CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION – Market Square Day

Conference Room A January 28, 2002 – 7:30 p.m.

Officials Present: Mayor Sirrell, Assistant Mayor Hanson, Councilors Grasso, Lown, Hynes, Pantelakos, Whitehouse, Marconi and St. Laurent

Officials Present: John P. Bohenko, City Manager; Chris LeClaire, Acting Fire Chief; Michael Magnant, Deputy Police Chief; Odyssias Athanasiou, Health Inspector; John Burke, Parking & Transportation Engineer; Robert Sullivan, City Attorney; and Kelli L Barnaby, City Clerk

Others Present: Doug Knight, President of Pro Portsmouth and members of the Pro Portsmouth Board of Directors

Mayor Sirrell called the work session to order at 7:50 p.m.

Doug Knight announced that this is the 25^th Anniversary of Market Square Day. He said that Pro Portsmouth is creating a special program of past Market Square Days. He said the emphasis of the day is music, arts, and culture.

City Manager Bohenko said we need to discuss the authority with vendors.

City Attorney Sullivan said that the City has the authority to authorize Market Square Day as it has in the past. He said the City Council could set greater terms and conditions on how Market Square Day is to be operated.

City Manager Bohenko said that he would work with Doug Knight and the City Attorney on creating a map for the location of vendors. He said that clear boundaries would be designated.

Councilor Marconi said that dogs should be prohibited at Market Square Day. She said that this is a hazard that needs to be taken care of.

Councilor Hynes suggested leaving a street on the north, south, east and west of the event open for emergency vehicles.

Councilor Whitehouse said that Market Square Day is no longer a family event and it should be scaled back. He suggested giving merchants free use of the sidewalk in front of their establishments.

Councilor St. Laurent said many residents no longer attend Market Square Day because of its size and the high number of outside vendors.

Assistant Mayor Hanson said that Market Square Day is the financial engine that drives Pro Portsmouth through out the year. He said that the Council needs to consider what could be lost if Market Square Day is scaled back too much, such as Children’s Day and many other events that Pro Portsmouth hosts for the City.

Councilor Grasso spoke against vendors being allowed to distribute pamphlets for their causes during Market Square Day.

Mayor Sirrell suggested that Pro Portsmouth include the City Wide Neighborhood Group in events.

Councilor St. Laurent suggested that Pro Portsmouth hold a meeting with the City Wide Neighborhood Group.

Doug said that the merchants and residents of Portsmouth are first in Pro Portsmouth’s mind.

At 8:30 p.m., Mayor Sirrell closed the work session.

Respectfully submitted by:

Kelli L. Barnaby, City Clerk