of the change. Once he answered in the affirmative, several on the Council seemed reassured.

Tailgunner had to ask a few questions and PCC, Inc. President Larry Fitzmorris was in the audience, pointing out to people nearby something in their referendum flier, but in the end, he did not raise his hand, and the vote proceeded.

I personally thanked the members of the Council for their votes, especially Huck Little, Jeff Plumb, and Peter McIntyre. Tonight, they did the right thing, and I thank them. And Hamilton and Jim Seveney, of course.

It is not much: The vote allows the schools to proceed to use up all their fund balance, drain the Medicaid account, ARRA funds, and sports gate receipts, but it preserves sports and a little more arts for this year. Next year, there will be a $980K hole to dig out of.

But for tonight, it is enough. Thanks to the Council for the courage to do the right thing.

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Localblogging, 02871, Town Council, School Committee, Budget

Portsmouth school committee, council forum videos from Newport Daily News

Portsmouth School Committee candidates from David Wolfenden Productions on Vimeo.

The video from the Portsmouth School Committee forum held by the Newport Daily News on Thursday night was posted to Vimeo this afternoon, followed by the Town Council candidates.

Portsmouth Town Council candidates from David Wolfenden Productions on Vimeo.

Editorial note: I've embedded these videos directly from Vimeo where they are hosted; they are not marked with any restrictions against embedding (indeed, you can go to the video URL and download it.) You can also view these videos on the Newport Daily News video page, where they are also embedded from Vimeo.

Full disclosure: Obviously, I'm in the School Committee video, and I hope you'll watch it, particularly to hear how all the candidates answer the question about Tuesday's referendum which begins at about the 12-minute mark. I was very glad to make it to the forum; I've had a bad respiratory infection, and I spent Wednesday getting a chest X-ray and blood work which determined it was "probably" not pneumonia, but I've been pretty much out of action all week. Sorry to have missed all the fun at Homecoming today.

Tags: 
Localblogging, 02871, Town Council, School Committee, Elections, referendum

Survey says...Portsmouth's web site an ineffective failure

With three-quarters of respondents saying Portsmouth's town web site made content hard to find and 70% giving it failing grades for meeting their needs, the survey results reported today by the Portsmouth Economic Development Committee (EDC) couldn't be much harsher. The entire release from the EDC is worth quoting at length. (Editorial note: For your own sanity, don't click on the link to the Town site — it will load up an insane nest of 90's-era frames with a pointless, lumbering Java navigation bar.)

The Portsmouth Economic Development Committee recently concluded a web-based survey regarding our town website; Our thanks to the many people who responded to this survey.

The survey was developed by Portsmouth Economic Development Committee to solicit all citizens input regarding the current town website with a view towards redesigning the website and making it more user-friendly. During the 4 months the survey was active, 158 people responded. The results of the survey were recently forwarded to the Town Council with a recommendation that they provide the Town Administrator with the resources necessary for a complete upgrade of the Portsmouth Town website.

Highlights of the survey results indicate that 75% of the survey responders concluded that the information they were looking for on the current Town website was either very difficult to find or not found at all, 70% rated the website 5 or less on a scale of 10 in meeting their needs, 60% indicated that a full-featured website would reduce their need to visit the Town Hall, and 84% agreed that a modern, easy to use website was important for the Town.

In addition to the survey questions, respondents were asked for their recommendations on improving the website. The general theme of many comments was the desire and need to allow more public access and participation in Town government through an upgraded Town website. Features that are considered to be key to an effective town site are:

