10/28/2025
These are the notes from last night's meeting shared on the All Things Portsmouth page. For anyone who is not in that group.
10/27 TC meeting - disc golf
Last night’s meeting was a doozy, clocking in at 3 and a half hours 🙃 I’m going to break the meeting up into 2 separate posts. Also to note: recording is broken into 2 separate links because of a zoom issue.
Taking up the majority of the meeting (2+ hours), somehow the topic of disc golf reared its head again. Although it was discussed, debated, and voted on by the TC over multiple meetings, some of the TC members unsuccessfully attempted to bring it back for a re-vote.
At last TC meeting, Mr Reis had letters received from citizens moved to yesterday’s agenda for “discussion.” He read a prepared statement claiming that those letters brought new information forth and he wanted to allow them an opportunity to express their concerns.
Several people spoke and brought up safety concerns, stating that they no longer would feel safe walking their dogs or even just walking in the Glen with disc golf there. Traffic was also brought up again as a concern. Some were the same people who spoke against disc golf at previous meetings, and the majority were citizens who live in the neighborhood of the Glen.
Mr Hamilton brought up the point that if we go down the safety route, we’d have to discuss other Glen activities as well such as horseback riding, dogs, and sports.
Ms McDowell asked about cost and maintenance: both park and rec and DPW directors confirmed it will be no additional cost and minimal additional time/maintenace. There is no cost to the town.
Ms McDowell then requested a re-vote on allowing disc golf at the Glen. She stated that she heard many people against and no one for disc golf last night (my opinion- that is grossly unfair, and disregards the multitude who spoke for it at previous meetings, along with the 400+ who signed a petition in support. If there was any understanding that the decision was potentially being revoked I’m sure they would have been there last night as well. This was far from transparent).
She continued that if what she heard last night was shared at previous meetings she believes the vote would have been different and asked to bring it back for reconsideration.
Mr Payero called a point of order (violation of the town’s rules, namely Roberts Rules of order), and Mr Hamilton supported this and said he would not allow it to be brought back. It is a 2 year trial and the town can revoke at that time. It was pointed out by Mr Dubay that the course can be built with nothing more than a wheelbarrow and a shovel and it can come out as easy as it goes in - there is nothing permanent.
Throughout the meeting there was also a fair amount of comment about the members of the parks and recreation committee. One from Mr Gleason: “a lot of this information was not covered thoroughly. I don’t know how parks and rec can say they came up with this plan after x amount of study. I think someone thought it was a great idea to have disc golf.”
Next up, the subject of a memorandum of understanding was brought forth. The intent is for the Disc Golf folks to work with the Parks and rec director to establish an MOU by the end of the year. Ms McDowell asked pointedly and repeatedly for clarification that the disc golf course cannot move forward until that MOU is approved by the TC. Mr Hamilton stated that they should not use this MOU to circumvent the vote. By delaying the MOU ex*****on they could essentially go against the TC decision.
Hamilton: “you’re trying to back door a disapproval - I think that’s wrong of the council”
McDowell: “I don’t see it like that”
In the end, 7-0 vote to move forward with establishing the MOU
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