[0:02] I'm just laughing at today's man. I did that all by myself, too.

[0:07] I want that recorded. >> 199 employees. Wait, bump it up to 200.

[0:13] » We were so close. We were down to 427 at one point.

[0:18] That means what the good news is it means that we can add eight more

[0:24] beds. We're about 124

[0:27] and there she goes. We're going to be >> Can you get me back?

[0:31] » I want to get you back. >> It is You're recording. That's not the

[0:33] issue. >> We need to kick people off the list.

[0:35] » But he never received >> All right.

[0:38] » [laughter]

[0:43] » All right, everything was fine until you guys get on.

[0:47] It's Devin acting up. Devin, keep it under control.

[0:52] » Charles, you have another >> Hang on. What is this? Who is this?

[0:55] » agenda Uh if not, let me go back. I don't but

[0:58] let me get you some more coffee. >> You may have to go Devin, you may have

[1:01] to go on and off again. >> 2 minutes.

[1:04] » All right. Talk for a second. Let me hear you.

[1:06] » 2 minutes. >> And

[1:08] » Devon, you're muted. You're muted.

[1:10] » We just need an agenda. >> Okay.

[1:12] » No. >> Devon, can you talk and I can hear

[1:14] » Hang on. I got an agenda. No. >> No.

[1:17] » And wait, I need the uh >> Yeah, I can talk.

[1:20] » Yeah, that's what it It's Devin, it's you.

[1:22] Whatever

[1:25] » [clears throat] >> You sound like Mickey Mouse.

[1:27] You're Mickey Mouse-ing so you have to go off and try again.

[1:30] » Put away the helium. >> Yeah.

[1:33] » Is that a helium leak? >> [laughter]

[1:36] » Don't check the tanks. >> And don't screw it up then.

[1:41] » Devon, log off and log back in. Can you hear us?

[1:46] Log off. Totally log off and log back in.

[1:55] No, he's in Randy Hall's office at the jail, but Randy's computer I don't know

[2:00] I've never seen that office log into Zoom, so I don't know what kind of

[2:04] » Yeah. >> technology that's in there. Yeah.

[2:06] » The camera with the little microphone for sure.

[2:08] » I know. >> Seeing that it's 8:30, we're going to

[2:11] call this commissioner's meeting to order. It's Wednesday, August 12th. All

[2:16] commissioners are present. Um going to start off with public comment seeing

[2:21] that there's no public. I'm going to move on to elected officials and

[2:26] department head updates. We'll get to your some of yours in a

[2:30] bit. Um

[2:33] I know Nick you're here. I don't know if Devin can have talk and not sound like

[2:36] Mickey Mouse. Um but we'll we'll test that out in a

[2:40] second. So you want to start Nick and Devin can join us.

[2:43] » Yeah, just to give an update on some of the stuff. I'm still I've been off for a

[2:46] little bit, so I'm coming back tomorrow, so I'm on Zoom from home.

[2:50] But the AC unit is uh it we are getting AC. One of the hot water heaters is

[2:57] working. One of them is not. Uh they did put in a claim through

[3:02] Primex. Uh that was Chris's recommendation, so Steve's been on it

[3:05] with us. And so they got a lot of the steps.

[3:09] Devin got Steve a time frame of everything from when the power went out

[3:13] to when the problems were finally noticed to when the companies were

[3:18] called, the invoices that were given and everything. Uh Devin did get a

[3:23] quote from What was it? E&E about if they were to

[3:26] come and do a detailed check on everything. Uh the quote I think was

[3:30] 26,000. >> About 27,000.

[3:34] » Oh, okay. Yeah. 27. So he did get that checked. That that was just the quote

[3:39] E&E sent us. They did when the lead engineer from E&E came, we asked and

[3:46] Chris asked about what can we do as a backup in the future and if there isn't

[3:51] really a a simple backup they could give us.

[3:55] There's no like easy backup. There's no double system or anything like that.

[3:59] This was just kind of a wild scenario that happened, but it's

[4:04] not like we could have something on on hand. So, if it did happen again that we

[4:08] could just switch to that. It's not really a simple

[4:11] thing like that. Devin can talk a little bit more to it if he doesn't sound

[4:15] silly, but >> Yeah,

[4:17] can you guys hear me? >> Yes.

[4:19] » Yeah, this was a an anomaly that that just happened. Everybody we've talked to

[4:24] so far up to this point said this just happens. There's no no prevention from

[4:31] stopping uh power surges from damaging any type of

[4:36] electronical equipment. Um like Philly said, we now have one hot water boiler

[4:41] up and running. Our AC is working. I think our plan forward from this point

[4:47] is to get everything running and then we would like to have the E&E systems

[4:52] engineers and techs come in and do a retro uh commissioning of the entire

[4:57] system cuz we still don't know exactly what else has been affected

[5:03] downstream from where we're at now. >> And one of the things that we did learn

[5:08] is that one of the issues was that when every when they had the surge it went

[5:14] into um default mode. Default mode in New England is heat.

[5:19] » Yes. >> So So, they had to correct that and they

[5:22] had to it was actually something about this big

[5:25] that was really the problem if I remember exactly. And uh he was able to

[5:30] pinpoint that, fix that really quick quickly, and it took probably about 3

[5:35] hours, correct me if I'm wrong, uh about 3 hours to get us back to where it's uh

[5:41] comfortable. But, it was a many days where we didn't have any AC and no hot

[5:46] water. Or I would should say we had hot hot-ish water. We had it in the '80s.

[5:51] » Correct. >> It's now over 100 and it's back to

[5:55] semi-normal. So, um that's

[5:58] I think the guys learned a lot out of it, too, and understand it. They they

[6:02] they were they were right there with the team learning as they went about, asking

[6:06] questions the whole time. Um and I think they they have a a

[6:11] greater handle on on the overall process. Like you said, it was a car

[6:15] accident, it took out a telephone pole, it caused a surge,

[6:20] and there you are. And >> [clears throat]

[6:22] » so, now we know that. We all know, as he said, that the panel the whole panel is

[6:27] outdated and will have to be replaced over time. We can do it piecemeal,

[6:31] though. We don't have to do it all at once and is what they said. And so,

[6:35] we'll take a look at all the all the alternatives and see how we want to move

[6:39] forward. >> So, it was just a minor disruption. It

[6:42] didn't really cause any problems.

[6:47] Operation of the UOC, though, right? >> It [clears throat] created angst across

[6:52] the the the all departments because they had no AC for

[6:56] what, 6 days? >> Yeah. Yes.

[7:00] » 6 days when you need it. So, they actually I will tell you for not having

[7:06] any AC and walking the unit walking the halls in near the pods, I did not want

[7:11] to go into any the pods because I knew I would be somebody that everybody would

[7:15] all of a sudden I could create angst at a higher level if I would have and they

[7:18] could all of a sudden have somebody to direct it towards, but everybody seemed

[7:22] to handle it well. They had extra water in there. They had industrial fans that

[7:25] they brought in. So, they handled it extremely well. During the night, they

[7:30] had the the activity areas windows open so that the

[7:35] cool air could be brought in to cool down the area, but from about 2:30 on in

[7:41] the afternoon if it was a hot day, it did warm up and you had to shut

[7:44] everything up and just blow a lot of hot warm air around the area, but we didn't

[7:49] have any incidents that I'm aware of. We had people

[7:53] wondering what was going on and I think if Devin walked into a unit, they were

[7:57] they would ask immediately, "What's going on? You know, is it fixed yet?"

[8:00] You know, that kind of thing. He'd say they're working on it, but then we were

[8:04] able to get the architect here. It's interesting. All of a sudden he just all

[8:08] of a sudden showed up, right? >> Yeah,

[8:11] yeah, yeah, that works. >> Yeah, real surprising after you, you

[8:14] know, on the phone you say, "Why are you here?"

[8:16] Um, and then they they turned it around and

[8:20] everything else is back to normal. >> I guess my question would be, if

[8:26] the expert came in and found the issue in a in a short amount of time, what can

[8:31] we do to make sure that there's an expert available when we make the first

[8:35] call? >> It's one of It's one of the questions I

[8:38] asked and it was a perfect storm. The guy that normally is the backup for

[8:44] everybody, the architect that knows the system

[8:48] inside and out, was on vacation. >> Yeah, the main Chris, the main engineer

[8:54] that knows that system was on vacation. He just so happened to be on vacation at

[8:59] that time. So, I got the next best thing, which was who was the engineer in

[9:05] charge at that point and that was Tim and Tim

[9:10] knows the system, but he doesn't know it as well as Sam does. So, Tim was helping

[9:15] us work through the problems until Sam came back from vacation.

[9:20] » That was that and when CT came through, it was within

[9:23] a you know, hours. I would say that that

[9:26] they figured out where the issue was and and they were able to turn things around

[9:30] real quickly. So, I said to them, "Well, he's probably going to go on

[9:33] vacation again." >> Or get hit by a bus.

[9:35] » And and or retire or whatever it may be. So and so I received a call from uh some

[9:42] of the top brass there this week and they're looking into how to come up with

[9:46] a solution to those answers. But it's a good question because we asked the same

[9:49] thing. >> All right, thank you.

[9:51] » Yeah. Any other things that you guys have?

[9:56] » No, that's all we really had.

[9:59] » Okay. >> Yeah, I think we're good. I think we're

[10:02] we're at a good spot right now. Um like I said, we still don't know exactly the

[10:06] extent of this. So hopefully if we could get the engine engineers in here with

[10:11] the technician and kind of go through the system and actually find out all the

[10:14] issues that it may have caused.

[10:19] » Okay.

[10:21] All right, thank you. I appreciate it. >> Yep.

[10:23] » Yep. >> All right. Um anybody else? Yes, ma'am.

[10:29] » I have a non FMLA well, an extension of an FMLA

[10:35] um leave of absence request for one of our employees at Maple Wood. He will

[10:39] exhaust his FMLA um effective September 2nd, but he had a non-work related very

[10:47] significant fracture and he's got some complications. So they're looking for an

[10:52] additional eight weeks after his um FMLA exhaust, which would bring him back

[10:59] at the end of October. Um this would be without pay because he

[11:03] I believe at this point has exhausted all of his time.

[11:08] » Okay. >> motorcycle

[11:12] » Is there a motion? >> I have a friend who's what?

[11:14] » I don't know. I try to stay out of people's way.

[11:17] » [laughter] >> fell down the stairs

[11:20] » motorcycle accident >> He did something that was significant.

[11:23] Yeah. >> That's a long healing time.

[11:25] » Yeah, here's so my question My question would be

[11:29] by by it, we're not causing ourselves any great

[11:32] great issue by I mean it is >> Um he works in our activities

[11:36] department, so they're working a little short, but it's not um they're they I

[11:41] talked to the manager and she is supportive of us.

[11:44] » And I'd move to extend this request as >> Second.

[11:49] » Second Commissioner Clark. >> Yes.

[11:51] » Commissioner Stewart. >> Yes.

[11:52] » Commissioner DiBernardo. >> Yes.

