By PAULA TRACY, InDepthNH.org
CONCORD – With the cost of home heating products soaring and federal assistance not keeping up, Gov. Kelly Ayotte told Executive Councilors she has joined with all the other governors of New England to seek a $3 billion increase nationwide for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program ahead of winter.
The newly reelected Republican governor said if Congress acts quickly to support the effort, it could double the amount of money coming into the state to help low and moderate income Granite Staters with their heating bills.
Ayotte and the council met Tuesday at the State House for the first time since voters last week took to the polls and swept many Republicans out of office, including four of the five Executive Councilors, all of whom are Republicans.
The new council, which will be for the first time ever all Democrats, is set to be sworn-in in January.
Councilors said they agreed with Ayotte that keeping residents warm this winter at a time when costs are so high for food and gas is a top priority. Some noted the cost of the war with Iran, which was declared by Republican President Donald Trump, has been attributed to increased heating costs, which could be 40 to 50 percent more than last winter.
Many pundits have said Republicans lost in New Hampshire and across the country in large part due to high costs which are being attributed to that war.
The state’s five regional Community Action Program agencies distribute the LIHEAP funds based on fuel usage and incomes. Income can be as high as $90,000 or more for a family of four to still be eligible.
The CAP agencies have seen more than 21,878 applications including 1,000 more than last year, the governor was told.
Ayotte said she drafted the request Monday for more funds with the five other governors. A copy of the letter to Congress from the six governors is attached, here https://www.governor.nh.gov/sites/g/files/ehbemt971/files/media/media_document/ne-govs-liheap.pdf
“I am hopeful that Congress will step up,” she told Executive Councilors at the State House, noting when she was in Washington, it was a priority of hers and a bipartisan issue.
“No one should have to worry about how to heat their home this winter, and Congress must act to ensure families in New Hampshire and across our region have the support they need,” said Ayotte in a statement. “I’m joining fellow New England Governors today in calling for the federal government to increase funding for LIHEAP to help sustain this critical assistance and protect our most vulnerable citizens through the winter.”
New Hampshire received $30 million last year, councilors said, but only received a minor increase for this winter which did not take into consideration the price spikes.
In action taken at the meeting the council authorized the New Hampshire Department of Energy to amend the existing contract with Joseph Associates, Inc. of Augusta, ME, to continue to provide cloud-based software as a solution to operate the LIHEAP, the Weatherization Assistance Program, and the Electric Assistance Program.
Councilor Janet Stevens, R-Rye, asked for an update in the delayed rebate program that the federal government has been talking about, for new appliances which are energy efficient.
Josh Elliott, deputy commissioner for the Department of Energy said he is confident that the program will roll out in the state before the end of the calendar year.
Executive Councilor Joe Kenney, R-Wakefield, said he has been under-selling the rebate program because it has been more than two years rolling it out and he does not want to get people’s hopes up too soon. He said it would be good news if the program stood up soon.
CREPEAU CONFIRMED
Adam Crepeau of Gilford was unanimously confirmed as commissioner of the state Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, after previously serving in the number two spot at the Department of Environmental Services.
He will be paid $154,000 and will have the post for the next four years. He succeeds Sarah Stewart of Manchester who resigned.
Kenney said Crepeau will serve the state well. He said the replacement of the tramway at Cannon is “going to be a bear” as bids came in much higher than the state had anticipated. Crepeau will also have to negotiate important leases for telecom services on top of mountains that the state owns and he will have to find a new general manager to operate Cannon in Franconia Notch State Park.
“If anyone can do it is Adam Crepeau,” Kenney said.
Stevens said she agreed that with Crepeau, the state is in great position to tackle thorny issues at the department, including high workers comp claims and necessary work at Cannon.
“I praise Commissioner Crepeau for stepping up,” she said. “I know he is going to cherish our state parks, ” Stevens said, noting he will also be in charge of the state’s role for support of the arts. The current state budget drastically cut assistance to the arts.
Executive Councilor Karen Liot Hill, D-Lebanon, the only councilor who survived a re-election bid, echoed praise for Crepeau and said he has been managing a complex situation at Mount Sunapee in Newbury, as well which includes development of a long term master development plan and a dilemma over wastewater issues, there at the state-owned area, which is leased by Vail Resorts.
LOON GROOMER FAILS
Loon Mountain Recreation Corporation in Lincoln had sought $117,000 from the state’s Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Fund for a portion of the cost of a new groomer. The requests sat as a tabled item for several meetings, but was rejected on a vote of 3-2 with only Councilors Kenney and Liot Hill supporting the request.
Councilors who opposed the measure said they would prefer those funds go to municipalities in need of replacement while others said municipalities have not applied for the funds.
FAMILIAR NAMES RENOMINATED TO THE BFA
The board of the Business Finance Authority could keep Stephen M. Duprey of Concord, Dick Anagnost of Bedford, Vikram Mansharamani of Lincoln, Matthew Benson of Gilford, Catherine Provencher of Deerfield, F. Daniel Henderson Jr. of Hancock, and get a new member Matthew Menning of Bow if the governor’s nominations are confirmed at the next meeting. She made those nominations at the meeting, Tuesday.
$2M FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING POSSIBLE
Unspent federal funding from the Governor’s Office for Emergency Relief and Recovery program will go to affordable housing programs and currently there is about $2 million possibly available, as the program winds down.
The funds, whatever is left, will go to the New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority.
CHANGES TO IMPROVE MEDICAID QUESTIONED, APPROVED
Liot Hill asked Denis Goulet, commissioner of the Department of Information Technology, about a sole source amendment to an existing contract with Deloitte Consulting, LLP, New York, to reduce long-term care eligibility processing times for Medicaid and Medicare to, strengthen contact center response times, and conduct system changes to support the implementation of the Dual Special Needs Medicare and Medicaid Plans targeted for January 1, 2028, within NH EASY and New HEIGHTS.
