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Strafford County applies to Sen. Shaheen for warming center earmark, seeks $600K-plus for Riverside Rest Home windows
Summary
Commissioners announced applications to Senator Shaheen’s office seeking congressional directed spending for a regional warming center and just over $600,000 to replace aging windows at Riverside Rest Home; administrators said boiler and roof repairs will be pursued next and that grant applications are largely prepared.
The Strafford County Commission announced March 26 that it has applied to Senator Jeanne Shaheen’s office for congressional directed spending to support two local projects: funding for the county-area warming center and ‘‘a little over $600,000’’ to replace windows at Riverside Rest Home.
The chair said the county submitted the earmark requests to reduce the direct impact on local property taxpayers and noted the competitive nature of the process. Commissioners said the finance office has already prepared much of the written justification and cost estimates for both projects, so the administrative burden of filing is largely complete.
County administrators described the windows as at least 50 years old and said staff struggled to maintain habitable indoor temperatures during the recent cold spell: interior rooms were around 65°F while the window interpanes registered about 30°F. The commission said the county will also pursue additional federal grants in coming weeks for related work, including replacement of boilers and repairs to the roof.
Administrator Bower reported a developing leak in one of the facility boilers and explained the building’s two boilers operate in alternating cycles, meaning both can run together during very cold weather. Bower said the county has already obtained price estimates and is ready to adapt the same application materials to request anticipated rural health grant funds once the application period opens.
Commissioners emphasized that, if secured, the federal funding would spare local property taxpayers from directly covering the projects. No decision on grant awards has been announced.
What happens next: the county will monitor the congressional process for directed spending and the rural health grant openings; officials said they will return to the commission with results and next steps if funding is awarded.