[11:53] » All right, moving on. I'm going to jump the calendar a little bit and start with

[11:58] EMS presentation that we have today. I want to start off by having Chief Andrew

[12:04] out to take the time for you to just leave what he has put together.

[12:09] Um Mike is here. He's our our architect. You've met him before

[12:14] um to really support the the conversation and answer any questions

[12:18] that people may have pertaining to to this, but um just wanted to start with

[12:24] with the you reading this document that I think is outstanding that the chief

[12:28] really put together.

[15:43] » How long you guys on? I'll start. I'll start. I'm the long.

[15:47] Um so as you know, we've been, you know, especially now

[15:53] with the rural transformation funding in play,

[15:56] we've been taking a look at our need across the county, but one of the

[15:59] biggest needs we have is is is an EMS. When we started this whole idea, it was

[16:06] initially with two ambulances. It was

[16:10] um that we were going to be transporting

[16:14] and facility transfers in West Columbia. Over time, that grew to three,

[16:20] uh and then when Swansea became a reality, it became four, then quickly

[16:26] five, and that's where we are today. We built this

[16:31] this facility with the idea that we were really going to follow at the max three

[16:36] or ambulances at a time. We're at five. We could be at heading towards six in

[16:41] the near future. And

[16:44] uh and and and we also built it with the

[16:48] idea of we only had so much money, so much funds, ARPA funds. So we built

[16:55] off of what was there and built new at the same time. The base, as you know,

[17:01] are new and they are for six vehicles. Currently, if you drive by,

[17:08] you'll see that we have multiple ambulances outside.

[17:11] Um we're about to take on another new ambulance and a parent new paramedic

[17:16] ambulance set in the near future September I believe.

[17:20] And that is going to strain us even that much more.

[17:25] So we are looking at at what we need to do and whether it is

[17:32] you know build off what is currently there and and is that make sense or

[17:36] look longer term and build new and what would that mean and what the

[17:41] funding would look like. We have an had an opportunity and we

[17:45] took it uh and just because we didn't want to lose

[17:49] the opportunity to uh go after $50,000 planning grant.

[17:54] And so we we we took that so that we have more time to take a look at the the

[17:59] capabilities of the uh uh bus going after this and

[18:04] uh the need is that we need we will we're we're needing more beds, we're

[18:09] needing more we we do not have right now the

[18:14] the upstairs which they call the bowling alley was actually built for storage and

[18:19] it's what it is you you know what storage. It is not handicap accessible.

[18:25] Um we do have community uh trainings that go on and um it's it's

[18:31] just reality if you're going to build something it should be handicap

[18:34] accessible. Uh

[18:37] so there's there's a there's multiple concerns we have but it really is about

[18:42] growth and [clears throat] I want to start

[18:44] first by just allowing Chief to add any of his thoughts. I know he's written

[18:48] down but if you have any other thoughts that you want to express or add before

[18:52] we go to Mike and just allow him to give some insight from what he's he's looking

[18:57] at and what he goes he Mike was the architect that built the initial with

[19:02] what information we had at the time is is is what we should what it should be.

[19:07] So I'm going to start with any comments

[19:10] that you have. >> Yeah sure obviously thank you for taking

[19:13] time to read that. I think most of my thoughts are in there. I think that

[19:16] we've done a very good job of trying to um

[19:20] manage what we have going on and build a

[19:24] successful department. Um I think right now,

[19:27] especially with the the rural health care funding and things

[19:32] like that, you know, understanding that, you know, Church Creek EMS has been

[19:36] um not a

[19:39] inexpensive endeavor, right? So, recognizing a a great opportunity and

[19:44] trying to make sure that we can take advantage of that. I figured that right

[19:47] now is a great opportunity to just bring some of the

[19:51] I almost felt guilty writing it, right? Because it's like this whole thing was

[19:54] built and it's been wonderful and and things like that. So, kind of pointing

[19:58] out some of the flaws to uh it and um our capabilities of operating

[20:04] within it was slightly difficult. So, um I don't have much say other than, you

[20:09] know, I'm hoping that we have the opportunity to move forward with

[20:12] planning and and seeing what we may or may not be able to do with different

[20:16] funding opportunities. And appreciate your time and here mostly to answer any

[20:20] questions that you may have. >> Yeah, do you receive calls how you all

[20:24] feel? >> Can we Can Can we first just hear from

[20:27] Mike before you? Oh, is that all right?

[20:30] » No. >> All right. Sorry.

[20:32] » Thanks. Thanks, Carson. >> I'm Mike Petrovec. I was the architect

[20:35] for the for the current site. And you know, we we really did a lot with a

[20:40] little. There was a lot of funding available

[20:43] and really the focus needed to be on building a new building to house the

[20:47] ambulances. We had two existing buildings to kind of

[20:50] work with and create what we could on a very, very tight budget and really an

[20:55] unknown. Like there was a lot of my doubts about what this this operation

[20:58] would be. As we look at expanding that operation

[21:03] and create a facility for that operation,

[21:07] that site is under utilized and pretty a lot more and so it's we've looked at

[21:11] ways to to rethink it and build off of what's

[21:16] there. There's a lot of opportunity there and

[21:19] the existing building, which is the administration building,

[21:23] was an existing building that we essentially put a little bit of money in

[21:27] to make it so it could function so that they could get started and really see

[21:30] what this is. So, there's opportunity there and to bring that site up to what

[21:35] it meeting all the requirements of a true

[21:38] EMS facility. >> Hey Jerry, sorry.

[21:43] » That's all right. You got anything yet?

[21:46] All right. >> Um okay, as far as you know, the

[21:51] the call lines. Uh

[21:54] I I looked over the heat map that you you sent over.

[22:00] Okay, so that's a subscription that we we no longer

[22:04] Do we still have that subscription to that with the other company?

[22:07] » Yeah, the continuum subscription. >> Yes, yep.

[22:11] » Uh so I I spoke at length with um uh

[22:16] over at rescue asking him about if if he had something

[22:20] like that. Said he had continuum up until a few years ago.

[22:25] Hasn't used it cuz of the cost and But he did he did say that uh

[22:33] he was pretty much just going to stay in Hinsdale and Chesterfield up to the

[22:39] 32 632.

[22:41] » Yes. >> Yes,

[22:45] he'd seen uh he's been in Keen a lot.

[22:50] We've been in Keen a lot, too. >> Yes.

[22:53] » Why? Why both of the cities?

[22:56] » Well, it all depends on what is happening Keen in their

[23:02] uh, run cards if they have major events, um, they will pull resources from

[23:08] Cheshire County EMS primarily to, like if there's a fire, [clears throat]

[23:13] for example, uh, Cheshire County EMS will provide the

[23:19] ambulance for the scene itself and, uh, the command the EMS operations for that.

[23:27] Um, often times in order to not completely uh, Cheshire County EMS of

[23:31] all of its resources, they'll additionally request Rescue Wing to come

[23:35] on to cover additional call volumes that may or may not present itself.

[23:41] Uh, >> Or other communities.

[23:43] » Or other communities, uh, >> So, this isn't a spike. This is just

[23:47] something that's happened along. It sounded to me

[23:52] something that was abnormal. >> I I can't speak. That would be more of a

[23:57] question for him. I know when we're called, we we respond to the city of

[24:00] Keene. >> I mean, is it more now than it used to

[24:03] be? >> It's fairly well.

[24:05] » Uh, okay. >> The the current chief

[24:08] revised his run card a little bit. For a while, we were only sending one

[24:12] unit to the scene. And Rescue Wing was back going to the

[24:16] Keene stations. They want a quicker response after

[24:20] they're at Keene station.

[24:25] » And I know I know we just entered in an into an agreement [clears throat] with

[24:29] them. >> We're still going back and forth with

[24:32] that agreement. It [clears throat] is not.

[24:36] Uh, they had a, uh, as you, I'm sure are aware, uh, changing

[24:41] their leadership. So, I think, uh, we are still in communication, but we're

[24:45] just letting the kind of the dust settle on that transition.

[24:49] Um, but I have reached out to Chief C Moore multiple times just to make sure

[24:53] it and assured it's still on the table.

[24:56] » We started nice conversation. >> So, is that likely to increase the calls

[25:01] in the [clears throat] kingdom?

[25:04] » I don't believe it will adjust their run card.

[25:08] So, I I can't say whether it would increase or decrease the call volume in

[25:12] the kingdom. >> It It depends on the on the day, too. I

[25:15] mean, to be honest, I mean, Keene has pushed forward to add more staff.

[25:21] Which, when you're adding more staff, means they have the availability of

[25:24] adding another ambulance to the the scenario. So, I believe that at least

[25:29] they're running at least two a day. At least.

[25:32] Unless staffing is is a concern. >> Or for maintenance, they they've had

[25:36] multiple vehicles uh have mechanical failures,

[25:41] uh not unlike us, and they'll communicate that. And if they're down

[25:46] two ambulances, you know, they may only have one or two running for the city

[25:51] that day. They communicate that to Deputy Atkins, and that would be a day

[25:55] that we're probably going to get called into Keene considerably more. Uh

[25:59] » But they're only I mean, last year they were only like

[26:03] 80 calls? 100 calls?

[26:06] » Yeah. >> Our core mission right now is and and

[26:11] you tell me if I'm off off the numbers here, but you know, Swanzey's 1,200

[26:15] calls. Uh Winchester has the has the ability to

[26:20] have 800 calls, of which we're in a month's time we're doing anywhere

[26:24] between 30 to 60% of those calls. >> Have two two ambulances right now at

[26:28] Fitzwilliam for a motor vehicle accident on Route 119.

[26:31] » Right. So, Troy Fitzwilliam is as a backup. And

[26:35] » We're primary, too. >> And we're probably primary because there

[26:38] are staffing issues. Um but we also have a core coming out of Marlborough and

[26:43] Harrisville right there. So, that's our that's the meat of a good

[26:48] chunk of of our our calls right there. And then you have Winchester, I mean

[26:54] Fitzwilliam, Troy like you just said, that adds in a little flavor to it, too.

[26:58] » So so would you say that

[27:02] in the number of calls, would it be Swanzey, Winchester,

[27:07] uh Marlborough, and and East, and then

[27:11] North in that order?

[27:15] Taking care of >> I I I could I could definitely get you

[27:18] the town-by-town call numbers. >> Well, I see the heat way it looks is in

[27:23] » Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, I would think that Swanzey is by far uh the most prolific.

[27:28] Uh Winchester depends on the day.

[27:33] Uh Marlborough, Westmoreland, um

[27:38] then, you know, Harrisville, Gilsum, Stoddard

[27:42] are are probably pretty comparable across the board.

[27:46] » Richmond >> Yeah, Richmond is probably one of the

[27:49] lower. Richmond and Gilsum

[27:52] » Yeah, so I I've been just trying to look at the need, the present need, and

[27:58] see past, and and trying to predict um

[28:05] where, you know, where some of that that is being taken care of by other

[28:10] people will fall on us.

