By PAULA TRACY, InDepthNH.org

MEREDITH – Funding for projects in Londonderry to deal with PFAS contamination, to improve the Mendums Pond “high hazard dam” in Nottingham, complete a $1 million replacement of the Portsmouth Fish Pier and for the first time, allow for a summer food program for 44,000 of the state’s neediest children in 2025 are all on the agenda for the Executive Council meeting on Wednesday.

This is the last of the summer “Road Shows” where the five-member council gets a chance to host a meeting mostly during the summer months in their district, highlight people and projects in those areas and the season ends with the governor selecting a location before returning to the State House for the rest of the year for their meetings.

The council approves almost all state contracts, the governor’s judicial nominations and department heads. They regularly meet with all departments during these meetings and can ask off-agenda questions often prompted by constituent concerns.

Outgoing Gov. Chris Sununu, a Republican, who is not seeking re-election, has chosen for his last “road show” location in eight years the shores of Lake Winnipesaukee where the council will meet both for an 8 a.m. breakfast and 10 a.m. meeting at Church Landing, which is an inn and conference center in downtown Meredith.

The meeting is open to the public.

The council is coming up on a deadline of dealing with the last possible allocations of federal post COVID-19 relief funds through the American Rescue Plan Act.

There are a number of commitments to those funds which need to be made before the end of the year or the money goes back to Washington.

In 2021 the federal government released $1.9 trillion in economic stimulus money to help with the COVID-19 recession. The state received close to $1 billion, most of which has either been committed or spent on things like one-time construction projects which do not require annual budgets. 

The act, passed by Congress, defines eligible uses as well as money for water, sewer, and broadband infrastructure,which have all been getting upgrades thanks to ARPA funds.

Because Sununu has said he does not want a single penny returned to Washington as the deadline nears at the end of the year, the push is on to commit the funds or re-allocate.

“HIGH HAZARD DAM WORK”

One project that could be approved Wednesday using $4.4 million in ARPA is a contract with Charter Contracting Co. of Boston for construction and rehabilitation of the Mendums Pond Dam in Nottingham, considered a “high hazard dam,” with any potential breach impacting numerous downstream residences and roads. 

State officials wrote the council that in recent years, the dam has seen “significant seepage.”

The plan is to build a downstream earthen embankment/buttress and other work and allow for the dam to be monitored remotely. Design work has already been done.

FISH PIER ON PEIRCE ISLAND 

The council will also be asked to extend the end date from September 2024 to June 30 of 2025 for the Portsmouth Fish Pier Reconstruction.

Paul E. Brean, executive director of the Portsmouth Development Authority, which since 2002 has been in charge of the 45-year-old, 4,000 square foot building at 1 Peirce Island Road, told the governor that only 50 percent of the structure can be used now because of black mold. 

It is here where fishermen and mariners can gas up and get ice to chill their catch.

The PDA had sought two projects each for $1 million from ARPA but a second proposal did not go forward and that one was for a redevelopment of the retail shacks at Rye Harbor.

Brean explained in his letter that time considerations and “several issues” related to the design (which were opposed by retailers and some town residents) required the PDA to withdraw that and return $826,722.

About $173,000 of the $1 million was spent on a design plan.

SUMMER FOOD FOR NEEDY SCHOOL CHILDREN

In another contract, the council will be asked to authorize a new program to benefit 44,000 children next summer with $5 million for food in Electronic Benefit Transfers under the USDA Food and Nutrition program.

If passed, it will still need legislative fiscal committee approval and that vote is set for this Friday.

Lori Weaver, commissioner of the state Department of Health and Human Services, explained in a letter to the council that the legislature approved Senate Bill 499 to create the new program. It was not in time for the launch of the program, but it should be ready to go next summer so that children who benefit from school meals programs will be able to have that extended when they are at home for the 2025 summer.

SAFE DRINKING WATER FOR LONDONDERRY, PLAISTOW

Another contract, this one of great significance to residents of the High Range Road area of Londonderry is an $8 million contract to connect them with the Pennichuck East Utility line to receive “safe, reliable public drinking water,” according to the contract.

Some wells in that area have been contaminated with Per and/or Polyfluoroalkyl Substance (PFAS), according to state officials.

The state has a fund from a court judgment and about $6.5 million of that will come from that fund.

Plaistow’s Rutledge Place Condo Association could also receive a grant of $603,250 to connect with a larger municipal public water system using 100 percent PFAS Response Funding.

NASHUA CLEAN UP

A plan to excavate and remediate pollution surrounding the former Mohawk Tannery (also known as Granite State Leather) in Nashua is on the table.

LOTTERY ASKS TO EXTEND PROMOTIONAL CONTRACT

The state Lottery Commission will also be asking the council to approve a two-year contract extension for promotional materials from GYK Antler.

Charles McIntyre, executive director, said marketing the past two years has returned a record amount and in this year alone the lottery has added more than $200 million to the Education Trust Fund.

These are among over 100 contracts on the council table Wednesday.

The council will also confirm or reject the governor’s nominations to positions and boards in state government, accept resignations and hear his nominations for vacant positions in state government but the latter two on the list are not released until the meeting begins.

A link to the agenda is here https://www.sos.nh.gov/node/39776.