  • Emergency instructions, information and data. Immediate Up to date to emergency and other important information can be posted as well as “pushed” to Town citizens via blog, Facebook or Twitter feeds.
  • Online payments. (For taxes and other Town fees)
  • On-line renewals (e.g., Town and Transfer Station sticker renewal)
  • Online access to Records. (e.g., Birth, death certificates, etc.
  • Online access to necessary forms and applications
  • Posted public documents. (Both final and in draft form while being updated)
  • User Friendly Searches. Clear and user-friendly website search ability with links to other important external sites (State, other communities, school department, etc.)
  • Video Streaming. Streaming and on-demand videos of Town Council, School Board and other important public meetings
  • Local Links. Links to local news, Committee meetings, sports schedules, etc.
  • Position statements. (e.g. by Town leaders and candidates for office on controversial or upcoming issues such as budget, policies or initiatives)
  • Backup reference Information. Posted backup reference material provided to Town officials for all public meetings
  • Comments and Suggestions. Ability for citizens to send comments and suggestions to Town officials from the website

Based on the survey results, the EDC concluded that the Town website is in need of major work to be even minimally effective. A full-featured and more user-friendly Town website will benefit all Portsmouth residents by allowing direct access to Town documents, ordnances, meeting agenda and minutes, and Town officials. An updated website will also facilitate the payment of fees and taxes and provide a much needed vehicle for rapidly communicating important information to the public during emergencies. These changes will also enhance Portsmouth’s ability to attract new businesses and residents, since the first impression potential visitors will have of Portsmouth is likely to be from our website.

An attractive and multi-featured website need not be expensive. The Town Administrator has already taken the initiative to improve the website by requesting the assistance of the ri.gov in creating website templates for Portsmouth. We will hopefully see the results of this effort in the next few months

The complete Website Survey report to the Town Council can be found on the PEDC website at www.portsmouthriedc.com

E. Doug Smith
Member, PEDC

Editorial: We've got a bunch of Web-savvy folks in town. If you had to do it on the cheap, it would take a team to port this thing to a modern content management system like, say, Drupal, but after that one-time effort, it becomes possible to distribute content entry, snap in modules to add new features, and leverage out-of-the box Web 2.0 functionality. I think the Council might consider forming a technology committee to take a look at this.

Tags: 
Localblogging, 02871, Town Council

Portsmouth budget referendum drive underway

10may18_tac.jpg
David Croston confers with Madeleine Pencak and Andre D'Andrea

At 9am this morning, Save Our Schools organizer Dave Croston was at the Portsmouth Town Hall to kick off the process for a financial referendum to restore $765,301 cut by the Council from the school department budget for 2011. The question would appear on a special town-wide election in September if it gathers the necessary number of signatures (approximately 1,500) in the next two weeks.

Croston submitted a proposal to Town Canvasser Madeleine Pencak, who will produce the signature forms needed; Town Solicitor Andre D'Andrea was on hand to review the language. Pencak indicated she would try to have the signature forms ready by the end of the day. D'Andrea told Croston that in his opinion, the two week window is "from when the vote was taken," which was the evening of July 28.

According to Town Finance Director Dave Faucher, the proposed increase would add 20.4 cents to the tax rate (bringing the new rate to $$11.505 per thousand), or $71.44 per year for the average Portsmouth house valued at $350K, assuming that the entire amount were covered property taxes.

In a statement sent to local media, Croston said, “We need to stand-up for Portsmouth education. Our system has delivered the most efficient system for the dollar in all of Rhode Island. It is easy in these difficult times to blame the institution, but it is honestly misplaced. Education is a fundamental right and what drove many of us to Portsmouth."

According to Croston, the referendum campaign will kick off this weekend with a signing station at Sandy Point Beach and volunteers canvassing their neighborhoods. Volunteers will be present on Monday & Tuesday night at Seveney Field, a rally is scheduled at the intersection of 138 and 138a [i.e., the intersection of East Main Road and Turnpike Ave] on Tuesday night, and there will be signing stations next Thursday and Friday at the Portsmouth High School from 6-9 am and 4-7 pm.

For more information or to volunteer to help, visit SOSPortsmouth.

Tags: 
Localblogging, 02871, Town Council, Schools, Budget

Portsmouth Council votes to underfund schools

10may18_tac.jpg
Portsmouth Council considers budget.



