hard deadlines

The Portsmouth Town Council voted tonight to amend the recently approved 2007-2008 budget, adding additional borrowing and spreading out payments in order to stay under the cap and still deal with an unanticipated $240K budget shortfall. The budget, approved last month, made a hopeful assumption about state legislation that would have allowed Portsmouth to defer the full property revaluation slated for this year.

"We discovered that the revaluation legislation did not get passed," said Town Finance Director Dave Faucher, who proposed the restructured borrowing package, and assured the Council that it "will have no impact on the tax levy or the cap."

Tailgunner Gleason was all over it immediately. "I'm a stickler for borrowing money," she said. "I would consider other alternatives. I can't support it." Despite her objection, the proposal was approved.

Sometime, I would like to hear the fabulous idea Ms. Gleason had for the "other alternatives." See, this is why I refer to her as Tailgunner. For those who may not recall the history of the 1950s, Tailgunner Joe McCarthy was an adamant Red-hunter, and he talked about his "list" of people who were Communists — but which he refused to provide. Tailgunner earned her nickname back in February when she kept harping about a question that she wanted to ask the school accountant, but she never did reveal what it was. When she raises objections to a borrowing to fund an unanticipated $240K hole, and says the Council should consider "other alternatives," I think we, as constituents, have a right to know just what the hell she's thinking of.

Or does she just say this stuff with no clear idea of the implications? Sheesh.

The evening began at 6pm with a progress update from Michael Schrader of Woodard & Curran on the developing facilities plan for wastewater treatment, slated for a November referendum. One of the key issues remaining to nail down involves flows and loads, which are driven by the number of houses being served.

"Treatment plants can be built modular," said Schrader, indicating that you could plan to add capcity in the future. "Collection systems don't do so well with that."

At issue are the precise numbers to use when considering the Island Park/Common Fence Point area, where there are a large number of currently undevelopable lots which could hold houses if there were sewers. Since it's a requirement from the DEM that each available property have a sewer stub, the question is not just theoretical.

"I strenuously recommend the Council meet with the Planning Board on what zoning should look like in the TMDL if sewers go in," said Town Administrator Bob Driscoll, "And if the end result looks like a lot of construction, there are zoning options we can pursue. The community has to have some idea of what will happen in Island Part and Common Fence Point if sewers are approved."

Town Planner Bob Gilstein shared an estimate he'd prepared showing that there was the potential for an additional 255 houses in the area, on top of the 550 homes already there, if no action was taken to tighten zoning requirements. In the end, the Council asked Gilstein to refresh the timeline of decisions that had to be made, and the issue will be discussed again at the next meeting on August 18.

After the wastewater discussion, the Council meeting proper kicked off at 7. Council President Dennis Canario chaired a Building Code Board of Appeals hearing involving a homeowner on East Main Road who wanted to install the Owens Corning Basement Finishing System but the ceiling height was too low in spots. Building Inspector George Medeiros was clearly exercising due caution: "When I see 5'2" on a stairway, I think it's best for a public hearing." Canario led the questioning and made sure that this wasn't an additional bedroom, or another bath, and established that there was a bulkhead for egress. Even Chief Lynch said he had no problem, but stipulated that there should be a carbon monoxide detector. The guy got his basement and went home happy.

See why I respect Canario? I might not always agree with his decisions, but I always feel that he's being thorough, thoughtful, and fair, and that he's judging the evidence presented. Not just pulling imaginary "alternatives" out of some undisclosed location, like certain other Council members. Moving on.

The Council heard from Chief Lynch and Hebert about the emergency response at the recent pier fire. "They say, 'If you build it, they will come,'" said Chief Lynch, "Well, if you burn it, they will come too." The list of folks who came to our aid was long: Jamestown, the Navy, Middletown, Tiverton, Bristol, Warren, Swansea, and Fall River all sent people and equipment, and the Council expressed appreciation on behalf of the town. Chief Hebert thanked the law enforcement agencies of Middletown, Bristol, Tiverton, the State Police, and the Rhode Island Sheriff's office which sent canine teams to help search the nearby woods.

In a piece of good news, Bob Driscoll announced that local archaeologist Dr. Kathy Abbas had helped secure a $31,000 grant to develop a preservation program for Fort Butts, a key site in the Revolutionary War. Town historian Jim Garman stressed the importance of the effort, describing the site (map) as "totally overgrown," and lamenting the fact that the only marker on the spot was knocked over and covered with grass.

The issue of boats on town property at Sandy Point was discussed. There is town mooring off the North end of the beach, and apparently a spot where folks formerly kept dinghies on shore is now private property, or the ownership and use is contested. The upshot was that the Council wanted to find a way to let people with legal moorings keep dinghies without them encroaching on the dunes and grass. Bob Driscoll suggested that the Council buy a rack, charge the owners a fee to for use, and limit it to the number of current moorings.

"I think we should request that the owners of the dinghies purchase the rack," whined Gleason. "I don't understand why we're paying for this. It sets a dangerous precedent." Over her objections, the Council approved.

It must be truly awful to live in Karen Gleason's world. So much stickling, so many vexing questions, unexplored alternatives, and oh, so much danger. The danger of people clamoring to pay user fees to buy a rack, which the town will then own and make money on, year after year. Yeah, that sets a really dangerous precedent. But I digress.

PCC, Inc., President Larry Fitzmorris was avoiding eye contact with me all night. (I'm still waiting to hear from him about whether I was voted into the PCC at their July meeting. I think it should have been last week, but their web site still has the next meeting as "June 5.") After the Council adjourned, he bolted up to question them about the reval legislation and its impact on our budget. "The bill died in committee," he said, "My understanding is that these things go forward fairly regularly. This cost us a lot of money. Why didn't it go through?"

"That's a question for our state representatives," said Councilor Len Katzman.

"Hey," said Canario breaking it up, "We got a quorum here, gentlemen."

Larry was left to wander off, muttering, "I think we got stuck, but I'm not sure who's responsible."

Oh, yeah. Somebody has to be responsible. Like Gleason, poor old Larry seems to live in a world full of plans and schemes, whether it's the School Committee, "subverting the principles of democratic government," or the Town Council "search[ing] for excuses in state law to relieve themselves of their duty to the Charter," or the shadowy forces of the legislature, who couldn't possibly have a rational reason for refusing one town's request to change a state-wide revaluation schedule. I mean, what possible excuse could you have for denying that? What's that, Ms. Gleason? Something about a "dangerous precedent?"

Even a blind pig finds an acorn occasionally.