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Fire chief and residents spar over proposed fireboat as staff say purchase would not hit FY27 operating budget
Summary
City staff said a new fireboat is listed in the FY27 CIP but would be bonded and not affect FY27 operating costs; the fire chief described operational limitations of the current craft and said a vendor has quoted ~$600,000; public commenters urged exploring regional options and questioned whether the money could better address prevention and mental‑health services.
The Portsmouth work session included an extended discussion of a proposed replacement fireboat after the chief described limitations of the existing vessel and a recent nighttime search-and-rescue deployment.
Nathan clarified the fireboat appears in the FY27 CIP but would be a capital purchase: "there's no impact in FY27, the budget that we're proposing and presenting or talking about" if the council defers or rejects the buy. He added that bond authorization (if pursued) would come after budget approval and debt service would begin in FY28.
Fire Chief Malor said the current boat, purchased in 2018, exposes crews in some rescue conditions and that staff have identified a vendor that can build a craft for about $600,000—lower than earlier estimates near $900,000–$1.2 million. "We found this other vendor that can do it for 600,000," the chief said, and argued a redesigned boat would better protect crews and patients during cold weather river operations.
Public comment was sharply skeptical. Esther Kennedy said the city should consider whether $600,000 would be better spent on prevention and mental‑health resources that could reduce the need for rescue missions. Other residents and commenters urged a regional approach given that state and federal agencies also operate on the river and said staff have not yet provided fully developed operational cost projections (crewing, training and overtime impacts) for a second vessel.
What’s next: Staff said the council will consider bonding authorization (if the council so chooses) in a later session. Councilors asked for clearer data on historical call volumes, overtime impacts, staffing consequences of adding a boat, and the options for regional collaboration before making a final decision.