The 40 citizens of Portsmouth who showed up at tonight's Town Council meeting witnessed a 4-3 vote to enact a budget which would give the schools a mere $129K of the $1.2M requested.

School Committee chair Dick Carpender told the Council that this would "decimate the system." But Karen Gleason made the motion, Huck Little seconded, and Peter McIntyre and Jeff Plumb voted in favor. Democrats Dennis Canario and Jim Seveney were joined by Keith Hamilton in opposing the budget.

Carpender made an impassioned defense of the teachers, the cost of whose contracts was singled out. "We have worked with the teachers and they have worked with us," said Carpender, "In the last two years, they have made over $840K in concessions, and it's not fair to them to say they're not doing their part."

But according to Plumb, it was not enough. "It's a value question," he said, adding that "We're not getting value in education now," a statement that drew hisses from many in attendance.

Seveney chided the majority for their vote. "The town spoke at the town meeting, and by and large supported the schools," he said. "You people are abdicating your responsibility. You're going to force some third party to make the hard decision," he said, referring to the proposed referendum or a Carulolo action.

Canario was even more blunt. "We all know where this is heading," he said. "We're talking 80 bucks a year for our schools. I'm optimistic that after the referendum goes in, the people of the town will support the schools."

But Tailgunner Gleason just couldn't leave it there. "The Town Council did not receive full disclosure from the School Department," she said.

This prompted Carpender to interrupt. "That is out of line, Mr. President," he shot back.

After the official reading of the budget ordinance, the meeting adjourned at 7:28.

Editorial note: It was tough to avoid the sense of deja vu at the meeting tonight, having covered the meeting four years ago where the Council made the decision to go down the path to Caruolo. But at least that was an action forced on the town by anti-tax rebels in a Tent Meeting, an experience that pushed me into localblogging.

Tonight, it was done by the elected representatives of the Town, delivered with the back of their hand to our teachers and with accusations of misconduct against the school department.

Tomorrow morning at 9 am, Dave Croston will be at Town Hall to start the process to call a special election to fully fund the schools. We need to collect about 1,500 signatures in the next 14 days to make that happen, so I would urge all school supporters to pitch in. There will be information on the Save Our Schools web site.

Correction: Originally had ten days rather than 14 for the signature collection. The language of the Charter says "two weeks after the adoption of the final Town Budget" (208.6) but it also requires the forms to be printed by the Registrar of Voters. So the clock started last night, but the signature collection can't actually start until the Registrar prints the forms.

Tags: 
Localblogging, 02871, Town Council, Schools, Budget

Reminder: Final Portsmouth budget vote tonight -- Please be there!

The Portsmouth Town Council continued their final budget vote to this evening, 7pm, in Town Hall. It's critical for school (and town) supporters to continue to show up and remind the Council of what's at stake, and urge them to pass a budget based on fiscal reality that reflects the priorities of our citizens.

If you can't make it, please consider calling or sending an e-mail to the Council. Here's the one I sent this morning.

To: pmcintyre@portsmouthri.com, khamilton@portsmouthri.com, jplumb@portsmouthri.com, hlittle@portsmouthri.com, kgleason@portsmouthri.com, jseveney@portsmouthri.com, dcanario@portsmouthri.com

Subject: Please listen to the people of Portsmouth

To the Town Council:
At the Budget Hearing two weeks ago, Portsmouth citizens spoke in favor of funding the schools by a ratio of 3 to 1, with a majority specifically calling on the Council to exceed the S3050 tax cap.

I respectfully submit that the Council has a responsibility to listen to the official statements made by the people of Portsmouth during their sole opportunity to speak to this budget.

At your meeting this evening, I hope you will move beyond the gridlock which characterized the session on Monday and pass a budget which meets the real needs of our community, with appropriate funding for both the town departments and schools.

Resources:
Save Our Schools

Tags: 
Localblogging, 02871, Town Council, Schools, Budget

Portsmouth Council deadlocks on budget

A divided Portsmouth Town Council wrangled with the 2011 budget for more than an hour tonight before finally giving up and recessing the meeting to Wednesday.