[28:13] So would would you say that

[28:16] that's that's a possibility? >> Yeah, I think it should actually is part

[28:20] of our strategic plan, and Chief Deacon and I meet pretty regularly. We have

[28:24] been for uh over 2 years, even back uh when uh

[28:29] Chief Burn was here, and looking at every ambulance service around us, and

[28:35] some of the difficulties that they're facing, trying to have uh

[28:39] open lines of communication with with them, with their select boards, you

[28:42] know, and then basically around the water cooler, uh you know, who's having

[28:47] staffing issues, who's having budgetary issues, and trying to identify okay,

[28:51] it's kind of a uh not a game, but a strategic move to

[28:56] say okay, hypothetical situation, this ambulance department closes tomorrow,

[29:02] what would our reaction be, and how are we poised to answer that bell.

[29:07] Um thankfully,

[29:10] you know, uh

[29:12] most of those things have not come to total fruition, uh but we do have, you

[29:18] know, the the day of the barbecue up in Summer, right? Uh

[29:22] Keene got their entire barn. Uh Fitzwilliam, Troy did not have coverage

[29:27] that day. Winchester did not have that coverage that day.

[29:31] Um we had a full complement of staffing that day,

[29:36] uh but that ambulance that was at the the Summer outing, that was the only

[29:42] ambulance available for the city of Keene, city of Keene, all their

[29:46] contracts, all of our contracts, Fitzwilliam, Troy, and Winchester. And

[29:51] we were just with bated breath. Thankfully, we got through without uh

[29:57] another major issue, cuz that would have been I mean, we would have probably had

[30:02] uh you know, Alstead coming down

[30:06] into the area, or uh Jaffrey, Rindge, or Peterborough needing to be coming over

[30:11] to cover something. >> Just one more question on the personal

[30:15] level of risk. I'll be here.

[30:18] Uh This build here,

[30:21] uh

[30:24] let's look at 10 years from now, 15 years from now.

[30:27] Is this Is this Are we going to find ourselves in 10

[30:31] years saying that this is not enough?

[30:36] Just right? >> The the communication that I've had with

[30:39] Mike and Chris so far, you know, we don't have the exact plans, but that has

[30:43] been our top priority is to make sure that this is something that is not only

[30:47] suitable for what we have going on today, but well, well, well into the

[30:50] future. So, and I'm going to turn it over to Mike in

[30:54] 2 seconds, but this is a ongoing conversation. There's two ways we can

[30:59] look at this. And one and and and it really comes down

[31:03] to cost. We can we can take a look at what we have currently and try to build

[31:07] off it. Is that that's case in there? No, it's not. That

[31:12] is a 10 to 15-year look, I would guess and Mike can Mike can eat me out of it

[31:17] even shorter. But, um but or we build new, then you're looking out years.

[31:22] So, um

[31:26] uh you know, it's it's going to come down to numbers, it's going to come down

[31:30] to One of the reasons that I like that we go after planning grant right now.

[31:36] Well, pays for services, I always like that, but more importantly

[31:41] is there is rumor uh from from Go North that they are

[31:47] going to ask for a waiver for the Center of Medicaid Services

[31:51] to forego right now. Right now, they will pay they will pay for uh

[31:56] for infrastructure you currently have to renovate.

[32:02] They're not doing new. So, we built a foot new foot footprint,

[32:07] that would be considered our footprint. So, we could actually

[32:11] have the internals built through Go North.

[32:14] And I know that for a fact because I've asked both the director,

[32:18] the assistant director Go North, and the where the money lays in CDFA and the

[32:25] executive director of CDFA. So, they've all said the same thing. If we build our

[32:30] enlarge our footprint, that becomes our footprint, and they would pay for the

[32:34] internal workings of it. What they are now saying is that they're going to look

[32:38] work with the center for Medicaid services because they're the ones that

[32:41] control this. What we can and can't do. And see if

[32:45] they can we get a waiver so that they can build

[32:48] do because what they're hearing out there there is a lot of people like us

[32:51] that are in this position. And so

[32:54] at getting a planning grant allows us that

[32:58] allows us that much more time to look for us to go in the next round to go

[33:03] after full funding of the project. Instead of 50% of the project. So

[33:09] that's that's my my thought at this point.

[33:12] And it's going to come down to whatever it is. I'm taking time away from you,

[33:15] Michael. >> Yeah. So,

[33:18] my background is that we do public safety facilities. Several fire stations

[33:23] and obviously this facility and

[33:26] and I speak at a national conference for public safety building design. And the

[33:31] the way that we look at this is that we like the ambulance facilities they're

[33:34] not that is a 50-year building. We want to build a 50-year building, but

[33:38] we don't want to build out for a space for 50 years. So as we plan

[33:43] this site, part of the reason we want to look at removing that existing admin

[33:47] building and kind of creating a campus there is that we can plan out to towards

[33:53] 10 to 15 or 20-year growth. And then where does it go after that and

[33:57] how to plan that site for expansion so we're not kind of redoing things in the

[34:02] future. The other thing is that when a building is built, try to make the

[34:06] building as flexible on the interior as possible so that things can change over

[34:10] time because how we address these needs can change in 20 years. So we don't want

[34:15] to have to do a major renovation or tear down at that point. So we're looking in

[34:20] the future and how to address these things and spend money wisely and be

[34:24] good stewards of taxpayer dollars. As I had to build these buildings.

[34:29] » And and if you were to do new, how would that coexist with us

[34:35] being able to do our service? >> So, we've looked at the site a little

[34:39] bit, and one of the things would be to I my idea is to One of the issues they

[34:44] have is getting from the administration building to the ambulances in inclement

[34:48] weather, particularly in the winter, it's dangerous. So, how would we add on

[34:52] to the ambulance facility and create an one interior space? So, we would build

[34:57] from the ambulance facility to the existing facility while it's still in

[35:01] operation. Get them into that new section, and then

[35:05] tear down and build the rest of the building. If that's the way we go. But,

[35:09] we've thought through how we get this thing up and operating. We can't be

[35:13] We're doing this in Walpole now. We tore down part of the existing station for

[35:17] the new for the new section, and then they continued to operate out of the

[35:20] base full function out of the fire station.

[35:23] So, this that is a capital goal of the sites.

[35:29] I hope that answers your question. Oh. Oh, Walpole right there.

[35:34] » Okay. So, they're So, they're increasing their their capacity.

[35:37] » They are. They're only adding one ambulance. It's

[35:39] just that they did We had They had no decon. They had no interior space to

[35:44] service their No staff support. Right? So, that part of what that new set

[35:48] station is is addressing. They're only adding one ambulance, but

[35:52] it's also how are they staff How are they servicing their staff?

[35:57] They We've actually got future growth on the second floor for

[36:01] uh for both of them. To go into a partial career department.

[36:05] » And is there No, is anybody else expanding? Do you know?

[36:08] » I'm aware of They're all coming to you guys. So, we're working Winchester,

[36:11] Hinsdale, Charlestown.

[36:16] That's it. They're all >> Um

[36:19] » [clears throat] >> So,

[36:21] » Yeah, Jim, you're good. >> And some of the others have already

[36:24] expanded. >> We have a new station we did in in Palm

[36:28] and they're they don't have they don't have any plans. So, they have any plans.

[36:33] » That was more than what is nice. Thank you.

[36:36] » They don't have any more? >> I toured it.

[36:38] No, they don't. >> No, they don't. They have no plans.

[36:42] » And we just one thing, can we all just speak up just a little bit? I want to

[36:45] make sure that it's recorded because the agency is going to take notes from

[36:49] this. >> [laughter]

[36:52] » You better turn off the volume. >> If I may.

[36:58] » The future is unknown basically as we all know.

[37:02] It would seem >> [clears throat]

[37:04] » that going with the what I got short-term 15

[37:09] or 20 years planning at the moment would be

[37:14] easier than trying to look further out

[37:19] because there's just too much too much is changing. Right? We really

[37:25] don't know who else will pick up or what will happen.

[37:28] So, I think at the moment I think that just

[37:33] doing what we can with the existing [clears throat] facility would make more

[37:37] sense to me.

[37:40] » The existing building is is is the the part that we renovated for

[37:45] staff is done. Right? There's nothing I can

[37:48] » I'm sorry. I meant I meant the building building on that property. That's what I

[37:52] That's what I meant. My apologies. >> Okay.

[37:55] » Yeah, working on that piece of property. >> Okay. So,

[38:00] I'm envisioning some sort of a horseshoe. Is that kind of thing?

[38:04] » You need a job because I need to hire some people. Now, that's worth thinking.

[38:08] » We're looking at a horseshoe right now. >> Yeah.

[38:10] » So, that we can connect and keep people inside.

[38:13] » That's right.

[38:16] » So, right now we're just talking about a planning grant to see what's even

[38:19] possible to do and to flush out that plan as well.

[38:26] » What What was the question? >> I said, right now we are just looking at

[38:30] the planning grant. We see what it is that's possible.

[38:34] » We put in for the planning grant as it was a time-sensitive,

[38:39] and then that would allow us to actually get greater details on what we're

[38:44] looking at, and then then we can move our decisions from that.

[38:48] » Right. So, right now it's just planning, I started to blueprinting and figuring

[38:53] out all the things that are possible, and looking at if whatever plan this is

[38:58] has its own limitations. >> Yeah.

[39:00] » And thinking about how we would address that later.

[39:03] » But my our my my desire is to walk with you guys every step of the way, so that

[39:10] when we take our next step, you're going to hear us again, and it's going to be

[39:13] repetitive on some of the things, but it's just that I

[39:17] I I think this is of a dire need for the department.

[39:21] Um, we

[39:23] In a second, I'm going to have Chief Reed a letter that he received

[39:28] yesterday, an email he received yesterday.

[39:30] And it really brings home why we do what we're doing.

[39:35] And I would have never When we were in the

[39:38] midst of all this, I didn't have I couldn't think

[39:41] where we were going to land. >> [clears throat]

[39:44] » I you know, we just built what we needed to build at the time. Remember, we had 6

[39:49] to 8 months to build a building because we knew that we were being told that the

[39:55] other other vendor was going to be closing um in in that period of time,

[40:00] and that we had to be up and running. So, we did everything, and the reason we

[40:04] couldn't do everything we wanted at the site is because we were buying

[40:09] ambulances, because we were buying supplies, stretchers. All the other

[40:13] costs had to be We were are startup, and our firm money is the only

[40:18] way we've been able to do that. I've had multiple conversations. I'll be in a

[40:22] conversation and a week from now with people from Bedford, New Hampshire who

[40:28] are talking about some crisis they're having over there and they've and

[40:31] they've asked the Dupont group to ask us to to sit in in that meeting, Chief.

[40:36] You're going to be in on that meeting. And

[40:38] but we couldn't done this without it, but it only had it had its limits.

[40:42] And so we could only spend so much at the end of the day we did what we could.

[40:47] I mean even the kitchen itself was it's just a and you've been in there it's

[40:51] it's a tiny little thing and it doesn't really serve the purpose and and it

[40:55] really needs to be industrial and it needs to be something that where people

[40:59] can gather even easier and uh because it's it is it is important that they

[41:05] have that culture there. And and then the office set up with the captains and

[41:10] all that, I think we just need to take a look at this. So, yeah, we're going to

[41:14] tell you the story along the way the whole time.

