[{"_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",6079931,"mediaKeyId","2953417-30ac07996bab8ded05d6705ab45f59df","parentId",2953417,"title","Resident urges full-time shelter; commissioners explain legal and funding limits","audioSeconds",123,"startMs",1072000,"endMs",1195000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2953417-30ac07996bab8ded05d6705ab45f59df&start=1072&end=1195","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2953417-30ac07996bab8ded05d6705ab45f59df/thumbnail_1072000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6079931/Strafford-County/New-Hampshire/Resident-urges-full-time-shelter-commissioners-explain-legal-and-funding-limits","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6079931-1e12ca457df07e48a7e3ca4f7f47340f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771129754&Signature=Tzh02panlvG~LCVbEy-KsseNTHv-6DZ2J6b1xUWS6oGreXqJd3W8EgBO9GXIdPuySuOhebuNmUVav9A6gr1BvQSwWaUfCYgLggM7qFjAq-~EmroNPzoMGV6-16LI3bP3CNT0TmK5NJszqECghFD8-oeWr~M5rKeVUpBG8c5X72mOI8VB2tX3NMf2zCeHSz0UXeyr~zryK8Gs3GQPYEeEBvQkBXDKFrhJo5lqfEBHNUzDhMva6IFRtTrtxOMGtkvrOwFpbSOalf1hjiFAsFkczo6J2fN72egKVghJlOQihUJ0nB51xNBGprRrcPPzzCuOlaC8DdPVBiCMAbMkHYlJzg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Strafford County NH","date","2025-04-10T23:50:05.127Z","article","A resident addressing the Strafford County Commission urged the county to establish a full‑time homeless shelter in the region. Commissioners responded that creating and operating such a shelter involves legal, funding and operational hurdles that fall primarily to municipalities and state agencies.

The resident identified herself as Jennifer and said she is a Strafford County resident. Commissioners replied that \"the county is not, legally responsible for these folks. The municipalities are, and that was a change in a law that took place in 1987,\" the chair said, explaining why municipal officials and local welfare directors have primary authority over shelter decisions.

Commissioners described existing arrangements: an emergency warming center operated for life‑saving weather events hosted in Somersworth, municipal in‑kind contributions for police, fire and ambulance services, and municipal cash contributions the chair said include $50,000 from Dover and $50,000 from Rochester. The chair also said the state has channeled $100,000 to the effort through the county to support emergency operations; commissioners characterized the current facility as an emergency warming center designed for temporary activation during life‑threatening weather rather than a full‑time shelter.

\"It's designed to be only, only activated during life saving, weather conditions, and so it's not a full time shelter ... The facility itself is not designed to be open 24/7, 365 days a year. It would need extensive renovation,\" the chair said. Commissioners added that Somersworth has hosted the current warming center for several years but has indicated it wants the facility moved from that city.

Commissioners said a year‑round shelter requires wraparound services and ongoing operational funding; they noted waiting lists for federal housing through local housing authorities of \"5 and 8 years depending on which housing authority you talk to,\" and that federal funding for new construction has been limited. \"In most cases, whenever the government does anything, building a building is usually the cheap part. It's how to pay for it operational wise over the course of a year is where the big expense comes in,\" the chair said.

Why it matters: Debate over shelter capacity and funding affects people experiencing homelessness and municipal budgets; decisions cross city, county and state responsibilities.

Details and context: Commissioners said multiple study committees and the three principal municipalities (Dover, Somersworth, Rochester) have been examining options for 8–10 years and that the county acts in a fiduciary capacity when it channels certain funds but cannot unilaterally create a municipally funded, year‑round shelter because of statutory constraints. Commissioners said the county forwarded the resident's correspondence to mayors, city managers and local welfare directors.

Ending: Commissioners asked municipal leaders and housing authorities to continue coordinating with the county and state; the resident thanked the commission for the discussion and expressed hope that resources would be found to provide stable housing.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","2025-04-10 Strafford county Commissioners Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","A resident urged Strafford County to provide a full-time homeless shelter. Commissioners said municipal governments and the state, not the county, carry primary legal responsibility and outlined current funding for an emergency warming center and barriers to creating a year‑round shelter.","taxTitle","Strafford County, New Hampshire","taxId",54748,"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},6079936,"Sewer repairs progressing and roof replaced at county facility; outages brief, staff say",204,709000,913000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2953417-30ac07996bab8ded05d6705ab45f59df&start=709&end=913","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2953417-30ac07996bab8ded05d6705ab45f59df/thumbnail_709000.jpg","/articles/6079936/Strafford-County/New-Hampshire/Sewer-repairs-progressing-and-roof-replaced-at-county-facility-outages-brief-staff-say","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6079936-7b4c3675e35be631c95eb9aa3193cfd5/orig.mp4?Expires=1771129754&Signature=DQK4lw~jDoQ6BORVCMlq9p2l~G3g8tuNR8utcqTWc0fSi3J4MhdeOFlx86Y4bRP8pQQ5Jzae9PXN22sLJLAU6do059bgpw1o8XTUd64Kbn6tWLidIRVlsCEmIUo4z5Lz1oYMEFaci2JUH4t6YXrtbdgAJlea00nZWrkRhcu5Sxc1M2HZ9WbfmYu6X4HahSHwP2HqGyVRQk4YQ6tn-I-pfHHOVbHRcz5b4mD~DPGHbJJNgCBhlA8o-6eD3ynO9cQi2ajU2NVetcHpgkoSNGWTmf-zBzi45s8uj9PGZx10T33C7s7QEv5LE84mWvjY70UUB3~JddWoR-Nlfj8xarbTug__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","County staff told commissioners the facility sewer project is proceeding well, with crews responding quickly to unexpected conditions and keeping outages brief.

