During a recent city council meeting in Portsmouth, community members voiced urgent concerns regarding public safety and health services. One resident highlighted the need for increased law enforcement presence in Old Town, citing recent violent incidents that threaten community events and overall safety. The speaker urged city officials to take immediate action to secure the area, emphasizing that without visible police support, residents and visitors would be deterred from participating in local activities.

The discussion also touched on infrastructure issues, with calls for better maintenance of city streets funded by gas taxes. Residents expressed frustration over the perceived neglect of essential services and urged council members to advocate for proper funding from state senators to address these concerns.

In a separate but equally pressing matter, Nayana Byers, founder of the ETSI Health Clinic, addressed the council regarding the critical need for equitable funding for non-profit sexual health clinics. Byers pointed out that Portsmouth has the highest syphilis rate among the seven cities in the region, a public health crisis exacerbated by underfunding. She argued that sexual health services are vital for mental health and overall community well-being, yet her clinic struggles to provide necessary treatments due to a lack of financial support from the city and state health departments.

Byers called for the city to recognize the importance of comprehensive sexual health services and to allocate funding that reflects the urgent needs of the community, particularly among vulnerable populations. The meeting underscored the pressing issues of public safety and health care access, highlighting the need for proactive measures from city officials to address these challenges effectively.