[41:18] And and and just make sure you all are aware of everything that we're doing.

[41:22] » So, with this planning grant >> Yes.

[41:25] » and we're looking at 10 to 15 years. >> Yeah.

[41:28] » Um how much does that increase our capacity? What we're planning on doing

[41:34] in terms of because you know when I look at the amount of growth that's happened

[41:41] in such a short period of time and I see how

[41:46] towns are not able to keep up with their own needs.

[41:50] That's only going to snowball. And is this thing that we're putting

[41:54] together for the 10 or 15 years, is it going to build that capacity

[41:59] for us to hold on for that time period? Or are we going to fall short with our

[42:04] 10 to 15 year plan on and I know nobody has a crystal ball, but if you look at

[42:10] how fast things are moving, will this 10 or 15-year plan keep up? Because you

[42:15] didn't expect what happened when you started to where we are now.

[42:21] And it just means that if that is going to continue to happen, will whatever

[42:26] we're going into keep up with that, or are we going to

[42:29] blow through this a lot faster than we think? Just looking at the towns that

[42:34] you know are going to come online in the next 5 years because of their own

[42:37] financial or staffing problems. >> I'm sure Mike can speak better to this,

[42:43] but I I would like to comment. Uh I think that we were uh

[42:48] I I know we weren't fully prepared, uh but we had prepared

[42:53] uh considerably for different um things that may or may not happen in the

[42:59] region. Uh yes, and I'll let him speak more to

[43:04] the increased uh capacity of the building.

[43:07] But there is a finite amount of expansion that that site

[43:13] » Correct. >> will have to

[43:16] uh absorb, right? Because certain towns, if

[43:20] they were to come on board, that is not the geographic location to respond from,

[43:25] right? So at that point, we would have to start looking at, you know, uh either

[43:30] sub con you know, substations or or things like that because of geographic

[43:34] region. My understanding, and I'll let him speak

[43:38] definitely more to it, is that this would maximize our opportunity that

[43:42] every place that is possible to be reached from that location, this

[43:47] expansion would allow us to um

[43:51] be ready to take any and all of that, including

[43:55] the logistical um [clears throat] and operational

[43:59] um needs for that location, as well as any or all

[44:04] » So right now, it's building to the capacity that that location can reach.

[44:09] » Sure. Yes, that's that's Can I Can I just add in before my

[44:13] » Yeah, go ahead. You go. >> Um a few things. One is

[44:18] And and Mike, you can tell me I'm wrong, uh but

[44:22] we're building for 10 to 20 year growth, but we're also building building this is

[44:26] a 50 year building. Okay? Just so you know, we're building

[44:30] something that's going to stand the test of time. May need to be painted a few

[44:34] times in that period of time or whatever it is, but the bottom line we're

[44:38] building a building that's going to stand.

[44:40] And it will allow us also in that period of time to

[44:44] um sort of like we did with the DOC, we know if we ever needed it, we have the

[44:49] ability to add another pod up there. That is our hope at the station down

[44:54] there is that we do what we need to do with the idea if there is still

[44:58] availability when we're done, we're going to know what that availability is

[45:02] and how to build on it. So, we will have >> that room.

[45:05] » Two is I believe that substations are going to have be

[45:10] occurring naturally. That over time there these certain towns

[45:15] are going to see, and when they do, we're going to go in because it makes

[45:19] the sense because of the of the call numbers to have an ambulance in that in

[45:25] that area. And that will happen naturally. It

[45:29] happened naturally with Westland because we needed a place to put an ambulance

[45:33] when we didn't have a facility yet. And we kept it there and we built out for

[45:37] that so that we had something in that area right away.

[45:40] Um so, I think there are two possibilities of naturally happening

[45:47] um over time, and in non-public they'll be talking about some other things that

[45:51] I can't really talk about right now because it's negotiations.

[45:54] Um but but the bottom line I see that this is whatever we decide,

[46:01] the building that we build is for 50 years with the idea that we understand

[46:06] that we're looking at 10 to 20 year growth.

[46:08] And it could be in the middle of that it could be 15.

[46:12] But we'll we'll see. So, Mike. >> We will

[46:17] We will So, Chief has laid out a certain amount of

[46:20] criteria here. Part of our our planning process is that we were a very extensive

[46:26] programming discussion with the folks. Look at

[46:30] based upon this what that translates to be today.

[46:34] Interpolating into the future. 10 to 20 years. And then even looking

[46:39] beyond that it could be added to this site without having to do major work to

[46:44] the to the building. So, there is a process that we go through to look at

[46:48] that. And then this may say this actually builds out the site or maybe

[46:53] this phase takes it to three quarters and this is a little bit more that could

[46:57] be added down the road. Then we know that it's built out and then it goes to

[47:01] substation. So, part of our process is looking at that with the department to

[47:07] understand how does that translate to the site? What can we do to maximize it

[47:12] in all in all ways? We also through this process budget look

[47:17] at budgets and what this does budget wise. So, maybe that building two-thirds

[47:21] of that site now takes you to where you want to be budget

[47:24] wise. But we've reserved that that we show this is how this would be expanded

[47:28] in the future. Without tearing down half the building

[47:32] to do that.

[47:36] » The idea is that that they're going to give us both scopes of what we can do.

[47:41] And then it'll be first and foremost your

[47:45] decision and then we take it on to the executive committee and the delegation

[47:49] or because we may have to bond we may not

[47:53] have to. So,

[47:55] we'll see. So, how much of that land there

[48:00] can we put a building on and still have room

[48:05] for parking? >> So, that's the balance that we do,

[48:07] right? So, kind of provide parking for staff.

[48:10] The other thing that we have there is it's a site that's governed by some of

[48:14] the state road. And and they're they're right about

[48:17] there how they want this type of vehicle

[48:20] traffic entering into that mix of traffic. So, we went into that some of

[48:24] that last time. We have that data going into this. Uh but that site's got some

[48:29] some space on it for building. Uh it And and it looks like do we want

[48:34] to front it on the road and have all the parking behind but whatever works in

[48:37] terms of passing through the site. We definitely

[48:41] need to maintain that in inbound access and exit onto Wake Street and minimize

[48:47] only entering onto the site from the state road.

[48:52] I think there's there's but I we did some preliminary sketches just for

[48:56] discussion. >> How many acres is it?

[48:58] » I don't recall off the top of my head. But it's got some fairly lenient

[49:02] setbacks. Um and the town of Swansea when we went

[49:06] before the planning board last time just as a courtesy, you know, a wire or two,

[49:10] um it was very lenient on what we could do there.

[49:19] » What are the questions?

[49:22] » That's where we're at. That's what we're looking at. Um well, it What we did is

[49:27] if uh we submitted a opportunity to go after a

[49:32] planning grant. I don't know if there's more work that we'll have to do. We'll

[49:35] see. Um and it's like with everything that

[49:38] we've submitted to go north lately, it's you submit and then they're going to

[49:42] maybe send us uh something more that they want more questions to answer. And

[49:46] then we see if we get the grant and we move forward. So, that's where we're at

[49:50] at this point, moving forward. Submitted last week

[49:54] and we'll go from there.

[49:58] Okay, and we'll keep reporting out. And I I appreciate you taking the time.

[50:02] » Oh, absolutely. >> All right, thank you.

[50:05] » Do you want Mark to read that? >> I would like Mark to read the letter. If

[50:08] uh I just think it's uh he sent it to me last night. I was out

[50:13] walking um and I had music on and it it it

[50:17] just about wrecked me. So, go ahead. >> All right, [clears throat] so I've just

[50:22] got to uh obviously the patient's name isn't here, so I'm going to redact that.

[50:26] » And the And the issue the issue probably, too, right? That she

[50:31] suffers from. >> long as I don't say the name, it's okay.

[50:33] » Okay. All right. >> Uh so, dear Chief and Deputy Chief, I'm

[50:36] writing to express my sincere gratitude and appreciation for the two paramedics

[50:39] and EMTs who cared for my and transported my mother

[50:42] on August 10th, uh 2026,

[50:46] from Troy to the hospital and later during her transfer to

[50:49] Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. I would be incredibly grateful if you

[50:53] would pass on the message along to the three providers who cared for her.

[50:56] I understand the demands of the job and the importance of professionalism,

[50:59] communication, and compassion in patient care. Because of that, I want to take

[51:03] the time to recognize these individuals for the exceptional care they provided

[51:06] to my mother. My mother has aphasia, which makes

[51:09] communication very difficult for her. Unfortunately, I have become accustomed

[51:13] to healthcare providers speaking primarily to me, sometimes as though my

[51:18] mother is not present, even when she is sitting right in front of them. Your

[51:22] team was completely different. The paramedic spoke directly to my mother.

[51:26] They asked her for her the questions, gave her the opportunity and time to

[51:29] respond, and only turned to me for clarification when she was unable to

[51:33] answer appropriately. That may sound like a small detail, but

[51:37] it meant so much to both of us. They recognized that although my mother has

[51:41] difficulty communicating, she is still an active participant participant in her

[51:46] own care deserves to be treated with dignity and respect.

[51:49] I also want to specifically recognize the EMT who stayed with me

[51:53] at my mom's bedside while the paramedics were receiving a report from the nurse

[51:57] prior to the transfer. She was a She had the kindest words. It truly I truly

[52:02] appreciated it. All three of them were exceptional. They

[52:05] were professional, patient, passionate, and incredibly kind, not only toward my

[52:10] mother but toward me as well. They demonstrated the kind of patient care

[52:14] centered care that makes a lasting impression.

[52:17] I cannot emphasize enough how impressed I was with the care that they provided.

[52:21] They didn't simply transport my mother, they made her feel seen, heard,

[52:25] respected, and cared for. As someone who works in EMS myself, I

[52:29] know these things matter tremendously and I wanted to make sure their efforts

[52:33] did not go unrecognized. Please pass along my heartfelt thanks

[52:37] and appreciation all three of them. They represented CCEMS with the highest level

[52:41] of professionalism, compassion, dignity, and humanity.

[52:44] Uh they are a wonderful reflection of your organization and excellent example

[52:48] of what EMS providers can be. I'm incredibly grateful that my mother

[52:53] was in their care and that she was treated with respect and compassion that

[52:57] every patient deserves. With sincere gratitude, and then signed.

[53:03] » And this is somebody that actually is an EMT of some level, I don't know what,

[53:08] and works for uh somebody another agency.

[53:13] Um and for all of us that have started from day one, I think that's what it

[53:18] struck struck me last night, maybe I don't know, but from day one and all

[53:22] that we've gone through to to actually hear something like that was a powerful

[53:27] powerful statement cuz, you know, >> Well, it's good training.

[53:32] » Good job. >> Right.

[53:33] » Thanks. >> Yeah.

[53:35] » Sorry. >> But uh if I may,

[53:38] quite a while ago, but I didn't write a letter, but I I did follow up with

[53:42] rescue of similar feelings. Appreciate what they did.

