From InDepthNH Last of ARPA Funds Committed by Fiscal Committee, Mostly for Mental Health Care | InDepthNH.org
“CONCORD – With the clock running out on the state spending federal American Rescue Act funds, Gov. Chris Sununu went to the legislative fiscal committee Friday to ask for the last of the commitments to the almost $1 billion in post COVID-19 recovery funds received in New Hampshire.
Sununu said about $15 million in ARPA funds which were committed but returned to the state when a major project for a 144-bed mental health care facility in Londonderry with SolutionHealth fell through due to the town rejecting it, necessitated $13.78 million to be reallocated, mostly to mental health needs.
The committee unanimously approved the governor’s requests.
By law, the state must commit ARPA funds by the end of this calendar year or return it to Washington and has until the end of next year to complete the projects’ funding. Whatever is left will go into a “waterfall” account, said Taylor Caswell, commissioner of the department of Business and Economic Affairs, so no money will be returned.
Sununu noted that the decision in Londonderry to vote against the facility was “foolish.”
Read the full article HERE
The first rumors of the 144 bed facility in Londonderry surfaced on Facebook back in November 2023. When asked about the post Art Rugg the Chair of the Planning Board responded that it was misinformation and a conspiracy to drive an agenda. Public Hearing on ‘Misinformation and Conspiracies’, 5/1/2024
“I would say that you are dealing with mostly misinformation. Some individuals do thrive on conspiracy and misinformation to satisfy their own agenda. There has been no site plan submitted.
One Month later the planning board held a public hearing to define what a ‘hospital’ was Planning Board Public Hearing Flood Plains and Hospitals, 12/6/2023. As it turned out there was a lot of truth to the Facebook post, in fact the number of beds the proposed facility would have were the same 144.
In December the Planning Board held another public hearing for a zoning amendment to add ‘Hospitals’ as a permitted use in the Gateway Business District. Planning Board Public Hearing Flood Plains and Hospitals, 12/6/2023. In the same meeting the board also heard a presentation for a ‘144 bed facility’. It appears some conspiracies’ are are based in reality.
On 9/23/2024 the Town Council by a 3/2 vote denied Memorandum of Understanding for a Behavioral Health Hospital by a 3/2 vote. Councilors Faber, Dunn and Franz voted against the agenda item. Councilor Combes and Farrell supported the MOU. Behavioral Health Hospital MOU Denied by Town Council
Governor Sununu responded that Londonderry was ‘Foolish’ for it’s decision.
Fast forward to October and the possible side effects of the denial of the facility has once again returned. Former Councilor Jim Butler stated that Fire Chief Bo Butler resignation may in part be due to politics concerning the proposed facility.
“Our Fire Chief spoke the truth about the Hospital that wanted to go up at the airport and you know something he didn’t like it, and there is the politics!”
Butler was directing his comments toward Town Manager Michael Malaguti.
Is Londonderry ‘Foolish’ or are we just not being told the truth behind the politics?
Related Posts:
Video: Former Town Councilor Jim Butler Addresses the Town Council Two Weeks After Fire Chief’s Resignation
Video: Londonderry Fire Chief Bo Butler Resigns
Behavioral Health Hospital MOU Denied by Town Council
Planning Board Public Hearing Flood Plains and Hospitals, 12/6/2023
Public Hearing and Project Presentation adding “Hospital” as a Permitted Use
Planning Board to Define a ‘Hospital’ and where they can be located
Public Hearing on ‘Misinformation and Conspiracies’, 5/1/2024