Liot Hill wanted assurances that humans will make the decisions not artificial intelligence.
“A lot of people are really concerned…we know AI can make mistakes,” she said.
This change increases the price limitation by $11,421,871 from $102,169,141.12 to $113,591,012.12 with no change to the contract completion date of September 30, 2028.
Stevens asked also about security concerns and also wanted assurances that humans will be able to decide on eligibility. She was told it would in fact be a human call not a computer’s.
CHANGES TO COLLEGE SAVINGS PLAN APPROVED
The council approved a request by the state treasurer, on behalf of the New Hampshire College Tuition Savings Plan Advisory Commission, to enter into a sole source contract with Granite Edvance Corporation of Concord to provide promotion and administrative support for three scholarship programs.
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CAN MOVE WHEN IT WANTS TO WITH MEDICARE
Insurance Commissioner DJ Bettencourt said he has never seen the government move as fast as it did for Medicare Advantage insurance as it did for Carroll and Coos counties.
This came as a huge relief to many north country residents, said Kenney.
“I really had people crying on the phone saying ‘thank you'” for some in Coos County.
A press release from the governor’s office about her successful efforts to get the federal government to reconsider is here https://www.governor.nh.gov/news/governor-announces-medicare-advantage-coverage-availability-coos-and-carroll-counties-2027
“I can’t underestimate the importance…of everyone involved…I don’t care about money and losing elections but I do care about the people of New Hampshire,” Kenney said.
Ayotte said she wanted to make sure that the word is out that there is coverage available and people can enroll now.
She also thanked federal officials for moving quickly.
ASH CHOSEN AS PRISON WARDEN
Councilor Stevens noted the state employees union is supporting Capt. Peter J. Ash at the sixth step for the position of Warden of the New Hampshire State Prison for Men.
Ash will work at the unclassified salary grade KK, earning $147,407.00 annually, and this will begin effective upon the first day of the first pay period following Governor and Executive Council approval, which was Tuesday.
Liot Hill said overtime costs and morale are still issues there.
The physical plant of the state prison does not provide a safe environment for both staff and inmates, said Corrections Commissioner Bill Hart. He said the department competes for staff among other state departments so if pay is increased by 5 percent it would go a long way.
Morale is better today than it was 18 months ago, he said.
Liot Hill said she looks forward to continuing to work on the issues of both infrastructure and morale.
WMNF FOREST FIRE UPDATE
The state is cooperating with the White Mountain National Forest fire which is 53 percent contained on 850 acres along the Maine border.
There have been 120 people working to quell the fire including several helicopters dropping water.
The wet weather helped over the weekend, the council was told.
“We have offered state assistance when they need it. We have had a ranger on the ground,” said Crepeau from NH DNCR.
“We anticipate it will not grow,” he said.
Mike Matson, chief of forest protection for the state said right now the fire is just smoldering and probably will be until winter conditions come.
It is a mile and a half from any private property and is not threatening any structures.
He said the fire is in “as mountainous a region as anyone can imagine.” It is very rugged and difficult to access.
The cause of the fire is believed to be man made and is considered the largest wildfire on the 800,000 acre forest in recent memory.
WARREN FISH HATCHERY FUTURE
Fish and Game has no plans to close the Warren Fish Hatchery, to dispel rumors, said its executive director.
Training for Warren staff and others are being trained in New Hampton but that does not mean there is a plan for closure at this time.
WMCC NURSING AND CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM EXTENSION APPROVED
Using the federal GOFERR money, the council agreed to retroactively amend an existing agreement with White Mountain Community College in Berlin to extend the completion date to support the improvement of the nursing and early childhood development programs at White Mountain Community College.
DRUG COURT BUDGET
Drug Court is not going away despite a judicial branch decision to take it out of a budget, the attorney general said. Instead it will be funded in another area of the state budget.
Gov. Ayotte voiced support for the drug court changing lives and said she has gone to graduations.
Councilor Liot Hill said it is very effective and she heard from many who were concerned when it was reported that the judicial branch may not be funding it as part of budget reductions.
According to David Sakowich, the New Hampshire Judicial Branch spokesman, it has not eliminated drug treatment courts, including Drug Treatment Court funding as a prioritized need does not represent a decision to eliminate the program.
“The Judicial Branch continues to support drug treatment courts and recognizes the important role they play in addressing substance use and mental health issues in New Hampshire.
“We are following the budget process and will continue to advocate for drug treatment court funding throughout that process. The proposed budget the Judicial Branch submitted to the Governor maintains judicial and staff support for adult treatment courts,” Sakowich said after the meeting.
CAMP MENOTOMY
Attorney General John Formella told the Executive Council is not likely that the state will intervene in a Massachusetts appeals court case involving land in Meredith which has been the home to Camp Menotomy, despite the Meredith Board of Selectmen sending a letter urging it to take action there to save the land from development, though he did not preclude court action related to the New Hampshire deed on the 94 acres.
But he did not preclude the chance that the state could take action and is still reviewing the paperwork to determine if the state takes action after an appeal by citizens in New Hampshire has made its way through the courts.
For more on the matter visit https://indepthnh.org/2026/04/30/sale-of-summer-youth-camp-for-girls-with-almost-a-mile-of-frontage-being-opposed/ and
https://indepthnh.org/2026/10/27/meredith-selectmen-pressed-to-take-action-to-save-camp-menotomy-from-development/
LACONIA STATE SCHOOL UPDATE
The council heard that a developer who signed a purchase and sales agreement to develop the former Laconia State School into a multi use development plans to close on the property in time for Christmas, its last extension being offered to do the deal.
Kenney said that would be a great Christmas present.