The council had to approve this item to set his salary.
Getting Laconia sale in the barn
All four defeated Republican executive councilors now have their to-do lists that they want to get done before they leave office at year’s end.
For Councilor Joe Kenney, R-Wakefield, one of the top ones is completing the sale of the former Laconia State School Property.
Administrative Services Commissioner Charles Arlinghaus said all the final negotiations are going smoothly with a tentative closing just before the Christmas holiday.
“Their lawyers and our lawyers are working through the documents,” Arlinghaus said.
BFA Board – the Who’s Who of the Connected
Over the years, the 16-person, Business Finance Authority (BFA) has been a place where the most loyal (read $$$) allies of any governor are often rewarded with this plum seat
A case in point: Last week, Ayotte renominated for new terms six members, including top fundraisers Steve Duprey of Concord and Dick Anagnost of Bedford, along with former federal office candidate Vikram Mansharamani of Lincoln.
She had one vacancy to fill for a seat through November 2029.
Ayotte chose Matthew Menning of Bow, who since 2016 has been principal and head of operations for Elm Grove Companies.
Elm Grove gave Ayotte’s 2026 campaign $25,000, a bump up from the $20,000 it gave when she first ran in 2024.
F&G Game head: No hatcheries closing
Fish and Game Executive Director Stephanie Simek said she’d heard the rumors too that with the $50 million overhaul of the New Hampton Hatchery in the works, some of the aging, existing infrastructure is slated to be shut down.
“There are no hatcheries slated for closure, we are focusing on New Hampton and making it fully operational. We have been cross training our staff at all facilities because we want them up on the new technology,” Simek said.
“There is no projection for closure at this point. We will likely be running our hatcheries simultaneously while we get this new one up and running.”
No new groomer for Loon Mountain
Three Republican executive councilors – David Wheeler, R-Milford, Stephen and Kenney – hung together and turned down spending $117,000 to give 25% financing for a new snow groomer for Loon Mountain.
The money would have come from the Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Fund.
Wheeler has often opposed government-related money going to for-profit businesses in the state.
