A candidate challenge: Involve young people

In a few days, Portsmouth voters will make choices affecting the direction of our community for years to come. Actions put into motion by those elected on Tuesday, November 7th will decide how our city develops, where that development occurs, what it will look like, and whether a good balance is created between the needs of our residents, businesses, affordable housing, taxes, historic preservation, and our environment.

Those elected will have to address climate change, clean water needs, future landfill mitigation and sewerage treatment planning, and a list of other matters affecting lives of those who will call Portsmouth their home in 25 and 50 years.

We have a full ballot of candidates running for local office. We can select up to 9 candidates from the 17 running for City Council, four School Board members from the 7 running, one candidate from two choices for Fire Commission and one from among three for Police Commission.

Those elected will also have to handle the unknown. Possibly a new pandemic even worse than COVID-19, perhaps serving the needs of more new immigrants − as other cities have been facing − and maybe an economic recession on the horizon. And we don't know what the international situation may bring.

Ours is an unpredictable time.

I have previously written about the value of having younger people involved in our government, "younger" meaning under age 30. We have a few, but not enough. Certainly the under-30s are not widely represented in elective office, but there are also too few of them on our city's boards, commissions, and committees. The City Council makes those appointments, and should reach out more to younger residents.

In addition, those under age 20 could be an asset to our community government if we welcome and engage them. The re-emergence of "Student Government Day" worked well last year, and gives us hope for more such programming.

Speaking of more, here I'll offer thoughts to our candidates. Each of these proposals serves the purpose of providing civics education, as well as getting the fresh insight of younger people as part of government discussions:

City Council candidates: How about welcoming a high school student to sit with the Council at each meeting? Let the student ask questions and offer opinions on issues. Different students could be involved, sort of rotating at one or two meetings a month.

They could apply through their teachers, and it will look good on their resumes, as well as help discussion at meetings. There's room for another chair on the City Council platform.

School Board candidates: Thanks to the City Charter provision from 1989, the School Board currently has a student formally sitting as a non-voting member at meetings. What about having more School Board meetings at schools, at least once a year, and listening sessions for an hour or so? "The young, they shall lead us" means young people have good ideas about their education, too.

Police and Fire Commission candidates: Our firefighters and police officers do great work with young people. They serve as models as well as protectors. How about both Commissions having annual student government days of their own?

Each of the Commissioners could have students sitting with them at a meeting, maybe even more than just once a year, and students could work at the police and fire stations for a day and do safe ride-alongs? What about holding a meeting now and then at each of the schools? Students might be fascinated to see it. The result: mutual learning.

A new generation of citizen advocates are coming along, ready to join to make this a better community and a survivable planet. What an incredible world this could be as we cheer their success. We need the young. We need the old. That's how we build bridges.

Today's thought: From the 1991 Seacoast Compact: "Governmental power is a most sacred trust held by the few. Our government exists solely for the benefit of our people to encourage, manage, and facilitate personal development and beneficial commerce among our citizens." Let's trust our young people. Let's share with them. They will be here longer than many of us.

Next time: NH's First-in-the-Nation Presidential Primary Really Begins.