[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-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",[32,75,86],{"_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",6144320,"mediaKeyId","5534303-e65eba5ac4cc2fafe7e66eb91220ac67","parentId",5534303,"title","Conservation district highlights equipment‑rental program using Moose Plate and ARPA grants","audioSeconds",347,"startMs",1893000,"endMs",2240000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5534303-e65eba5ac4cc2fafe7e66eb91220ac67&start=1893&end=2240","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5534303-e65eba5ac4cc2fafe7e66eb91220ac67/thumbnail_1893000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6144320/Strafford-County/New-Hampshire/Conservation-district-highlights-equipmentrental-program-using-Moose-Plate-and-ARPA-grants","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6144320-995d1b19ce00ebddb190bf2394237539/orig.mp4?Expires=1771195031&Signature=nMiA251KfGOSro3iqIxAyxYZTxr8bNT2miPIBPHI3OZiiRd234yPbA0FZTzQQZEXAqiTQLIsESM6kCHp2acJ2yFphdaHOsv8epEpQBBj63cZ6livdMoADBv8bRTk0zdlkfAhdle27BHVJGkf3MrbIGC0IdA1T0TwyxWdTfLfvykSC5bO6eeEyYbZbV6QLirhRwLncKjE9H28dnKJfYHZsN7h815b9jDLUBpGiASorVxK~AF7n-hWfBbHx5kYfiEY-w-Ql35GbPSnGM1LISQaGy79HdiaB6IXizi8~mHNObnR~sX0irk7KheVyKw7OmlhPcjhbRUovXUHjXLo81SI6g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Strafford County NH","date","2025-08-04T13:36:44Z","article","County conservation officials presented the county’s equipment‑rental program, which uses grant funding to buy conservation equipment and rents it at low cost to farmers to reduce nutrient runoff, improve soil health and support farms.

Why it matters: The program reduces barriers for small and midsize farms to adopt conservation practices by sharing equipment costs, supports state conservation goals (including Great Bay water quality), and leverages grant funds to expand capacity.

Program overview and funding
Elena Warren, manager of the conservation district, said the equipment rental program began in 2012 with the goal of reducing nutrient runoff into Great Bay and has since expanded to support soil health and wildlife habitat. Warren said the district purchases equipment with private, state and federal grants and uses a low rental fee to cover maintenance and repairs.

Ian Hanley, executive director of the State Conservation Committee, described grant sources. He said the Moose Plate grant program provides a regular source of funding (the upcoming Moose Plate application round was described as $35,000 per application) and that the Department of Agriculture distributed leftover ARPA funds last year that resulted in about $580,000 statewide for rental equipment, with Strafford County receiving about $160,000.

Demand, equipment sizing and partnerships
Officials said demand varies year to year — weather and market conditions affect use — and that recent fleet additions include smaller pieces of equipment geared to the state’s many small farms (more than half the state’s farms are under 50 acres). The district uses local public input, via annual local work groups, to prioritize equipment purchases.

Officials also noted partnerships with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), which helps align equipment availability with Farm Bill‑funded practice implementation, and that the program gives scheduling preference to farmers in Strafford and Rockingham counties.

Ending
Commissioners and conservation officials agreed to tour the equipment after the meeting; there was no formal vote. The program leaders said continued grant support and outreach are central to future expansion.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","2025-07-17 Strafford County Commissioners Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","Strafford County Conservation District managers told commissioners about an equipment‑rental program that buys conservation equipment with grants, charges low rental fees to farmers and reinvests fees in repairs; recent Moose Plate and ARPA grants expanded the fleet.","taxTitle","Strafford County, New Hampshire","taxId",54748,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6144325,"Commissioners warn proposed managed‑care shift could cut federal funds for nursing homes",0,1030000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5534303-e65eba5ac4cc2fafe7e66eb91220ac67&start=1030&end=1030","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5534303-e65eba5ac4cc2fafe7e66eb91220ac67/thumbnail_1030000.jpg","/articles/6144325/Strafford-County/New-Hampshire/Commissioners-warn-proposed-managedcare-shift-could-cut-federal-funds-for-nursing-homes","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6144325-5e75d8c440ee77ec78a1e85aea993345/orig.mp4?Expires=1771195031&Signature=KqiguhtrwsKlsousT23weOspObn2IOE81lJiAqJGCo~DEZ-72GuukBqijpvHNHdL4Udj72JJCsIwfPa7OcNcbi3AKvvbcz5ufHV8OvjsNOdOanxeRB8WeD4TQIsEwy3gZKYNr~TOJ9sUJtZeZPXhagQhZT-RrWqnNr4pJ6GFdpqOz0RwvtE75iEKMaNvH2RPl30CSdohRSjuGgHqcZkgIzRH5D7lYNgUkiYa8ZowMsgDWUWlpevoL-IM8d7uldHJLnm5PeDV1yrYwXbqDvU4W5UOoOIKknnA3CqOlfO74jircnBSZho-Km5-7gFCrzwxPOThVrlJdArh5YUYH6kNnw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","County officials told commissioners that a legislative proposal to study moving long‑term care into managed care could remove large federal funding streams that currently support nursing homes, and they urged caution as the bill moves through the legislature.

Why it matters: County officials said shifting nursing‑home payments into a managed‑care model would strip federal flows now supporting nursing homes and county programs, with potential consequences for nursing‑home viability and county budgets.

What county officials said
A county official summarized the county’s estimate that a push to place all home‑and‑community‑based services and nursing‑home clients into managed care could remove about $100,000,000 in federal funding from the state reimbursement system. The official said that the county currently receives federal support that includes a provider assessment commonly referred to in the meeting as the “bed tax” and proportionate share pool (PSP) funds, and that those flows would not continue under a managed‑care conversion.

