Hampton, NH awarded ARPA funds

Dear editor,

Since I could not get an answer on whether or not certain terms would be applicable for Hampton when awarded the American Rescue Plan Funds, I abstained from the vote to accept.

Below is the very first term and condition in which is referenced at the meeting:

-A recipient of a grant or cooperative agreement awarded by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) with funds made available under the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020 (P.L.116-123); the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, 2020 (the “CARES Act”) (P.L. 116-136); the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act (P.L. 116-139); the Consolidated Appropriations Act and the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplement Appropriations Act, 2021 (P.L. 116-260) and/or the American Rescue Plan of 2021 (P.L. 117-2) agrees, as applicable to the award, to: 1) comply with existing and/or future directives and guidance from the Secretary regarding control of the spread of COVID-19; 2) in consultation and coordination with HHS, provide, commensurate with the condition of the individual, COVID-19 patient care regardless of the individual’s home jurisdiction and/or appropriate public health measures (e.g., social distancing, home isolation); and 3) assist the United States Government in the implementation and enforcement of federal orders related to quarantine and isolation.

Later on during the final 2022 budget review, I also asked why, if the state can afford to distribute an average of $400-$500 million annually from their raised revenues to the state education trust fund, why can they not simply award $20 million of state funds guaranteed to not have any federal strings, to the town of Hampton for its critical infrastructure improvements that also happen to support the Hampton Beach State Park?

Not only did I get crickets from the other board members, I got the gavel for being "out of order" as determined by the chairman. It is a good one to watch.

Regina Barnes

Hampton, NH