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A guide to Portsmouth’s citizens groups

Portsmouth residents like to be involved. Maybe it’s because of the city’s history — it was home to New Hampshire’s first state house, until Concord became home to the state’s government in 1808. Or maybe it’s a reflection of Portsmouth’s unofficial motto: “The city of the open door.”

Whatever the reason, Portsmouth citizens are serious about civic engagement, especially when compared to other Seacoast cities of comparable size. In the 2013 municipal elections, of the city’s 15,894 registered voters, 4,755 cast ballots, a turnout of about 30 percent. In Dover, only about 21 percent of registered voters cast ballots, and in Rochester, only about 19 percent made it to the polls.

OK, none of those numbers are very impressive (although a 2013 study from the University of Wisconsin, Green Bay found that average voter turnout in municipal elections was less than 26 percent). But what is impressive are the other ways in which Portsmouth residents are civically engaged.

Portsmouth boasts at least seven active citizens groups. We say “at least” because there may be more — in fact, one may be forming now as you’re reading this. Below is a brief guide to the groups — their missions, their accomplishments, and what they think are the biggest challenges facing the city.

The groups are listed in alphabetical order. For even more Portsmouth citizens groups, check out the second part of this feature.

Keep Portsmouth Loud

facebook.com/keepportsmouthloud

Founded: 2014, “when a few vocal South End neighbors, complaining about noise, crowds, and programming, through their connections with members of the city council, leveraged enough negative pressure on the management of the Prescott Parks Arts Festival that a long-scheduled double-feature screening in the park … was cancelled. … That cancellation represented a disturbing precedent in a movement to whitewash, stifle, and gentrify our town,” says KPL organizer Trevor Bartlett. (Full disclosure: Bartlett is a contributor for The Sound.)

Supporters: “At last count, 5,308 fans on Facebook. Facebook Insights indicate 30 percent of them are Portsmouth residents and the rest made up mostly of our surrounding towns, chiefly Dover, Kittery, Maine, and Exeter.”

Biggest accomplishment: “That we have successfully mobilized a great number of people to weigh in on matters that matter to them, through letters to the council and media, and by speaking their minds at city council hearings. Many of the council have been persuaded to publicly acknowledge the value of our local arts institutions, and the need to support ongoing efforts to cultivate Portsmouth’s atmosphere of creativity and expression that not only brings joy and enlightenment, but also acts as a significant driver of our local economy. “

Top challenge facing Portsmouth: “Maintaining a vibrancy that welcomes and is accessible to a broad range of classes, ages, and economic capabilities, both from here and from away.”

Why residents are civically engaged: “Larger cities, for the most part, have fully matured. Portsmouth is going through an adolescence, with many vying for roles as parental guardians. Some think it is growing too fast, others not fast enough. Many of these groups end up working together toward similar goals, each contributing their own specialty. Portsmouth is a wonderful place, and it’s ours to lose. Regardless of the direction one might believe is correct to take, there’s an undeniable strength in numbers.”

One Portsmouth

oneportsmouth.com

Founded: 2015. “I never fail to be amazed at the sheer amount of talent, experience and entrepreneurial energy in Portsmouth,” says founder and former city mayor Steve Marchand. “It is positive energy, and getting more of that talent involved in public life — as voters, volunteers for governing boards, and candidates for local office — will strengthen every part of our community.”

Supporters: “This is a brand-new effort. With no paid advertising, several hundred Portsmouth residents have signed up through the website, and the early social media outreach is very promising. By election day, One Portsmouth hopes to reach out to a few thousand residents, encouraging talented people to run for office, and getting people genuinely excited about the choices they have for office.”

Biggest accomplishment: “Before the website was launched, I had already begun communicating regularly with residents who were passionate about the need to add parking capacity in a way that would make downtown more attractive for working, living, and playing. The turnout in favor of bonding the Deer Street garage proposal, and the positive energy from dozens of speakers, was an early sign that people in Portsmouth can succeed by being thoughtful, passionate, forward-looking, and positive.”

Top challenge facing Portsmouth: “We have the most dynamic downtown economy in the state. We have outstanding public services, including safe neighborhoods and outstanding public schools. And we have been able to keep residential property tax increases at or below inflation for over a decade without budget gimmicks. … In order to maintain that balance, we need community-wide understanding that they happen because of each other, not in spite of each other.”

Why residents are civically engaged: “Portsmouth has an amazing amount of what ‘Bowling Alone’ author Robert Putnam would call ‘social capital.’  There’s a lot of talent in a small area, and the frequency with which that talent collaborates means we are stronger together than we would be as the sum of our individual abilities.”

Portsmouth Forward

portsmouthforward.org

Founded: 2014. “I was born in Portsmouth and grew up in the Seacoast,” says founder Jeff Kisiel. “I followed the 2013 municipal elections for Rochester, Somersworth, Dover, and Portsmouth and … felt like it was an inaccurate portrayal of the overall majority of people’s opinions in town. Being a young person, I thought it was important to get some more opinions in there.”

Supporters: “The purpose behind this wasn’t about me and wasn’t about a group. It was about an idea and a direction. I think that was difficult for people to understand at first. It’s just about growing engagement and informing the public.”

Biggest accomplishment: “Getting new voices and different opinions at city hall. … The increased involvement of a much younger demographic at city hall (has played) an important role in decision making.”

Top challenge facing Portsmouth: “Letting go of the idea that we are a quaint port city (when) we are actually a regional hub for the state … we are a major attraction for a new generation in the state. … We want the infrastructure, the housing, and the jobs around here to draw attention that brings people to the state and specifically the Seacoast.”

Why residents are civically engaged: “I think people care about our growth, our history, our taxes, where our dollars are going. We live in a state that’s incredibly engaged.”

Portsmouth Parking Problems

facebook.com/PortsmouthParkingProblems

Founded: 2012, originally as Worth Lot Yes, which advocated for construction of a new parking garage in the Worth Lot. When city councilors rejected the Worth Lot plan, the group became Portsmouth Parking Problems, according to organizer Jason Boucher.

Supporters: “A lot of people around town support our (Facebook) page,” Boucher says. “We have over 760 likes, which is great, and our engagement … is very high. People like to ta