June & July Executive Council Highlights

By Executive Councilor John A. Stephen – District 4

The summer months have been filled with productive meetings, community visits, and work on key priorities for District 4 and the State of New Hampshire. From addressing school safety concerns to celebrating local business milestones, the past two months have been a reminder of the dedication and resilience of the people we serve.

Caring for Students and Families

On June 9, I toured Catie’s Closet at Beech Street School in Manchester with CEO and Founder Mickey Cockrell. This innovative program transforms unused spaces in schools into safe, welcoming “closets” where students can choose clothing, toiletries, and other necessities—free of charge and without stigma. Thanks to Elliott Hospital’s funding, two Manchester schools now offer this support, ensuring students have what they need to feel confident, stay engaged, and succeed in the classroom.

That same day, I met with the Barrington Town Board of Selectmen, Town Manager Conner MacIver, School officials, and Police Chief Joy to discuss serious safety concerns along Route 9 near the middle school. Children are crossing a busy stretch of road without adequate protections. I have urged the Department of Transportation to meet directly with local officials, law enforcement, and school leaders to develop a plan for enhanced school zone safety measures, including speed restrictions and traffic controls.

Highlighting Local Businesses and Economic Growth

On June 10, I toured two exceptional Bedford companies—Safran Defense and Space Inc., a leader in advanced optronics, and PCI Pharma Services, a pharmaceutical manufacturing and packaging company. Both contribute significantly to our local economy by providing high-quality jobs and producing products here in New Hampshire.

Later that day, I attended NH Outdoor Industry Day with Governor Ayotte, Manchester Mayor Jay Ruais, and BEA Commissioner Taylor Caswell. The event showcased products from local outdoor businesses, demonstrating the strength of our small business community and the value of promoting New Hampshire’s outdoor lifestyle.

In mid-June, I joined the 10-year anniversary celebration of Primary Bank in Bedford. I was honored to speak at the event and commend the Board for its vision in supporting local businesses and strengthening our community through smart, local lending.

Addressing Child Care Challenges

In conversations with NH Early Learning Alliance Executive Director Jackie Crowell and Alpha-Bit’s Child Care proprietors Muriel and Nicole Allard, we discussed the pressing need for affordable, high-quality child care. Many small child care providers face burdensome licensing requirements that make it harder to recruit and retain staff. I am committed to working with providers and advocates to improve access for families.

Protecting Clean Water

Safe drinking water is essential to healthy communities. I met with leadership from the Department of Environmental Services to discuss PFAS contamination, the financial assistance available to cities and towns, and the state’s public PFAS testing website. Millions of dollars have already been approved for PFAS testing, remediation, and community support, and we must remain committed to addressing this issue. For more information about PFAS in your community or the support offered please visit https://www.pfas.des.nh.gov/

Strengthening Communities and Schools

I met with Building Community NH to learn about local programs supporting legal immigrants and refugee families in District 4.

I also met with Manchester School District Superintendent Jenn Chimel to discuss her efforts to improve educational outcomes through a new system of performance scoring and accountability for schools—an important step toward better results for Manchester’s students.

Improving Public Safety

The Highway Safety Task Force, on which I serve, finalized a plan with over 100 recommendations to save lives and reduce crashes. The plan includes measures such as increased enforcement, greater driver education, roadway improvements, and targeted media outreach. I am honored to work with Commissioner of Safety Robert Quinn, Attorney General John Formella, DOT Commissioner Bill Cass, and so many other committed representatives, senators, victims and community leaders to make our roads safer.to make our roads safer.

In July, I attended a Naturalization Ceremony in Concord, welcoming new citizens who have chosen New Hampshire as their home. It was an inspiring reminder of the freedoms and opportunities that define our state and nation.

State Leadership and Housing

I was pleased to support Caitlin Davis in her unanimous confirmation as Commissioner of Education. Our discussion covered parental consent, school choice, and continuing to empower families in education decisions. I also thanked outgoing Commissioner Frank Edelblut for his years of dedicated service.

I hosted a Veterans’ Attainable Housing Roundtable to explore solutions for affordable housing tailored to veterans’ needs. Presenters shared promising models to help ensure those who served our country can afford to live here.

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Judicial Accountability

Councilors Joe Kenney and John Stephen hold roundtable with Chief Justice Gordon MacDonald, Attorney General John Formella, and Commissioner Bob Quinn from the Department of Safety

Alongside Councilor Joe Kenney, I called for the removal of Magistrate Stephanie Johnson for the second time due to serious concerns following the Manchester incident and the tragic murder of Marisol Fuentes in Berlin. Together, we hosted a roundtable with Attorney General Formella, Commissioner Quinn, and Chief Justice MacDonald to address gaps in system wide connection under the J-One system to connect courts and law enforcement to enhance public safety, and we discussed next steps for reform.

Councilor Kenney and I will not let this issue subside until we see the development of concrete steps to strengthen our laws to protect public safety, ensure dangerous offenders are kept behind bars, and ensure police & judges have the training they need to protect public safety. I am hosting a follow up Bail Reform Roundtable on September 4^th at the Police Standards and Training facility to begin to discuss judicial and law enforcement training under the new Bail law to take effect in September.