July 24, 2009

FROM: JOHN D. SHEA, Executive Councilor

Concord, NH - Listed below are some of the items that were approved at the Governor and Council Meeting, July 15, 2009, that might be of interest to District Two constituents.

The next scheduled Governor and Council meeting will be held in Manchester, New Hampshire on Wednesday, August 19, 2009.  A Special Meeting of the Governor and Council will be held on July 28, 2009 at 12 noon.

DEPARTMENT OF CULTURAL RESOURCES
Authorized Division of Arts to accept and expend ARRA funds from the National Endowment for the Arts to provide funding to non-profit arts organizations for job retention and salary support in the amount of $293,100. Effective upon G&C approval through June 30, 2011. 100% Federal (ARRA) Funds.  Fiscal Committee approved.
Authorized Division of the Arts to enter into service agreements, totaling $23,540 with the artists as detailed in letter dated June 9, 2009, to create and acquire various works of art for the Department of Revenue Administration. Effective upon G&C approval. 100% Transfer (State Art Fund). 

ATTORNEY GENERAL
Authorized to enter into new ARRA sub-grants, with the agencies as detailed in letter dated July 1, 2009, in the total amount of $2,498,119 from the FFY 2009 ARRA Edward Byrne Justice Assistance Grant Program, which provides funding for programs to improve the functioning of the criminal justice system. Effective upon G&C approval through February 28, 2013. 100% Federal ARRA Funds.

PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
Authorized to award funds in the amount of $87,000 to Southern NH Resource Conservation & Development Area Council, to provide energy efficiency services to NH farms. (2)Further Authorized to make an advance payment of $21,750. Effective upon G&C approval through March 31, 2011. 100% Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Fund.
Authorized to award funds in the amount of $2,000,000 to the Business Finance Authority of NH, to create a revolving loan fund for NH Businesses. (2) Further Authorized to make an advance payment of $1,000,000. Effective upon G&C approval through March 31, 2010. 100% Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Fund.
Authorized to award funds in the amount of $1,372,028 to the NH Retail Merchants Association, for the purpose of establishing an energy efficiency program for commercial buildings. (2)Further Authorized to make an advance payment of $343,007. Effective upon G&C approval through October 31, 2010. 100% Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Fund.
Authorized to award funds in the amount of $499,948 to TRC Companies Inc., to benchmark the energy performance of NH schools. (2)Further Authorized to make an advance payment of $48,812.75. Effective upon G&C approval through September 30, 2011. 100% Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Fund.
Authorized to award funds in the amount of $813,402 to the University of NH, to create  a public information and outreach program regarding energy efficiency options for the residential and municipal sectors. Effective upon G&C approval through June 30, 2011. 100% Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Fund. 

DEPARTMENT OF RESOURCES AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Authorized Bureau of Trails to award Recreational Trails Program reimbursement grants, totaling $924,709.50 to the organizations as detailed in letter dated July 15, 2009. Effective upon G&C approval through June 30, 2010. 100% Federal Funds.
Authorized Bureau of Trails to enter into Grant-in-Aid Trail Maintenance and Equipment Contracts with the Snowmobile clubs as detailed in letter dated July 15, 2009, in the total amount of $1,442,254. Effective upon G&C approval through January 1, 2010. 100% Trails Bureau Funds.
Authorized to enter into a memorandum of understanding with the US Fish and Wildlife Service, Denver, CO, and the fishery agencies of the States of CT, MA, and VT, for the purpose of restoring the Connecticut River stock of Atlantic salmon and other migratory fish to the Connecticut River in the amount of $15,000. Effective upon G&C approval through June 30, 2012. 75% Federal, 25% Fish and Game Funds.
Authorized to enter into a Grant Agreement with The Nature Conservancy, Concord, NH, to conduct the Staying Connected in the Northern Appalachians Project for a total of $977,992. Effective upon G&C approval through April 30, 2012. 100% Federal Funds. 

DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES
Authorized to approve loan agreements with the entities as detailed in letter dated July 1, 2009, to finance wastewater improvement projects in the amount of $27,813,530. Effective upon G&C approval. 41.5% CWSRF, 8.5% Capital/General, 50% Federal ARRA Funds.
Authorized to accept and expend $500,000 in ARRA 2009 federal funds from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for the purpose of restoration of the Winnicut River in Greenland, NH. Effective upon G&C approval through December 31, 2010.  ARRA Funds. Contingent upon Fiscal Committee approval of July 9, 2010. 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Office of Medicaid Business and Policy
Authorized to amend a contract with NH Optical Laboratory LLC, Concord, NH, (previously approved by G&C on 6-27-07, item #306), to enable the continued volume purchasing of eyeglass lenses, frames, and related services, by increasing the estimated payments by $608,387.60 from $852,600 to $1,460,987.60 setting the projected expenditures at $563,075.71, and by extending the completion date from June 30, 2009 to June 30, 2010. Effective retroactive to June 1, 2009. 60% Federal, 40% General Funds. 
Authorized Divisions for Children, Youth and Families and Juvenile Justice Services to amend an agreement with NFI North Inc., Contoocook, NH, (previously amended by G&C on 7-16-08, item #65), for the provision of a 15-bed male short-term staff secure shelter care facility, by increasing the price by $1,391,192 from $5,981,253 to $7,372,445, and by extending the completion
date from June 30, 2009 to June 30, 2010 retroactively to July 1, 2009. 48% Federal, 26% General, 26% Other (School Districts) Funds.
Authorized to amend an agreement with NFI North Inc., Contoocook, NH, (previously amended by G&C on 6-27-07, item #273), for the provision of a 15-bed co-ed short-term staff secure shelter care facility, by increasing the price from $6,122,917 to $7,435,071, and by extending the completion date from June 30, 2009 to June 30, 2010 retroactively to July 1, 2009. 44% Federal, 32% General, 24% Other (School Districts) Funds.
Authorized Division of Fire Standards & Training and Emergency Medical Services to amend a sole source contract with ImageTrend Inc., Lakeville, MN, (previously approved by G&C on 2-25-05, item #70A), for Emergency Medical Technician reporting upgrades, by increasing the amount by $244,656 from $497,000 to $741,656, and by extending the end date from February 28, 2010 to December 31, 2012. $114,156 Transfers from Other Agencies (Highway Safety) and $130,500 FST & EMS Funds

