Portsmouth council adopts administrative-code changes to centralize IT and HR authority after heated debate

Portsmouth City Council on Monday adopted revisions to Chapter 1 of the city’s administrative code that clarify centralized roles for the city’s human resources and information technology functions and align the ordinance with charter amendments voters approved earlier this year.

The council passed third and final reading, as amended, by roll call vote 8–1. Councilor Denton cast the lone no vote. Councilors narrowed language during third reading to specify "operational efficiency of IT systems." The council also corrected a typographical citation to RSA 21‑P:39 before voting.

The changes implement charter amendments approved by voters in February that the city attorney, Morrill, said require administrative-code updates so the city has a single municipal IT and HR structure serving city departments and charter bodies (police, fire, schools). "The purposes behind the changes ... are to ensure that the IT department and the CIO has the authority to establish standards for cybersecurity and compliance," Morrill told the council. Ryan Babcock, the city’s chief information officer, described the work as high-level coordination: "We're talking more about high-level planning and ... cybersecurity, not physically or logically connecting the networks." He added that charter departments would maintain separate operational networks where required.

Opponents, including Kate Coyle, chair of the Police Commission, and members of the School Board, warned the ordinance could interfere with department-specific needs. Coyle said police technology must meet CJIS and other law-enforcement standards and that policing requires "an IT specialist specific to the police department." Superintendent Zach McLaughlin and school board vice chair Brian French spoke at public comment and in council discussion, urging the council to preserve the school board’s authority over curriculum, classroom tools, special education systems and staff evaluations while allowing shared cybersecurity standards. "The school board controls its expenditures," McLaughlin said. "We all agree on the need for strong cybersecurity ... but directing or approving school IT-based decisions would create conflicting lines of authority."

Councilors and staff repeatedly said the intent is collaboration, not takeover. Regulatory counsel Woodland and CIO Babcock noted the city has already seen savings and better procurement outcomes when departments use shared software and coordinated purchasing. "We're looking for a good coordination to take full advantage of our collective talents," Woodland said.

The ordinance language adopted Monday includes provisions that: allow the city CIO to set IT standards; require departments to comply with cybersecurity and procurement policies where applicable; and preserve provisions that charter departments retain functions “unique and specific” to their operations. During third reading the council adopted an amendment narrowing the “operational efficiency” phrase to apply to IT systems only.

Council debate included multiple requests that staff continue to engage charter bodies on implementation and that the city produce clarifying guidance and MOUs as the new language is put into practice. City Attorney Morrill and staff said departments had multiple opportunities to propose alternate language during the six-month governance committee review and that no formal alternative language was submitted for the current draft; several school-board members disputed that account and said they did submit proposed edits earlier in the review.

The ordinance will take effect according to the normal schedule for local ordinance adoption. Councilors said they expect continued dialogue with the police commission and school board as the city develops standards and implementation steps.

Ending: The vote caps a months-long governance process and heavy public comment. Councilors who supported the changes said they were implementing charter changes the voters approved and responding to growing cyberthreats; opponents said the council should proceed more cautiously and protect the charter departments’ operational independence.