[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6636979,"mediaKeyId","2599730-7940e3d92e54fbba60800cf810f426e4","parentId",2599730,"title","Commissioners approve minutes and weekly manifest; nonpublic session held","audioSeconds",5,"startMs",9300000,"endMs",9305000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2599730-7940e3d92e54fbba60800cf810f426e4&start=9300&end=9305","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2599730-7940e3d92e54fbba60800cf810f426e4/thumbnail_9300000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6636979/Cheshire-County/New-Hampshire/Commissioners-approve-minutes-and-weekly-manifest-nonpublic-session-held","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6636979-3359bd6f3d62b05a33bd1d28cb62a121/orig.mp4?Expires=1771189263&Signature=C~7fssM6HxmvRu7MSQ0tD8hqCaxMNAdOe3Qy2cICCgdzQZVeGI5RxC-VqnXTIn-0X8bDR-189UmthUxGMcKBBvvRbNRpHfRPh9hllje~j~CWzaWLae0-FnViPRuQRf39nnXmXne6RS~r8dYjRDIP2LXJqHfQ9saONXW9xFjMU7TzY5T4qKPi8HQaFsnW19C9Poy~WRTzhSGCB~ZPuLTNfJsxyxTBVho72Sd4u9GvCXNdmubYQBt2NzyoV89z~S58QAVN7vRHn1pKvMHlEFiOwCnNM~HGOJ~d-LDG3fQmtnVQl3CpnYyTGzaIMV9usj5j4r6c9jjn~ISQsyuEcWONhw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Cheshire County","date","2025-03-13T15:07:00.11Z","article","The Cheshire County Board of Commissioners voted Feb. 12 to accept the weekly manifest and the minutes of the Feb. 5 meeting, and to adjourn after a brief nonpublic session.

A commissioner moved to accept the weekly manifest and minutes; the motion passed on a recorded roll call vote: Commissioner Clark — yes; Commissioner Stewart — yes; Commissioner DeBernardo — yes.

Under RSA 91‑A:3 II(d) (discussion of acquisition, sale or lease of real property), the board entered a nonpublic session to discuss land matters. The board later returned to public session; commissioners said no votes or final decisions were taken during the nonpublic session.

Ending: The meeting adjourned following the return from nonpublic session; commissioners scheduled regular follow‑ups and other agenda items for future meetings.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","02/12/25 Cheshire County Commissioner's Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","At the Feb. 12 meeting the Cheshire County Board of Commissioners approved the minutes and weekly manifest and subsequently held a nonpublic session to discuss real‑estate matters; no public decisions were recorded in the nonpublic session.","taxTitle","Cheshire County, New Hampshire","taxId",66144,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6636984,"Cheshire County grants manager reports record awards, staffing impacts and program complexity",2870,3535000,6405000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2599730-7940e3d92e54fbba60800cf810f426e4&start=3535&end=6405","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2599730-7940e3d92e54fbba60800cf810f426e4/thumbnail_3535000.jpg","/articles/6636984/Cheshire-County/New-Hampshire/Cheshire-County-grants-manager-reports-record-awards-staffing-impacts-and-program-complexity","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6636984-2208c91bef29ef62a34506f3b1379e97/orig.mp4?Expires=1771189262&Signature=NAGMQH~fH8nfMqwmprt80Mpo02gfG1nA6vIHLm0O3km~pVVyxiIjg5PAsN9lsd54O4AC7Za0KuuRyuGCIx~VInW279iG5fe5EdeYf8h4W6k3x5av~SVVlDnolGJR~gkzpqhxq45x89c5ZpJviuo7rwJRcQw0-2czKTOvlCgQWw3dL1WuNctAh-qRWck99DQX8rZkoqoqIqnCkWEh2Iix1pHD8-67j6M6bqmlA-I5tocb5hudH5tAKz9n2Iv2QCT3EPTqrHyakq71d7dJHFznPtgqyyBL8C5mcukrLgGnMsc8Cn9MOS85CsVAE6OWHJ9F-oy8wDnOzinW3g4CoSwCeg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Cheshire County Grants Manager Suzanne Sierra presented a six‑month report to commissioners on Feb. 12 describing grant activity, program complexity and training plans.

Sierra said the county managed 44 grants in 2024 totaling about $21 million in award value, with roughly $5 million recorded as revenue that year. She said grants come with multiple layers of rules (federal, state, agency, program and grant‑specific) and that managing draws, customized financial reporting, budget revisions and documentation is time‑consuming. She stressed the county maintains a separate spreadsheet for each grant to reconcile budget to actual and to track deliverables.

