Letter: Three minutes not long enough for complex issues

Posted 2/19/19

To the editor:

Does anyone really think that three minutes is sufficient to discuss complex matters such as sewers, tolls on the Sakonnet River Bridge, the moratorium on water hookups, and now the …

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Letter: Three minutes not long enough for complex issues

Posted

To the editor:

Does anyone really think that three minutes is sufficient to discuss complex matters such as sewers, tolls on the Sakonnet River Bridge, the moratorium on water hookups, and now the upcoming Comprehensive Community Plan? 

A draft of the plan raises serious question regarding water supply section that has not even been vetted by the Portsmouth Water and Fire District’s Administrative Board. Some of us will recall that a previous president of the Portsmouth Town Council refused to release the Woodward & Curran report to the public in the matter of sewers prior to being voted upon by the Town Council. 

As an outspoken and former member of the Portsmouth Wastewater Advisory Committee and the Portsmouth Wastewater Commission, I can tell you with great authority that robust probing of public officials was necessary in addressing and questioning public officials. Mister Katzman knows this. He was there. This three-minute rule comes at a time the town is trying to invigorate the West Side development. 

Three minutes, eh! Perhaps Mr. Katzman would like to explain his support of a motion to seek bonding for sewers in Portsmouth, amount unspecified. The minutes do not reflect public input. The legislature approved $145 million in indebtedness. That legislation still hangs over our heads along with a temporarily suspended notice of violation in the matter of sewers.

Philip Driscoll

169 Immokolee Drive

Portsmouth

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