City Voters to Decide Elected Officials Charter Amendment

A proposed charter amendment that would prevent elected officials from applying for city jobs will now go before voters as a ballot question in the Nov. 8 municipal election.

If passed, no one who currently works for the city and then assumes elected office would be allowed to keep working as an employee of the city. The proposed amendment also states that no one serving on the City Council or School Board would be allowed to hold any other municipal office.

City employees would also be precluded from engaging in any political campaigns and activites while working for the municipality.

It also states that no member of the City Council, School Board, Fire Commission or Police Commission shall apply for or become an employee of the city until their term in office ends.

Mayor Thomas Ferrini appointed a committee to work on the proposed charter amendment after a situation arose last summer when Lisa Sweet, a former School Board member, applied for a job and was hired as a teacher in the Portsmouth School District, which created concerns about a potential conflict of interest.

Currently, there is nothing in the city charter that would prevent an elected official on the City Council, School Board, Fire Commission or Police Commission from accepting employment with the city.

Before the City Council voted, 7-0, to place the charter amendment on the Nov. 8 ballot, two city residents stated their opposition.

John Sullivan thought it would have been better if the City Council published the new policy as part of the elected officials code of ethics that they would be required to read and sig upon being voted into office. He said it wasn't necessary to add this rule to the City Charter.

"I really don't think it's the right way to go," he said.

Bill St. Laurent said the council should have allowed city voters to elect a commission to work on not only this particular issue, but many other areas of the charter that have not been revised. He said the city has not had a charter commission in 20 years.

St. Laurent said he supported passage of the amendment because something needs to be done. But he described the one change sought by the council as "small potatoes."

"I feel the local residents were left out of the process," St. Laurent said.