By PAULA TRACY, InDepthNH.org

CONCORD – The state’s Executive Council approved emergency funding to help Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP recipients across the state to access healthy food if the federal government shutdown goes beyond this Saturday, Nov. 1.

It also voted to rescind the state’s fire ban following an extended summer drought.

Richard Lavers of Hopkinton was unanimously confirmed as the commissioner of the state Department of Employment Security to replace George Copadis who is retiring in November. Lavers has been the deputy commissioner.

And the council honored both the Mayor of Dover and the retiring deputy commissioner of Education for their service.

SNAP HELP
The five-member council voted unanimously Wednesday to approve a plan devised by state Health and Human Services to contract with the NH Food Bank to increase and expand mobile food distribution.

The contract for $2 million is far below the $12.6 million the state gets monthly from the federal government for SNAP benefits for about 74,000 households including about 24,000 children.

Due to the government shut down, the money will stop flowing at the end of this month.
Funding for the contribution to the problem comes from the state’s Medicaid Enhancement Tax.
A copy of the contract is here https://media.sos.nh.gov/govcouncil/2025/1029/Late%20Item%20B%20GC%20Agenda%20102925.pdf
The joint legislative fiscal committee voted unanimously as well to approve the funding on Tuesday and the vote on Wednesday finalizes the contract.

An emergency meeting of the NH Food Bank was scheduled for noon Wednesday and the council moved up the contract to the beginning of its morning meeting to give the non-profit and its 417 associated pantries statewide more time to prepare for ramping up its efforts.

Health and Human Services Commissioner Lori Weaver said she feels the amount is enough to get state SNAP recipients through the month of November and if more is needed and the shutdown continues into December the contract is set up for an extension. She added if the shutdown ends the state would switch that over to return to SNAP benefits.

Weaver was thanked for the contracts by Executive Councilor Joe Kenney, R-Wakefield, and said SNAP is the gold standard for help for those who are food insecure. He said he wanted to know the actual layout of the food programs and how the food will be delivered.

He said in Coos County, up to 18 percent of the residents are food insecure.

Weaver explained that this is not a one-to-one replacement for SNAP but the state can increase food supply availability and that is what this contract is about.

“They will be working with us and our staff to look at where the greatest need is,” Weaver said.
There will also be an effort to get individuals to brick and mortar food pantries in addition to increased mobile distribution and that access will be during the day and evening hours.

Kenney asked also about the Women Infants and Children or the “WIC” program which is also running out. Kenney said the state doesn’t have the resources to give parents access to formula.
Weaver said there is funding for about 10 days into November for WIC.

Executive Councilor Janet Stevens, R-Rye, asked if there was a way to tap into USDA reserve funds and she was told the answer is “no.”

Executive Councilor Karen Liot Hill, D-Lebanon, said she knows about the importance of these programs because she was a WIC recipient as a young mother.
There is a food insecurity rate of 12 percent for Sullivan County, she said. This comes at a time of Thanksgiving and food celebrations and said it is “cruel” that this is happening.
“This is a Band Aid and not a solution,” she said.

Executive Councilor John Stephen, R-Manchester, thanked Gov. Kelly Ayotte for her leadership on this important issue and also extended that to the staff at the NH Food Bank.

He said Catholic Charities and other non-governmental organizations need to “step up” and are notified of this particular solution.

DEPUTY COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION HONORED
Retiring Christine Brennan of Ossipee, deputy commissioner of education, was honored for her devotion to education. She is having some health problems, said Executive Councilor Joe Kenney, R-Wakefield, and he said that the commendation would “cheer her up.”

She began as a first grade teacher, became a literacy specialist and then went into administrative leadership and since 2017 has been deputy commissioner of education.

Ayotte nominated Richard Sala of Hopkinton. He was confirmed on a vote of 4-1 with Councilor Liot Hill opposing.

DOVER MAYOR HONORED
Ayotte also honored Robert “Bob” Carrier, Dover’s mayor.

Since taking office in 2019 the governor said there has been a steady focus on budget, policy and infrastructure improvements in the Garrison City.
He thanked the governor and council for the honor and said Dover is a progressive community and is trying to get a lot of volunteers and keep a good attitude going forward.

FIRE BAN
The council voted to lift the fire ban.
Patrick Hackley, director of the forest and lands for the state explained that conditions have improved with recent rain and recommended lifting the ban on fires. He said the top three or four inches of soil are holding moisture.

