Commissioners on the Portsmouth Crime and Gun Violence Prevention Commission spent a segment of their November meeting addressing operational challenges including expired resource links, a technical-assistance vendor and inconsistent access to city email accounts.

Chantel Matthews, who provided the TA update, said the commission has reached verbal agreement on technical assistance to be provided by "MC and T consulting" and that the next step is taking the work through procurement. "I have some suggestions for the commission moving forward. I'm gonna save them until I can speak to the folks that could make the decisions," she said.

Several commissioners said they had difficulty accessing city email accounts. Speakers described a required training and phishing tests that can lock users out and noted that the web version of Outlook often remains accessible even when the app does not. Commissioners recorded a plan to list members who lack city email access and give that list to staff so the problem can be addressed before the next meeting.

Sarah Ray said repeated rescheduling of recent meetings — including two pushes of the commission's usual meeting date — made it almost impossible for her to attend and risked creating a public perception that the commission is not important. "It almost appears as if this committee is not as important if our meetings are scheduled and rescheduled and rescheduled again," she said. Commissioners agreed to add a discussion about calendar conflicts to the December agenda to avoid future conflicts with City Council or special meetings.

Commissioners also noted that some resource items discussed about two weeks earlier had since expired and encouraged colleagues and the public to check the City of Portsmouth website for weekly updates. The commission adjourned after completing leadership elections and routine business; its next meeting is Monday, Dec. 1, at 6 p.m.