[53:48] » I think not only is it incredibly important that our individuals

[53:52] understand the skills associated with EMS, you know, such as,

[53:57] you know, starting IVs, things like that, but that human centered

[54:02] thing is is something we really focus on and try to make sure that individuals

[54:06] are, you know, understand that they're being advocated

[54:09] for. And I [clears throat]

[54:12] I won't say that other places don't or anything like that. I just think that

[54:17] all of our training has a lot of that effective um

[54:22] part of it.

[54:26] We have to walk the walk and talk the talk that we're on, take care of the

[54:29] people, and that the family members, for example, are

[54:33] in our care, too, you know, these are very highly emotional,

[54:38] emotionally charged situations that

[54:41] can get out of hand if if

[54:44] it's not treated with kindness. There's a famous saying in EMS that

[54:51] BLS before ALS, right? So, it's you know,

[54:55] every, you know, medics save patients, but EMTs save medics.

[55:00] You know, and we take it one step further where it's yes, BLS before ALS,

[55:04] but human kindness before BLS. So.

[55:09] » I like to also add though that, you know, the work that that points out that

[55:13] every call they go on, they need to be able to deliver that level of care, that

[55:18] humanity, and they've got call after call after call after call on a shift,

[55:22] and we're getting tired, and you're getting rushed.

[55:25] You need to be able to go back to recharge between calls. So, wherever

[55:29] wherever they're going to, the facility that they have to live in for however

[55:33] many hours in every shift, you You looking at the at the HR aspect of this,

[55:39] it's about care and health and safety of the EMTs and firefighters and all public

[55:44] safety. So, that's why that that facility becomes extremely important in

[55:49] how it how it serves them. And currently, it really doesn't.

[55:53] It's it's it's been working for a short time, but it's it's lived its life

[55:58] already.

[56:00] » I think it's simply put, it's it was the dream from day one

[56:05] be able to ensure that those in our care get the best quality care possible and

[56:09] are shown the greatest level of care of respect in that home of need. So, I I I

[56:16] just I don't know what I got me last night, but it got me, man. I'm like, you

[56:19] you I don't can't say what I said. >> [laughter]

[56:22] » Oh, I can read that too, if you like. That's all.

[56:26] » All right, moving on. Thank you very much.

[56:28] » Yeah, you're welcome. >> Um

[56:30] » Nice to meet everyone.

[56:34] » I'm going to bounce back, guys. Um I'm going to bounce back to the agenda

[56:38] and I'm going to give master agenda item number 137A, second quarter budget

[56:42] review. Cheryl Tremblay is here. Action expected. Receive informational report

[56:46] on second quarter budget. Thank you.

[56:54] » Thank you.

[57:00] Oops. Thank you.

[57:08] » [laughter]

[57:11] » So, this will be going before the executive committee next Monday night

[57:15] about where we stand at as of the um 6-month mark of 2026.

[57:21] And the combined expenses for the nursing

[57:25] home and the general fund are approximately um

[57:30] 1,384,000 under um um expenses

[57:36] with the county expending about 49% of their budget and the nursing home at 46%

[57:42] of their appropriate budgets. And as far as the revenues for the nursing home in

[57:46] the um general fund, they're under about 688,000 of their projected revenues with

[57:53] the general fund having achieved about 49% and the nursing home at 48%. So, the

[57:58] combined the shortfall are are sorry. And then where where we look at this is

[58:03] basically our expenses are under our shortfall of our revenues of about

[58:09] 696,000. So, that's a good thing. Um and perhaps if you if we continue on

[58:17] that trend come year end, that should about double. But, things change over

[58:21] the course of the year because um you know, the first half we only

[58:25] started giving cost of livings as of April 1st. People start getting

[58:29] increases throughout the year. So, that could go down. Um but, hopefully we'd be

[58:36] on the mark to about double that. As far as Cheshire EMS, um they are currently

[58:41] have achieved um as of June 46% of their revenues um and expenses are at 48%

[58:48] spent. Um currently I'm showing a deficit on the EMS at about 150,000.

[58:55] And I you just never know from month to

[58:58] month where their um call volumes going to come in. Like

[59:02] for instance, the the the month of um July, which is not part of this, I had

[59:07] about $340,000 of revenues versus some months being

[59:14] low 300. So, you just never know, it could uptick. We also have other areas

[59:18] that haven't accounted for because we haven't

[59:21] gotten there yet, such as a contract with um a the city of Keene to to start

[59:26] bringing some revenues in. I don't know what Winchester is. So,

[59:30] there are some things that could happen over the last 6 months that could start

[59:34] narrowing that gap, but as of 6 months, that's where we're standing at 150,000

[59:38] in the bank. >> 46%?

[59:40] » I'm sorry, what? >> Billing

[59:42] receipts. >> Um no, revenues are at 46% received, but

[59:47] there's multiple as far as the um

[59:50] the IFTs and the 911s, they they're right at their mark. We're we're

[59:55] achieving what we need to there, but there are other components of the

[59:58] billing. We've got the town contracts, which that's going to come in exactly as

[1:00:03] we budgeted because we knew exactly what those were. The Cheshire Medical Center

[1:00:08] um I there's no reason why they wouldn't be paying us come year end. It's these

[1:00:13] other areas such as what we were um anticipating

[1:00:18] I think happening sooner rather than later is to start getting these um

[1:00:23] contracts that are reimbursable through the City of Keene

[1:00:27] and also having deeper conversations with the towns that we provide back up

[1:00:34] to that are currently only getting charged for when there is a an intercept

[1:00:39] uh paramedic intercept. So, those are things that the conversations

[1:00:45] need to be had that we did have a placeholder

[1:00:48] anticipating money coming in um so,

[1:00:53] » And we also the towns only are paying half

[1:00:58] of their contracts this year because

[1:01:01] » As of >> of July was when they they they changed

[1:01:04] over. >> Yeah, July 1st, they'll start paying 100

[1:01:07] they'll go to that 100%. So, we for 2026, we only get half of a year of the

[1:01:12] impact of this now ramped up amount with the first half of 2026, but that's how

[1:01:18] we budgeted it. It was budgeted knowing that there was only going to be half.

[1:01:21] So, um you know, that will have an impact uh a positive impact on the 2027

[1:01:26] budget budgeting being the budget for the year.

[1:01:29] Um, but >> It's about $350,000.

[1:01:33] » So, there are some things that are potentially hopeful over the last 6

[1:01:38] months because I do know that there is a contract in the hands of the city of

[1:01:42] Keene. Um, but I haven't yet factored that in.

[1:01:47] Um, so hoping that this will end up starting to close the gap.

[1:01:52] Um, just areas I These are a lot of these things are um,

[1:01:56] said over and over and over some of this just to be able to educate or re-educate

[1:02:01] people why when they get when they look at these reports

[1:02:05] um, that I'll be sending to the executive

[1:02:07] committee why some things might be zero because you know, for instance, the

[1:02:10] municipal reimbursements we don't get those until December.

[1:02:14] Um, registry of deeds fees or I'm sorry, I just skipped one. Grant reimbursement

[1:02:18] it's the same way that the the expenses for the grant

[1:02:24] reimbursements pretty much mirror the revenues. So,

[1:02:29] when you see revenues falling short, you're also seeing the expenses falling

[1:02:32] short at the same level. So, it's not um, a negative impact um, on fund

[1:02:37] balance. It's just the both of the boats haven't are rising at the same speed.

[1:02:41] Registry of deeds fees, this is always one that about this time of year they're

[1:02:46] really looking to be off the mark, but I never know what's going to happen um, as

[1:02:50] we get to year end. Um, we just she had a phenomenal month in the month of July.

[1:02:57] I mean, the biggest payment to the Department of Revenue ever over a

[1:03:01] million dollars, which unfortunately tripped us up last night because

[1:03:05] we didn't have clearance to even make a transfer of a million and it got

[1:03:09] returned. What's that?

[1:03:13] It I'll probably that's probably what did it. So, I actually have Misty

[1:03:17] working on that right now. Because the payment got returned to us.

[1:03:22] That That's our protections that we >> [laughter]

[1:03:25] » Um Connected families, that's another area

[1:03:29] where their revenues and their expenses are um basically

[1:03:35] coming in their expenses are coming under, whereas their revenues are also

[1:03:40] coming in under as well. There is much more room in the program to hire more

[1:03:45] people. Um and so

[1:03:49] by hiring more people, that would also produce more revenues for the billing.

[1:03:55] But, I don't know that necessarily the reason why the the the um the hiring

[1:04:01] or the vacancy, I think the vacancies are more there because I think the

[1:04:05] caseload it it would not support hiring more

[1:04:08] people. So, I'm not saying that this has any bearing on

[1:04:12] um HR not getting people in. This has more to do with that we've kind of put a

[1:04:17] halt on filling those vacancies until we can see that the state has more cases

[1:04:23] that they're going to actually pay us for the services that they provide.

[1:04:27] » Yeah, we've had conversations with Dennis in that

[1:04:31] there's an expectation that they get every staff up to eight cases per

[1:04:36] individual. And um

[1:04:39] on some situations they can hire, but um it's rude and so until that happens

[1:04:46] we're really just saying >> You got a halt.

[1:04:49] » You got to You just got to do work with what you got. Get those people that are

[1:04:53] new up to speed so they can get standing in play.

[1:04:57] And um if somebody leaves and you can replace that person, but otherwise we're

[1:05:02] we're just looking at holding it tight. Um I mean, they're they're looking good

[1:05:05] for the end of the year, but still we're we're just having them do that and at

[1:05:09] the same time working with the state because the it's the

[1:05:13] it's it's multi-layered. School's not in session.

[1:05:18] School's one of the biggest referrals. So,

[1:05:22] it's you know goes right here, but even when they do

[1:05:25] come in, the state turning around like we can turn around and go visit a family

[1:05:31] and get every all the paperwork into the state, it's now up to the state then to

[1:05:34] turn around and send the case loads out. >> They are

[1:05:37] » that's where the hiccup is a little bit. It's better than it was.

[1:05:41] » And they're also looking at some more potential funding that they're going

[1:05:44] after that could it would be temporary though, so it

[1:05:49] wouldn't be like long-term, but there is a population of um

[1:05:56] people that they take care of that are called under um uninsured. And so this

[1:06:00] these uninsured people essentially are how we get reimbursed through the state

[1:06:06] contract. Well, the state contract has been at 1 million 150 per many, many

[1:06:11] years. And so therefore, they're trying to get some other funding and it might

[1:06:16] be through these older >> It's rural it's rural it's rural it's

[1:06:18] rural health. >> that would allow for them to start

[1:06:21] giving us more money. Um and so

[1:06:24] that would be wonderful, but it is not permanent. It is um but we'll take it

[1:06:29] while we can get it. So, we'll we'll let you know when that comes to fruition.

[1:06:32] » And and I know that Genesis and the other company that that does this

[1:06:36] there's only two in the state of New Hampshire that are doing this.