\"We have currently 3 runs right now ... they were able to dig the pits, and we were able to get less than 48 hours of outage,\" a county project lead said. Staff said runs serve C Building (administrative hallway, physical therapy and the kitchen/activity areas) and that crews had to excavate additional sections after camera inspection revealed sections that could not sustain chain cleaning. The staff member said he expected work to finish by the end of next week, barring new discoveries.

On a separate roofing project, staff reported the roof replacement was completed and cleanup was underway. \"Their materials should be out by the end of today ... and you can barely tell them where the roof looks wonderful. There was, 2 sheets of plywood that needed to be replaced and a section of trim,\" staff said. They added that one plywood replacement was at a previous satellite-dish mount; the county plans to remount the satellite on a decorative mast.

Why it matters: sewer relining and roof replacement maintain building safety and continuity of services; minimizing outages limits resident disruption.

Details and context: Staff described use of camera inspections to identify pipe conditions, followed by targeted excavation where liners might fail. The project lead said the expected life added by the liner work could be decades; he stated, \"We're saying 50 years.\" On the roof, staff noted the installation of ice-and-water shield and replacement of trim and plywood and said residents have relied on streaming services (Roku and other devices) while the building's satellite service was offline.

Ending: Staff will continue to monitor the sewer runs as they complete remaining liners and will remount the satellite dish on a mast once trim work is complete.","County staff reported progress on a sewer relining project with brief outages and said a separate roof replacement was completed, with two plywood sections and trim repaired and satellite dish to be remounted on a mast.",{"_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},6079940,"Riverside staff mark Occupational Therapy Month; detail dysphagia diet standard and family outreach",227,103000,330000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2953417-30ac07996bab8ded05d6705ab45f59df&start=103&end=330","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2953417-30ac07996bab8ded05d6705ab45f59df/thumbnail_103000.jpg","/articles/6079940/Strafford-County/New-Hampshire/Riverside-staff-mark-Occupational-Therapy-Month-detail-dysphagia-diet-standard-and-family-outreach","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6079940-ec3aabe9eb5b0367c41cb01a04d3dcd5/orig.mp4?Expires=1771129754&Signature=cuB1-1OtI0NxeDdMwSjAev84YFe9qzZm0jMuHd38j~GiD9vr~Ktj2pBH0EPSS-QfSrkaHVJWjf-RAabo8GvYhH2HDVOYJdsRE321IbD6pfoDDPUSJ8J9oreHOJ-g8LI9QL2sQxJP2T5iYfO-8DbQd7b6UMWVg5LeQssRIjb4eq7BMGZiaNoDfQnUi-W65bR6HtAXKmUkHbjLo~qODlCuOag4Q9F95iivj3mWQT9YhsNSks6LatlC0MT1BtHyM5tVbjsylvWrS2s3OQe4IoO9H01eGr5BaEyF8m6s9quL2c4U71nykuPvCiy-09BEuHcuVCeT9dHh5vrGxyOOdWqxLg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Commissioners heard a brief presentation recognizing April as Occupational Therapy Month and outlining occupational therapy services at Riverside, including cognitive screening and food-texture standards intended to reduce choking and aspiration risk.

\"Occupational therapy goes back, into like World War I ... it was determined at that time that using occupation was a way for soldiers to kind of improve their health, mental health and physical health,\" Christine, an occupational therapist at Riverside, told the commission. Christine said Riverside employs two full‑time occupational therapists who evaluate residents' self‑care tasks such as bathing and dressing and perform cognitive assessments.

On cognitive screening, Christine described use of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA) as a baseline at admission and as a tool for follow-up when clinicians note changes. \"We get a baseline. And then when the providers feel like, there's been some kind of cognitive change ... it's a consideration of, their power of attorneys reactivated,\" she said.

Christine and county staff described Riverside's adoption of IDDSI (International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative) categories to standardize food textures and liquids for residents with chewing or swallowing difficulties. As Christine explained, \"based on that, those categories would determine what food is safe at a regular texture or if you need to change it ... if an individual is having problems with chewing ... we have to modify their food texture and sometimes their liquids.\" She said the facility works closely with its dietitian to adapt menus and that family education is a core part of the approach.

Commissioners asked about scope and cost. Staff said they could provide dietary budget details later; Christine said there are \"a large amount\" of residents requiring some food‑texture modification but she did not provide an exact percentage.

Why it matters: standardized swallowing and texture guidelines are intended to reduce choking and aspiration pneumonia risk among frail residents, and family outreach can improve safety when families bring food from home.

