The Fitz John Porter Project believes a community is strongest when all members are treated with respect, dignity, and fairness. We are therefore dedicated to ensuring civility and promoting justice throughout the community.
FJP Project Sponsored Lecture at The Portsmouth Anthenium:
Lawfare in the age of Lincoln
A talk with esteemed historian William Marvel, author of Radical Sacrifice, The Rise and Ruin of Fitz John Porter
Click on following article to read:
Click on following news article to read:
We are now accepting applications to become our first Community Justice Intern.
Apply here for Intern
We are also accepting applications to become our first Portsmouth Community Ombuds.
Apply here for Ombuds
WHAT IS
WHAT IS AN OMBUDS?
According to the International Ombuds Association, Ombuds around the world engage in constructive problem-solving toward the goal of emphasizing respect, civility, and justice in communities, organizations, and professional relationships.
An Ombuds (also "ombudsman’’ or "ombudsperson") is a designated neutral or impartial problem and conflict resolution specialist who provides confidential and informal assistance to visitors on a variety of issues and concerns.
Ombuds work with individuals and groups to (1) provide a safe space to talk about an issue or concern, (2) explore options to help resolve conflicts, and (3) bring systemic concerns to the attention of others for resolution.
The modern Ombuds empowers individuals and organizations to overcome disputes, conflicts, and barriers that stand in the way of all individuals and organizations of reaching their full potential.
An Ombuds strives to preserve the confidentiality of those visitors seeking services, maintains a neutral/impartial position with respect to the concerns raised, works at an informal level of the organizational system (compared to more forma! channels that are available), and is independent of formal organizational structures. When an Ombuds position is created, it merely adds another resource for restoring and maintaining just and equitable conditions. No one in the community loses any power or authority because an Ombuds is available.
Challenges, disagreements, conflict, and frustration are common experiences we all have whether we live in Portsmouth or elsewhere. Almost all people who experience these discomforts hope to remain in their work, social, or community settings. A times we may benefit from some help to resolve these problems. One goal of the Portsmouth Community Ombuds is to increase the likelihood that continued involvement in the neighborhood or community will be as comfortable and rewarding as possible.
THE VALUE OF AN OMBUDS
Whether you are in a community, higher education, corporate, government, NGO/association, K-12, long term care facility, or a communications and research setting, an ombuds is a proven and effective way to:
Uncover and address barriers to healthier communities
Help individuals improve skills to give voice to their concerns
Build and improve workplace and community culture
Navigate complex situations and procedures
Offer an informal and confidential way to identify and address issues
Support efforts on racial, ethnic, religious, and LGBQT social justice
Support those impacted by harassment
Prevent bias and harassment issues from escalating
Reduce formal complaint investigation time
Reduce litigation
Improve governance
Address interpersonal and group conflict and
A variety of other concerns
WHAT DOES AN OMBUDS DO?
Listens and understands issues while remaining neutral with respect to the facts. The Ombuds doesn’t listen to judge or to decide who is right or wrong. The Ombuds listens to understand the issue from the perspective of the individual visitor. This is a critical step in developing options for resolution.
Assists in reframing issues and developing and helping visitors evaluate options. This helps visitors identify the interests of various parties to the issues and helps focus efforts on potential options to meet those interests.
Guides or coaches individuals to deal directly with other parties, including the use of formal resolution resources of an organization. An Ombuds often seeks to help individuals improve their skill and their confidence in giving voice to their concerns directly.
Refers individuals to appropriate resolution resources. An Ombuds may refer individuals to one or more formal organizational resources that can potentially resolve the issue.
Assists in surfacing issues to formal resolution channels. When an individual is unable or unwilling to surface a concern directly, the Ombuds can assist by helping give voice to the concern and /or creating an awareness of the issue among appropriate decisionmakers in the community or organization.
Facilitates informal resolution processes. An Ombuds may help to resolve issues between parties through various types of informal mediation and other strategies.
Identifies new issues and opportunities for systemic change for the community or organization. The unique positioning of the Ombuds serves to provide unfiltered information that can produce insight to issues and resolutions. The Ombuds is a source of detection and early warning of new issues and a source of suggestions of systemic change to improve existing processes.
WHAT DOES AN OMBUDS NOT DO?