It became clear early on that the votes were not there to exceed the S3050 tax cap, despite a letter from the Dept. of Revenue certifying our loss of state aid and essentially telling the Council they could proceed. A proposal to go $523K above cap (which would have cost the average homeowner $59) failed 4-2, with Dennis Canario and Jim Seveney in the minority (Jeff Plumb was absent.)

This prompted a discussion of what number might be acceptable and how to get there. Both Seveney and Canario expressed concern about coming up with $500K in cuts on the fly.

But Tailgunner Gleason was sure she had the answer. "I assume that both Finance Directors have a Plan B," she said, and suggested asking them to go do some work. She suggested 10% across-the-board cuts as an option. She also wondered why stop at just cutting $500K. "Why are we at the maximum?"

And Council President McIntyre knew where the problem was. "Our main stumbling block is the school department," he said, also arguing that they had sekrit plans "I read in the paper that they were working on what to do."

At this, a voice from the back of the room shouted incredulously, "You read it in the PAPER?"

Gleason proposed a budget which did not exceed the cap — which, at $54M, would have essentially cut $502K more from the schools on top of the prior $631K reduction — prompting an exasperated response from the two Democrats.

"How are we going to get down to that number," said Canario.

"We're back on page one," said Seveney, noting that the numbers had not changed in the months they had been working on the budget, and that what was proposed amounted either to a huge cut to the schools or the need to go back and revisit each line item on the town side. "There is no path forward," he said.

After discussion with the Town Solicitor the requirements for passing a budget (which has to be done within a month of the public hearing, and at a regular Council meeting) the vote on Gleason's budget failed, 3-3 with Keith Hamilton joining Canario and Seveney.

The Council voted to recess the meeting and go at this again Wednesday night.

In the one bright spot of last night, the Council voted 5-1 to refer the PCC's proposed changes to the Town Charter to a new Charter Review Committee to be formed in September. Sorry, Larry.

Also, a proposal by John Vitkevitch to put the possibility of selling the Elmhurst parcel and Glen Manor house before the voters in November was denied by the Council. In other business, the Council voted to find a different location for people hitting golf balls in Glen Park, since there were complaints from other users of the special events field.

Upcoming meetings: Wednesday night, more budget magic. Wastewater workshop September 15, Town Center workshop on September 20.

Tags: 
Localblogging, 02871, Town Council, Budget

Support our Portsmouth schools at the Council Monday night

Support Our Schools
Support our schools Monday night.



On Monday night, July 26, the Portsmouth Town Council will take the final vote on the 2011 budget, which would include (since the tentative approval would no longer stand without a 6/7 majority) a $1.2M cut to the schools. If you support the schools, please be there. The Council has already taken public input at the hearing, but it's important for them to see a continuing show of support.

Editorial note: In case you're wondering why there hasn't been any coverage for the past week, my apologies — I've been on vacation.

Tags: 
Localblogging, 02871, Town Council, School Committee, Schools, Budget

Portsmouth citizens speak out for schools at hearing

By a 3-1 margin, citizens at last night's budget hearing opposed the $1.2M cut to the school budget made by the Portsmouth Town Council, with a majority specifically calling for an override of the S3050 tax cap. For more than an hour, the Council heard from residents — and students — concerned about the effect the cuts would have on the schools and the community.

One resident, Loramae Silvia, put things in perspective. "I'm watching this through the eyes of my grandchildren. I want to see children coming up get the privileges my other grandchildren got," said Silvia. "For goodness sake, what kind of community is this? How come people here have money for everything except schools?" Silvia received loud, sustained applause from the vast majority of the 150 citizens in the middle school auditorium.

-no 30 -

Editorial note: Meeting that ran til nearly 11pm plus full workday ahead means I'll try to catch up on the rest of the story later.

Tags: 
Localblogging, 02871, Town Council, School Committee, Budget