I don’t know, maybe it’s just me, but have you noticed that Nit Zero is getting a little snarky these days? Just recently, occasionally, well maybe more than once? Okay, so snarky isn’t the best choice – maybe prickly.
For example, take a look at the City Council Candidates’ Questionnaires published by SeacoastOnline. I’ve read all of them and only ONE candidate calls out other candidates and individuals by name: Nit Zero.
Personal foul!
The remaining sixteen candidates are civil and stick to the assignment: just answer the questions!
By the way, these questionnaires should be required reading for all voters.
One important question asks, “What is the biggest problem Portsmouth is facing and how would you solve it? Many cited affordable housing in one form or another, wastewater, or preserving the city’s historic nature.
Do you know what NZ chose? Climate Change. And do you know how he’s promoting it to skeptical residents this time? The flooding caused by the December 2022 storm. He said it “an omen to many.”
An omen, ooh, that’s really scary!
Silly, it wasn’t an omen, it was a combination of astronomically high tides with record storm surge.
But he’s serious and brags about the Renewable Energy Committee that he “conceived, recruited, and chaired.” This committee created the Net Zero Energy Policy. These “cornerstones of Portsmouth’s pending Climate Action Plan will set firm deadlines to achieve net zero energy.” So there!
Too bad the cost for net zero won’t be zero.
I just happened to see a report published by the consulting firm McKinsey & Company. Here’s what they said:
Our analysis of the industry-standard scenario for net zero by 2050 suggests that about $275 trillion in cumulative spending on physical assets, or approximately $9.2 trillion per year, would be needed between 2021 and 2050. That’s $25 trillion more than the current-policies scenario. Every sector and every time frame would see a bigger bill.
Closer to home, just take a look at the Community Power rates for 100% renewables, 40% more than using non renewables! But Nit Zero’s friends know this, all 107 of them!
Even NZ admitted that for Portsmouth, it would require: “a substantial financial investment from the city,” (and that means you and me, the taxpayers).
And it already has! He has allocated almost $1 million (of your money) just for public EV chargers!
Spending other people’s money can be hard work. Maybe that is why he’s been so cranky lately.
Here’s another example.
Check out the June 5, 2023, City Council meeting. You can see him during a routine segment of the evening referred to as “Presentations and Written Communications.”.
The written communication in question was from Portsmouth 400. As part of their overall marketing initiative, they requested permission to install lawn signs on municipal property and said they would be removed before the winter.
Sounds like a good idea! Portsmouth 400 has put on a wonderful, months-long celebration and those folks have worked hard planning so many cool events. Why not let them advertise so more can join in?
Most of the other Councilors seemed okay with this simple request and happy to pass it on to the City Manager.
But then Nit Zero piped up: Not so fast! If Portsmouth 400 is allowed to put up lawn signs, just any old group will want to do the same and a few of those signs could be offensive to *some* people.
What a grouch! Reminds me of grade school and the collective punishment some teachers inflicted.
But what added intrigue to this little scene was that the City Attorney admitted that they had been looking into this very same situation that afternoon.
Even Hizzoner was surprised at the apparent coincidence.
Maybe it wasn’t a coincidence. Maybe the City Manager knows Nit Zero’s personality too well and decided he would be their perfect foil. You’ll notice little happens in Nurse Ratched’s city without her okay.
This is the same bunch that already is making more and more restrictions to control access to Prescott Park: removing love locks, reviewing the rules for the public forum area, considering ways it could be “monitored.”
Might Niz Zero be working behind the scenes with the big guns on Junkin Street? This could make it look like this was the City Council’s idea.
Here’s yet another example of NZ that shows that he has a nasty streak (but only occasionally, maybe once in a blue moon).
Check out the June 20 City Council Meeting and the Public Comment segment before a presentation by the Portsmouth Housing Authority on building affordable housing at the site of the former Sherburne School.
One after another, residents of the Pannaway neighborhood spoke passionately about how it would impact their neighborhood, and not in a positive way either.
Except one who proclaimed that he wanted to “beseech the city to put up affordable housing on the Sherburne site.” Why, there are so many people who want to move to Portsmouth, but can’t afford it. Please build this in my backyard!
Later on, Nit Zero decided it was finally time to involve the residents before the city dismantled their special neighborhood and began to list people who he thought should be on the committee.
Who did he include? The one neighbor who begged them to build the housing in his back yard!
Wow, NZ really has a tin ear (and a nasty streak to boot)!
Then, at the September 18 meeting, NZ put the kibosh on playing music during the Public Comment segment.
I confess, I did not hear the song in question, but have heard a couple of examples and disagree that music is a distraction and a disservice to the public. Most folks are able to focus on the topic at hand and music can provide comic relief, particularly as you watch the scowling faces on the dais.
Plus, it was allowed until a certain song was played so the content became the point of contention. Sounds like protected speech to me. Good thing that the budget has lots of surplus! More litigation anyone?
P.S. If you want more information on this kerfuffle, see the September 25 Seacoastonline story You will understand why Nit Zero wins the prize for the most non sequiturs in a single news article.
Let’s face it, this is one unhappy guy. So, let’s cheer him up!
You know how some kids used to sneak around and draw mustaches on posters in public places as a prank? A few years back, they did that on posters in the Boston T-stations.
Don’t tell anyone, but we put a mustache on NZ as a joke. Just a small toothbrush style, the same kind that Charlie Chaplin and other infamous folks wore.
As a bonus, he can put this on his Facebook page. That should make him happy!