Produce any official findings or make binding decisions
Participate in formal investigations or play any role in a formal is resolution process
Institute corrective measures
Serve in any other organizational role that would compromise the neutrality of the Ombuds’ role
Receive notice or act as an office of notice for an organization
Create policies
Create or maintain records
Form any type of formal relationship (i.e., attorney-client)
We’re here to help. Drop us a line so we can offer non-judicial assistance and guidance. Remember, your issues are important to us!
REQUEST OMBUDS HELP
HISTORICAL
Lectures:
The Controversial Court Martial of Fitz John Porter
National Park Service — Gettysburg (2017)
Lecture by historian Matt Atkinson
The Civil War — Union General Fitz John Porter
C-SPAN — The Virginia Piedmont Heritage Area (2022)
Lecture by historian Allen Guelzo
The Civil War — Union General Fitz John Porter
C-SPAN — "Emerging Civil War" blog symposium (2021)
Lecture by historian Kevin Pawlak
Books:
Photographs:
President Abraham Lincoln during Antietam visit, October 3, 1862 [Fitz John Porter standing directly to Lincoln’s left (our right)]
Gen'l Fitz John Porter and staff at headquarters, Westover Landing, Virginia — July 16, 1862
The court martial of Major General Fitz John Porter [drawing by Alfred Rudolph Waud]
Fitz John Porter Statue, Portsmouth, NH [circa 1906]
ABOUT
General Fitz John Porter was a Portsmouth native who braved and survived the political and litigation maelstrom of the American Civil War.
Our Team
Michael Sky Danley
— President, Fitz John Porter Project, Inc.
Michael holds a Bachelors in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering from Purdue and Masters in both Film and Business-Management from Harvard. After a brief stint designing jet engines, Michael served as a Commissioned Officer in the United States Air Force and has logged over 24,000 flight-hours as both a military and commercial pilot. Additionally, Michael has served as a sworn Federal Law Enforcement Officer in the jurisdiction of combating domestic terrorism (not ICE!). Michael’s personal interests include anything “story” related, including directing several films and authoring award-winning children’s books. Michael is excited to be part of the FJP Project, giving back to the Portsmouth community in which he lives and so enthusiastically reveres.
He can be reached at michael.danley@fitzjohnporter.org
Steven Parker Feld
— Treasurer, Fitz John Porter Project, Inc.
Served as Portsmouth Ward Moderator and Clerk
Author of the Seacoast Compact
NH representative, Trial Lawyers for Justice
Richard David Grossman
— Fitz John Porter Project, Inc.
Stevens Institute Engineer. Served his country as a Commissioned Military and Flight Officer (Pease AFB). Retired Supervising Engineer at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.
James R. Splaine
— Fitz John Porter Project, Inc.
Variously since 1969, Jim Splaine has been Portsmouth assistant mayor for six terms, Police Commission and School Board member, as well as New Hampshire state senator for six years and New Hampshire state representative for 24 years.
He can be reached at jimsplaineportsmouthnh@gmail.com
Charles B. Riopel
— Fitz John Porter Project, Inc.
Charles Riopel earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Administrative Science at Colby College. He serves as Vice President and Financial Consultant for Charles Schwab in Portsmouth, NH, and has also worked as a Retirement Specialist, Fixed Income Specialist, and Investment Representative for Fidelity Investments. He holds securities licenses as well as a Life and Variable Annuity Insurance license. Charles is a member of both the Seacoast Rotary Club of Portsmouth and the Portsmouth High School Business/Entrepreneurship Advisory Board. Charles has been a Trustee of the Rannie Webster Foundation since 2015.
Alan Jay Lincoln
— Ombuds Advisor
Professor of Criminology and Ombuds Emeritus
University of Massachusetts Lowell
Publicity Links
Searching for Fair Justice in the Portsmouth Area?
[Jim Splaine, New Hampshire Gazette, November 15,, 2024]
The Portsmouth Fair Justice Ombudsman
[Jim Splaine, Columnist, Portsmouth Herald, August 25, 2024]
Splaine: The need for a Portsmouth citizens fair justice ombudsman
[Jim Splaine, Columnist, Portsmouth Herald, July 22, 2023]