New Boston Archive

NEW BOSTON VILLAGE COUNCIL MEETING "IN A DIFFERENT WORLD" FROM PORTSMOUTH CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS

I just returned from a village council meeting in New Boston; on the short drive back to the city of Portsmouth I thought of the thrill of experiencing the pleasant differences found in New Boston, as compared to Portsmouth council meetings.

At New Boston, while waiting in the hallway of the village community center when the council was in executive session I entertained myself by looking upon the photos and paintings of former city leaders that hang in the hallways of the village center. Also, hanging on the walls were many photographs of early New Boston scenes of the industry and history of the Village. All the exhibits were identified and explained.

In the great hallway of the New Boston Community Center building I looked at huge drawings of revitalized "brownfield" areas that now contain industrial buildings.

One of the most interesting exhibits to me was the plan for the new Walmart Super Center that will soon be built near the former New Boston Coke plant.

The site that the new Walmart will occupy contains over thirty-seven (37) acres; the parking lot is big enough for 1,030 vehicles and the main store building will have over 200,000 square feet of sales space, and will likely serve as many as 50,000 customers per day during many days of the year.

In New Boston you can feel a different atmosphere, a feeling of hope, of progress and a spirit of success. When allowed to enter the Council Chambers after the executive session was over I listened closely to the Mayor, Councilmen, the Administrative Director and the Village Solicitor. It seemed to me that I was in another world, or at least in another nation, as I compared the differences in council meetings in New Boston and Portsmouth.

The council members all spoke clearly and could be heard easily by all persons in the council room. There were none of the quiet conspiratorial utterances that make a meeting seem covert as I have so often heard, (or was unable to hear) in Portsmouth city council meetings. When New Boston Mayor Jim Warren spoke it was with an honest, loud and clear voice. Citizens could hear him and believe him.

The Councilmen spoke well, were business like, competent, and respectful to all, as was Village Adminstrator Mick Sturgill. And, the Village Solicitor, Judge Walter Lytten had no difficulty answering any query in a knowledgeable and clear manner. The mutual respect that all persons demonstrated to the others was impressive.

To me, all these persons showed a wholesome spirit that has been almost unknown in Portsmouth Council meetings all too often.

The Village Hall in New Boston is a busy place where honest, friendly people meet, and Christ Jesus is no stranger. Tonight during the council meeting, in a nearby large room, an evangelist was teaching the history of the Gospel of Jesus Christ while meetings for Narcotics Anonymous and Alcoholics Anonymous were being held elsewhere in the building. New Boston is thriving because the people have let God into their lives.

I cannot imagine these good citizens ever denying the right to pray to others as has happened at Portsmouth City Council.

The atmosphere in New Boston Village Hall tonight felt safe, friendly and filled with good spirit and hope. Now I can understand why one of my good neighbors bought a home there last month and moved from Portsmouth.