Details and context: Christine said IDDSI helps staff \"speak the same language\" as hospitals when residents are discharged with a specified diet level. She noted that Riverside's physical therapy availability decreased from five days a week to three, increasing occupational therapy overlap where permitted by licensure. Staff also said they use liquid thickeners at times for medication administration and will provide cost figures on request.

Ending: Commissioners thanked staff for the overview and encouraged continued family education and coordination with dietitians and physical therapy.","Riverside occupational therapy staff briefed the Strafford County Commission on occupational therapy services, use of MOCA cognitive screening and adoption of IDDSI diet categories to reduce aspiration risk and guide family education.",{"_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},6079945,"Strafford County commissioners authorize $37,857 state Child Advocacy Center grant; take up other administrative items",36,27000,63000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2953417-30ac07996bab8ded05d6705ab45f59df&start=27&end=63","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2953417-30ac07996bab8ded05d6705ab45f59df/thumbnail_27000.jpg","/articles/6079945/Strafford-County/New-Hampshire/Strafford-County-commissioners-authorize-37857-state-Child-Advocacy-Center-grant-take-up-other-administrative-items","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6079945-49e32f5f95c9d03267811bf70fd6180e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771129754&Signature=GSEPTvp311rG5MCBNVjEbNeRNNb5dcMxCFkZJKFYMSTo5sEGyUxot0-4RL~Q13gv7mDkVuCyuYFoO65U8mAs-BPioO-w2Km1vInBJ~eyNNV~KvKfAIesfAXDA~6~fuDStwxDuMsU3U0jAxRD9QJ5yz04q4tgAwfmKjkJyPiJnDzHJO5N3oXdAQmHBIhTYFHhy9X7CxiPosvE4XBn32TBYt-vf6YGewa-6XKyqPNvV8WlKj2~PZBIYvs9VRdbOXp9nquF59QkPIZzgpYR0q9EcjEA3k~euOlbeDwrGKrrGzQzuTHiQYK4bZM5BSKNZqIszFItLAZGFyujzFBMVtCgZA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Strafford County Commission authorized and agreed to sign a state grant of about $37,857 for the county Child Advocacy Center, commissioners said during their regular meeting.

The vote to approve the child advocacy center grant was moved and seconded and adopted; the chair summarized the item as to \"authorize and sign the child advocacy center grant about $37,857,\" and meeting staff confirmed the grant is a state award disbursed at half the previously approved amount because \"the state doesn't know what their budget's gonna look like from July 1,\" the chair said.

The chair said the grant paperwork is lengthy and will need signatures from the three commissioners and the court clerk. \"The top will be for the 3 of you to sign, and then you have other things to sign, George, an initial and everything. And then Sean has to sign this as the court,\" the chair said.

Commissioners also discussed a request to extend a Rochester childcare CVV grant. Donna Lane has contacted county staff asking for an extension because the project, originally due to be completed in June, was delayed by vendor problems. The extension requested would run through December 30; county staff said Ray and Sean would need to sign the extension paperwork and that the item would be handled \"on the side\" with those signatures rather than as part of the full meeting record.

Near the meeting's end, the chair asked for a motion to move into a nonpublic session for \"personnel, contract negotiation.\" The chair called for a roll call after the motion was made; the transcript ends with the chair requesting the roll call.

Why it matters: the child advocacy grant funds local services for child abuse response and investigation; the Rochester childcare extension affects a municipally linked project that has experienced vendor delays. The nonpublic session motion, if approved, would remove part of the meeting from the public record under allowable personnel/contract exemptions.

Details and context: Commissioners clarified this is a state grant, not federal funding, and that the state is advancing half the previously budgeted amount because of uncertainty in its biannual budget. Staff said the county will execute signature pages and routing as required. On the Rochester childcare grant, staff said vendor replacement caused timing problems and the extension request is intended to allow project completion with a new vendor.

Votes at a glance

- Child Advocacy Center state grant — authorize and sign, amount about $37,857; motion moved and seconded; outcome: approved. Vote tally: not specified in the transcript beyond affirmative voice vote.
- Rochester childcare CVV grant extension — extension request to December 30; action: staff to process signature and certification by county clerk; no formal recorded vote in the meeting transcript (handled administratively).
- Motion to enter nonpublic session for personnel/contract negotiation — motion made and roll call requested; outcome not recorded in the provided transcript.

What happens next: County staff will route the child advocacy grant paperwork for signed execution. County staff said they will prepare the Rochester childcare grant extension documents for signature by Ray and county clerk Sean and will certify as required. If the nonpublic session motion is approved, the commission will meet privately on personnel or contract matters and then return to public session as required by law.","The Strafford County Commission voted to authorize and sign a state grant of about $37,857 for the county Child Advocacy Center, discussed a Rochester childcare grant extension request and moved to consider a nonpublic session for personnel and contract negotiations.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Resident urges full-time shelter; commissioners explain legal and funding limits

Sewer repairs progressing and roof replaced at county facility; outages brief, staff say

Riverside staff mark Occupational Therapy Month; detail dysphagia diet standard and family outreach

Strafford County commissioners authorize $37,857 state Child Advocacy Center grant; take up other administrative items