By ARCHIE MOUNTAIN
NEWPORT — New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu left Newport Tuesday afternoon with a pretty good idea of what was on the minds of 30 Newporters as they didn’t hold back on their questions or comments during a one-hour session at the Sugar River Bank Community Room.
He even took notes in what turned out to be a very informative exchange of ideas. Sununu, now completing his first term in Concord and running for re-election, also shared his thinking on some of the problems in New Hampshire and how he is working to solve them.
The Community Room gathering was just one of four events in which Sununu participated during his afternoon visit to Newport.
He stopped in and toured the mill building on Sunapee Street that will soon be converted into senior apartments, a medical office and restaurant. He also took his time taking a walking tour on Main Street where he was introduced to many merchants. Following the session at the Community Room he toured the Sturm, Ruger factory in Guild.
Newport Town Manager Hunter Rieseberg kicked things off with a brief comment. “What works on the east side of the state may not work on the west side,” he related.
Rieseberg said he expects Governor’s Day in Newport to grow even larger in future years.
SAU 43 (Newport) Superintendent of Schools Cindy Gallagher zoned in on the upcoming CTE renovation in the plans for the Sugar River Regional Technical Center in Newport.
“CTE is the best way to offer school choice, not private vs. public,” Sununu responded.
“The University system is not for everybody,” the Republican governor stated.
Supporting CTE, Sununu said we need to back things up to the fourth or fifth grade. “There are huge opportunities in manufacturing now, take advantage of it,” he continued.
“I have one major point to make,” said Roy Malool of Newport. “I’ve been five years trying to push this plan through but we’re missing the transportation area. We need some help to get transportation for our young people.”
“This is a thing we’re fighting in Concord,” Sununu responded. “Everyone wants to go by train from Manchester to Boston. I don’t know who that will help you.”
Todd Fratzel, vice chairman of the Newport Board of Selectmen, said there is pressure from the state that jobs like plumbers and carpenters are not good.
“Manufacturing offers good high tech stuff,” Sununu said. “People with success stories need to be brought back into high school to tell their stories.
”We’re allowed to work with our communities,” said Sullivan County Manager Derek Ferland. “We are absolutely blessed and swimming in opportunities.
“We’ve got to create programs,” Sununu emphasized. “We’re working as hard as we can to keep Ruger here,” said Jeff Kessler, chairman of the Newport Board of Selectmen.
“Energy, energy, energy is No. 1 now,” Sununu noted. “Energy is everything. ‘If you don’t keep electricity rates down there will be problems. New Hampshire has the highest energy rates in the country.
“The No. 1 driver in the state is still manufacturing,” the governor related.
“Thinking two years out is the worst thing. Ruger is thinking 15-20 years out,” Sununu said.
“New Hampshire has the lowest poverty rate in the country. The opioid crisis, that’s
the problem,” the governor related.
“For years we have provided money and then walked away. We focused on Manchester and did not provide to rural care. Do we track patients? How many people have failed? Do recovery programs work?
“This is the biggest health crisis we have seen and we’re going at it backwards. We’re now funneling everyone into one system with one phone call,” he added.
“The only solution is prevention. This is a broken system. We have to provide some sort of opportunity for abused kids,” Sununu said.
“For years the state has ignored mental health obligations. We’re making huge strides. Good government is all about constant communication,” he concluded.
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