I want to thank the members of Portsmouth City Council, and the majority of citizens attending, for a peaceful Monday night City Council meeting. A minimum of personal attacks on Council members was refreshing. It was great to see them go through the agenda smoothly, yet allow time for some discussion of a couple of important issues. For example, Bob Mollette’s inquiry into how to put time standards on ambulance responses was quite legitimate. Bob takes a great interest in wanting accountability and answers. That is never a bad thing.

There are still issues with the painting of a yellow line on a curb in Sciotoville that needs to be resolved, and several other items that are still hanging out there, but for the most part it was good to see business taken care of in an orderly fashion.

I once wrote a column titled “The Little Boy Who Cried Wolf.” It dealt with the fact that the same people get up week after week, often straining, just to think of something to complain about. What happens is that by the time they have a really important issue they are passionate about, most may have already tuned them out. In that column I said it is more important to pick your fights. Then, when you get up, it will get the attention of those present.

Monday night’s City Council meeting was concise and productive. With a few more meetings like that, we may gain respect around the state again. Portsmouth is a great city with many assets. It is time to get some business done, such as making a decision as to where city business will be conducted in the future. The taxpayers of this city own two buildings now that are serving no purpose at all, and they may soon own another. Someone needs to make a politically incorrect decision and get the ball rolling to move from the unsafe present municipal building to another location.

It can be done. It takes coming together. Oh, sure, there are always going to be people who are just opposed to everything progressive. That is true in many cities across America. But in most of those cities the powers that be move forward and attempt to get the job done. That has to happen here as well.

New Boston Mayor Jim Warren and I were talking the other day about how great this city is, and how much potential it has. Let’s prove it. Let’s buckle down and get the job done. The journey of a million miles begins with the first step. That first step has to be regaining the trust of the citizens. Once that happens we can take the next step.

FRANK LEWIS may be reached at (740) 353-3101 Ext. 232.