[1:06:38] Uh and uh they are our working with the state to have them understand

[1:06:44] that the level of intake that we do should be enough for them to move

[1:06:49] forward quicker and not have to repeat everything that we've done

[1:06:54] through their intake. So, it is a conversation that's going

[1:06:58] on. We'll see how it works. You know, it is

[1:07:01] the state of New Hampshire, so sometimes it gets a little bogged down. Uh but we

[1:07:05] love you. Um but so that's where we're at.

[1:07:09] » Um the miscellaneous revenue I'm just noting here because the miscellaneous

[1:07:13] revenue shows a huge credit and that is because of that is cheap money.

[1:07:18] That basically we got 476,000 more than we

[1:07:22] ever would have expected in that area. That will be going pre before the

[1:07:28] executive committee based on your discussion a couple weeks ago that we

[1:07:34] will hopefully have it allowed to go into

[1:07:37] fund balance so that we can consider using in future budget years if

[1:07:41] necessary to help offset taxes to be raised.

[1:07:44] So, that um is the explanation and also so the

[1:07:50] executive committee understands where this unexpected money came from.

[1:07:54] The DHH's additional credit this is something we got last year for the first

[1:07:59] year it came in in 2025 and it will continue on to 2028. We did budget for

[1:08:03] it but currently the budget the the line items at zero. We did receive it in July

[1:08:09] so the next time around that will no longer be at zero. These are those

[1:08:13] monies that the counties

[1:08:16] worked hard to to convince the state that during the

[1:08:23] COVID years when the state received more money from the federal government

[1:08:29] that was specifically to increase the feds portion towards the

[1:08:36] Medicaid contribution for residents in nursing

[1:08:40] homes and home and base community care which we pay 50% and the feds pay 50%

[1:08:47] but by the feds increasing their percentage it should have decreased the

[1:08:53] county's percentage and the state did not do that. They

[1:08:58] they kept the money for themselves. So, after a great amount of persistence and

[1:09:04] convincing, the state finally realized that they were not right in keeping the

[1:09:09] money. Um although I think it was going to bust

[1:09:12] the bank if they gave it all at once. So, there was an agreement that they

[1:09:16] would divvy it out over a course of 4 years and our share is this 334,000

[1:09:22] per year. Um and that's just again more or less in

[1:09:25] education because this will go away as well in 2028. Um up to 2028. Um then

[1:09:32] again just explaining why fund balances at zero, special revenue capital reserve

[1:09:36] funds are at zero. Um and then as far as the general county

[1:09:39] again the commissioner's budget um is slightly over budget with 45% remaining

[1:09:45] and that's mainly because of the travel line but I think

[1:09:49] » It's two things. >> that should um

[1:09:51] wind down pretty well. I mean unless you've already paid for NJCAA annual

[1:09:56] conference. >> Yeah, we already have.

[1:09:58] » Okay. So. >> Yeah, two things. One is the 300 that

[1:10:01] you were just talking about that was the nursing home, right?

[1:10:03] » That was No, the 300,000 No, that's a different thing. I can talk

[1:10:09] to that but it's not something that is evident. So, each year the

[1:10:16] um each year

[1:10:19] if the state did not expend all the money

[1:10:25] out of their account

[1:10:30] to pay nursing homes throughout the state

[1:10:33] for their Medicaid rate reimbursement, they do a distribution to all nursing

[1:10:38] homes. And um

[1:10:41] we haven't gotten one in many years because the state

[1:10:45] have hit the cap statewide and there was no extra money in this 504 account. So,

[1:10:51] they call it some some specific account. This year they had excess money. And so,

[1:10:57] what it actually what it means is the rates that they assign to all the

[1:11:00] nursing homes,

[1:11:03] they they they could have gone higher and divvied it out with the the daily

[1:11:07] rate, but because um

[1:11:10] they set the daily rates and the census must have come in lower, they had excess

[1:11:15] money, and so they have to then divvy it out to all the nursing homes,

[1:11:18] and we received um I think it was like 223,000

[1:11:23] or whatever as a one-time payment. It's not in here because the nursing home

[1:11:28] revenues are already short. So, it's we don't have to amend the budget. It's

[1:11:32] just it's helping us to meet or get closer to the budget projections, but it

[1:11:37] was a the one-time payout that um

[1:11:41] we get periodically, and we actually have not

[1:11:44] This is the first time in several years that we've got a payout from this that

[1:11:48] line item. So, we Um as far as the expenses back on the

[1:11:53] expenses, uh the medical examiner, that hasn't come up in a while, but that's

[1:11:57] it's not major money, but just to point out that this line item or this budget

[1:12:01] area is oh it's at 37% remaining, and this is a

[1:12:06] statutory requirement that the counties, through the county attorney's office, is

[1:12:11] responsible to pay the medical examiners for untimely deaths. So, it's really one

[1:12:15] of those un you know, you don't know what it's going

[1:12:18] to be, but we have to pay it. We get the bill.

[1:12:21] Um human services, that will come back in

[1:12:24] line. Uh there is a particular

[1:12:28] one-time credit that we get um in July, but that's with it being um

[1:12:35] a bit over budget as of June, one might think

[1:12:39] that could be a big dollar amount, but it's not that big. It comes back in

[1:12:42] line. And

[1:12:45] as far as the nursing home the nursing home, we are currently at a census of

[1:12:51] 115 with a budget of 120. As Chris mentioned, um they are working to open

[1:12:58] more beds with a hopeful clinical to get what?

[1:13:02] » Uh 124. >> 124.

[1:13:04] » Which is one person below where it was before COVID.

[1:13:08] » We're actively moving residents >> Yeah.

[1:13:11] » Um which will open beds on two and four. So we can start

[1:13:15] » And it >> And we just hired or we just internally

[1:13:18] promoted one of our um nursing supervisors to that unit um manager

[1:13:25] position that has been vacated for a long time because it wasn't needed. So I

[1:13:30] think that's going to be hopefully a good thing cuz there are a lot of people

[1:13:33] knocking on the door trying to get in and calling Chris asking me, you know,

[1:13:37] is there anything we can do to

[1:13:41] » Yeah. >> Last I knew.

[1:13:45] » About that. >> Yeah.

[1:13:47] » I mean it it it it it just we're we're we've worked

[1:13:51] all of us and I look at Kim on a lot of this, too. We've worked

[1:13:56] extremely hard to get staffing

[1:14:00] back to where it is. I don't I believe one of the things that people are

[1:14:05] finding is we're consistent about how we go about our business. We offer a

[1:14:10] competitive salary. We offer other things that people And so, you know, we

[1:14:16] were at one point down to 427 for staffing or they're about.

[1:14:21] We're now 499. >> We're at a point where we are in a scary

[1:14:26] situation cuz as you know, we are trying to get live on a new payroll system that

[1:14:31] we are so close, but there's just hiccups that keep happening that we're

[1:14:36] not willing to allow it to go live until they get these things fixed. But the

[1:14:41] problem is is the old system that is end of life.

[1:14:45] We've run out of licenses. So, we're having to get creative and we

[1:14:50] have not hit that I mean, we have to sometimes here and there but we have to

[1:14:56] manage it like because we just have a lot of agency people. But now we are at

[1:15:00] the point where we are we're having to get really creative

[1:15:05] potentially. Um so, it's it's a good problem to have.

[1:15:09] We have not been here in a long time with

[1:15:12] having the number of actual full-time staff employees in the as we are now.

[1:15:21] Yep. Yep. >> Which is So, so we go years

[1:15:26] years. And so all of a sudden and you would you

[1:15:29] think about adding through the visa or people RNs coming back to us locally and

[1:15:36] with with on the horizon a third visa nurse. The other two nurses are doing

[1:15:40] well. Um Yeah, we're just trying to tackle it in

[1:15:45] so many different ways and then slowly but surely is going to start showing

[1:15:50] that we can get to 124. Maybe we can get at some point down to 130. And when I

[1:15:56] first came through the door, we were at 133. That's the highest I remember being

[1:16:00] maybe 136. You guys might >> I remember 148.

[1:16:04] » Yeah. So, so you know, but we're we're slowly getting there and so I have to

[1:16:10] thank everybody that's involved especially Catherine and her staff

[1:16:13] because it's so important like you said, we are getting calls or emails all the

[1:16:19] time about, you know, my my father is is there anything it's like it's you know,

[1:16:25] you just got to go through the process and hope that that they can get you in

[1:16:28] sooner than later.

[1:16:33] » I Isn't it county-wide about 120 people turnover?

[1:16:38] If I don't know what area that was come from.

[1:16:40] » Um well, simply I mean, simply because Maplewood is 50% of our

[1:16:45] » Yeah. >> um, overall staff. The the turnover

[1:16:48] there's higher, but we're under the patients.

[1:16:50] » patients >> Oh, patients.

[1:16:51] » Oh, residents. Oh, okay.

[1:17:03] » I don't really want to just, you know, there if they're if they're only it's

[1:17:07] yeah, I don't want to >> I actually have that information, but

[1:17:13] » So, she'll look at look that up. Is there anything else while you're looking

[1:17:16] at up? Is there anything else you want to add in?

[1:17:18] » I really don't. I mean, I there the nursing home expenses are coming in far

[1:17:22] under what their revenues are falling short. So, they're um, they're in good

[1:17:27] shape. I mean, Catherine really watches her expenses

[1:17:32] um, as it pertains to her revenues and

[1:17:36] holds off on things if necessary or really kind of looks at the staff and so

[1:17:40] that um, if they're not able to achieve the the revenues because of the level of

[1:17:47] um, census that they can maintain, then she

[1:17:52] uh, holds off on filling positions. Um, but because well,

[1:17:58] not holds off. Ideally, she wants them coming through

[1:18:01] the door, but as she could has a health home door, that's how she's releasing

[1:18:06] the um, and her staff take on more beds. So,

[1:18:09] » that's that's a a good thing. We have been saying this.

[1:18:13] » Well, we got it in 2024, she opened 10 beds.

[1:18:16] » Yeah. >> And now we're opening

[1:18:18] another 15 to I think she kind of inched up to 15 and

[1:18:23] then now she's going to >> Yeah.

[1:18:26] » 24 >> So, we're getting there slowly.

[1:18:29] Um, and we're doing it the right way. We're

[1:18:31] not We're not pushing a side care. So, that's important. Uh, the only thing

[1:18:36] I'll throw out in the all this report is remind you that I don't understand

[1:18:43] what in the big beautiful bill or the triple B as I call it, uh,

[1:18:50] there was cuts to Medicaid at some levels.

[1:18:54] But it was after the midterm elections that they're that we're going to be

[1:18:58] looking at. And I don't know what that means yet or we're going to be watching

[1:19:02] to see what it means. I've asked actually Katie at the DuPont Group, Kate

[1:19:06] Organ, to see if there's, you know, people that can talk to us about what we

[1:19:12] should be looking for, what it could mean to us because

[1:19:15] uh, I'm still not I I I've looked at it and I I don't want to panic or I don't

[1:19:21] want to be chicken little um, if I don't know if it's real.

[1:19:27] So, you know, some people say this, some people say that. I don't go on those uh,

[1:19:31] on that level. I really want to research and get more facts into it then we can

[1:19:36] prepare ourselves as best we can what that could mean to us.

