Some residents are upset about a proposal to allow city employees to receive gifts of no more than $250. The proposed ordinance is due before the City Council tonight (Monday, Sept 22, nonpublic session starts at 6 pm).
Worried about transparency in city government, many residents want the city to enforce the provisions of the city charter that already require financial and conflict of interest disclosure
“If you’re a city employee and someone buys you a cup of coffee or gives you some baked goods, fine. But $250? That’s outrageous! There should be no gifts of money to city employees. Getting tickets to the Red Sox or sporting events worth more than $50 is illegal in Massachusetts at both the state and local level. ”
The most important problem the issue brings out is the dire need for full financial disclosure called for by the Portsmouth city charter and overwhelmingly approved by more than two-thirds of city residents in 1987, the observer added. “Under Portsmouth’s city charter, it should all be publicly reported. There should be no need for this ordinance because full financial disclosure is required already.”
Amid public concern about the lack of transparency in city government, City Councilors Esther Kennedy and Jack Thorsen earlier this year went to Concord to ask the Local Government Center ‘s opinion of the city’s compliance with its conflict of interest and financial disclosure requirements. A Local Government Center lawyer responded in a letter that the city of Portsmouth is totally out of compliance with its own charter’s requirements.
The City Council reacted with some talk and what struck many as excuses and obfustication– but no real action.
CHARACTER-BASED ZONING FOR NORTH END MEANS LITTLE UNLESS CITY CHANGES VESTING
With the kickoff session on Form Based Zoning for the North End coming up Tues. (Sept. 23, 7 pm) some worry that so many huge North End projects are hurtling through the planning process that the effort is moot so long as the city lets projects be “vested” (or grandfathered in under current zoning) the minute a developer files for so-called “design review.” The Planning Board recently rejected a zoning change that would have set maximum building sizes in the North End, so developers there can still cover 95 percent of a lot with one building.
The Planning Board is also moving “at a snail’s pace” on City Councilor Zelita Morgan’s request that it set new parking requirements for conference centers by reinstating the parking formula in effect until 2010. In August, City Planning Director Rick Taintor said he would not report back to the Planning Board on the wisdom of that formula until October.
To contact your City Councilors, email:
rjlportsmouth@yahoo.com,<jimsplaineportsmouth@gmail.com>,<lown@nhtrialattorneys.com>,<stefanyshaheen@gmail.com>,<esthersmarina@gmail.com>,<jdt@mind.net>,<zelita.morgan@gmail.com>, <cdwyer@rmcres.com>,<ericspearportsmouth@gmail.com>
Here are the agendas:
http://www.cityofportsmouth.com/agendas/2014/citycouncil/cc092214ag.pdf
http://www.cityofportsmouth.com/agendas/2014/misc/misc092214ag.pdf