“Bart” Rich Blaylock is a member of Portsmouth’s very own political dynasty. Father, Jack, was the Assistant Mayor and Mayor twice. Grandfather, Dick, also was on the City Council.
By the way, our neighbors to the south know a thing or two about dynasties, and for years, elected any living, breathing candidate whose last name was Kennedy… until Joseph P III came along…but I digress.
Bart says he is an? the? owner of the Old Ferry Landing Restaurant. Looks like a nice business – but his votes allowing local restaurants to use (at a discounted rate) street parking spaces caused a teeny-tiny ethics complaint alleging conflict of interest. It seems that the Old Ferry Landing is getting a pretty good deal. Oh well, all in the family!
Bart’s favorite book/movie/television show/Halloween costume is Ted Lasso – good to keep things simple.
Why we chose “Bart”
You probably have heard of the Simpsons, the popular animated television series based on a fictional family.
Bart Simpson is the oldest son whose hobbies include skateboarding and getting into trouble. In an episode that aired in January 1990, Bart’s class is asked to take an IQ test.
While the teacher isn’t looking, Bart switches his IQ test with Martin’s (the school genius). Meanwhile, his parents, Homer and Marge Simpson, are sitting in the principal’s office waiting to hear about the latest trouble Bart has caused.
The school psychologist interrupts the meeting and announces that Bart’s IQ is actually 216! He only misbehaves because he is bored and needs to be transferred immediately to a school for gifted children. Hmmmmm
Is Bart really a genius?
Bart Blaylock is known for his work with Portsmouth’s younger generation and has thrown all his support behind the skate park. Good for him! We like kids too! But unless you deal with some of the big problems facing the city, when the kids grow up, they’ll all move away, skate park or not!
As far as Bart’s budding political career, we understand that he was recruited at the last minute to be part of what is now known as the Boondoggle Nine by the pompous, radical left-leaning political operative who, with a little help from the outside, ran the tables in the last election. Who might that be?
Not that Bart couldn’t have been elected all on his own.
Just read his Candidate Questionnaire!
Bart’s Candidate Questionnaires published by the local press just before the November 2021 election, says that he graduated from Portsmouth High School at the top of his class! Then he went off to Bates College where he had a 3.0 GPA (out of 4.0 we assume) and majored in Economics!
Wow! Economics is really hard and demands a sharp mind and critical thinking skills. But it can be helpful to have a City Councilor who understands important economic issues inside and out. A brilliant mind could really make a difference in Portsmouth!
Which brings up a few questions.
Take a look at Bart-in-action during the City Council meetings. They are all available on You Tube if you find the uncomfortable seats at City Hall a major impediment to spending every other Monday night there.
Based on his economics training, have you ever heard him:
- Describe how the market forces of supply/demand are impacting Portsmouth’s housing market and why plopping ADUs here and there won’t make a difference?
- Or, by drawing a Harberger’s triangle, demonstrate the deadweight loss caused by government intervention?
- Or how about sharing his thoughts on the Theory of Consumer Choice by analyzing individual decision-making using budget constraints and indifference curves?
- Or, to help the City maximize utility during the McIntyre negotiations, suggest that they employ Game Theory, i.e.,logical decision-making under uncertainty. They could practice with fun exercises like the Prisoner’s Dilemma.
No? Me either. Maybe his major didn’t include Microeconomics or Macro Economics but instead, Mini Economics. Or maybe there is another explanation and the reason he is nicknamed “Bart.”
ADU’S TO THE RESCUE – and you think Portsmouth is fun today!
After months of meetings by the Planning and Land Use Boards, the Council held a work session with city officials to review the latest provisions on ADU’s, those tiny buildings that some hope will start showing up in back yards to offset the affordable housing shortage (right!).
One of the provisions that caused a lot of harrumphing by certain City Councilors (you know who we mean) was the requirement that next door neighbors should be alerted before a new structure appears or an existing structure is made into sleeping quarters for their ne’er-do-well son who plays video games all day. Let’s face it, not many people like to be surprised by a bulldozer on their doorstep.
As Nick Cracknell, City Planning Manager aptly put it, many of these existing structures are like tombs, not much is happening, only the occasional lawn mower appears and then all of sudden there is activity: lights, balconies, patios!
But Bart had the perfect solution – more block parties!
Let’s go to the video tape in Bart’s own words:
“Unfortunately, we don’t, Portsmouth, back to when my grandparents moved here, my father was little, the whole neighborhood would hang out every weekend, everyone knew everyone else’s business, um, you know those block parties every weekend.
Skip the public comment – grab a beer!
(April 10, 2023, City Council Work Session)
The McIntyre Saga – What a Colossal Mess!
On November 18, 2021, Bart and Kondo Kate, both agitated and angry, waltzed into the City Council chambers with a stern message for the current Council members. Don’t you dare even think about helping us out of this sticky situation with the McIntyre development partner, Redgate Kane. (see the McIntyre Morass, Portsmouth Pulse, December 15, 2022)
They had not even taken the oath of office and already they were throwing their weight around (literally).
Bart’s support for the McIntyre status quo was not a surprise. According to his Candidate Questionnaire: “The opportunity to acquire 2.1 acres in downtown Portsmouth from the National Park Services needs to be a top priority.”
So how did he go about fulfilling this campaign promise? By offloading all responsibility for the contract negotiations to City employees, more specifically the City Manager. We all know how well that has worked out. The opportunity to purchase the McIntyre building for $1 is lost.
Now the drama continues! At the May 1, 2023, meeting the City Council voted on the motion to authorize the City Manager to communicate to the GSA that the City is either interested or not interested in participating in a negotiated sale process.
Interestingly, the City developed a purchase price based on an increase in commercial property values when its own Assessor observed that since Covid, these values have declined. If only the Council had a member who understood how a drop in demand for office space affects the price of commercial properties. Oh, that’s economics again. Micro, macro, mini?
Actually, before the meeting, we heard from a “reliable source” that the Council had already made up their minds on this motion. They had agreed to portray the purchase of McIntyre as too expensive.
But they needed to give Portsmouth residents time to speak their minds – this is the opportunity of a lifetime! Slow down, take a few more weeks to consider this! – and they were promptly ignored.
The motion to not engage in the negotiated process passed 8-1; of course, Bart voted with the majority – so much for campaign promises!
Things down the road don’t look rosy. The City is still going to be mired in litigation with Redgate Kane – what about the parking spaces? And goodness knows what might be built on the property when an outside developers grabs it.
Great job! Glad we have a well-trained economist on board!
But hold on, it ain’t over till the fat lady sings and she hasn’t even left the dressing room!
(November 18, 2021, April 3, 2023, May 1, 2023 City Council Meetings.)
