Executive Council gives initial approval to a $23M veterans campus

The head of the state office dispensing pandemic aid walked away from the Executive Council meeting Wednesday with permission to continue negotiating a $23 million contract to build a veterans campus in Franklin. But he should expect tough questions when he comes back with a contact.

Taylor Caswell, executive director of the Governor’s Office for Emergency Relief and Recovery, told councilors Wednesday the $23 million in pandemic aid will pay only for development and construction costs. Easterseals NH, which already owns the 15-acre property, would operate the 61-bed campus, he said.

Councilors said they support the intent of the project but want significantly more information about it and the state’s plans for a contract with Easterseals NH.

“This was like $23 million in one page of information,” Councilor David Wheeler, a Milford Republican, told Caswell, referring to the written request Caswell provided the council. “I feel like I don’t know enough about this.”

Councilor Joe Kenney, a Union Republican, said he’s concerned the state is spending millions on a new veterans campus while the New Hampshire Veterans Home in Tilton is so short-staffed it has 230 beds but only 123 residents.

Councilor Cinde Warmington, a Concord Democrat, asked that the council be allowed to share expectations with Caswell ahead of his final negotiations with Easterseals NH.

“My concern is what are we going to do to guarantee into the future that Easterseals will continue to use these monies to benefit our veteran community?” she said.

Caswell told councilors he doesn’t yet know how long Easterseals NH will commit to running the campus; how it will pay for staffing, housing, and services; or what financial and performance requirements the state will set. He said he needs the council’s permission to use the money before negotiating these details.

“We’ve had just endless conversations around what this project really is,” Caswell said. “You will be seeing a contract that has all of those components in it prior to any money-making its way to Easterseals. This is just the process that we use to get us to the point of being able to bring forward a contract.”

Gov. Chris Sununu first announced the project in his State of the State address last month. His office said at the time that Easterseals NH will use the property’s existing buildings to create apartments and units with“retreat” beds for shorter stays. The campus will have onsite mental health and substance misuse treatment; home care services; a fitness center; and equine and pet therapy, his office said.