Panel probing alleged councilor misconduct set for May 2; is 2nd probe in cards?

Portsmouth City Councilor Esther Kennedy, left, says city residents should know more about accusations against Rochester councilor Chris Rice (Courtesy photos)

ROCHESTER - If Rochester had created an ethics commission last year like the one established in Portsmouth, all the meetings currently being held probing alleged wrongdoing by Rochester City Councilor Chris Rice would have been accessible to the public.

Instead, Rochester Mayor Paul Callaghan designated three city councilors to investigate alleged violations of city policy by Rice behind closed doors.

It is not clear how many times the investigative subcommittee has met to discuss the matter - the city remains tightlipped on the probe - but the panel is expected to meet on May 2 at City Hall to report on its finding and vote on whether to refer the matter to the full council for its consideration.

Portsmouth City Councilor Esther Kennedy, who was the target of what she calls a politically-driven sham investigation by the city's ethics commission, told The Rochester Voice on Wednesday that all meetings of that panel's 2020 investigation - unlike the one currently being held in Rochester - were open to the public and reported on extensively by the press.

She thinks the people of Rochester should have a say in how these investigations should be carried out, especially since she knows the motives behind the accusers can include politics, former grievances or even just personality conflicts.

"The city needs to decide what is appropriate, and the community should have a say on how the structure is set up," she said.

She said in her case the ethics commission didn't do their due diligence, even ignoring to review a video she produced that exonerated her, something the full City Council agreed with when they rejected her removal from the board after the ethics commission had voted unanimously for it.

She said she thinks Rochester residents should have been apprised of what the allegations against Rice are.

"I believe in transparency," she added.

What's incredibly ironic is that during public comment of Tuesday night's City Council workshop a Rochester resident was allowed 10 minutes to lay out her case that City Councilor Jim Gray should be investigated for

intentional wrongdoing, tampering with pubic records, improper behavior and abuse of position.

City resident Susan Rice said City Councilor Jim Gray's tapping of pen "triggered" her. (CC video screenshot)

Susan Rice of Ten Rod Road said she was making a formal complaint against Gray for his actions during a Nov. 16 meeting where she asked Gray to let her become a member of the planning board, which had an opening.

She said Gray led her into an office and closed the door behind her which made her uneasy.

She said Gray told her no one becomes a full member without being an alternate first, and when she protested, he began tapping his pen.

"When I did not comply his body posture became aggressive and he used masculine pronouns such as 'he' and 'his,'" she said. "He kept tapping his pen which triggered me and was leaning into me."

When Mayor Paul Callaghan reminded her that her five minutes were up, Gray petitioned the mayor to allow her to finish and talk about another five minutes.

At the end of her speech Susan Rice handed her allegations packet to City Attorney Terence O'Rourke.

Meanwhile, the May 2 meeting to discuss Chris Rice's investigations begins at 2:30 p.m.