Edelblut, Cline Reappointed; Edwards Nominated To Asst. Safety Commissioner

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Courtesy photo

Eddie Edwards

By PAULA TRACY, InDepthNH.org

CONCORD
– Education Commissioner Frank Edelblut and Board of Education Chairman Andrew Cline were reapproved along party lines at Wednesday’s Executive Council meeting with Democratic Councilor Cinde Warmington casting the lone no vote.

Warmington, of Concord, criticized Edelblut and Cline, while Councilor David Wheeler, R-Milford, praised them both.

“I’m voting against Commissioner Edelblut and Chairman Drew Cline’s renominations today because New Hampshire public school students and their families deserve better leadership in the state Department of Education,” Warmington said.

She said over the past four years Edelblut and Cline have used their positions to divert money from public schools, adding what is most alarming is the school voucher program House Bill 20 championed by Edelblut.

It would “have property taxes pay tuition for children of wealthy families to attend well-endowed private schools” and devastate public schools, Warmington said. “Public education is a bedrock principle of our democracy. It is at the heart of the American dream.”

Wheeler, who attended the first portion of the meeting from Catholic Medical Center in Manchester, said: “I think Frank Edelblut is the best thing that has happened to education in the state of New Hampshire in a long time.

“I remember back in the days when we couldn’t get the education commissioner to come show up at a council meeting and discuss issues with us,” Wheeler said.

Wheeler did not say why he was in the hospital, nor did Sununu. Last week, Wheeler told the Union Leader he was in CMC awaiting heart bypass surgery.

Nominations

At Wednesday’s meeting, Gov. Chris Sununu nominated Eddie Edwards to serve as the next Assistant Commissioner at the Department of Safety.

“Eddie’s extensive experience in public safety, law enforcement, and business administration make him the perfect candidate for this critical position in state government,” said Sununu said in a news release. “I would like to thank Eddie for agreeing to put his name forward to serve, and I am looking forward to the Executive Council giving this exemplary nominee fair and impartial consideration.” 

Edwards, who is Black, pulled his nomination last summer to head the Office of Professional Licensing and Certification citing “structured political discrimination” on the part of the then-Democratically controlled Council for delaying the vote on his nomination.

“I want to thank Governor Sununu and Commissioner Quinn for nominating me to serve as the next Assistant Commissioner at the Department of Safety,” said Edwards. “If confirmed, I look forward to the privilege of serving New Hampshire citizens and working with the men and women in the Department of Safety.”

Edwards most recently served as a member of the LEACT Commission. He has also served as the Director of the New Hampshire Liquor Commission Enforcement Division and as chief of the South Hampton Police Department. 

 Sununu also nominated Patrick Ryan of Swanzey and Ellen Joseph of Merrimack to serve as Circuit Court Justices.

Vaccination Update

There are about 50,000 homebound residents of the state of New Hampshire who will soon have a vaccination for COVID-19 in their home, state officials told the Council.

Getting the vaccine out to the most vulnerable is now the focus. Sununu said staff from various agencies, including the Department of Transportation, is pitching in to get everyone vaccinated.

A list is being created from homecare agencies statewide of residents who do not have the means to get to a vaccination site and a hotline will be created, said Lori Shibinette, commissioner of the state Department of Health and Human Services.

 Executive Councilors gave Shibinette, Perry Plummer – who is heading up the vaccine distribution – and other state officials accolades for changes to the coronavirus vaccine distribution process, saying after receiving initial complaints they have since received many compliments from the public.

There was difficulty related to making appointments for a second vaccine through the CDC’s VAMS website when residents age 65 and older were able to get their first vaccine. The state is moving to its own system and giving second appointment dates immediately after the first is administered.

Shibinette said the state is currently booking out first appointments into April. As more vaccines come into the state, she said more appointments are starting to opening up.

“Before we transition over to our state system, we want to make sure that is running well,” Shibinette said.
Councilors congratulated the state for its partnership with the Walgreens drug store chain which will help to distribute the state’s allotment of vaccines.

Veterans Home

There is not yet a report or an update to the governor’s promised report on the outbreak of COVID-19 at the New Hampshire Veterans Home in Tilton in which 37 residents died.
The outbreak is thankfully over and the Board of Managers is working on a full report, which is not yet public, said Margaret LaBrecque, commandant.

Councilor Joe Kenney thanked LaBrecque and her staff for being “heroes helping heroes” and lashed out at an opinion editorial that demanded a report on what went wrong.

While not identifying the author by the name, Kenney said it was penned by “the senior senator from Manchester.”
State Sen. Lou D’Allesandro, D-Manchester wrote https://www.concordmonitor.com/Sununu-must-answer-for-veterans-home-outbreak-38672960
 that the governor needed to respond to concerns of families whose loved ones died.

D’Allesandro and state Sen. Donna Soucy, D-Manchester, wrote a letter to the governor asking for a report.
Kenney, in whose district the Veterans Home is located, said the loss of life was “unfortunate” but noted that the age category of those whose lives were lost were 85 to 90; they moved there likely as their “last place” to be in life and wanted to be in the company of other veterans. He said the outbreak was not unlike other outbreaks at nursing homes across the state where many lives were lost.
Kenney said it was “unbecoming of a senator” to make it “a political football.” Kenney said such op-eds “hurt morale.”

Nancy West contributed to this report.

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