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City staff are seeking residents’ help in illustrating what life is like in the City of Portsmouth. As staff prepare documents and presentations including the Budget and Annual Report, they like to include photographs of residents taking advantage of the programs, projects, services and “amenities” – both natural and manmade – throughout the City.

Some suggestions for images:

The McIntyre Subcommittee and Portsmouth Listens, with the support of project developer Redgate Kane and with assistance from Boston-based urban design firm The Principle Group, are initiating study circles in January to deliberate on the opportunity for new public space to enjoy at McIntyre.

CAPTION: Four students from the UNH Civil and Environmental Engineering Capstone Program are working with the City Department of Public Works to assess a new tool for the Stormwater Division to measure compliance with EPA permitting requirements. They are (left to right) Joe DeGregorio​. Brandon Belmonte, , Jessica Nekowitsch and Andrew Godfrey.

The Portsmouth Fire Department has just received word from the North Pole that Santa Claus is making a special trip to Portsmouth on Saturday, December 19 (rain/snow date: Sunday, December 20) to help plan his route through the neighborhoods for the big night.

Santa also learned that Portsmouth residents are making a special effort to decorate with Holiday Lights this year, so he wants to check out all the decorations.

As is their annual holiday tradition, the City’s Welfare Office is collecting gift cards for families who have older kids who are not typically served by other Christmas programs in town.

Applications for the seasonal boat slips at the Prescott Park docks will be accepted at the City of Portsmouth City Clerk’s Office starting December 1, 2020, through 4:30pm on Thursday January 7, 2021. To download the application click here. .

Portsmouth Citywide Neighborhood Committee Organizes
Mayor’s Holiday Lights Contest

Portsmouth, New Hampshire – At the November 16 City Council meeting, Mayor Rick Becksted announced the return of the Neighborhood Holiday Lights Contest for 2020, to give residents a way to celebrate together this holiday season. Now the Portsmouth Citywide Neighborhood Committee is announcing the details.

When the Citizen Response Task Force (CRTF) was formed in early June, its members from all aspects of the Portsmouth economy was to help Portsmouth find its way through the pandemic. Keeping the public informed was, and remains, key to that mission.

The New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration has approved the City’s 2020 tax rate for Fiscal Year 2021 of $14.70 per $1,000 of valuation.

City Manager Karen Conard noted the 2020 tax rate dropped by 16 cents or 1.1% from the prior year’s tax rate of $14.86. 

The City of Portsmouth has received two awards for exceptional financial reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) for the publication of the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) and the Popular Annual Financial Report (PAFR). The GFOA is a professional organization of public officials united to enhance and promote the professional management of governmental financial resources by identifying, developing and advancing fiscal strategies, policies and practices for the public benefit.