To the Editor:

I feel that I must write concerning a disturbing trend I have noticed at a Portsmouth Town Council meeting, which was referenced in an article in your paper prior to the holidays. The article concerned a "shouting match" that occurred over an appointment to the newly formed Melville Campground Committee

First, let me say that I am very familiar with the operation of town governments, past and present. I have attended innumerable council meetings over the past two decades (my husband was on the Town Council in the mid‑1980s), and have attended virtually every regular meeting of the present council. I served as town sergeant for four years. It has been a longstanding practice of common courtesy and mutual respect that when a council member brings an issue or idea to the council's attention, that member is allowed to follow through on, his of her initiative. That respect and courtesy is no longer shown to some councilors.

When a resident wanted to lease the Melville property for a private development, Councilwoman Amy Rice was immediately opposed and made no secret of her opposition. She worked with the Open Space Committee and others to defeat the referendum. Councilman Huck Little, on the other hand, expressed no opinion on the question. The public vote proved that the overwhelming majority of residents agreed with Rice and wanted to preserve Melville as a natural recreation area.

At the Sept. 10 meeting, Ms. Rice again took the initiative and moved to reactivate the Melville Campground Committee. She was immediately cut off by Mr. Little, who moved to "workshop" the proposal in order to come up with a charter for the committee. As a result of that action, Ms. Rice collaborated with the town administrator to formulate a charter for the committee and it was presented to the council at an October meeting. Mr. Little, who had requested the meeting, presented nothing.

Once the charter was accepted and members appointed, the council voted to appoint Mr. Little as the council representative to the committee. That appointment was a slap in the face to Ms. Rice. To ignore her obvious interest, dedication and hard work in favor of a council member who failed to even take a position on the very future of the Melville Recreation Area was an insult.

Nevertheless, Ms. Rice graciously suggested that she would be willing to serve as co‑representative to the committee with Mr. Little. The council rejected that idea on the basis that joint representatives were inappropriate. (Interestingly, at the very next meeting, the council appointed Councilman Jamie R. Heaney and Mr. Little as co‑liaisons to another town committee).

When confronted with this obvious power play, Mr. Little made it worse by stating that Ms. Rice didn't deserve the appointment because she has a hard time attending meetings. The truth is just the opposite. Ms. Rice has requested that the council refrain from meetings on certain nights because she has a conflict. The council has regularly refused to accommodate her request. However, the council has rescheduled meetings, or refrained from holding meetings, when other (male) members on the council are unavailable or have important engagements like golf tournaments and cocktail parties. Contrary to Mr. Little's statement and despite getting little cooperation from her colleagues, Ms. Rice has rearranged her private schedule to attend the vast majority of the special meetings and has missed only four regularly scheduled council meetings, despite having to be out of state for a considerable period due to the illness and death of her mother.

One may wonder if Ms. Rice is subjected to this treatment because she is the lone Democrat or because she is a woman; however, the disrespectful treatment also shown on occasion to the only other female council member indicates that party politics is not the sole reason. Neither one is a good reason.

As candidates, all the council members pledged to put party differences aside once elected. If they can't do that, they've broken their promise. They also should take a good, hard look at their behavior and put aside whatever insecurities prevent them from sharing power and dealing openly and honestly with a strong willed, intelligent woman. After all, Portsmouth has a large number of women voters who won't forget.

Raylene Allen

Portsmouth