[1:19:39] » Is there is there some sort of summary executive summary kind

[1:19:43] » There is. There is and that's what we've asked we've asked for something more

[1:19:46] than that, you know, a little bit more in-depth. And maybe Nate Nate could

[1:19:50] somehow, you know, give us something from their perspective.

[1:19:55] So, we'll see. >> I do have a question. Has anybody from

[1:19:58] the executive committee or the delegation um, brought forward requests

[1:20:05] to uh, change or add anything to the budget? Would you tell us what it is?

[1:20:11] » It's on my thing, but I'll do it now. Um, so the only

[1:20:17] the the two there's two things that I'm aware of.

[1:20:21] Um, I have a meeting at 2:30 today about one of those things.

[1:20:26] But um, one of them is they're concerned for cost of food and cost of

[1:20:33] um of gas for what um

[1:20:39] It's right here. It's a community kitchen. So, they're looking at adding

[1:20:42] $20,000 to the community kitchen.

[1:20:46] Um the

[1:20:49] I've asked Barb Weisman to be there for both meetings so she can

[1:20:54] answer any questions if they're going to bring it up. Um but, you know, mobile

[1:20:59] pantry expansion, you know, that's been going on

[1:21:02] uh in Gilsum, Richmond, Fitzwilliam, and

[1:21:04] Winchester once a month for 4 months of a year. It's now turned into um a

[1:21:10] situation where Gilsum, Richmond, and Fitzwilliam they have strengthened their

[1:21:14] infrastructure to each community to establish

[1:21:17] uh King Community Kitchen pantry in each town to help the towns because they were

[1:21:22] aging out. They didn't have the facilities.

[1:21:25] Uh these satellite pantries can now offer food distribution monthly

[1:21:28] year-round. This expansion provides much greater food storage building consisting

[1:21:32] food areas for residents. Um the trucking and regional food

[1:21:36] distribution and

[1:21:38] at the end of the year last year they bought a truck. That truck now goes

[1:21:42] weekly multiple times to the pantry to receive free food from the New Hampshire

[1:21:46] Food Bank. Um they hired a full-time driver to do that and and which now

[1:21:51] makes daily trips to the food bank in Manchester. Year-to-date we delivered

[1:21:55] more than 90 tons of food to 12 agencies throughout the region including Jaffrey,

[1:21:59] Dublin, Troy, Chesterfield, Marlborough, Keene, Gilsum, Richmond, and

[1:22:03] Fitzwilliam. The mobile pantry bus, they purchased a

[1:22:06] mobile pantry bus which will be here on Monday. It's really cool

[1:22:11] um because now they have it so that it's new to them. It's not new new. It's

[1:22:17] new to them. It was a food truck of some sort that would go to festivals that was

[1:22:21] online and they thought this was much better for people and they could put the

[1:22:25] food, bring it down, you'll see everything because they're going to

[1:22:28] be giving us the dinner on Monday. Um, roast beef sandwiches, you know,

[1:22:33] turkey, um,

[1:22:35] potato salad, all that stuff. So, um,

[1:22:38] it allows the this pantry bus allows them to be more nimble and existing food

[1:22:44] and two existing food access infrastructure.

[1:22:48] Um,

[1:22:51] let's see. And then she's broken down, you know,

[1:22:55] how much pounds per town they've given out to

[1:22:59] and the cost and all that. So, I'll let her talk about that, but that's the one

[1:23:03] and we I reached out to Anne Fetty, uh, who's the deputy attorney general,

[1:23:10] to see if uh, I was right in my thinking and uh, feeling at this point we have

[1:23:16] that he came came back and said if it's within the RSA, blah, blah, blah. We

[1:23:19] reviewed the RSA. We did AI to see if the if we were right in our thinking

[1:23:25] and it came back that we could actually use opioid funding if we chose to and

[1:23:29] not and and because who are they serving?

[1:23:32] » Which funding? Opioid >> Opioid

[1:23:34] » Opioid funding if we chose to because who are they who is some of the biggest

[1:23:38] audience that they're doing we choose to.

[1:23:40] Um, if but that's up to the delegation if

[1:23:44] they choose to. Uh, that's one I'm hearing and then the

[1:23:47] other one is um,

[1:23:51] restorative justice and they there's

[1:23:55] If you look at the minutes, the minutes say in it that then August they would

[1:23:59] take a look at where things stand. In the meantime, if you remember, they

[1:24:03] asked me to work with Patrick to take a look at what grants are out there. We

[1:24:06] did that. We looked at grants and there weren't

[1:24:10] really any grants that administratively would pay for that what needed to be

[1:24:14] paid for. It was that he would could take on more responsibility and within a

[1:24:18] a new grant to create something new and that would help pay a period of

[1:24:23] time, that doesn't make sense to me. And so we went we will move forward with

[1:24:29] knowing that um if he couldn't somehow or find some

[1:24:32] money that it was going to stop in December 31st because that's what the

[1:24:37] delegation had said. If you remember too,

[1:24:40] um in May uh he came to me and said that his

[1:24:44] family, he and his wife who she's a doctor, has been in the doctor in the

[1:24:48] region for years, um they're formerly from Canada. Had

[1:24:52] they chosen and they have children back up in Canada. They chosen to move back

[1:24:56] to Canada, which they had planned to do anyways.

[1:24:59] Um so at that point and his last day was June 26th. If you remember we had a

[1:25:04] a thing here for him. And

[1:25:07] so I went came to you all and said it

[1:25:11] doesn't make a lot of sense because he's remember he

[1:25:16] last day technically full-time was the 26th. He had four cases that he's still

[1:25:22] finishing up that he's working minimal hours but he's working on

[1:25:26] closing up those cases. For me to think that I could put a thing

[1:25:31] out saying I want to hire somebody by September so that they can work

[1:25:36] September, October, November, December and you agreed with me at that time that

[1:25:41] it did make a lot of sense even though I did have an application

[1:25:45] um from somebody who works full-time didn't doesn't understand the the the

[1:25:51] setting of what we were working with at the time.

[1:25:54] And um but she works full-time over in

[1:25:58] Brattleboro Retreat. So she would come leave that position to

[1:26:02] come over here for 4 months cuz that's what we have.

[1:26:05] So that's the discussion is that they're they're wanting it to go through the

[1:26:10] They want to reconsider it so that they can put it back in so we can go through

[1:26:14] the budget process and if it passes the budget process then for another year,

[1:26:19] but if it doesn't it doesn't and and it would stop in March of next year. Or

[1:26:25] April 1 of of next year. >> There'll be a motion that if if the

[1:26:30] executive committee agrees because of course it's got to be

[1:26:35] a majority of them.

[1:26:37] It would be a motion to recommend that delegation reinstate the budget funding

[1:26:41] in the 2027 budget for the restorative justice program.

[1:26:45] So that it will allow for the program to continue past December 31st and be

[1:26:50] revisited for approval March 2027. Because right now the way that they the

[1:26:55] the motion came out of the March of 2026 there's no permission to even create a

[1:27:03] budget for restorative justice out of the department or the county or

[1:27:08] the budget. It's it's um

[1:27:12] it's it's no funding after after December. So this would

[1:27:17] allow for it at least get considered again

[1:27:21] in the 2027. >> And I'm expected I'm going to make it

[1:27:24] very clear that it was my decision come to you and you agreed with my

[1:27:29] decision and I'm expected to get spanked by some on the delegation side on Monday

[1:27:35] because it you know they're thinking that we're stopping a program which do

[1:27:39] we technically have the authority to stop. My thing is is reality is is

[1:27:44] I just felt like why go through the process of hiring

[1:27:48] somebody when you made the decision in the first place? So if I'm wrong then

[1:27:53] I'll get on it right away and I'll go through the process, but

[1:27:57] » I don't So I don't I don't know I think once the money's been appropriated

[1:28:01] commissioners then have the decision to spend it. So

[1:28:05] » I mean but do they have it? Do they have The argument's going to be do they

[1:28:09] technically have the power to end a program.

[1:28:12] » The The Patrick ended the program. It's I mean

[1:28:16] so >> Well,

[1:28:18] I just We You're talking to somebody that made it.

[1:28:21] » We just have a vacancy. >> Yeah.

[1:28:23] » So, >> Now, we're choosing to

[1:28:25] fill. Now, we're not choosing to fill. >> Yeah. [clears throat] We got a vacancy.

[1:28:29] » Yeah. Yeah.

[1:28:30] » Until, you know, we get direction on whether or not

[1:28:35] we're going to be able to hire a full-time employee. Cuz it's not

[1:28:39] reasonable to think that we're going to be able to hire a full-time employee for

[1:28:43] months. It's just not reasonable.

[1:28:45] » Yeah. So, So, that's going to be my I think that's great wording is vacancy.

[1:28:49] Because But But the bottom line is is that

[1:28:53] it it is what it is. Uh Paul's going to come in and meet with me today.

[1:28:57] And so, >> So, let me back up a minute.

[1:29:01] » Yeah. >> How many cases

[1:29:04] went through restorative justice last year?

[1:29:08] Did you say seven? >> This year? This year?

[1:29:12] » 2026. How many seven? So, for nearly $100,000,

[1:29:18] we did seven cases?

[1:29:21] » Well, >> That's a yes or no question. Then you

[1:29:24] can follow up. >> Now, I feel like I'm ON CAPITOL HILL.

[1:29:28] » [laughter]

[1:29:32] » YES. YES, YOU'RE YOU ARE correct in that when it comes to restorative justice,

[1:29:36] legally, you are correct 100%. Now, I would argue that it's the program's

[1:29:42] been bigger than that. Patrick's been doing a lot more work in a lot of other

[1:29:45] areas besides that. But there are a lot of people that are stuck on this. 100%

[1:29:49] you're correct. We would probably would have been closer to

[1:29:53] If we stopped referrals, I know Chris has has come to me since he took on the

[1:29:57] prosecuting role for the city of Keene with five cases that he probably could

[1:30:02] have sent down to us. So, that Let's just say 12. So, again, is 12 to 16, you

[1:30:09] know, a year worth $100,000? That is going to be the question, too.

[1:30:14] » Well, the other question is is they want $20,000

[1:30:19] for the food pantry, which serves how many people?

[1:30:24] versus seven for $100,000. That when I look at taxpayer money and

[1:30:30] the benefit, right? Um do you serve more people

[1:30:34] through the food pantry or seven people for $100,000?

[1:30:38] » people. I think Excuse me, but you're wrong. It's not

[1:30:42] seven people. It's It's How many How many students in Keene High School are

[1:30:46] going to detention? How many students, you know, how many

[1:30:49] how many people in the neighborhood are fighting

[1:30:53] » How? That's a different pot of money. >> No, it's not the same It's the same

[1:30:56] » same pot of money that Patrick works on. That's

[1:31:00] » Yeah. >> So,

[1:31:01] » That That position was expanded to $100,000.

[1:31:03] » Let's think about I'm looking at this from You look at the money for the food

[1:31:07] pantry versus restorative justice and the impact.