Fire permits are still required, he said.
The initial ban had been put in place Sept. 22 due to high wildfire danger conditions statewide, a result of New Hampshire experiencing the driest summer on record since 1895.

In a statement following the vote, Ayotte said, “This brief outdoor burn ban helped keep our great outdoors safe during a busy time for camping and hiking…I want to thank Granite Staters for their understanding and assistance as we took this important step to protect our forests, and I am glad to be able to lift the burn ban today.”

As a result of the outdoor burn ban being lifted, the kindling of open fires, including fires built for camping, the burning of debris or warming, are now allowed if a permit has been obtained. Smoking in or near public woodlands or on public trails is now also allowed.

Anyone interested in having an outdoor fire in New Hampshire must first obtain a permit, either at the municipality where the burn will take place or via nhfirepermit.com.

Residents and visitors are asked to remain extremely cautious about all fires as the nights get colder, and to remember to dispose of all wood stove ash safely by placing completely cooled ashes in a covered metal container away from their home or any other buildings and flammable materials.
“We’re not out of the woods yet, so to speak, in regard to New Hampshire’s drought conditions,” said Chief Steven Sherman of the N.H. Forest Protection Bureau.

“While the recent rain has helped make up for the deficit we’ve experienced this year, the increase in dried leaves and grasses on the ground that accumulate in the fall, combined with seasonal winds that accelerate drying them out, mean that there’s still an existing wildfire risk.”

 PAPER WAR IS OVER
A truce or compromise has been reached between Ayotte and the council related to their contract packets as the governor has pushed to go more to a paperless system.

Any councilor who now wants paper will get paper contracts, Ayotte said.
What has to be worked out is how those who want it will get it as the state police will no longer deliver huge packets of paper to councilor’s homes on the Friday before a Wednesday meeting, twice a month.

Executive Councilor David Wheeler, D-Milford, who favored the system that includes paper, and has been vocally critical of the governor, was wearing a tie with old fashioned computers on it and came to the press table to say “we’ve got paper.”

He said “we have come through this process of reforming the council process not in the Washington way but the New Hampshire way. We have moved through this process to assure that the public has easy access to information,” he said.

The council has reduced its use of paper by 50 percent, he noted and he gave thanks to the governor for pushing for that.
Ayotte said she appreciated the work the council does every day and will continue to work with the council to adopt a change that addresses their concerns.

LEGISLATIVE PARKING GARAGE UPDATE
The Legislative Parking Garage, which is under construction next to the Legislative Office Building is due to be open for the first car on St. Patrick’s Day, March 2026 Terry Pfaff, chief operating officer of the General Court, told the governor and Executive Council.

The LOB is now under construction and is closed temporarily for upgrades. Most legislative hearings are being held at 1 Granite Place, Concord until the LOB construction is over.

$5.5 M MORE SOUGHT FOR INDIGENT REPRESENTATION IN COURTS, TABLED
A request for an additional $5.5 million for indigent defendants in the courts, up from the current $2 million was questioned by Councilor Stephen and eventually tabled.

He said he understands incarcerated people need help but he said the council needs to hear from the courts on the process for determining indigency.
A copy of the contract is here: https://media.sos.nh.gov/govcouncil/2025/1029/13%20GC%20Agenda%20102925.pdf.

Chris Keating on behalf of the NH Judicial Branch, said people fill out financial statements if seeking indigent services and if the case is marginal, it is referred to a judge for a more discretionary call.

A major felony case will take more resources than others, he noted from public defenders.
The judicial branch has to rely on self-reporting and does not have the software or resources to verify, he said though he said he has seen very few cases of fraud but noted Stephen’s concerns about verification.

By and large, people have a strong preference to choose their own lawyer, Keating said.

Stephen said he doesn’t like that there is no verification process.

Councilor Liot Hill said she agrees with the concerns of Stephen on the verification process but noting that there is a constitutional right to defense for those in need, she said the legislature should be asked. But this should not be held up.

Charlie Arlinghaus, commissioner of the Department of Administrative Services, said the cost of collection from indigent clients is more than the actual resources that are collected.

Ayotte said other agencies like employment security have data and there may be ways to improve verification statewide.

She said she has tried a number of cases as a prosecutor against public defenders who are very good at their jobs.

Stephen moved to table to discuss the matter with the Supreme Court Chief Justice Gordon MacDonald.

Liot Hill said she would oppose the motion to table based on concern for legal exposure but it carried 4-1.