Sierra highlighted program and staffing impacts: in 2024 she tracked an estimated 15 jobs that existed because of grant funding, including multiple positions funded fully or partially through grant awards she manages. She reported 13 new awards in 2024 and several pending applications for 2025; she said the grants-writing pipeline is active but grant timelines can be slow and unpredictable.

Sierra described a prolonged USDA application for Red Barn equipment (originally a building renovation request) that has required repeated documentation and long agency turnaround; she said the bureaucratic burden had been “unbelievable” and cautioned about lengthy federal processes.

On training and outreach, Sierra said she has led grant-writing courses and provides free grant-search and technical assistance to towns and nonprofits. She plans a May–June grant-writing class and a June refresher on grant administration for county departments, pending commissioner approval of scheduling and capacity.

Sierra also noted fiscal sponsorship work (notably community development block grants administered through the Southwest Region Planning Commission), recapped recurring JAG funding and other regular sources, and said she is pursuing congressionally directed spending award follow‑up for sheriff’s office records management and mobile data terminals.

Ending: Sierra asked commissioners to support continued grant training and to consider capacity needs for sustained grant management; she said grant work is steady and advised caution about relying on uncertain federal funding cycles.","County Grants Manager Suzanne Sierra told commissioners the grants office managed 44 grants in 2024 (14 federal) with $21 million in award value and described administrative burdens, staffing needs and plans for training and outreach in 2025.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6636989,"Regional Rail‑Trail advocates outline 114‑mile network plan and funding needs",3850,1915000,5765000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2599730-7940e3d92e54fbba60800cf810f426e4&start=1915&end=5765","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2599730-7940e3d92e54fbba60800cf810f426e4/thumbnail_1915000.jpg","/articles/6636989/Cheshire-County/New-Hampshire/Regional-RailTrail-advocates-outline-114mile-network-plan-and-funding-needs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6636989-b191cf445b1d577329da053d09386522/orig.mp4?Expires=1771189262&Signature=mY4PBeHDZqqhDZdDxLQxcS1GmPXckQC~KfrfmjMCT8XnJ5Gzy84kum-fEKFTnpfPY~J4JPJlBL0AF-jFU5VX-YG1TYnD~0Zz6gZDNWRoOo1q8fpoegVop0bIMC-jLM80P~2zI6OaVOr8Q4QQiuPmLdB5Okw44Jz3w6rgIqJteWynI-Lhk8KbFiS5yqbaigra4-gwS42klDo75BvCVOlAMjZAvswsbzsl7FxJZndknsuEg7H7CZJNMAyTZjmu~mMz2SZeIyysUd1af-VAwIeclpxeNXWC0FTMIBOV4Miyf9PINQsKPiiG7SS3mwu9Mxae1y8N1J90pXxgpfZHNAgs8Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Mike Tualze, founder and president of the Monadnock Region Rail Trail Collaborative, briefed Cheshire County commissioners on Feb. 12 about the group's work to connect and upgrade a network of rail‑trail corridors across the region.

Tualze said the collaborative's territory includes several corridors—the Cheshire Rail Trail, Ashuelot Trail, Fort Hill Trail, Monadnock Trail and the Peterborough–Hillsborough corridor—and that state ownership (New Hampshire DOT) covers most of those rights-of-way. He described progress on trail reconstruction, drainage and tree clearing funded by Recreation Trails Program (RTP) and other grants, and noted work in Westmoreland, Marlborough, Troy and Swansea where tree clearing, ditch repair and surface work are underway or planned.

Tualze highlighted several large challenges: five major washouts that require engineering and an estimated $1.7 million to repair; two missing bridge connections on the Cheshire Rail Trail (Route 101 and Swansea Factory Road) needed to create continuous segments; and right‑of‑way gaps where private ownership prevents continuous trail routing.

He described funding sources used or pursued: federal RTP grants, state grant‑in‑aid (GIA) for snowmobile clubs (used for tree clearing in certain windows), private grants such as American Trails, and larger opportunities including Northern Border Regional Commission grants. He said a pending state bill (Senate Bill 274) would, if passed, transfer selected rail corridors from DOT to the Bureau of Trails and create an emergency repair fund and additional bureau staff to support trails; Tualze testified on the bill and said committee reaction was positive though funding would be uncertain.

To expand public engagement and support, the collaborative has developed a “Monadnock Rail Trail Challenge,” a passport-style mobile check‑in program run by a third-party vendor where riders register, check in at participating businesses and earn rewards. Tualze said organizers expect to launch April 1 with a $30 registration fee that covers rewards and to recruit local businesses as $250 sponsors.

Tualze said plans include improved signage, hydration and repair stations, counters, and marketing to attract multi‑day tourists from Boston and beyond. He urged municipal partners to help secure matching funds and local capacity for maintenance and noted volunteer and snowmobile-club engagement as central to maintaining corridors.

