What Did the Executive Council Do Last Week?

Last Friday’s Executive Council meeting was a light agenda (recapped below), but I also wanted to use this opportunity to flag two updates about the bipartisan NH Health Protection Plan law which the Executive Council voted to enact last year:

THE GOOD: Last week the NH Hospital Association released a report showing that state ER’s have seen a 17% drop in uninsured patients, after 37,000+ NH citizens signed up since NH began using federal funds to expand Medicaid coverage to citizens living just above the poverty line. According to report authors, “those numbers show that the expansion is working by reducing the costs that businesses and those with insurance pay to care for the uninsured.”

THE BAD: On Sunday, a key legislative committee (House Finance) voted to end this coverage at the end of next year, despite the support of the business and medical communities. Continuing coverage is an ongoing debate that has not yet been voted on in the full legislature, but I wanted to keep you updated given the past involvement of the Council and the potential negative impact to the state if this coverage is ended.

As for your regular Council recap: at Friday’s meeting, the Executive Council voted on 43 items, including:

• IN CENTRAL NEW HAMPSHIRE: Slow week this week – no items of note!

• IN THE MONADNOCK REGION: Hired Keene State College to provide nutrition consultation and implement a statewide Healthy Eating & Sodium Reduction pilot project, paid for by federal funds.

• IN STRAFFORD COUNTY: Authorized a land-swap of roughly 12,000 square feet along exit 7 on the Spaulding Turnpike with a private developer; and approved shoreline work my a private residence on the Bellamy River.

• STATEWIDE ISSUES: A new state food safety licensing and inspection database; a new collections agency for out-of-state taxpayers who owe state funds; a study of the impact of climate change on state waterways for potential flood risk areas; tabled until next meeting a new contract to use purchasing cards to replace carbon-copy forms for small (<$500) urgent field purchases by agencies; declined an extension in a study of an MTBA stop in Plaistow after the town voted 83% against last week; and missed the opportunity to enter into a lease-to-own contract for mowing equipment for state highways, which would have saved the state several hundred thousand dollars in the coming three years instead of renting the equipment (the Council voted in February 3-2 to table the item, and it was left on the table until the finance package expired; I voted against the delay)

• APPOINTMENTS & CONFIRMATIONS: The Council confirmed Dennis Goulet as the state’s new Commissioner of Information Technology, as well as various other positions (full list below).

Our next meeting is Wednesday, March 25. As always, if you have any questions or ideas, email me here or call me at(603) 290-5848.Sincerely,ColinExecutive Councilor, District 2FULL 3/13 AGENDA(or follow the links below for documentation of each item)FULL INFORMATION

1. DETAIL: CENTRAL NH No items this week

2. DETAIL: MONADNOCK REGION #11 Authorized the Bureau of Population Health and Community Services, Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Section, Combined Chronic Disease Program to enter into an agreement with Keene State College, Keene, NH, to provide nutrition consultation and implement a statewide Healthy Eating and Sodium Reduction pilot project, in an amount not to exceed $99,300. Effective upon G&C approval through June 30, 2015. 100% Federal Funds.

3. DETAIL: STRAFFORD COUNTY #14 Authorized the Bureau of Right of Way to transfer two parcels of State owned land consisting of 6,055 square feet and 6,020 square feet, both located in the Limited Access Right-of-Way of the Spaulding Turnpike Exit 7 southbound off/on ramps, to 7 South LLC in exchange for 7 South LLC transferring to the Department of Transportation two parcels of land owned by them consisting of 6,046 square feet and 6,020 square feet, also located adjacent to the Spaulding Turnpike Exit 7 southbound off/on ramps, and for the Department to control the access point to the property owned by 7 South LLC and limit the access to one point of access to Central Ave. This is a no cost transfer except for the Department assessing an Administrative Fee of $1,100. (2) Further Authorized to emendate the Return of Highway Layout and to adjust the limits of the Spaulding Turnpike Limited Access Right of Way for the disposal of the above-mentioned parcels.#40 Authorized Lisa and Robert Hall’s request to perform work on the Bellamy River in Dover.]

4. STATEWIDE PROJECTS AND POLICIES #12A Authorized the Bureau of Public Health Protection to enter into an agreement with Decade Software Company LLC, Fresno, CA, to implement and provide ongoing hosting of a Licensing and Inspection Information System, in an amount not to exceed $462,535. Effective upon G&C approval through March 30, 2020. 56% General, 44% Other Funds.

