By GARRY RAYNO, InDepthNH.org
CONCORD — The Joint Legislative Fiscal Committee approved spending $7 million in federal economic money for upgrades and renovations to the Crotched Mountain School campus.
The money will be matched with $8 million in other funding to do the work needed to bring the campus up to a standard that would allow the facility to serve up to 105 students, as well as residential students, developmentally disabled services and a brain injury unit as well. the committee was told by Department of Education Commissioner Frank Edelblut.
The American Recovery Plan Act money will be managed by the Department of Education’s school building aid unit, and the money was awarded through the Governor’s Office for Emergency Relief and Recovery.
The facility in Greenfield was once a thriving campus drawing special needs and developmentally disabled young people from around the country, but has contracted in size and had a number of owners over the past few years.
When it appeared it would close, the state stepped in and found Seven Hills New Hampshire, a Massachusetts company to continue running the program.
The non-profit negotiated with the former owner and purchased the property, which has deferred maintenance issues, Edelblut said.
The commissioner said when the previous owner was about to close the facility at a time when similar facilities in the state were not able to absorb them.
Sen. Cindy Rosenwald, D-Nashua, asked if New Hampshire students would have priority and Edelblut said he had a conversation with the president of Seven Hills and he gave him assurance that would be the case.
Edelblut noted the CEO of Seven Hills was president of Crotched Mountain a couple of decades ago.
Rep. Peter Leishman, D-Peterborough, said the local press had reported the facility had closed but Edelblut said it did not, and remained open.
When the previous owner said he was going to close the facility, the department first approached New Hampshire organizations to see if they were interested in taking over the programs, Edelblut said, and then approached out-of-state providers with New Hampshire patients and that is how they moved toward and eventually began working with Seven Hills.
“They are already in the business of these types of facilities,” Edelblut said.
Several committee members were concerned the state would invest the money and then see it go to waste if the facility closes, or the owners cannot raise the needed money.
Edelblut said the agreement is structured so that various projects need to be completed so students can be served before moving on to the next one.
“Crotched has changed hands several times, and we hope this one sticks,” Edelblut said, “but I’m not sure I can provide that assurance to you.”
Rep. Mary Heath, D-Manchester, asked to table the request saying she would like more information before voting, but her motion failed on a 6-4 vote.
The request was then approved on a 6-4 vote.
Garry Rayno may be reached at garry.rayno@yahool.com.