Officials described prior reports and analyses the county prepared (citing work dating to 2014 and a final report filed in February 2018). They said counties will present that information to legislators as the bill advances and that sponsors of the bill may not fully appreciate the potential fiscal impact on counties and nursing‑home operators.

Discussion of eligibility, care needs and likely outcomes
Commissioners and the official argued the nursing‑home population today is, on average, sicker and more costly to care for than in prior decades because people now leave hospitals sooner. The official said average lengths of stay are shorter and that large shares of current nursing‑home residents are on hospice or require high‑acuity care; those conditions complicate efforts to shift care to home‑and‑community settings without increased total spending.

Officials noted states that have pursued managed‑care approaches experienced mixed results and cited Arizona as an example of a problematic rollout. County officials said any move toward managed care would likely require new revenue sources to replace federal funding otherwise available under the current system, and that privatization would introduce profit margins and new regulatory complexity.

Discussion versus decisions
The meeting record shows discussion of the legislative proposal and county staff and commissioners’ intent to present county reports to the legislature; there was no formal county vote reported on a lobbying stance at this meeting.

Ending
County officials said they will track the bill and present prior county analyses to legislators as the process continues.","Officials told county commissioners that a legislative move to place nursing‑home and home‑community services into managed care could reduce federal reimbursements to nursing homes and counties by roughly $100 million, and commissioners described the risk that smaller nursing homes could close under such a change.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6144330,"County officials say alarm system, controls at Riverside need urgent repair; staff to produce prioritized cost list",308,83000,391000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5534303-e65eba5ac4cc2fafe7e66eb91220ac67&start=83&end=391","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5534303-e65eba5ac4cc2fafe7e66eb91220ac67/thumbnail_83000.jpg","/articles/6144330/Strafford-County/New-Hampshire/County-officials-say-alarm-system-controls-at-Riverside-need-urgent-repair-staff-to-produce-prioritized-cost-list","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6144330-0e571c65580128f5e460f44cc95c9b8f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771195031&Signature=LmnMvVGfAzgMD8GQkqQfCKv0Z9sLXzbUClvGJGJylCAvmM7LB~XTE8RfnlkoFlsVdg04W0k~F4StRi7TmEGfOXUxRmlFg1-BVRvejx2HFc2R03ww2YF3Wl8k8kuZbr1wMOi4hEyldd2Mi2nA6wucZ4JxK7STUXglsJTyyQMggdeFrGMvtiDy-nr1m3OYjDIfYdLUVrLqlLrMpgVBMmJQlkb4kRjUmtiF2sipVhkX0rDfVhlDhboo6b5J6YpIY24qpQ4mZ5h5ivKW9gmWD6v6DceZeiX4HhEyqz9fpXiHKGgtKsZifsW-BK0GQs6bksrrqfz1erTo9oJV3xTqSAPndw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","County commissioners were told Monday that Riverside, the county’s long‑running nursing facility, needs prompt repairs after staff found parts for a decades‑old wandering‑resident alarm no longer available and several building control systems nearing the end of their useful life. Commissioners asked staff to prioritize needed work and return with cost estimates.

Why it matters: Facility failures that affect resident safety — including alarm bracelets that stop transmitting and controls that do not register elevator and door signals — create immediate operational and safety challenges and may require reallocation of capital funds or competitive bidding for replacements.

Commission discussion and staff direction
A county official told commissioners the alarm system installed “about 30 years ago” is no longer fully serviceable on Unit 4, and staff have relied on other units to cover residents affected by the failure. The official said a resident who had wandered recently underscored the urgency of restoring reliable alarms. Commissioners were not presented final cost estimates at the meeting and instead directed staff to prepare a prioritized list of repairs and vendor pricing.

The official said some capital items recently budgeted arrived under budget and raised the possibility of diverting portions of those funds to higher‑priority maintenance at Riverside. Commissioners said some work will likely require bids; staff were asked to return with numbers and options.

Scope of needed work and related infrastructure issues
Staff described multiple needs across Riverside: failing alarm bracelets and the unit‑level receivers that register them; building control systems and boiler controls that no longer communicate or register accurately; humidity and air‑exchange problems in one building; and localized roofing and structural repairs. Staff identified Building B controls as the most immediate concern and said boilers in Buildings B and C are old but recently partially replaced in Building C.

Separately, the county was alerted that the state police are upgrading SPOTS terminals and associated firewall requirements. The county official said the Association of Counties and a county contact were engaged to determine how smaller communities that use SPOTS terminals will meet the new firewall requirements; staff were awaiting a report from a county contact working with the state.

Discussion versus decisions
This agenda item produced discussion and staff direction — not a formal vote on a repair contract. Commissioners formally approved the meeting minutes at the start of the session, but on Riverside the board’s action was to direct staff to develop a prioritized repair list with cost estimates and vendor information and to return with recommendations.

Next steps and timeline
Staff were instructed to reach out to existing vendors (including the company identified as currently maintaining the building controls) and to provide a prioritized list and pricing at a future meeting. Commissioners noted some repairs will require public bidding and that staff should identify which items can be handled through reallocation of under‑budgeted capital items.

Ending
Commissioners emphasized the priority of resident safety while the county develops estimates and procurement plans; no contracts or expenditures were approved at the meeting.","County officials reported failures in a wandering-resident alarm system and aging heating/controls at Riverside and directed staff to compile prioritized repairs and cost estimates, with the possibility of using under-budget capital funds to pay for some work.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Conservation district highlights equipment‑rental program using Moose Plate and ARPA grants

Commissioners warn proposed managed‑care shift could cut federal funds for nursing homes

County officials say alarm system, controls at Riverside need urgent repair; staff to produce prioritized cost list