Council approves MOU request to Naval Station Newport to allow pond aeration at Thurston Gray Pond

The Portsmouth Town Council voted unanimously to authorize the town administrator to sign a memorandum of understanding that will permit installation of an aeration unit at Thurston Gray Pond, the upper pond in the Melville Ponds system.

Town Administrator Rich Rayner told the council the Melville Park Committee has worked for years on the proposal and that the Naval Station Newport facilities department has tentatively agreed to allow access to a Navy-owned building and power for an aeration unit. Rayner said the base requested a formal letter from the town and provided a draft MOU for council review.

Rayner said the system would run power from the Navy base to the aeration unit and that the town would be billed for that power. He said aeration is intended to reduce algae buildup and may also help limit mosquitoes.

A motion to approve the MOU and authorize the town administrator to sign and forward it to the base commander passed 7-0.