#17 Authorized to enter into a contract with Delta Management Associates in order to provide a full range of services to collect accounts of taxpayers residing out-of-state or with out-of-state assets. As payment for services, the contractor will retain 12.9 percent from any funds recovered. Effective upon G&C approval through April 1, 2016.#32 Authorized to award a sole source grant to The Nature Conservancy, NH Chapter, Concord, NH, in the amount of $45,998 to conduct spatial analyses that will result in the identification of lands in NH’s coastal watershed that, if protected, would mitigate flood risk, reduce pollution, and protect drinking water supplies to supplement the existing Land Conservation Plan for NH’s Coastal Watersheds. Effective upon G&C approval through May 31, 2016. 100% Federal Funds.

#34 Authorized to enter into a sole source Joint Funding Agreement with the US Geological Survey, Pembroke, NH, to conduct state-wide spatial analyses and hydrologic modeling to project the impacts of increased temperature and precipitation on stream flow and groundwater recharge, in the amount of $80,000. Effective upon G&C approval through June 30, 2016. 100% Federal Funds.

#42 Authorized a new chapter of the Manual of Procedures, DAS MOP 1625 (“Procurement Cards”). Effective upon G&C approval.(Tabled at 2/25/15 G&C Meeting)

#C. FAILED– Request of the Bureau of Rail & Transit to amend a contract with HDR Engineering Inc., Omaha, NE, and Boston, MA (originally approved by G&C on 6-5-13, item #230), for the Plaistow Commuter Rail Extension Study, by extending the completion date from March 31, 2015 to July 1, 2015. No Additional Funding. (Tabled at 2/11/15 G&C Meeting; then withdrawn this week)

#16 WITHDRAWN – A request of the Bureau of Highway Maintenance to enter into a lease-purchase agreement with Summa Humma d/b/a MB Tractor & Equipment, Concord, NH, for lease-purchase of several pieces of heavy equipment, in the amount of $903,160.80. (2) Further Authorized to enter into a lease-purchase agreement with Chadwick BaRoss, Concord, NH, for lease-purchase of several pieces of heavy equipment, in the amount of $143,423.40. Effective upon G&C approval through January 1, 2018. (3) Further Authorized to enter into a credit financing agreement with Kansas State Bank of Manhattan, Manhattan, KS, in an amount not to exceed $1,051,952.76 for the credit financing of the agreements above. Effective upon G&C approval through February 1, 2018. 98% Highway, 2% Other Funds.

• 5. DETAIL: APPOINTMENTS AND NOMINATIONS( * = District 2 Resident)New Nominations by Governor Hassan:
• Director of Accounting Services/Comptroller at the Department of Administrative ServicesGerard J. Murphy, Concord, NH
• *Advanced Manufacturing Education Advisory CouncilZenagui Brahim, Pelham, NHMargaret E. Callahan, Exeter, NH
• Air Resources Council Mark Lambert, Bedford, NH
• Deputy Attorney General Ann M. Rice, Concord, NH
• State Council on the Arts Jason Tors, Sugar Hill, NH
• Fire Standards and Training Commission Robert M. Buxton, Hudson, NH
• Land and Community Heritage Authority John J. Colony, Harrisville, NH
• *Oil Fund Disbursement Board Kevin A. Sheppard, Manchester, NH
• State Coordinating council for Community Transportation Pamela Jolivette, Hopkinton, NH
• Water Council Charles Hardy, Hollis, NH
• Confirmed by the Council
• Jeffrey M. Brown, Seabrook, NH to the Adult Parole Board
• Mark E. Furlone, Spofford, NH to the Adult Parole Board
• *Mark C. Conrad, Nashua, NH to the Advanced Manufacturing Education Advisory Board
• Lorri E. Badolato, Newton, NH to the Aviation Users Advisory Board
• Gale J. Furey, Bedford, NH to the Aviation Users Advisory Board
• Jennifer C. Griffin, South Acworth, NH to the Connecticut River Valley Resource Commission
• Doreen A.D. Wittenberg, Center Barnstead, NH to the Department of Corrections Director of the Division of Administration
• *Paula L. Mattis, Manchester, NH to the Department of Corrections Non-Medical Director of the Division of Medical and Psychiatric Services
• Michelle Goings, Hooksett, NH to the Department of Corrections Warden of the North country Correctional Facility
• Virginia A. Lupi, Suncook, NH to the Department of Cultural Resources Director of the Division of Arts
• Paul J. LeBlanc, Manchester, NH to the Higher Education Commission
• Denis C. Goulet, Manchester, NH to the Commissioner of the Department of Information Technology
• Daniel W. Caron, Gilford, NH to the Pre-Engineering Technology Advisory Council
• David O. Huot, Laconia, NH to the New Motor Vehicle Arbitration Board
• Benjamin F. Saxon, North Sutton, NH to the Board of Managers of the New Hampshire Veterans Home *

Joanne Ruel, Executive Assistant, Executive Council