[1:31:12] That's what I'm looking at. That that massive amount of money

[1:31:16] and you're saying that the food pantry needs all this money because they

[1:31:21] increase families' hunger issue. And it can be solved with $20,000,

[1:31:27] but we're going to use $100,000 for this other thing.

[1:31:31] Taxpayer money doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

[1:31:35] » But the argument's going to be not with us.

[1:31:37] » I understand that. >> You're doing just I just think because

[1:31:41] » I understand that, but >> I said you.

[1:31:44] » [laughter]

[1:31:46] » All right. >> THAT'S WHY I'M SAYING IT.

[1:31:48] EXACTLY, BECAUSE this is, you know, if the commissioners

[1:31:53] and you make a decision about a particular project

[1:31:57] using taxpayers' dollars and we're supposed to be good stewards of the

[1:32:01] money that I have to look at the value added for $20,000

[1:32:06] helping X number of families and X number of communities versus

[1:32:12] this other $100,000. >> I think it's simpler than that. I look

[1:32:16] at it as the body as a whole that makes the decision around financial for the

[1:32:21] county made a decision that as of December 31st this program no longer

[1:32:26] would exist. Based on that knowledge and based on not

[1:32:31] having any other knowledge but that in May and June I made a decision and came

[1:32:35] to you to say I don't believe that once he is officially finished with

[1:32:42] everything he needs to do that I would would make sense for me to

[1:32:46] expend energy on and having people come in and telling them yeah this job is

[1:32:51] only for 4 months. It it just doesn't make a lot of sense

[1:32:55] to me so that's why I didn't vote. >> I also think that I know you we've got I

[1:33:00] also feel like the the the heart of the motion when it was

[1:33:05] made was because they knew that they were dealing with an individual and

[1:33:09] rather than on March 17th or whenever we passed that budget

[1:33:14] saying we're ending this program April 1st we're cutting the funding out and

[1:33:19] therefore you're going to have you know this really and that that it was

[1:33:24] to be able to provide time for a person doing the program to know well in

[1:33:30] advance that the program was over as of January 31st and that it was to get the

[1:33:35] cases closed out and figure out what is going to happen next. I think because

[1:33:39] they didn't want to be there again next year cutting it out so that's what I

[1:33:44] think the heart of the >> initially there was there was there was

[1:33:47] a push to cut the program. And I know exactly who was pushing that.

[1:33:53] I think that then there was another person John who came in and said, "No,

[1:33:58] no, no. Let's just make sure this person's aware that as of December the

[1:34:03] my motion would be that December 31st that that this that this program would

[1:34:07] no longer exist." That's what I remember in the

[1:34:10] conversation. And that's what I based every all my information and and and my

[1:34:16] decision-making on that. It was that, and that's when I came to you all when

[1:34:20] Patrick I made you aware

[1:34:25] » I I agree with Carrie.

[1:34:28] We did what we did. It made sense any anybody running a business would do the

[1:34:33] same thing. Why why advertise for the for the job?

[1:34:38] » [snorts] >> But it isn't just

[1:34:39] » to go from there. >> But it isn't just about advertising for

[1:34:43] the job. It's

[1:34:46] getting rid of the program. >> Yeah, that's what I'm

[1:34:48] » That's the piece that I'm focusing on. >> I I felt like I was finishing the

[1:34:52] program when I when you guys gave me the already not to move forward and bringing

[1:34:56] somebody else on that the program as a whole was stopped

[1:35:01] officially when when Patrick finished up his last cases.

[1:35:06] » As set by the delegation, basically. >> Correct.

[1:35:10] » Right. >> They agreed to stop

[1:35:11] » So any pushback

[1:35:13] any pushback is what it is. But we made in my mind

[1:35:19] it it was you had the final decision, yes, but it was my my thought that it

[1:35:25] just administratively made didn't make a lot of sense to me that we move forward

[1:35:29] in filling that position for a period of time that the delegation set.

[1:35:33] » Right, because the program was going to be out of business as of December 31st,

[1:35:38] period. Not on hold. >> Did you get any pressure to fill the

[1:35:43] position? >> I think there may be comments on Monday

[1:35:49] that say that that they that we that we and I'm going to make it very clear.

[1:35:53] It's not we, it's me. I made the initial push. You had the

[1:35:58] ultimate decision, but it was my bringing to you that I didn't see

[1:36:03] that it made any sense because they made the decision.

[1:36:06] » [clears throat] >> And I think the body as a whole will see

[1:36:08] that and I just think I just wanted to just tell you.

[1:36:11] I just want to say I think you're about ready for Capital

[1:36:15] Hill based on you ran there for the yes or no answer.

[1:36:24] » That was a five-minute yes or no.

[1:36:28] » That's why first make it >> But I got it in.

[1:36:32] THE ONLY THING

[1:36:35] » WHAT YOU DIDN'T recommend is you I believe neglected to thank her for the

[1:36:39] question. >> [laughter]

[1:36:42] » Happy advice of counsel.

[1:36:46] » But I I do think that that

[1:36:49] » Well, with the community kitchen and the added money is appropriate with all the

[1:36:53] work that they're doing. I think Barb and her team over there are sensational.

[1:36:58] It's It's they're Yeah, they're making every penny count

[1:37:03] over there and they're doing what they can to bring it to the communities and

[1:37:06] that's what we wanted from them. I believe in the next three years you're

[1:37:09] going to see them have a distribution center over here that

[1:37:14] you know, and I think that they'll be an example. They'll be a test pilot for the

[1:37:18] rest of the state and that it will be a good thing because what they're doing

[1:37:21] right now is they're getting pantries more food than they've ever had before

[1:37:25] to get out to families and I think that's a good thing.

[1:37:28] » What about gas for? Sheriff, EMS,

[1:37:33] and EOC. >> Yeah, did we work on a contract for

[1:37:37] that? >> Do we have enough money?

[1:37:40] » So >> to to go through

[1:37:42] » You're just killing me. You're killing me.

[1:37:44] » Are we working >> Thank you for the question.

[1:37:46] » [laughter] >> So,

[1:37:48] um you know, since you know, we we've

[1:37:51] looked at it and if you look since February, and I want

[1:37:55] to thank uh Cheryl and her team. I want to thank Davis and everybody that had uh

[1:38:00] helped make this start pulling this together cuz it's not an easy task, and

[1:38:03] I think Linda was was one of the individuals who really

[1:38:06] worked down in the finance office to make this happen.

[1:38:09] We've seen since February um

[1:38:13] that unleaded fuel has been up by a uh plus 47%.

[1:38:21] And diesel's up by 28%. So, the blended average between the two

[1:38:27] is about a 36% average increase. You need to remember uh that we do have a

[1:38:33] WEX fuel card. It's a 15 cent savings on every gallon

[1:38:39] that we got. Um

[1:38:43] Um see. So, if you look at it uh in February, we

[1:38:49] were at we were at uh gasoline $2.88. And uh diesel we're $4.09.

[1:38:58] In March, we were at $3.58. And uh diesel was $4.95. In April, we're

[1:39:06] at $4.07. Um and uh for uh $4.07 for gasoline and

[1:39:13] $5.96 for

[1:39:15] for diesel. We were um in May

[1:39:19] uh $4.47

[1:39:23] uh for gasoline and $5.90

[1:39:28] for diesel. And then in June, we're at $5.26

[1:39:34] and $4.23. So, you can do which is which by then.

[1:39:39] Um The Sheriff's Department

[1:39:43] and you know, we're seeing that the uptick there and their road road shifts

[1:39:48] that they're doing uh covering the county around the clock. Uh ambulances,

[1:39:53] it's obvious that we are I think last month alone we averaged all ambulances

[1:39:59] combined 26,000 mi. Uh

[1:40:03] and if you look at the gasoline within that, you know, we're we're up there. Um

[1:40:09] Maple Manor nursing home transportation and DOC, uh although although we do get

[1:40:16] uh reimbursement from our transports we're still utilizing, you know, it's

[1:40:21] out pacing it's going to outpace the pricing of price of gas is going to

[1:40:24] outpace our cost. >> Do we have

[1:40:29] » So that's not that didn't answer my question.

[1:40:31] Do we have enough money in our budget to last the end of the year to absorb those

[1:40:36] increases? >> Well

[1:40:38] » Overall >> they asked the delegation.

[1:40:42] » We will find other areas of the budget to cover it.

[1:40:45] » You just you just heard her say 1.3 million

[1:40:48] uh is where we're where we are currently and for the end of the year.

[1:40:53] And this is going to eat into those monies that we then apply for next year.

[1:41:00] » And what about the increases food costs? >> Same thing. It's going to eat into

[1:41:05] » We have We're not going to have to ask >> No, we're not going to ask for We're

[1:41:09] we're going to We have access money that we can utilize, but it's going to leave

[1:41:13] us less when we look at next year's budget.

[1:41:16] » Do we know how many gallons per used all total for gas and diesel separately?

[1:41:24] » I can get that in >> Because the thing is

[1:41:28] » I know. >> Yeah, well that's going to be going

[1:41:29] forward. >> But here's the thing. If if we're not

[1:41:32] negotiating with the company based on the number of gallons and I come back to

[1:41:38] Irving, which is everywhere, because you're saying that with the WEX card, we

[1:41:42] get a 15% and with Irving, they already give a 10

[1:41:48] cent discount to just the average citizen. So, why aren't we trying to

[1:41:52] negotiate for diesel and gas for all of our pieces based on the volume?

[1:42:00] » It's also the excise tax. >> No, I understand that, but I'm just

[1:42:03] saying if if if Irving is already giving the average person 10 cents, we're only

[1:42:10] getting an extra five from this company, right? Why aren't we trying to go for

[1:42:14] more based on the volume that we use? And Irving is everywhere throughout the

[1:42:19] county. >> Yeah, well, actually they're Yeah, even

[1:42:22] throughout New York. >> Right, but you know what I'm saying. So,

[1:42:24] they they would have easy access. >> I think it's I think what we're finding

[1:42:30] is this is a new thing and we've had these

[1:42:34] conversations and we are going to start exploring like we just came back to and

[1:42:39] said that we locked in our propane cost. >> Right.

[1:42:42] » That we're going to be doing the same thing, looking at if there's an

[1:42:46] opportunity for us to get a better pricing than what we're initially

[1:42:50] paying, but it was you know, it's it's it's

[1:42:54] to be honest with you, we're we're just really starting to wrap our heads around

[1:42:57] this whole thing. Yeah. All righty.

[1:43:01] » I I guess I don't understand why we don't ask the delegation

[1:43:05] of the authority to take money for the gas. I understand

[1:43:10] what you said that you can find

[1:43:13] the budget as such, but

[1:43:17] it's got to be I think it's important enough that we'd

[1:43:21] ask the delegation to cover the increase in the

[1:43:26] » So, so if you look throughout the budget,

[1:43:29] » Mhm. >> you're going to see lines already

[1:43:31] overdrawn, not just the gas. >> Mhm.

08/12/26 Cheshire County Commissioner's Meeting

Transcript