Lakes And Mountains And Fun The Focus Of Executive Council Meeting At Mount Sunapee

By PAULA TRACY, InDepthNH

ENTERTAINING MEETING: Myles Matteson, the governor's legal counsel; Executive Councilor Karen Liot Hill and Megan Rose, Executive Council Assistant, perform a song about Mount Sunapee at Wednesday's meeting. The meeting was at the Mount Sunapee Base Lodge in Newbury, NH. Video by PAULA TRACY

NEWBURY, NH — New Hampshire's natural resources, from its mountains enjoyed for hiking, foliage and skiing to its lakes which provide swimming, sailing, and year-round fishing were the focus of a meeting of Gov. Kelly Ayotte and the state's five-member Executive Council here Wednesday.

The woods, water and wildlife bring in almost $4 billion a year, provide jobs for 100,000 and create an environment that allows people to have a good quality of life, Executive Councilor Karen Liot Hill, D-Lebanon, told a crowd of more than 100 who came to Mount Sunapee Resort's Base Lodge for a breakfast meeting and regular Executive Council meeting.

Above, Executive Councilors Joe Kenney, R-Wakefield and David Wheeler, R-Milford, and his wife, Joy, take the chairlift ride to the summit of Mount Sunapee. PAULA TRACY photo

The governor and council got a chairlift ride to the summit of the state-owned ski area which is leased to Vail Resorts, held a meeting afterward, and took to the lake and boarded the MV Mount Sunapee II for a luncheon cruise.

After the boat ride, the council held another meeting on state transportation needs at the Lake Sunapee Protective Association Center for Lake Studies in Sunapee harbor.

The council has a tradition of taking their meetings on the road in summer time and each of the five Executive Councilors gets a chance to host a meeting in their district and the governor gets to choose a location for a meeting as well.

So far this summer, the council has been in the North Country with the first meeting held on the veranda at the Mount Washington Hotel in Bretton Woods, at the governor's choosing, July 9. It was followed with a meeting July 30 at the Pittsburg Ridge Runners Club House in a meeting organized by Executive Councilor Joe Kenney, R-Wakefield, who serves in District 1.

This meeting at Sunapee was hosted by Executive Councilor Karen Liot Hill, D-Lebanon, who serves in District 2.

She said she wanted to focus on the importance of the state's lakes and mountains which are a draw for tourism and small business development as well as an important reason that people choose to live here.

Above, Andrea LaMoreaux and Sarah Stewart ride the chairlift to the summit of Mount Sunapee. PAULA TRACY photo

Presentations at the breakfast before the meeting were given by Sue Donnelly, general manager of Mount Sunapee Resort and Sarah Stewart, commissioner of the state Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, and a presentation by the New Hampshire Lakes Association by Andrea LaMoreaux.

The council and governor also got to hear from officials of the New England Healing Sports Association, which has its headquarters at the ski area.

The NEHSA was also honored by the governor for its year-round service in advancing adaptive sports and the impact it has had on countless lives.

Above, Gov. Kelly Ayotte honors former state Rep. Dan Wolf, R-Newbury at the Executive Council meeting Wednesday. PAULA TRACY photo

Ayotte honored former state Rep. Dan Wolf, R-Newbury, for his lifelong commitment to service in his community and the state.

"The award is for you people who have worked with me," Wolf said.

BILLIE BUTLER SWORN IN/SPECIAL ELECTION PRECEPT FOR COOS COUNTY

State Rep. Billie Butler, D-Somersworth, was sworn in as a new state Representative. Butler won a June special election after Dawn Evans moved out of the district.

The governor also announced a special election is to be held for Coos County District 5 including Berlin. Filing for the office will be Aug 18-22, the primary will be Sept. 16 with the special election in November if there is a contested race.

Above, Rep. Billie Butler, D-Somersworth, was sworn in by Gov. Kelly Ayotte at Wednesday's Executive Council meeting. PAULA TRACY photo

CANNON MOUNTAIN TRAMWAY UPDATE

Liot Hill, whose district also includes Franconia Notch State Park, included in the breakfast meeting an update on state-owned and operated Cannon Mountain Ski Area in the presentation and planned to get an update on the future of the Aerial Tramway there, which is being decommissioned after the end of the fall foliage season. It is at the end of its life.

Jace Wirth, general manager of Cannon Mountain said the area is preparing for the "Next-Gen Tram" with $27.2 million made available by the legislature this past session as part of House Bill 25 the (capital budget) with additional capital resources anticipated from a federal Land and Water Conservation grant.

The existing tram is about to undergo a structural analysis to identify if the towers can be reused, which would save the project money, Wirth said.

Above, Myles Matteson, the governor's legal counsel and Meagan Rose, executive council assistant joined Councillor Karen Liot Hill on keyboard. PAULA TRACY photo

MUSICAL PERFORMANCE BY A FEW 'FAMILIAR FACES'

The council and audience got a bit of musical entertainment from a band with as the governor said, on bagpipes was Myles Matteson, the governor's legal counsel and Meagan Rose, executive council assistant joined Councillor Liot Hill on keyboard. They performed three numbers including one about Sunapee. The governor took out her cell phone for photos of the band.

At the last meeting in Pittsburg, Executive Councilor from District 1 Joe Kenney played in a band with Benoit LaMontagne from NH Business and Economic Affairs.

LAKE ASSOCIATIONS HONORED

A number of lake associations in the Lake Sunapee area who monitor water quality, limit invasive species and increase awareness of lake health were honored by the governor with a commendation for their stewardship.

The view from Mount Sunapee. PAULA TRACY photo

NOMINATIONS

Kenneth Merrifield of Franklin was nominated for another term as Commissioner of Labor by the governor.

Ayotte also nominated William R. Hart Jr. of Newington to be the state's Commissioner of the state Department of Corrections. She also nominated Christopher Ellms Jr. of Webster to another term as the deputy commissioner of the State Department of Energy, among other agenda items.

ASHLAND TO GET A BRIDGE FROM NEW HAMPTON

A bridge on a Class VI road on Jackson Pond going over a railroad line will be sold for $1 to the Ashland Fire Department for the purposes of using the timber for a training facility.

Executive Councilor Janet Stevens, R-Rye said she had concern about the chemicals in the timbers including PFAS and wanted to know about how the dismantling would occur.

She was told by Commissioner of Transportation Bill Cass that the Ashland firefighters would assume that as part of the agreement and take safety precautions.

It had been advertised for sale by the DOT but they received nothing other than the offer from Ashland.

Councilor Joe Kenney asked if a replacement was expected but Cass said none is anticipated.

LIHEAP FUNDS APPROVED AND EASIER TO APPLY

Jared Chicoine, commissioner of the state Department of Energy, said this winter it will be easier for residents to apply for assistance for home heating.

The Low Income Heating and Energy Assistance Program or LIHEAP contracts were discussed to learn more about indirect costs at the request of Executive Councilor John Stephen, R-Manchester.

He said it is expected the state will receive about the same amount of help as it did last year to be distributed by the Community Action Programs across the state.

EVERSOURCE RATES GO UP/DOE WANTS ANSWERS

The NH Department of Energy is filing a Motion for Clarification to the Public Utilities Commission related to rate increases for 2026 that fall heavily on residential consumers.

"We were very disappointed with the commission's order," said Chicoine.

This article first appeared on InDepthNH.org and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.