Portsmouth committee approves accelerated repair of failed cemetery wall with donor help

The Portsmouth Cemetery Committee voted to accept a proposal to replace a failed section of the stone wall at Point of Grave Cemetery and to advance construction sooner than originally planned after a private donor offered to cover the remaining balance.

Peter Rice, director of public works, told the committee the wall is “not great” and that a section has collapsed; the plan is to rebuild it as a battered, finished stone wall that will be mortared and include repaired turnstile access while preserving pedestrian gaps where needed. Rice said the city expects about $200,000 of local costs, and that $155,000 is currently available in the historic cemeteries fund; the donor has offered to pay the remainder, allowing staff to consider starting construction as early as late summer 2026 if permitting and contractor availability allow.

The move advances the project from the Capital Improvements Plan year originally programmed for FY 2028. Rice cautioned that work within roughly 25 feet of burials will require archaeologist supervision and coordination with state historic-resource officials, and that shoreland permits may be needed for the site. He also said in-house crews will handle tree protection and some hardware work while police details will be available for any road closures.

After discussion of design options, the committee took a motion to accept the proposal “as presented.” The motion was made from the floor and the committee approved the proposal by voice; the transcript does not record a roll-call tally. Chair (identified in the meeting transcript only as the meeting chair) thanked staff and the donor for making an accelerated schedule possible.

Next steps include finalizing design details, confirming contractor availability and permit timelines, and returning to the council as appropriate for any required authorizations. Rice said the nearby Mechanic Street pumping station project will be coordinated to ensure sidewalks and curbs work with the new wall once both projects are complete.