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Authorized Bureau of Construction to enter into a contract with Surface Preparation Technologies Inc., Mechanicsburg, PA, for milling rumble strips in the shoulders and centerline at various locations within the State, on the basis of a low bid of $387,175. Effective upon G&C approval through November 20, 2009. $237,540 90% Federal, 10% Highway Funds. $149,635 100% Turnpike Funds.
Authorized Bureau of Construction to enter into a contract with Severino Trucking Co., Inc., Conway, NH, for reconstruction and widening of the northbound and southbound barrels of the Spaulding Turnpike (NH 16) at Exit 15 and Exit 16 in Rochester on the basis of a low bid of $28,800,142.36. (2) Further Authorized a contingency in the amount of $1,440,007.12 for payment of latent conditions, which may appear during the construction of the project. Effective upon G&C approval through October 5, 2012. 100% Turnpike Funds.
Authorized to transfer to the Department of Resources and Economic Development the State-owned abandoned railroad corridors for management as recreational trails as detailed in letter dated June 23, 2009.

Late Item Agenda:

ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES
Authorized the Department of Environmental Services to approve a loan agreement with the Town of Hillsborough in the amount of $240.000 to finance the Water Treatment Facility Instrumentation Upgrade project under the provisions of RSA 486:14 and NH Code of Administrative Rules Env-Dw 1100 seq. Efective upon G& C Approval. 36.6% DWSFRF, 10.7% Capital/General Funds, 40.1%Federal ARRA Funds.

The Governor nominated the following individuals from District Two to State of New Hampshire Boards and Commissions

John W. Myhaver, Hopkinton, NH, Board of Licensure of Land Surveyors
Tracey Sweeney, Bow, NH, Board of Licensure of Land Surveyors
Lisa Shapiro, Canterbury, NH, New Hampshire Retirement System Board of Trustees

Over 300 citizen appointments are confirmed annually for citizens to serve on various state agencies, boards and commissions. Commissions, advisory boards and other similar bodies are continually being created or eliminated by state statute. For the most accurate listing of current boards and commissions visit the Red Book at http://www.sos.nh.gov/redbook/index.htm.

Representing the cities and towns of Acworth, Allenstown, Alstead, Andover, Antrim, Barnstead, Bennington, Boscawen, Bow, Bradford, Brookfield, Canterbury, Chesterfield, Chichester, Concord, Danbury, Deerfield, Deering, Dublin, Epsom, Farmington, Francestown, Franklin, Gilmanton, Gilsum, Goshen, Greenfield, Hancock, Harrisville, Henniker, Hill, Hillsborough, Hopkinton, Langdon, Lempster, Loudon, Marlborough, Marlow, Middleton, Milton, Nelson, New Durham, Newbury, New London, Northfield, Northwood, Pembroke, Pittsfield, Rollinsford, Rochester, Roxbury, Salisbury, Somersworth, Stoddard, Strafford, Sullivan, Surry, utton, Unity, Walpole , Warner, Washington, Weare, Webster, Westmoreland, Wilmot, and Windsor.

Represents the cities and towns of Acworth, Allenstown, Alstead, Andover, Antrim, Barnstead, Bennington, Boscawen, Bow, Bradford, Brookfield, Canterbury, Chesterfield, Chichester, Concord, Danbury, Deerfield, Deering, Dublin, Epsom, Farmington, Francestown, Franklin, Gilmanton, Gilsum, Goshen, Greenfield, Hancock, Harrisville, Henniker, Hill, Hillsborough, Hopkinton, Langdon, Lempster, Loudon, Marlborough, Marlow, Middleton, Milton, Nelson, New Durham, Newbury, New London, Northfield, Northwood, Pembroke, Pittsfield, Rollinsford, Rochester, Roxbury, Salisbury, Somersworth, Stoddard, Strafford, Sullivan, Surry, Sutton, Unity, Walpole , Warner, Washington, Weare, Webster, Westmoreland, Wilmot, and Windsor.
For additional information on the cities and towns in this district, go to www.nh.gov/municipal/.