To the editor:

On Monday, April 8, the Portsmouth Town Council voted 4-3 to increase the membership of newly named West Side Development Advisory Committee (WSDAC) from seven to 11 members.

Council President Aguiar along with Councilors Hamilton, Kelly and Katzman voted for the increase. Now, more residents of Portsmouth will have the opportunity to serve on this important committee.

The seven current members of the WSDAC voted unanimously not to expand their committee, even though according to their own minutes of the Feb. 28 meeting, council liaison Katzman suggested an expansion.

We, as residents, have to commend Councilors Aguiar, Hamilton, Kelly and Katzman for upholding the rights of citizens to participate in town government. We should also ask why these seven committee members wanted to keep this committee exclusive. A town committee with the scope of the entire west side of Portsmouth, from the Middletown line to the Mt. Hope Bridge, should welcome qualified interested residents, not prohibit them.

In voting not to expand the West Side Development Advisory Committee, this was the third time since January that Councilors Ryan, Ujifusa, and Abbott have voted to keep our citizens’ committees small and exclusive! Are small committees easier to control? Not exactly the transparency, honesty and integrity that they continually tout!

Nancy Grieb

110 Thayer Drive

Portsmouth