To the Editor: I'm running for re-election because there still much to be done
To The Daily Sun,
Four years ago, when I was elected as a Belknap County Commissioner, several serious problems needed to be addressed. I ran for office pointing to these problems and urging solutions. Shortly after taking office, I became chairman of the board of county commissioners. Tackling these problems has been a team effort with my fellow commissioners, administrators, department heads and dedicated employees working hard, with me, to solve the problems.
First, the delegation and the previous commissioners were engaged in a legal war over budget authority, with the legal bills approaching $100,000.
My fellow commissioners and I quickly ended all lawsuits and pledged to work with the delegation to resolve issues, without going to court. While the relationship between the commissioners and some members of the delegation has often been strained, to date we have been able to resolve issues without litigation.
Second, we inherited a dangerously overcrowded jail in need of major repairs. Although the vast majority of inmates were incarcerated because of drug use, the corrections department had no drug program and a recidivism rate of more than 70 percent. Our county had one of the highest per capita death rates from opioid overdoses in the state. The previous commissioners were seriously considering a $42 million facility with significant staffing increases to address the problem.
The Belknap County jail was repaired and updated and a new Community Corrections Center was added for $7.3 million, approximately $35 million less than the previous proposal. Currently we are changing lives. Early indications show we are significantly reducing the recidivism rate with the drug treatment program we have implemented.
Third, four years ago our county nursing home was in chaos. There were significant problems with billing, in the nursing home, and the amount of uncollectable bills were growing. The entire county complex, including the nursing home, had a failed roof system.
The change here has been dramatic. We have a new nursing home administrator, morale of staff has been significantly boosted, our bill collection rate is now one of the best in the state and the roof has been replaced. Proof of the turnaround accomplished by the new leadership in the nursing home came recently when U. S. News and World Report named the Belknap County Nursing Home #5 out of over 70 nursing homes in the State of New Hampshire.
Fourth, we inherited a big employee morale problem. Union employees had gone four years without a contract. Non-union employees had received no wage increases during that period. The costly employee health insurance plans, then in effect, were considered “Cadillac plans” under the Affordable Care Act and thus might have required the county to pay a $150,000 a year tax.
The commissioners negotiated new contracts with all four unions. These contracts eliminated the “Cadillac insurance plans” and the threat of the tax they could have triggered thereby saving taxpayer money. When the commissioners presented these contracts to the delegation for their approval of the cost items, they were met with overwhelming approval, being viewed as fair to both the employees and to the taxpayers of Belknap County.
These issues were my priorities four years ago, when I sought election as a county commissioner, and I am very pleased with what we have accomplished. It is significant to note that Belknap County has the smallest budget, the lowest county taxes and the smallest staff of any county in the state.
I am seeking re-election for three major reasons. First, we need to continue to fund the Corrections Center to address the opioid crisis. I believe those efforts are of vital importance to our community. Second, it is clear that we have an eldercare crisis coming, as our population continues to increase in age. The state has allocated most of the financial responsibility to the counties. I am committed to working on strong programs to keep seniors safely in their homes longer, thus reducing the need for more expensive nursing home care.
Finally, I will continue my commitment to fiscal responsibility, efficiency and transparency in government. I ask for your vote at the polls in District 1 (Laconia, New Hampton and Sanbornton) on September 11.
David DeVoy
Belknap County Commissioner
Sanbornton