Ending: The collaborative is seeking grant matches, private sponsorships and municipal partnerships to complete gap projects and repair washouts; and it expects some grant-funded projects to finish later this year if federal and state funds are available.","The Monadnock Region Rail Trail Collaborative presented a multi‑year plan to upgrade 114 miles of rail corridor for multi‑use trails, described ongoing grant-funded work and launched a public 'rail‑trail challenge' to boost tourism and local business sponsorship.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6636994,"Monadnock Economic Development Corporation outlines housing, brownfields and childcare efforts",1554,318000,1872000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2599730-7940e3d92e54fbba60800cf810f426e4&start=318&end=1872","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2599730-7940e3d92e54fbba60800cf810f426e4/thumbnail_318000.jpg","/articles/6636994/Cheshire-County/New-Hampshire/Monadnock-Economic-Development-Corporation-outlines-housing-brownfields-and-childcare-efforts","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6636994-f3f4a2e7ccdbe2b3dafae79354d5a801/orig.mp4?Expires=1771189262&Signature=Tjgf6-JineN-4vOwzvrR47umsTa5MDRoHgxtNHXoOvwAlhdd2L~6Om-18NRYqIBQnGsX66BjChlf-GCQBONlkMSGN40Fuaykfz~wgXdWL6IB~L15ZeHkS60jsQOOdqcp~Wtc5Kb-u3ttmRZISQk4-KWhbG5m4I~G4dICy6VnstCCUlZFgyq~WipOxiszNcHKp1JaaAVV8GLfAxoxBCC-Ulre51A0424UO9NaI414ygpMhBtQRrxwIMGL8OBkDA3-LWVaKer1pFVaBEXwOzOeHcN4pUsIp-NUGRSZBpvb6pn7BI48TcS8dIGVSeZ~TvQkEc1SgAhKIZgaE4~hCB763w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Cody Morrison, executive director of the Monadnock Economic Development Corporation, told Cheshire County commissioners on Feb. 12 that MEDC is focusing new resources on housing, childcare and environmental remediation to support local business growth.

Morrison said MEDC recently secured an EPA-funded brownfields grant to support cleanup of contaminated industrial sites; a formal community announcement is expected in March once federal paperwork is complete. “Our board recently voted to approve a grant request for a community within the county,” Morrison said, adding that the program targets abandoned factories, gas stations and other parcels with soil contamination so sites can be redeveloped.

Morrison described a new regional housing development fund MEDC has created to provide gap financing to developers. He said the fund aims to cover the last roughly 10% of financing that often prevents projects from closing. Morrison cited recent projects MEDC helped finance, including a 57-unit apartment building in Keene and another residential addition in Jaffrey, and said the City of Keene provided seed capital in its 2025 budget.

On childcare, Morrison described a program that assists home-based and small center providers with licensing, facility upgrades and zoning navigation. He said MEDC recently partnered with New Hampshire Childcare Aware for licensure and professional-development support, added a zoning consultant to help providers navigate local rules, and expects to announce early spring expansion projects.

Morrison also described MEDC’s legacy real-estate development work—leasing, renovating and, in some cases, reselling industrial properties to retain employers—and said the organization is undergoing strategic planning and board expansion. He said MEDC is hiring an additional full-time employee this year to support program growth.

Commissioners asked about the Troy Mills and King Prairie properties. Morrison said MEDC was not involved with the Troy Mills acquisition and that a pending lawsuit involving a water commission is affecting planning at King Prairie; hookups and water service remain a limiting issue for proposed residential units. He said some projects require approvals from local water authorities and that conversations about impacts on local tax bases and services were ongoing.

Morrison asked commissioners and other local officials to refer businesses or town projects to MEDC. He said the organization will continue working with municipalities, the Southwest Region Planning Commission and private partners to advance redevelopment, housing and childcare capacity in the county.

Ending: MEDC said it will issue a formal brownfields site announcement in March and anticipates additional housing and childcare project announcements in the spring. Commissioners and staff indicated continued interest in working with MEDC on projects that require coordinated planning, funding and local approvals.","Cody Morrison, executive director of the regional economic development nonprofit MEDC, updated Cheshire County commissioners on recent and planned projects including an EPA-funded brownfields program, a regional housing development fund and a childcare facility support program.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Commissioners approve minutes and weekly manifest; nonpublic session held

Cheshire County grants manager reports record awards, staffing impacts and program complexity

Regional Rail‑Trail advocates outline 114‑mile network plan and funding needs

Monadnock Economic Development Corporation outlines housing, brownfields and childcare efforts