Portsmouth Town Clerk Jennifer West

PORTSMOUTH — Jennifer West was elected as Portsmouth’s new town clerk by voters in November 2016.

On Monday, the Town Council ratified her appointment as town clerk by Town Administrator Richard Rainer, Jr.

Confused? It all makes sense, actually.

In November 2016, Ms. West, then running as a Democrat, unseated the Republican incumbent, Joanne Mower. On the same ballot, however, was a question asking voters to amend the town’s Home Rule Charter to make the town clerk’s job an appointed position, effective Nov. 6, 2018.

In accordance with the new charter rule, Mr. Rainer requested that Ms. West be appointed town clerk effective on that date.

“She is an exemplary public servant and I have no reservation continuing her as an appointed, vice elected, town clerk,” Mr. Rainer told the council, adding that Ms. West has been “unaffiliated for almost a year now.”

He listed some of Ms. West’s accomplishments during her two years in office:

• She worked closely with the director of business development to spearhead a cloud-based online application and licensing program, which Mr. Rainer said was one of the first clerk’s offices in Rhode Island to do so.

• Ms. West completed the rectification of all town ordinances.

• She won a scholarship for the Certified Municipal Clerks Certification program. “She has saved the town money and has begun the final year of this three-year program,” the manager said.

• The clerk’s office has come in under budget for both fiscal years 2017 and 2018.

• She’s a member of the Safety Committee that has met all quarterly goals for the past year.

• She has ensured continued professional service from her department and has drawn accolades from the public.

• She will commence education for a master’s degree in public administration next semester.

Ms. West has, Mr. Rainer said, “proven her expertise in public service as our town clerk, demonstrates strict adherence to her fiduciary responsibilities and has gained the respect and confidence from all who work with and for her. I am appointing her to a position she already holds and does exceedingly well.”

He added, “I would consider this the world’s longest interview. She has passed.”

Hall resigns

In other business Monday night, the council voted 6-1 to accept the resignation of James Hall from the Zoning Board of Review.

The vote follows accusations from some residents that Mr. Hall behaved inappropriately to abutters during a Sept. 6 meeting.

The charges came to light during a council hearing Sept. 10 on a petition by owners John and Susan Borden to rezone a portion of Borden Farm at 2951 and 2967 East Main Road from commercial C-1 to residential R-20. 

Some abutters told the council that the Sept. 6 zoning board meeting, during which the Bordens were granted a dimensional variance for their property, became disruptive due to Mr. Hall’s behavior. One resident, John O’Brien, said because of Mr. Hall’s “abusive behavior,” several neighbors never took to the podium to air their concerns.

“The feeling on the council is that (Mr. Hall) should step down,” Council President Keith Hamilton said during a Sept. 11 interview.

Mr. Hall’s brief resignation letter to Mr. Hamilton, dated Sept. 18, reads as follows: “I will be resigning my position from the Zoning Board of Review effective immediately. It has been my pleasure to serve the town for the last eight years.”

Paul Kesson was the sole council member to vote against the motion. After the meeting, Mr. Kesson said he didn’t believe the council went far enough.

“I think we should have taken some kind of action. We can’t have the yelling,” Mr. Kesson said.

While he wasn’t sure what type of action the council should have taken, Mr. Kesson said merely accepting Mr. Hall’s resignation wasn’t sufficient.